Throwback: The Pumpkin Seeds

Summary

Stories Podcast: A Bedtime Show for Kids of All Ages

Episode Summary: "Throwback: The Pumpkin Seeds"

Release Date: January 21, 2025
Host: Amanda Weldon
Performed by: Amanda Weldon

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Introduction

In this throwback episode of Stories Podcast, hosted by Amanda Weldon, listeners are reminded of one of the classic tales from the podcast's archive. "The Pumpkin Seeds" is an enchanting story that weaves themes of kindness, generosity, and the consequences of selfishness into a narrative perfect for children and families alike.

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Characters and Setting

• Lakshmi: A kind-hearted young woman living alone with a small garden. She sustains herself through gardening and foraging, often sharing her finds with her brother.
• Doobie (Dooby): Lakshmi’s brother, a woodcutter who lives with his wife and baby on the other side of the woods. He is perpetually dissatisfied with his lot in life.
• The Indian Blue Robin: An injured bird that Lakshmi nurses back to health, serving as the catalyst for the magical events that follow.

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The Robin and the Pumpkin Seeds

Lakshmi's compassionate nature is evident as she cares for injured animals. One day, while foraging, she discovers an injured Indian Blue Robin. She gently nurses the bird back to health, demonstrating her unwavering dedication to helping others, even at her own expense.

• Lakshmi: "Oh, you poor thing, you rest in there. We'll get you home quick." (00:45)

After releasing the healed bird, Lakshmi discovers it returns the next morning with an unusual seed: a deep indigo pumpkin seed that she plants in her garden. Miraculously, an enormous pumpkin grows overnight.

• Doobie: "Sister, what a gift this is." (08:02)

This pumpkin yields not just food but an abundance of goods, ranging from bread and meats to clothing and eventually gold coins, each harvest more miraculous than the last. Lakshmi shares these bounties with Doobie and his family, embodying generosity.

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The Brothers' Reactions

While Lakshmi continues to nurture and share the magical pumpkins, Doobie grows envious of his sister's fortunes. His discontent deepens when the pumpkin harvests cease, leading him to take a selfish approach to gain his own magic seed.

• Doobie: "I'm all day swinging this heavy axe or dragging heavy logs. It's an unfair world for us, Lakshmi." (01:41)

Believing that hurting an animal will grant him powerful rewards, Doobie injures another robin to obtain a seed. His actions reflect greed and a lack of empathy, starkly contrasting Lakshmi's kindness.

• Doobie: "And you worry too much. How could it know I threw the rock?" (14:37)

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Doobie's Attempt and the Consequences

Doobie's selfish act backfires when he plants the indigo seed he forcibly obtained. Instead of receiving bountiful rewards, he is met with disappointment:

• Doobie: "Here comes my reward." (16:10)

Upon opening the pumpkin, he finds nothing but plain gray stones, a stark contrast to the magical gifts Lakshmi received. This outcome serves as a moral lesson on the repercussions of greed and harming others for personal gain.

• Doobie: "Maybe more gold coins." (15:38)
  (Upon discovering the stones instead)
  Doobie: "Ah, good enough." (14:09)

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Conclusion and Moral

"The Pumpkin Seeds" concludes with a clear moral: selflessness and kindness are rewarded, while selfishness and harm lead to disappointment. Lakshmi's generosity ensures her continued prosperity and happiness, whereas Doobie's greed results in empty rewards and missed opportunities for true fulfillment.

• Lakshmi: "Well, we are both rich in food and warmth and coin, the little robin has more than paid me back." (11:28)

Her contentment contrasts with Doobie's relentless dissatisfaction, highlighting the value of altruism over greed.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Doobie on Hardship:
  "[00:08:02] Doobie: Sister, what a gift this is."

• Lakshmi on Compassion:
  "[00:00:45] Lakshmi: Oh, you poor thing, you rest in there. We'll get you home quick."

• Doobie on Unfairness:
  "[00:01:41] Doobie: I'm all day swinging this heavy axe or dragging heavy logs. It's an unfair world for us, Lakshmi."

• Doobie on His Actions:
  "[00:14:37] Doobie: And you worry too much. How could it know I threw the rock?"

• Understanding Rewards:
  "[00:11:28] Lakshmi: Well, we are both rich in food and warmth and coin, the little robin has more than paid me back."

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Takeaways for Listeners

"The Pumpkin Seeds" serves as a heartwarming reminder of the importance of kindness and sharing. It encourages young listeners to empathize with others and understand that genuine generosity brings lasting rewards, while selfish actions can lead to unforeseen consequences.

Parents and children alike can appreciate the story's gentle lessons, making it a perfect addition to bedtime routines or family listening sessions.

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Enjoyed this summary?
Check out more episodes of Stories Podcast for a wide array of enchanting tales suitable for all ages. Whether you're looking to inspire your child's imagination or simply enjoy a captivating story together, Stories Podcast is the perfect choice.

Transcript

[Doobie]

Hello.

[Narrator]

Welcome to Stories Podcast.

[Amanda Weldon]

I'm your host, Amanda Weldon.

[Narrator]

Today's story is a throwback episode.

[Amanda Weldon]

Tune in to hear one of our.

[Narrator]

Classic stories from the archive that you.

[Amanda Weldon]

Might have missed the first time around.

[Narrator]

We have Stories Podcast merch, [e-mail] shop. We're also on cameo for all of.

[Amanda Weldon]

Your personalized video message needs.

[Narrator]

And don't forget to follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast. If you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed. Now, here's a word from our sponsors.

[Amanda Weldon]

Thanks. Enjoy the episode the Pumpkin Seeds Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Lakshmi who lived all on her own. She had nothing but a small garden, barely enough to keep her fed, so she was very thin and usually half starved. Each day she'd leave her little cottage, tend to her garden, and then go foraging in the woods. If she happened to find something good, like a patch of blackberries or some honeycomb, she'd gather it all up carefully in a clean sheet. Always, she'd bring half home and drop the other half off to her brother, Doobie Dooby. Doobie lived with his wife and baby on the other side of the woods. They also had very little to eat, and since the baby, certainly nothing to give. Poor Lakshmi. He worked as a woodcutter and complained constantly about his lot in life. He'd groan whenever she came to drop off what little she had to share.

[Doobie]

I'm all day swinging this heavy axe or dragging heavy logs. It's an unfair world for us, Lakshmi.

[Amanda Weldon]

Of course, brother, it's an unfair world, she would agree, but only out loud and only to make him happy. In her heart, she never felt that way. Truth be told, Lakshmi was content. She had her little home, she had her little garden. She had the occasional berries, and most of all, she had her animals. They weren't pets, not exactly, and they were always coming and going. For whenever Lakshmi went into the forest, she kept a special eye open for injured animals. Ever since she was a child, she'd had a knack for nursing wounded creatures back to health. She'd bandage paws and clean cuts and keep them fed, even when she herself was hungry. Even in the little cottage, she had many small cages and woven baskets. These were always full of mice and snakes and birds and rabbits and whatever else needed her help. At the moment, though, they were all empty. Her last resident, a weasel she had found with a nasty bite wound, had finally healed up. With a big smile, she'd released him, chittering and bounding back into the forest. So it wasn't at all a surprise when one day, while gathering the last of some figs from a tired tree, Lakshmi lifted an old branch and found an injured bird. Beneath it was an Indian blue robin, barely more than a chick. Its feathers were a deep indigo blue, and its little chest rose and fell so fast it was scary. Oh, you poor thing, she said. From her bag, she pulled out a small pouch of leather lined with silk. She picked up the bird as gently as she could and slid it into the pouch. You rest in there. We'll get you home quick. Lakshmi set down the pouch and gathered the remaining figs. When she was done, she lifted the pouch carefully and headed home. Back on the kitchen table, the robin was cleaned and given a careful examination. There were no cuts or bites or breaks. Most likely it had tumbled out of the nest, but it was otherwise okay. Had a little fall, did we? Lakshmi said to the bird, gently placing it inside a small wire cage. Don't worry. I'll take good care and we'll get you flying soon. True to her word, Lakshmi was a great nurse to her little feathered patient. Using a tiny dropper, she gave it water and mushed up food for its meals. It was strange, but she felt more at ease having an animal to worry over. She just felt happier to have them. It was nice in a weird way, like having company that only ate your crumbs. Her brother Doobie always told her she was silly to waste what little she had feeding wild animals. He may be right, but she liked it, and what's more, she couldn't help herself. Truly, she couldn't bear to see an animal in pain. After a couple of days, the baby robin was perching on a stand in the cage. A few days after that, it was healthy again and ready to return to the wild. Lakshmi took the little cage and carried it back to the fig tree, the one where she'd first found the bird. Thanks for getting better with me, little bird, she said. Now fly away home. She threw open the cage door, and the blue robin, a little bigger and surer now, flapped out into the open air. There you go. Lakshmi cheered. Fly. Fly. The little bird flew a few circles around her head, making her laugh, and then it drifted away into the swaying trees. Lakshmi went home with a smile, but she had a familiar ache in her heart. She loved helping the animals, but saying goodbye was always bittersweet, like good dark chocolate. She figured the bitter part was worth it, though, and she had no idea how right she was. The next morning, when she came outside to garden, the same little robin was perched on her fence. Hey, little friend, she said. Happy to see him so soon. So you decided to stop by for a visit? The bird hopped up and down and gave a strange little trill. Lakshmi walked closer and saw something clutched in its dark beak. What have you got there? It was a seed of some kind. When Lakshmi got closer, the bird dropped it onto the ground and then whistled happily. A seed for me. The bird whistled again and then fluttered back into the trees. Lakshmi shook her head. The bird was strange, and so was the seed. It looked like a pumpkin seed, but colored a deep indigo like the robin's feathers. What would it grow? A blue pumpkin, maybe? One way to find out, she said to herself. And she planted the seed in her garden that night. By the light of the moon, the little seeds sprouted a vine and grew and grew and grew. When Lakshmi came out the next morning, there was a single giant pumpkin the size of a witch's cauldron. What in the world? She said. The bird. The seed. She sank down and wrapped her arms around the pumpkin, hugging it tight. Such a giant pumpkin. Her garden had never grown anything half so good. It would keep her fed for weeks, months if she was careful. She tried to pick it up and bring it inside, but it was too heavy. Laughing and happy, Lakshmi ran to her brother's house and told him what had happened. Of course, he didn't believe her until she dragged him back to her garden and showed him.

[Doobie]

Sister, what a gift this is, he.

[Amanda Weldon]

Said, and together they picked it off the vine and carried it inside the house. It sat on the little wooden table, nearly completely filling it.

[Doobie]

Cut it open.

[Amanda Weldon]

Let's roast a little now, he said. Lakshmi agreed and got the biggest knife she had. She cut into the pumpkin and sawed a circle around the stem, then lifted it like a handle. Wow. She exclaimed.

[Doobie]

What a pumpkin.

[Amanda Weldon]

Doobie said. Inside the giant gourd wasn't the usual guts and seeds. No. Inside this pumpkin was a smorgasbord of food hidden in the thick orange walls. There were breads and meats and rice and curries and sweets and more. Eyes wide and mouths drooling, the brother and sister pulled out treat after treat, shaking their heads in wonder.

[Doobie]

This is truly amazing, Doobie said.

[Amanda Weldon]

Truly agreed, Lakshmi. Brother, take half of everything back to your family. We should all enjoy this.

[Doobie]

Thank you, thank you, sister.

[Amanda Weldon]

He cried and loaded a basket full of food.

[Doobie]

What a sister. What a pumpkin.

[Amanda Weldon]

That night, Lakshmi went to bed with a full belly for the first time in A long time. When she woke, she ate a big breakfast of fried sweetbread they'd found in the pumpkin. Then, still smacking her lips, she went out into the garden. Oh, my pumpkin. On the vine there was another pumpkin, just as monstrous as the one from the day before. Again, Lakshmi got Dubi, and they carried it inside together. This time when they cut it open, there wasn't food inside. No, this time there were blankets and beautiful clothing, warm knits of fur and fabric, silken sheets and cashmere coats. Everything they'd need to live in comfort through the cold high country winter ahead. The brother and sister hugged and celebrated, and Doobie took half of everything with him back to his family. The next morning, Lakshmi practically leapt out of bed before her eyes were even open. Still in her pajamas and slippers, she ran out to her garden. Sure enough, there in the center was another giant pumpkin. She went to get her brother, but found him already on his way.

[Doobie]

Did it happen again?

[Amanda Weldon]

He asked. It did, it did, Lakshmi replied. Together, they brought the pumpkin inside. It took a lot of sweating and grunting, as it was the heaviest yet. When they cut it open. This time, though, it wasn't food or clothes or anything like that. This time it was full of golden coins. We'll never be hungry again. Lakshmi cried. She and Dubi embraced and danced together. She, of course, gave him half to take home. The next day she again leapt from bed and got to her garden just a few seconds before her brother.

[Doobie]

There's nothing here, he said.

[Amanda Weldon]

Lakshmi sighed, but kept her smile. Well, we are both rich in food and warmth and coin, she said. The little robin has more than paid me back. Dubi agreed with a little grumbling and started home. Lakshmi continued with her gardening. She had put her golden coins safely away, and she was happy to have them. They meant that she'd never go hungry again. She'd have to keep up her little garden, but she'd have done that anyway. Now she had a safety net and could afford to buy food. When times got tough at Dooby's house, it was a different story. He paced back and forth, waving his arms wildly.

[Doobie]

This is unacceptable, he said to his.

[Amanda Weldon]

Wife, who had long ago learned to ignore his rants.

[Doobie]

I've already quit my job, and now the pumpkins decide to stop. Life really isn't fair. You know what I should do? I know exactly what I should do. I'm gonna go find my own injured robin, and I'm gonna make it better. And I'm gonna get my own magic seed.

[Amanda Weldon]

He threw on his coat and pushed out the door. Still grumbling to himself like a squall, he blustered into the woods, following the trails he knew Lakshmi favored. There were animals all over, including plenty of the Indian blue robins, but none were injured.

[Doobie]

Not fair again. Of course, there aren't any birds to help. I have to do everything myself.

[Amanda Weldon]

Doobie waded into the woods until he found a berry bush with lots of robins hopping back and forth. Crouching behind a tree, he dug around in the dirt for a smooth rock that fit his hand. After a moment, he found a suitable piece of plain gray stone. With a roar, he pulled back and hurled the stone into the bush. It crashed and cracked through the limbs, and there was a lot of panicked tweeting. Doobie jumped out and rushed over. The birds had all flown away, but yes, there one robin was huddled on a branch, its wing bruised.

[Doobie]

Oh, don't worry, little guy. I'll fix you up.

[Amanda Weldon]

He brought the bird home and put it on a towel. He didn't do much to take care of it, but since it was only a bruised wing, it healed quickly on its own. As soon as it seemed a little better, he brought it back outside. You were injured, and I healed you, he said to the robin.

[Doobie]

Fly away now, and don't forget my seed.

[Amanda Weldon]

He practically threw the robin into the air. It took a few awkward flaps and disappeared into the woods.

[Doobie]

Ah, good enough.

[Amanda Weldon]

That day, Doobie told Lakshmi about what he had done. Are you crazy? She said. I helped an injured bird. You injured a healthy bird. Why would they reward you? Besides, isn't what I shared enough? No, I need more.

[Doobie]

And you worry too much. How could it know I threw the rock? It's a bird. How smart can it be, really?

[Amanda Weldon]

They fought for a while, and finally Doobie left in a huff. He knew he was right, and he couldn't wait to prove it. The next morning when he went outside, there was a little blue robin holding a little blue seed. It trilled at him and then dropped the seed and flew away. Doobie cheered and planted the seeds straight away. He went and told Lakshmi that his plan had worked, but she only shook her head. We received a gift from the forest, and it wasn't good enough for you. It was wrong to hurt that poor bird.

[Doobie]

Ah, you won't be saying that tomorrow when I bring you half the food in my magic pumpkin.

[Amanda Weldon]

Sure enough, the next morning, when Doobie went outside the bird there was a giant pumpkin where he had planted the seed. He rolled it into his house and grabbed his kitchen knife.

[Doobie]

And now for the feast, he said.

[Amanda Weldon]

But when he plunged in the knife, it clinked into something hard. Oh, whoa.

[Doobie]

Maybe more gold coins.

[Amanda Weldon]

He sawed through the top of the pumpkin faster and faster. This was the heaviest one yet, and it sounded so full. Maybe it was better than gold. Maybe it was emeralds and rubies and diamonds. Maybe something even better. With a grunt, he finished the cut and grabbed the pumpkin by the stem.

[Doobie]

Here comes my reward.

[Amanda Weldon]

With a flourish, he pulled the top off the giant pumpkin, but inside there was nothing but a pile of plain gray stones. The End Today's story the Pumpkin Seeds, was an adaptation of a traditional Indian folktale written for you by Daniel Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon.

[Narrator]

If you would like to support Stories podcast, you can leave us a five.

[Amanda Weldon]

Star review on iTunes.

[Narrator]

Check out all of our merch [e-mail] Shop Commission a special video on Cameo, follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast or simply tell your friends about us. In case you missed it, Dan and I have a new show on Stories rpg. We play games just like Starsworn with all your Max Goodname friends and Gigacity Guardians featuring the brilliant Firefly. Click the link in the episode description or go to patreon.com storiesrpg to get ad free episodes, play along games and coloring books. We've already got a bunch of episodes over there so check them out now. Thanks for listening.