The Buffalo’s Shadow | Ep. 252

Think about a time you felt warm.

Not just warm… but hot!

What did you do to cool yourself off? Did you gulp an icy drink? Jump into a pool or lake? Relax in a nice patch of shade?

Normally, cooling ourselves off is a huge relief. But in today’s story, when one of our characters tries bringing down the heat, she winds up in very hot water!

Our story is called “The Buffalo’s Shadow.” Versions of this tale come from the Southeast Asian nation of Cambodia.

We recorded this episode before a live audience of excited kids and grown-ups at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, MN. Joining host Rebecca Sheir on stage was a trio of actors: Joy Dolo, Adelin Phelps and Aron Woldeslassie. And playing live music on the hammered dulcimer (read more below) was Eric Shimelonis.

This episode was adapted for Circle Round by Rebecca Sheir. It was edited by Dean Russell. Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimelonis. Our artist is Sabina Hahn.

GROWN-UPS! PRINT THIS so everyone can color while listening. We’re also keeping an album so please share your picture on Facebook and Instagram, and tag it with #CircleRoundPodcast. To access all the coloring pages for past episodes click HERE. Our resident artist is Sabina Hahn and you can learn more about her HERE.

Now It’s Your Turn

You can use your own shadow to make a shadow puppet! All you’ll need is a source of light, a wall, and your hands.

Put one or two hands between the light and the wall so that you can clearly see a shadow. Now change the shape of your hands to make all sorts of creatures – real and imagined. You can also experiment by moving your hands around – and changing their distance from the light source!

Musical Spotlight: Hammered Dulcimer

The hammered dulcimer is a trapezoid-shaped instrument with strings running across its body. To play the instrument, you strike the strings with hammers.

No one is certain about the true origins of the hammered dulcimer, but experts believe the instrument showed up in Persia around 900 A.D. It was brought to North Africa, then to western Europe and eastern Europe, then to China, Thailand and Korea. In the early 1700s it made its way to North America, where some settlers called it the whamadiddle or hackbrett (“chopping board” in German).

As the dulcimer has evolved in different countries, it has developed different designs and names, from China’s Yangqin and Korea’s Yanggeum… to India’s Santoor and Ukraine’s Tsymbaly… to Italy’s Salterio and Spain’s Dulcémele.

You can also hear Eric Shimelonis playing the hammered dulcimer in our episode, “Katya the Quick.”

Script:

NARRATOR: There once was a traveling merchant. Riding in the saddle of her chestnut horse, the merchant journeyed from town to town, buying and selling goods.

The merchant was trotting through the countryside one sunny summer day, when suddenly the wind picked up, the clouds rolled in, and a torrent of rain came pouring down.

MERCHANT: Yikes! This storm came out of nowhere! Not sure where I can take shelter here in the wide-open countryside. I must hurry to the next town!

NARRATOR: But just as the merchant urged her horse to pick up the pace, a flash of lighting ripped open the sky, followed by a crash of thunder that rumbled the earth!

The commotion threw the horse into a frightened frenzy. He let out a snort, then reared back on his hind legs. The merchant tried holding on…

MERCHANT: Whoa there, boy! Whoa!

NARRATOR: …but before she knew it, she was tumbling out of the saddle and hurtling toward the ground, where she landed with a thud.

MERCHANT: Ooof!

NARRATOR: Raindrops pelted her face as she lay flat on her back, hearing her horse’s hoof beats grow fainter and fainter. By the time she pulled herself to a sitting position, the horse was gone.

MERCHANT: …which means that everything I OWN is gone, TOO! My horse’s saddlebags were stuffed with all my goods… AND all my money. (beat) But wait!

NARRATOR: She rooted around in her pocket.

MERCHANT: I still have one silver coin on me. (beat) And look at that!

NARRATOR: She glanced toward the sky.

MERCHANT: The rain stopped falling! That storm blew away just as quickly as it came in. And now it’s sunny again! (beat) So… I’ll just take my silver coin to the next town, and see if I can buy myself some food – or dry clothing. All I have to do is get up and find my way!

NARRATOR: But the moment she tried rising to her feet…

MERCHANT: OUCH!

NARRATOR: …she felt a stab of pain shoot down her leg.

MERCHANT: Ooo! I must have twisted my ankle when I toppled off my horse! (beat) There’s no way I can make it to town on foot. What am I going to do?

NARRATOR: The merchant sank back to the ground with a sigh. But just then…

FARMER: (not nice) Come on, Midnight! Keep it moving!

NARRATOR: …she heard a voice. She looked up, and there was a farmer, leading a black water buffalo. The water buffalo had thick, crescent-shaped horns curling out from its long, narrow head, and its big, broad body was trembling.

FARMER: For pete’s sake, Midnight! Quit your shaking! I know that storm freaked you out. But look! It’s nice and sunny now, and we must get to town!

NARRATOR: As the farmer and water buffalo drew closer, the merchant had an idea. She sat up as straight and tall as she could and waved her hands.

MERCHANT: Excuse me! Sir? May I please trouble you… for a ride?

NARRATOR: The farmer halted his buffalo, then stared at the merchant with piercing eyes.

FARMER: Goodness gracious! I didn’t see you down there! What on earth are you doing sitting in the mud? And what do you mean, “trouble me for a ride”?

MERCHANT: I mean, may I trouble you for a ride on your water buffalo! You see, my horse bucked me off and ran away when the storm blew in, and I twisted my ankle. I need to get to the next town – but I can’t walk. So may I please hitch a ride?

NARRATOR: The farmer frowned.

FARMER: That’ll be a hard NO, ma’am. Midnight doesn’t do taxi service. (beat) (realizing he can make a quick buck) At least… not for FREE. If you’re able to offer some MONEY, THEN perhaps we can talk.

MERCHANT: Actually…

NARRATOR: The merchant grinned.

MERCHANT: …I CAN offer some money! Here!

NARRATOR: She held out the silver coin. The farmer rubbed his hands together with greed.

FARMER: That’s more like it! So yes: you may hitch a ride on Midnight. But I warn you, since he’s a rather slow creature, we could be out here for a while. And now that it’s sunny again, it looks like today’s going to be a real scorcher.

MERCHANT: That’s alright! I can take a little heat. I just appreciate your kindness, sir. You too, Midnight!

NARRATOR: The merchant staggered to her feet, gave the farmer her coin, then scrambled onto Midnight's back. As they took off through the countryside, the merchant realized the farmer was right: Midnight was no speed demon. The lumbering creature moved slower than a snail through molasses.

The farmer was ALSO right about the day; it was indeed “a real scorcher.” The sun was so hot and strong, it dried up any and all traces of rain, and the air grew thick and sticky.

The farmer wore a floppy hat with a wide brim. But the merchant’s hat had been tucked in the saddlebag with the rest of her belongings. So as the sun’s blistering rays beat down on her head, she felt like her scalp was burning… and her body was boiling!

MERCHANT: Pardon me, sir… but could we please stop for a moment? I must rest in some shade.

FARMER: “Shade”...?????

NARRATOR: The farmer wrinkled his brow.

FARMER: (rude) And where do you think you’ll find shade out here in the countryside!

NARRATOR: The merchant wiped the sweat from her eyes and looked around. Indeed: nary a tree or bush was in sight. But then…she looked down.

MERCHANT: Actually, sir… there IS some shade!

FARMER: Where???

MERCHANT: On the ground! Next to Midnight! His body is casting a nice long shadow on the road!

NARRATOR: The merchant slid off of Midnight’s back and nestled into the buffalo’s shadow. In an instant, she felt her temperature go down and her body relax. But just as her eyelids began to droop…

FARMER: Hey! You! Enough dilly-dallying! Time to get a move on!

NARRATOR: The merchant sat up with a start. Looming over her was the farmer, with an irritated look on his face.

MERCHANT: Oh! Did I doze off? I didn’t mean to! (beat) But thank you for letting me borrow your buffalo’s shadow. It was a life saver! I feel so much cooler now!

NARRATOR: The merchant resumed her position on Midnight's back, and the trio resumed their journey. When they finally reached the next town, the merchant lowered herself to the ground and flashed the farmer a grateful grin.

MERCHANT: Thanks again for the ride, sir! I already paid you my one silver coin, so we should be all square.

NARRATOR: But as she turned on her one good heel to walk away…

FARMER: “All square,” you say????? We are definitely NOT “all square”!

NARRATOR: The merchant spun around.

MERCHANT: But we ARE! I promised I would pay you one silver coin for a ride on your buffalo! And I did!

FARMER: Indeed! You did. You paid me one silver coin for a ride on my buffalo. (beat) But you DIDN’T pay me… for the SHADOW.

MERCHANT: Come again?

FARMER: The SHADOW! My buffalo did more than get you from point A to point B. He gave you shelter from the sun! With his SHADOW! So you must PAY for that shadow!

NARRATOR: The merchant could hardly believe her ears.

MERCHANT: But he just stood there while I rested on the ground next to him! Are you saying I should pay you for that?

FARMER: No! I’m not saying you SHOULD pay me for that. I’m saying you MUST pay me for that!

MERCHANT: But – but I don’t have any money! I gave you my last coin!

FARMER: That’s not MY problem. You must pay me for that shadow. By TOMORROW. (dramatic) Otherwise you’ll be sorry!

NARRATOR: The merchant’s cheeks and eyes burned as she left the farmer and hobbled across the town square. On the other side was a large pillared building; according to the sign, it was the local courthouse.

MERCHANT: Wait a minute! What if I go into the courthouse and talk with the judge? Surely the judge is wise and fair and will help me with my case!

NARRATOR: So the merchant pulled open the doors, limped to the judge’s chambers, and stuck her head inside.

MERCHANTZ: Pardon me, Your Honor! Do you have a moment?

NARRATOR: The judge looked up from the papers she was reading. Her face was kind and her smile was warm.

JUDGE: Well hello there! And yes: it just so happens I DO have a moment! How may I help you?

NARRATOR: The merchant eased herself into a chair and told the judge everything that had happened: how she had been thrown from her horse, how she had paid the farmer one silver coin for a ride on his buffalo, and how now he was demanding even more money… for the buffalo’s shadow!

JUDGE: He wants you to pay him for the buffalo’s SHADOW????

MERCHANT: Yes! And since my horse ran off with everything I own, I’m flat broke.

JUDGE: I see…

NARRATOR: Now, as it happens, the merchant had been correct about the judge. She WAS wise and fair. And as the wise, fair woman reflected on the merchant's tale, her eyes twinkled.

JUDGE: Listen, merchant. First thing tomorrow, I want you to report to my courtroom. I shall summon the farmer as well. And by the time we’re finished with this case, I promise: justice will be served. (DRAMATIC) Beyond a SHADOW of a doubt!

NARRATOR: What do you think will happen when the merchant and farmer face off in court?

We’ll find out, after a quick break.

[BREAK]

NARRATOR: I’m Rebecca Sheir and welcome back to Circle Round, live at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota! Today our story is called “The Buffalo’s Shadow.”

Before the break, a merchant lost everything she owned when her horse threw her to the ground and galloped away.

She also twisted her ankle. So she gave her last silver coin to a farmer, in exchange for a ride on his water buffalo. It was a hot, sticky day. And on the way to town, the merchant rested in the cool shadow cast by the buffalo’s body.

However… when they reached their destination, the farmer demanded that the merchant pay him… for the buffalo’s shadow!

The next morning, the judge summoned the farmer and merchant to her courtroom.

JUDGE: Good morning! This court will now come to order! We’ll begin… with the farmer. (beat) I understand you have a complaint against the merchant?

NARRATOR: The farmer stood up with a scowl.

FARMER: I DO have a complaint, Your Honor! This merchant took advantage of me and Midnight!

JUDGE: Midnight…????

FARMER: My water buffalo! That humble, defenseless creature selflessly served this merchant by carrying her on his back – AND by giving her shelter from the sun! With his shadow! (beat) The merchant paid me for the former service, but she refuses to pay me for the latter!

JUDGE: So… you’re saying she gave you money for the transportation… but not for the shadow?

FARMER: That is correct, Your Honor!

JUDGE: Thank you. You may be seated.

NARRATOR: The judge shifted her gaze to the merchant.

JUDGE: Merchant. We have heard the farmer’s side of the story. Is there anything you’d like to say in your defense? (beat) And please – no need to stand up, since you’re nursing an injury.

NARRATOR: The merchant took a breath. She felt like her stomach was fluttering with butterflies!

MERCHANT: Thank you, Your Honor. And the fact is… what the farmer says is true. I DID use Midnight’s shadow to cool myself from the sun. And I didn’t pay him for it. (beat) But honestly! Even if I HAD some money – which I DON’T – whoever heard of having to pay… for a SHADOW???? I beg your mercy, Your Honor.

FARMER: And I beg your understanding!

NARRATOR: Again, the farmer sprang to his feet.

FARMER: This merchant is trying to cheat me! Don’t you see that she – (gets interrupted mid-sentence)

JUDGE: (sharply interrupting) Farmer!

FARMER: But –!

JUDGE: It is not your turn to speak. Please sit down.

FARMER: Uch. Fine. (ad-lib annoyed grumbling)

JUDGE: Now. To recap our case… the merchant gave the farmer one silver coin in exchange for a buffalo ride into town. Therefore, it is clear to this court that the farmer has been properly paid for this service. (beat) However… in regards to the buffalo’s shadow…  it is of this court’s opinion that the farmer has NOT properly been paid.

NARRATOR: The merchant did a double-take. The farmer did a fist-pump.

FARMER: (does fist-pump) Yesss! I cannot begin to express how much I appreciate this, Your Honor! But, pray tell: how shall I be paid for the buffalo’s shadow?

JUDGE: (mysterious, sly) That you soon shall see. (beat) Farmer? Merchant? Please join me outside.

NARRATOR: A mild breeze fanned their faces as the judge, farmer, and merchant stepped into the town square. The sky was clear and blue, save for the occasional puffy white cloud, and the warm sun bathed everything in yellow and gold. The judge blinked her eyes, then reached into her robe and pulled out… a silver coin.

JUDGE: Now. I know the merchant hasn’t a penny to her name right now. So I shall pay the farmer his just compensation on her behalf.

MERCHANT: Thank you, Your Honor.

FARMER: (obsequious, greedy) Yes! Thank you, Your Honor!

NARRATOR: The judge shot the farmer a look. Then she held out the coin.

JUDGE: Farmer. Do you see this coin in my hand?

FARMER: Of COURSE I see the coin in your hand! (beat) May I have my “just compensation” now?

JUDGE: Yes. You may. But only if you look down.

FARMER: What?

JUDGE: Look down at the ground, and tell me what you see.

FARMER: Welllll… I see… cobblestones… some pebbles…

JUDGE: And what else?

FARMER: I see… a SHADOW! Of the COIN in your hand! I see a SHADOW of MONEY!

JUDGE: So you do! (beat) Farmer. You marched into my courtroom demanding payment for the shadow of your buffalo. So now, you have RECEIVED your payment. …With the shadow of MONEY! (with a smile) Enjoy your just compensation, sir. At least, until the sun goes behind a cloud! (beat) This court… is adjourned!

NARRATOR: Well, I’m pleased to say that not long after this most curious case, the hardworking merchant got back on her feet – in more ways than one. Her ankle healed, and after taking on a number of odd jobs, she saved enough money to give up the traveling life and open her own shop, right there on the town square.

As for the farmer, well… he learned a very important lesson that bright, sunny day. When we meet someone who’s struggling, and needs our help, the least we can do is reach out and lend a hand. Because it’s an awful lot kinder… and more generous… than throwing shade.