The Doggies in the Window | Ep. 254

Have you heard the expression, “Every dog has its day”?

What this saying means is that everyone will eventually experience luck or success.

And in this week’s story, a wise judge helps a hardworking schoolboy have his day… and his dog!

Our story is called “The Doggies in the Window.” We found versions of this tale from the East Asian island nation of Japan.

We recorded this episode before a live audience of excited kids and grown-ups at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon. Joining host Rebecca Sheir on stage was a trio of actors: Jordan Beck, Susannah Mars and Pancho Savery. And playing live music on the taishōgoto (read more about this Japanese stringed instrument 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

Think about a gift you’ve given to somebody you love. How did you feel when you gave that gift? How did they feel?

Find some paper and draw a picture of you giving your loved one their gift. When you’re done, hang the picture somewhere you can see it – to remind yourself of how wonderful it feels to give.

And if you’d like, you can share your picture with us!

Grown-ups: you can email a photo of your Circle Round fan and their artwork to circleround@wbur.org. We may feature it in a future edition of “The Lion’s Roar,” the monthly newsletter for members of the Circle Round Club. Learn more about this super-fun super-fan opportunity here!

Musical Spotlight: Taishōgoto

The Japanese stringed instrument known as the taishōgoto (a.k.a. Nagoya harp) first appeared during Japan’s Taishō period (1912–1926). Interestingly, it’s also become popular in East Africa, where it’s known as the taishokoto.

Musician Gorō Morita developed the taishōgoto in 1912. The story goes that he decided to combine a musical instrument… with the mechanics of a typewriter! Thus the taishōgoto has both strings and buttons. You pluck the strings with one hand, while using the keys to press down on the strings to change their pitch. The instrument is similar to India’s bulbul tarang, which Eric Shimelonis used to score such episodes as “A Biscuit, A Basket” and “Mangoes in the Middle.”

Script:

NARRATOR: Some time ago… in the middle of a bustling town… there was a china shop.

The shop’s shelves and windows were lined with cups and saucers, plates and bowls, statues and figurines… all carefully crafted from fine – and fragile – ceramic.

The delicate handmade wares were all very beautiful… and very expensive. The shopkeeper charged top-dollar for every item she sold.

So one day, when a young schoolboy walked through the door… his clothing ragged and patched, his shoes worn-out and scuffed… the shopkeeper eyed him with suspicion.

SHOPKEEPER: (snooty) May I help you?

SCHOOLBOY: I hope so, madam! I came in to ask about… the DOGS.

NARRATOR: The boy gestured toward the front window, where three ceramic dogs stood side by side. The statues were much bigger than real dogs; each one stood nearly as tall as the boy himself!

SCHOOLBOY: My mother’s birthday is coming up, and I know she would love one of those dogs! I wonder how much they are…?

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper sneered.

SHOPKEEPER: Something tells me they’re way out of the price range of someone like YOU. Why don’t you buy your mother some trinket or other at the second-hand store down the road?

SCHOOLBOY: But… but I’ve been saving up!

SHOPKEEPER: (condescending) Oh you HAVE, have you? Well trust me. You haven’t saved nearly enough for one of those dogs. In fact, I doubt you’ve saved enough for anything in this shop.

NARRATOR: Just then, who should come striding through the door but the town judge. The wise man was highly respected by everyone in town – including the shopkeeper, who came hurrying toward him with a beaming face and open arms.

SHOPKEEPER: (fawning) Well HELLO, Your Honor! It’s an HONOR to have you in my shop! (little laugh) What may I have the HONOR of helping you with today? (little laugh)

JUDGE: Actually, madam…

NARRATOR: The judge looked from the fawning shopkeeper to the frowning boy.

JUDGE: I believe this young man was here first. Please go ahead and finish taking care of him. I’ll wait!

SHOPKEEPER: Oh there’s no need for that, Your Honor. I believe “this young man” was just about to LEAVE!

SCHOOLBOY: But I don’t WANT to leave! (beat) Like I was telling you, madam: I want to buy my mother one of the dogs in the window. You see, she’s always wanted a dog… but she and I could never own a real one. We could never afford to feed it, and our house and yard are too small for such an active pet. (beat) But a ceramic dog doesn’t need to eat! And even though your dogs ARE big, they’ll always stay still. So one of them would be perfect!

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper fixed the schoolboy with piercing eyes.

SHOPKEEPER: “Perfect,” you say…? (beat) Tell me, young man. How much money do you have?

SCHOOLBOY: Well… I’ve been doing all sorts of odd jobs around the neighborhood – raking leaves, pulling weeds, washing windows – and I’ve managed to save…

NARRATOR: He counted the coins in his pocket.

SCHOOLBOY: …fifty copper pieces! 

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper pursed her lips. Fifty copper pieces???? Each one of those dogs cost far more than fifty copper pieces! How dare this ragamuffin waste her time – and keep the judge waiting?

The judge, meanwhile, sensed the shopkeeper’s displeasure… and disdain… and  decided it was time he entered the conversation.

JUDGE: Young man! Fifty copper pieces is quite commendable! Good for you for working so hard to save up!

SCHOOLBOY: Thank you, Your Honor! I woke up before dawn nearly every day! And I didn’t get home til past sundown!

JUDGE: Goodness! Those are longer hours than I work! And I consider myself a very industrious person!

SCHOOLBOY: Well, what can I say? I love my mom. I appreciate everything she’s done for me and I want her to be happy. (beat) That’s why I’m hoping fifty copper pieces will be enough to buy her one of those dogs!

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper was quick to cut in.

SHOPKEEPER: Listen, kid. I hate to burst your bubble. But if you really think that fifty copper pieces is enough, then – (gets interrupted)

JUDGE: (dramatically interrupting as he sets his plan in motion) … then you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! Something tells me that fifty copper pieces is DEFINITELY enough to buy your mother one of those dogs.

NARRATOR: The judge grinned and flicked his eyes toward the shopkeeper. Then…very slowly, very deliberately… he winked.

What he meant for his wink to say was: “Listen. If you let the boy pay fifty copper pieces for one of the dogs, instead of the full price, then I will secretly pay the difference from my own pocket!”

But the snooty shopkeeper was too selfish to grasp the judge’s generous plan. She thought he was trying to strong-arm her into lowering her price!

So, hatching a plan of her own, she softened her gaze and gave the schoolboy a syrupy-sweet smile.

SHOPKEEPER: (sweetly) Listen, young man. After further consideration, I have decided that fifty copper pieces isn’t just enough to buy ONE dog. It’s enough to buy ALL THREE!

NARRATOR: The boy’s heart soared.

SHOPKEEPER: …Provided you can carry one of the dogs home without any help.

NARRATOR: The boy’s heart sank.

SCHOOLBOY: But madam! Those dogs are so big! Even a grown-up person would have trouble carrying one of them. Let alone a kid like me!

SHOPKEEPER: That’s not my problem! You heard my offer, and my offer stands. Carry one of those dogs home without any help, or the deal is off.

NARRATOR: The boy was quiet for a moment. Then he slumped his shoulders and hung his head.

SCHOOLBOY: Alright then. I guess the deal is off. Thanks anyway.

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper wore a look of triumph as the boy trudged toward the door. The judge, however, wore a look of rage. After a lifetime dedicated to serving justice, he knew that letting this hardworking boy leave empty-handed would be injustice.

So just as the boy was exiting the shop, the judge went racing over.

JUDGE: Wait, young man! Don’t leave.

SCHOOLBOY: Why shouldn’t I leave, Your Honor? You saw for yourself. I’m not exactly welcome in this place.

JUDGE: I know. And that’s why I want you to do something for me. (beat) I want you to go outside… and bring me… a rock.

SCHOOLBOY: A rock?? You HAVE heard the expression, “like a bull in a china shop” – right? Is a ROCK any better?

JUDGE: Truth be told, I HAVE heard that expression! But I’ve ALSO heard ANOTHER expression. “Every dog has its day.” (beat) And young man? Trust me. (dramatic) YOU are about to have YOURS!

[live score out]

[theme music in]

NARRATOR: What do you think the judge is plotting?

We’ll find out what’s up his sleeve, after a quick break.

[theme music out]

[BREAK]

[theme music in]

NARRATOR: I’m Rebecca Sheir and welcome back to Circle Round, live at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon! Today our story is called “The Doggies in the Window.”

[theme music out]

[live score in]

NARRATOR: Before the break, a snooty shopkeeper played a trick on a hardworking schoolboy who wanted to buy a big dog statue for his mother.

The town judge decided he would teach the shopkeeper a lesson. He told the schoolboy to fetch him… a rock. The boy did as he was told. And when the shopkeeper saw the grapefruit-sized stone in his hands, she panicked.

SHOPKEEPER: What is going on here???? Since when is it a good idea to bring a ROCK into a CHINA SHOP????

JUDGE: (playful) Since TODAY, I suppose! (beat) Young man. Can you put the rock down, and give the shopkeeper your fifty copper pieces? After all, she DID say you may have ALL THREE ceramic dogs for fifty copper pieces!

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper furrowed her brow.

SHOPKEEPER: Not to split hairs, Your Honor… But I only said he could have “all three dogs for fifty copper pieces” if he could carry one of them home without any help!

JUDGE: So you did! And so he will. (beat) Go ahead, young man. Give the shopkeeper your fifty copper pieces.

SCHOOLBOY: (doing as he’s told, but not sure where Judge is going with this) Okayyy…

JUDGE: Good. Now pick the rock up again…

SCHOOLBOY: Okayyyy…

JUDGE: Carry it to the front window…

SCHOOLBOY: Okayyyy…

JUDGE: Lift it high into the air…

SCHOOLBOY: Okayyyy…

JUDGE: …and SMASH one of the dogs to pieces!

SCHOOLBOY: Oka(y)* – Wait! You want me to do WHAT??? (*interrupts himself midword, due to shock)

SHOPKEEPER: YES!!! You want him to do WHAT?????

JUDGE: I want him to smash one of the dogs to pieces!

SHOPKEEPER: But Your Honor! That is outrageous! And quite possibly against the law! What right does this ragamuffin have to destroy my property?

JUDGE: YOUR property? This so-called “ragamuffin” paid for the dog fair and square! You offered to sell, and he accepted! Did he not?

SHOPKEEPER: He DID… But I said he must carry the dog home without any help!

JUDGE: And he WILL carry the dog home without any help! (beat) AFTER he SMASHES it to pieces!

SHOPKEEPER: What!????

JUDGE: Madam. You never said he had to carry the dog home in JUST ONE TRIP. If the young man smashes the dog, he can carry it home one or two pieces at a time! Without any help whatsoever! (beat) Then he will still have two perfectly good, perfectly intact dogs to give his mother for her birthday.

NARRATOR: The schoolboy let loose a laugh.

SCHOOLBOY: (LAUGHTER)

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper let loose a groan.

SHOPKEEPER: (GROAN!) Do you know how expensive those dogs actually are? Each one is worth at least FIVE-HUNDRED copper pieces. Not FIFTY! If the boy shatters one of them, I will lose a boatload of money!

JUDGE: I hear you. And I understand. So… how about we try something else.

NARRATOR: The judge shifted his gaze to the boy.

JUDGE: Young man. We now know you would be more than capable of carrying one dog home without any help. Which, according to your agreement with the shopkeeper, means you get to buy all THREE dogs for fifty copper pieces. Is that correct?

SCHOOLBOY: It IS correct. But I don’t really NEED all three dogs. My mother would be content with just ONE.

JUDGE: I see...

NARRATOR: The judge turned to the shopkeeper.

JUDGE: Madam. Now that the boy has paid you fifty copper pieces… AND now that we have proven he can carry one of the dogs home without any help… technically all three dogs belong to him! …Do they not?

SHOPKEEPER: (SIGH) I suppose they DO, Your Honor.

JUDGE: Well… in that case… I suspect he’d be willing to give you back TWO. …IF you provide a porter to help him carry home ONE.

SHOPKEEPER: A porter??? I don’t have a porter! I don’t even have a STAFF! I do everything around this place! I make the orders, I collect the deliveries, I organize the items, I sell the items, I even DUST and CLEAN the items!

JUDGE: Then you certainly won’t mind CARRYING one of the items. All the way to this fine young man’s house!

NARRATOR: The shopkeeper knew better than to argue. She took a breath, clenched her teeth, then hoisted one of the dogs into her arms…

SHOPKEEPER: (ad-lib efforting sounds of hoisting up big heavy cumbersome dog)

NARRATOR: …and hauled it out the door.

SHOPKEEPER: (ad-lib efforting sounds of carrying big heavy cumbersome dog out the door)

NARRATOR: And thus it was that the hardworking schoolboy got what he wanted. The uppity shopkeeper got what she deserved. And as for the wise judge… well… he got justice. And saw to it that every dog did indeed have his day.