The Sea and the Sky | Ep. 253

Think about the world around you: the land, the water, the sky.

Cultures across the globe have long imagined how our world came to be. And every one of these creation stories is different.

We’re about to hear a creation story in which a high-flying trickster sparks an epic battle between the elements… and boy, do the feathers fly!

Our story is called “The Sea and the Sky.” It was inspired by legends from the Philippines, a country of more than seven-thousand islands in Southeast Asia.

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 kulintang (read more about this gonged 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

What’s something you enjoy doing with your friends? Do you tell jokes and play games, like Sea and Sky do? Do you make crafts or take walks together?

Think about your favorite friend activities, then draw a picture of you and your friends having fun. Once you’re finished, share your picture with your friends.

…But first, share it 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: Kulintang

Originally from the Philippines, the kulintang consists of eight knobbed bronze gongs that are graduated in pitch. The frame of the instrument is a wooden stand known as an antangan. To allow the sound to resonate, each gong is supported by thin cords attached to the antangan.

The kulintang is often the main instrument in a traditional ensemble of gong-chime instruments. The music made by the ensemble is also called kulintang, and is played at celebratory occasions such as festivals, weddings, engagement parties and baptisms.

The other instruments in a traditional kulintang ensemble include: the dabakan (a gourd-shaped drum that provides the rhythm), the babandil (a.k.a. babandir, the ensemble's timekeeping gong), the gandingan (four hanging gongs also known as “talking gongs”), and the agung (a.k.a. agong, two large gongs that provide the bass register).

Eric Shimelonis also used the kulintang to score one of our very first episodes ever: “Why the Ocean is Salty.”

Script:

NARRATOR: Long long ago… in the very beginning of things… the world was just Sea…

SEA: Did somebody say my name?

NARRATOR: …and Sky.

SKY: Pretty sure she did! I’m thinking this story must be about US!

SEA: Ooo! I can’t wait to hear what happens, Sky!

SKY: Neither can I, Sea!

NARRATOR: Back in those days, Sea and Sky were the best of friends. Just like you probably do with your best friends, Sea and Sky played games…

SEA: I spy with my little eye… something blue!

SKY: (GASP!) Is it ME???

SEA: Yeah! And ME, too!

SKY: / SEA: (laughter)

NARRATOR: They told jokes…

SEA: What did one tide say to the other tide? (beat) Nothing! It just waved!

SKY: (laughter) What did the cloud do when she became queen? (beat) She rained!

SEA: / SKY: (laughter)

NARRATOR: In short, Sea and Sky got along famously.

Little did they know, that was about to change.

It all began with the appearance of a hawk-like bird… known as Kite. 

KITE: TECHNICALLY I’m more of a sea eagle than a hawk. I use my yellow talons to snatch up fish and crabs. And I have striking brown and white feathers, with a short tail and broad wings.

NARRATOR: Thank you for that clarification! … And speaking of wings… Kite spent hour upon hour flapping those wings, without any rest. Because remember: the world was just Sea and Sky, with no land in sight! So as you can imagine, Kite…

KITE: (tired GROAN)

NARRATOR: …was exhausted.

KITE: I can’t keep flying around like this! My tired wings are on the verge of giving out. I must find a place to perch. Maybe there’s a spot up in the sky that I missed…?

NARRATOR: So Kite summoned all of his strength, and lofted upward… higher than he ever had before.

KITE: Ugh. Just as I suspected, there’s nothing up here but clouds! And since clouds are technically masses of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere, I can’t exactly perch on one of them. I’ll have to try the sea.

NARRATOR: So he took a great big breath, and plunged into the water… deeper than he ever had before. 

And that’s when he saw it:

KITE: (blubbering lips with finger for underwater sound) LAAAAAND!

NARRATOR: Indeed! Far, far below the surface were thousands of rocky, stony formations: some large, some small, some jagged, some smooth.

Kite held his breath for as long as he could as he marveled at the wonder before him. Then, when he was certain his lungs were about to burst, he streaked out of the water and into the open air.

KITE: (GASP as he emerges from water) LAND! I saw LAND! … I mean, “land” is technically any part of the earth's surface that ISN’T covered by a body of water. And THIS land was most definitely covered. Which would be fine if I were a fish with gills – and not a bird with lungs. (beat) So… if I can’t go down to the land… then I must make the land come up to ME. (beat) The question is… HOW?

NARRATOR: Kite pondered…

KITE: Hmmmm…

NARRATOR: …and puzzled…

KITE: Huhhhhhh…

NARRATOR: …until he was struck by an idea.

KITE: (eureka moment) A-ha!

NARRATOR: A rather mischievous idea!

KITE: (mischievous) A-ha-ha-ha-HA!!!!

NARRATOR: Ever heard the expression: “no rest for the weary”? Or the expression “no rest for the wicked”? Well, this weary bird suddenly knew a wicked way to get some rest. 

KITE: (dramatic) …And it’s gonna take a whole lot of UN-rest to make it happen!!! (mischievous laughter)

NARRATOR: What do you think Kite is planning?

We’ll find out what our sneaky sea-eagle is up to, after a quick break.

[BREAK]

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 Sea and the Sky.”

Before the break… in a world of just Sea and Sky… a mischievous Kite was seeking a place to rest. When the bird stumbled across thousands of rock formations underwater, he got an idea.

Kite knew that Sea and Sky were the best of friends. So he decided he would use their friendship to his advantage. Sailing over the water one day, he called out to Sea.

KITE: Hey, Sea! Seaaaaaa!

SEA: Yes, Kite? What can I do for you?

KITE: Actually, I believe it’s I who can do something for YOU. (beat) You know Sky?

SEA: Of course I know Sky! She and I are best friends!

KITE: That’s not what she said!

SEA: What do you mean? What did she say?

KITE: Some awfully mean things, truth be told! I shouldn't repeat them.

SEA: Yes! You should! What did Sky say?

KITE: Well… for starters… she said that you are a useless body of salt water.

SEA: What?!?

KITE: She also said you’re too unpredictable! Sometimes your waters are calm, sometimes they’re rough. So it’s impossible to rely on you!

SEA: No!!!!

NARRATOR: Now, as you can probably guess, Sky hadn't actually said any of these things. Kite was making it all up! As part of his plan! But Sea didn’t know that.

SEA: How dare Sky talk about me like that??? (beat) I’ll show that high and mighty blowhard just how unpredictable I truly can be!

NARRATOR: Sea let out a roar, and began to bubble and churn. His waters turned a deep black-blue as he sent wave after foam-topped wave crashing upwards… directly toward Sky!

Sky, meanwhile, was confused… and concerned. But before she could ask Sea what was troubling him, who should come flying by…

KITE: Hey there, Sky!

NARRATOR: …but Kite!

KITE: How’s it going?

SKY: Not so great, if you must know. Look at Sea! My friend is in a terrible mood!

KITE: Your “friend”??? A “friend” is technically someone who trusts and respects you. You really think Sea is your “friend”???

SKY: Of course he’s my friend! We have a great relationship!

KITE: That’s not what he said.

SKY: What do you mean? What did he say?

KITE: Oh… ya know… only that you’re a worthless expanse of nothingness.

SKY: What???

KITE: He also said you’re too temperamental! Sometimes you’re bright and clear, sometimes you’re gray and stormy. So no one can count on you!

SKY: No!!!!

NARRATOR: As you’ve probably figured out, Sea hadn’t said any of these things. Kite made them all up! As part of his devious plan. But Sky didn’t know that.

SKY: How dare Sea say such things about me??! I’ll show that bubbling body of saltwater just how temperamental I truly am!

NARRATOR: Sky turned black as night, and released a crash of thunder. Then she summoned gust after gust of powerful wind, and sent the gales surging downward… directly toward Sea! The winds pushed against Sea’s frothy waves, and sent the water spraying every which way – including UP!

SEA: Ohhh! Nice trick, Sky! Trying to show me how powerful you are?

SKY: I don’t need to TRY, Sea! I’m far more powerful than you’ll EVER be!

NARRATOR: Kite, meanwhile, was watching the action like a spectator checking out their favorite sport. Of course, he had to keep flitting around in order to avoid getting soaked or swept away, but his dark eyes sparkled with joy.

KITE: This is exactly what I hoped would happen! Sky is blowing Sea’s water all over the place – and then she’s sucking it up to make clouds! Masses of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere!

NARRATOR: It was true! Sky was getting cloudier and cloudier… and Sea was sinking lower and lower! Down, down, down his waters dropped until, what should become visible, but…

KITE: …LAND!

NARRATOR: That’s right! The thousands of rocky formations Kite had spotted BENEATH the water… were now protruding ABOVE the water!

And then… just like that…everything went quiet.

Sea and Sky had grown so weary, they couldn't fight anymore. Sea became smooth and clear. Sky became bright and blue. And Kite spread his wings, swooped down to the rocks, and perched on the tallest one with a sigh..

KITE: (SIGH!) At last! A place to rest!

NARRATOR: And what a beautiful place it was! Where once there was nothing but water, there were now thousands upon thousands of islands, full of rugged mountains, rolling hills, and wide open valleys.

We now know these seven-thousand-six-hundred-and-forty-one islands as… the Philippines. And it was on one of these islands that Kite built his nest.

As for Sea and Sky… well, after apologizing for their actions – and scolding Kite for his – they managed to rebuild their friendship and stay close. Like, really close, since the sky TECHNICALLY starts at the surface of the earth and sea!

KITE: Wait! It DOES?

NARRATOR: Yes! TECHNICALLY it does!

And so… now that Sea and Sky were back to being the best of friends, the pair made a solemn vow: they would always be honest with each other, faithful and steadfast and true. And what’s more, they would never let the wicked actions of a weary bird come between them again.