The Laughing Bird | Ep. 247

Think about one of your special talents.

Maybe you have a knack for making up poems, or you can do a really cool magic trick. Perhaps you have an ear for music or an eye for detail.

Sometimes, we have special talents without even knowing it. And as we’ll hear in today’s tale, brilliant things can happen when those talents come to light!

Our story is called “The Laughing Bird.” Versions of this folktale were originally told among the Aboriginal peoples of Australia.

Voices in this episode include Kevin Corbett, Jessica Rau, Dawn Ursula and Kenny Curtis. Kenny Curtis is the host and co-creator of Greeking Out: the mythology podcast from National Geographic Kids.

This episode was adapted for Circle Round by Rebecca Sheir. It was edited by Sofie Kodner. 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 someone in your life who has a talent or skill you admire. Perhaps you have a grandparent who tells fantastic stories, or a friend who can kick the soccer ball all the way across the field.

Next time you see this person, try telling them how much you admire their talent and skill. They may very well respond by telling you how much they appreciate something cool that you can do!

Just like we heard in today’s story, recognizing and appreciating our own skills and gifts – and those of others – can truly light up the world!

Musical Spotlight: Log Drum

The log drum (a.k.a. slit drum, slit gong) is a percussion instrument crafted from a hollow piece of wood with slits carved into it. You’ll hear and see log drums played throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and Oceania: a geographical region comprising Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia and Australasia (i.e. Australia, New Zealand and some of their neighboring islands in the Pacific Ocean).

Despite the name, the log drum isn’t technically a drum because it doesn’t have a drumhead: i.e. the membrane you’ll find stretched across the top of a true drum. Instead, the log drum is classified as an “idiophone,” since the entire instrument vibrates. The outer shell of wood becomes a resonating chamber for vibrations when you strike the instrument with a stick or mallet.

Story Transcript:

NARRATOR: Way, way back… ages before humans came along… the world was inhabited by animals.

The animals could talk to one another. And most of the time, what the animals were saying was something like this.

ANIMAL 1: (as if just accidentally bumped into someone) Oof!

ANIMAL 2: (as if just accidentally bumped into someone) Oops!

ANIMAL 3: (as if just accidentally bumped into someone) Pardon me!

NARRATOR: You see, way back then, the earth was dark! There was no sun in the sky – just stars. But the tiny twinkling lights weren’t bright enough for the animals to see anything. So as a result, they were always…

ANIMAL 1: (as if just accidentally bumped into someone) Ouch!

ANIMAL 2: Watch it!

NARRATOR: …bumping into each other.

ANIMAL 3: (as if just accidentally bumped into someone) Sorry!

NARRATOR: The animals were also always shivering. Because the stars didn’t provide the earth with any heat.

So as you can imagine, between the dark and the cold, the animals were often rather unhappy.

ANIMAL 1: (annoyed) Ugh! Will you stop squishing my wings?!?

ANIMAL 2: (annoyed) Only if you stop trampling my tail!

ANIMAL 3: (annoyed) Your tail?!? He stomped all over mine first!

NARRATOR: The only one who was NEVER unhappy…

KOOKABURRA: (ad-lib funny laughter) [feel free to riff on the actual laughing sound the kookaburra makes. Here’s an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiMxZIVJjb0&ab_channel=ChelseaT.Avery]

NARRATOR: …was Kookaburra. No matter what, the fluffy little bird spent all of his days – or was it nights…?

KOOKABURRA: (ad-lib funny laughter)

NARRATOR: …laughing!

KOOKABURRA: (in high, laughing spirits) Come now, everybody! I know we’re trapped in constant darkness and cold. But what’s the use of fighting? Can’t we find a way to LIGHTEN things up??? (ad-lib laughter) And not get so HOT under the collar?!?? (beat) Seriously, though. I would make things better if I could. But I don’t have any BRIGHT ideas! (big laugh at his own joke) In fact, I’m in the DARK! (big laugh)

NARRATOR: Here’s the thing, though. Much as Kookaburra was convinced that his sense of humor was ON FIRE…

KOOKABURRA: Oh, I see what you did there! (ad-lib funny laughter)

NARRATOR: …the other animals didn’t exactly agree.

ANIMAL 1: (annoyed) For goodness sakes, Kookaburra! [KOO-kuh-BURR-uh]

ANIMAL 2: Enough with the jokes already!

ANIMAL 3: Can you just cool it?

KOOKABURRA: “Cool it”? “Can I just cool it?” (seemingly serious) I guess I could do that. (setting up joke) But isn’t it cool enough out here already?!? In the dark and freezing cold?!? Ha ha ha ha!

ANIMAL 1: / ANIMAL 2: / ANIMAL 3: (ad-lib GROAN)

NARRATOR: Eventually, the other animals ran out of patience.

ANIMAL 1: Kookaburra. Your constant cackling is driving us up the wall!

ANIMAL 2: So we’re sending you away.

ANIMAL 3: So that none of us will ever have to hear you laugh again!

KOOKABURRA: Wait. You’re sending me away?

ANIMAL 1: Yes, Kookaburra!

KOOKABURRA: You’re kicking me out?

ANIMAL 2: YES, Kookaburra! [KOO-kuh-BURR-uh]

KOOKABURRA: So what you’re saying is… you’re leaving me out in the cold?!? Ha ha ha ha! Get it? (laughter)

ANIMAL 3: Yes, Kookaburra! We get it! [KOO-kuh-BURR-uh]

ANIMAL 1: Now go!

ANIMAL 2: Find some other place to live…!

ANIMAL 3: …and laugh!

NARRATOR: And so…

KOOKABURRA: (seemingly sad and meek) Alright, then.

NARRATOR: …he did.

KOOKABURRA: (seemingly sad and meek) I guess I’ll be on my way. (setting up a joke) But given how DARK it is… I’d better travel LIGHT! (big laugh) Ha ha ha ha! Get it? “Light”!!! (ad-lib more laughter)

ANIMAL 1: / ANIMAL 2: / ANIMAL 3: (ad-lib GROAN)

NARRATOR: Now… while all of this was happening down on earth… something else was happening up in the Sky World – the heavenly home of the powerful spirits known as the Sky People.

The Sky World was a bit like this world… only it had light, since the Sky People used their special sky trees to build campfires. Remember how the animals on earth could see stars? Well, those twinkling little dots were actually the campfires of the Sky People! And the spirits often sat around those campfires, discussing their heavenly business.

SKY PERSON 1: My fellow Sky People! We must talk about the animals.

SKY PERSON 2: I agree! They seem very unhappy in the dark, cold world below.

SKY PERSON 3: Indeed! Our heavenly campfires make their sky glitter with stars, but they do nothing to bring light or heat!

SKY PERSON 1: So the question is, what can we do about it?

SKY PERSON 2: Yes! How can we brighten up the earth?

SKY PERSON 3: ...And make it warm?

NARRATOR: The Sky People put their heavenly heads together, trying to come up with a solution.

SKY PERSON 1: How about…? (thinking again) No.

SKY PERSON 2: What if we…? (thinking again) No.

SKY PERSON 3: Maybe we could…? (thinking again). No.

NARRATOR: But then… at last…

SKY PERSON 1: / SKY PERSON 2: / SKY PERSON 3: A-HA!!!

NARRATOR: …the proverbial lightbulb turned on.

And with it came an idea that would light up the whole world!!!!

NARRATOR: How do you think the Sky People will bring light and warmth to the world below?

We’ll find out, after a quick break.

[BREAK]

NARRATOR: Welcome back to Circle Round. I’m Rebecca Sheir. Today our story is called “The Laughing Bird.”

Before the break, the animals were feeling every bit as gloomy as their cold, dark world. The only one who seemed happy was Kookaburra. But the other creatures found the fluffy little bird’s constant laughter so irritating, that they kicked him out and cast him off.

The Sky People knew how unhappy the animals were. So they decided they would create…

SKY PERSON 1: …the SUN!

SKY PERSON 2: A great big burning mass that will light up the world below…

SKY PERSON 3: …and bring it warmth!

NARRATOR: The Sky People set about collecting wood from their sky trees – more wood than they had ever collected for their campfires.

They piled the wood higher… and higher… and higher… until…

SKY PERSON 1: There!

SKY PERSON 2: That should do it!

SKY PERSON 3: Time to SET IT ABLAZE!

NARRATOR: So they did. And the moment the colossal, towering stack of wood caught fire…the flames began to dance and spread – flaring, flickering and flashing as they grew bigger, and brighter, and warmer. And far, far below… way down on earth… the animals let out a gasp.

ANIMAL 1: / ANIMAL 2: / ANIMAL 3: (ad-lib GASP!)

NARRATOR: Because all of a sudden, thanks to the enormous campfire blazing in the sky, they could see light! And feel heat!

ANIMAL 1: Look at those mountain tops ringed with green trees!

ANIMAL 2: And those streams and rivers sparkling with silver!

ANIMAL 3: And look at us! I had no idea we were so feathery and furry!

NARRATOR: Eventually, the fire began to die away… until the last glowing embers streaked the sky with glorious shades of crimson, pink and orange: the first sunset the world had ever seen. And when those embers died down, the sky grew dark again… and the animals slept.

ANIMAL 1: (ad-lib cartoonish sleep sounds)

ANIMAL 2: (ad-lib cartoonish sleep sounds)

ANIMAL 3: (ad-lib cartoonish sleep sounds)

NARRATOR: After some hours, the Sky People collected more wood and built a new fire. And as a new day dawned on earth, the animals woke up again.

ANIMAL 1: Another beautiful day!

ANIMAL 2: So bright!

ANIMAL 3: So warm!

NARRATOR: This same thing went on day after day, night after night.

For a while, anyway.

You see, even Sky People need their sleep. And as time wore on, the spirits didn’t always wake up on time to light a fire for the world below. So sometimes, night on earth was very, very long. In fact, if the Sky People kept on snoozing, sometimes night wore on… for days!

The Sky People knew they had a problem. So they gathered together for a meeting.

SKY PERSON 1: My fellow Sky People! The animals on earth depend on us to dawn their days and bring on their nights!

SKY PERSON 2: We must find something that will rouse us from our sleep each day! Some sort of… alarm!

SKY PERSON 3: Yes! But what could that alarm possibly be?

NARRATOR: It was a very good question. After all, this story takes place “way way back,” remember? Way before anything like an alarm clock was invented.

So the Sky People went down to earth to get ideas for what might wake them up.

They heard the trees swaying and creaking…

SKY PERSON 1: Too quiet!

NARRATOR: They heard the tide ebbing and flowing…

SKY PERSON 2: Too calming!

NARRATOR: They heard the rivers rushing and burbling…

SKY PERSON 3: Too soothing!

NARRATOR: But then… as they scoured the world for the perfect morning alarm clock…

KOOKABURRA: (ad-lib funny laughter)

NARRATOR: …they heard it. A sound that wasn’t at all quiet. Or calming. Or soothing. And in that moment, they all agreed:

SKY PERSON 1: SKY PERSON 2: / SKY PERSON 3: It’s PERFECT!

NARRATOR: The Sky People swooped down to where the sound was coming from. And there, perched high in a gum tree, throwing back his feathered head and letting out a peal of laughter…

KOOKABURRA: (ad-lib funny laughter)

NARRATOR: …was Kookaburra!

KOOKABURRA: (ad-lib funny laughter)

NARRATOR: But the moment he caught sight of the Sky People…

KOOKABURRA: (ad-lib funny laughter, then fall silent)

NARRATOR: …his laughter ceased.

KOOKABURRA: Who are YOU?????

SKY PERSON 1: We… are the Sky People!

SKY PERSON 2: We’re the ones who bring day and night!

SKY PERSON 3: And YOU are the one we’ve been looking for!

KOOKABURRA: Me????

NARRATOR: Kookaburra shrugged his wings.

KOOKABURRA: Why would you be looking for ME? (beat) (realizing, cynical) Oh. I get it. My fellow animals sent you! Even though they cast me away, they’re STILL annoyed with my laughter, aren’t they? So you’re here to shut me up.

SKY PERSON 1: On the contrary, Kookaburra!

SKY PERSON 2: We’re here to do the opposite!

SKY PERSON 3: We want you…

SKY PERSON 1: SKY PERSON 2: / SKY PERSON 3: …to LAUGH!

NARRATOR: Kookaburra blinked his eyes.

KOOKABURRA: Wait a second. Are you being serious right now? Or are you joking? I mean, don’t get me wrong: I do love a good joke. I even love a not-so-good joke! That’s what got me into HOT WATER with the other animals! Not that any of the water was actually hot at the time, because we didn’t have any heat! (ad-lib laughter)

SKY PERSON 1: Attaboy, Kookaburra!

SKY PERSON 2: That’s what we want to hear!

SKY PERSON 3: Keep going!

KOOKABURRA: (laughter) I mean, the other animals weren’t just annoyed with me. They were HOT and bothered! All STEAMED up! So they gave ME the COLD SHOULDER! (laughter grows and grows)

NARRATOR: As Kookaburra laughed and laughed, the Sky People grinned and grinned. Not because they were warming to Kookaburra’s sense of humor…

KOOKABURRA: (laughing) Oh, I see what you did there!!!! That’s a good one!!!! (laughing)

NARRATOR: …but because they were convinced their problem was solved. And when the little bird’s laughter finally died down, they gazed at him with delight.

SKY PERSON 1: Kookaburra! Just as we suspected, you are exactly what we need.

SKY PERSON 2: YOU will be the one who wakes us up each day, so we can light our fire in the sky!

SKY PERSON 3: And you will do it in a way that only YOU know how.

KOOKABURRA: And what would that “way” be…?

SKY PERSON 1: Laughter, of course!

SKY PERSON 2: We want you to laugh your little head off each and every morning.

SKY PERSON 3: And that’s NO JOKE!

NARRATOR: Well, Kookaburra gratefully accepted the job. And every day after that… at the exact same time… he would wake up… blink open his eyes… stretch open his beak… then throw his head back…

KOOKABURRA: (laughter)

NARRATOR: …and LAUGH!

The sound of his boisterous cackling would instantly rouse the Sky People from their sleep. And as the light and warmth of their campfire blazed down to the earth below, the other animals would become more and more grateful for the cackling critter they had once cast away.

ANIMAL 1: It's morning again! Beautiful morning!

ANIMAL 2: Thank you, Kookaburra!

ANIMAL 3: Have we ever told you how much we LOVE your laugh?

NARRATOR: To this day, Kookaburra’s raucous call is among the first you’ll hear on an Australian morning. And the laughing, chuckling bird has become something of a national hero.

Songs have been written about him, sports teams have been named after him. His image has appeared on postage stamps and banknotes. And for over thirty years, Australians have minted a coin called the Silver Kookaburra. It’s a bright and shiny tribute to the cheerful, lighthearted bird who didn’t just get the last laugh; he got the first laugh, too.