The Troll Who Could Not Count Past Three
A Norwegian mountain troll guards a bridge and demands a toll of four goats, but he has never learned what four means. A gentle story about patience, numbers and a very clever shepherd girl.
Andare and the Pot of Sugar
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Show notes
Tonight's tale
Andare is the court jester of Sri Lankan folklore, a man who never lies but somehow always gets the last laugh. Tonight he is sent to guard the royal sugar, and the king's children want a taste.
- Where the story comes from: the Kandyan kingdom, told in villages for 300 years
- The soft lesson: a trick is only funny when nobody goes to bed sad
- Sounds you will hear: crickets, a brass bell, the lantern creaking
- A question for the morning: was Andare naughty, kind, or both
- Running time 21 minutes, ends with two minutes of quiet garden
Sleep well, and keep the lantern lit until Friday.
Transcript
Good evening, little ones, and good evening to the grown-ups too. My name is Dilhani, and this is Lantern Under the Mango Tree. The lantern is lit, the crickets have started, and the mango leaves are whispering above me. Tonight we are going to Sri Lanka, to a palace in the hills of Kandy, to meet a man called Andare. Andare was the king's jester, and he never told a single lie, but somehow he always, always got the last laugh. Tonight the king has left him in charge of a very big pot of sugar, and the king's children are very, very curious. Get your blanket up to your chin. Take one slow breath with me. Ready? Let us begin. You are listening on Witspeak Podcasts, where the stories stay soft until you fall asleep.
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