'The Magic Touch' | Ep. 159 (1)
NARRATOR: There once were two brothers – twins, actually! Their names were Juma and Imani. Juma and Imani were raised by their mother – a kind, generous woman whom her sons loved with all their heart.
When the twins grew up, and it was time for them to go out and make their way in the world, something unexpected happened. Mother fell ill – so ill she had to take to her bed.
JUMA: Oh, Mother! Imani and I can't leave you like this!
IMANI: Juma's right! We must stay here! And take care of you!
MOTHER: That's very sweet, my sons. But I don't want to stop you from making your way in the world!
NARRATOR: Mother turned to Juma.
MOTHER: Juma. You were born a handful of minutes before Imani was… so how about you go out into the world first, while Imani stays home and takes care of me. Once I'm well again, he can follow you.
JUMA: Of course, Mother. That's a fine idea!
NARRATOR: So Juma kissed his family goodbye, then set out on a sailboat across the sea.
He had been drifting on the waves for a few days when he spotted an island.
JUMA: Ooooh! Look at this beautiful place! I don't see any people, but get a load of those fruit trees! Their branches are dripping with bright-red fruit! This could be a nice place to stop for a while.
NARRATOR: Juma went ashore and began picking and eating fruit.
JUMA: (as he chews) Mmmm! This fruit is delicious! So sweet! So juicy! But oh - there are pits inside! Definitely don't want to eat those! I'll just spit them out. (ad-lib spitting pits onto ground)
NARRATOR: But the moment the pits hit the ground… an unbelievable sight met Juma's eyes.
JUMA: Could it be?!? Each pit is growing into a whole new fruit tree! In the blink of an eye! It's getting taller… and taller… and now it's as tall as all the other trees! And it's bursting with bright-red fruit! I've never seen anything like this!
NARRATOR: Juma grabbed some barrels from his boat, and began loading them up with fruit.
JUMA: I'm going to bring this magical fruit to another island. With the way these trees grow, I'll have an endless supply to sell!
NARRATOR: Juma hoisted his sails and put his boat back to sea. After a few days, he came to an island that was brimming with people. He made his way to the bustling marketplace and set out his barrels of fruit.
JUMA: (calling out, salesman-like) Magical fruit here! Get your magical fruit! Spit out the pit and watch a new tree grow in a flash!
NARRATOR: It wasn't long before a curious crowd gathered. But when Juma went to demonstrate the magical powers of his fruit – chewing a handful of them… then spitting out the pits…
JUMA: (ad-lib spitting pits onto ground)
NARRATOR: …nothing happened!
JUMA: So sorry, ladies and gentlemen. Perhaps those pieces of fruit weren't ripe enough. Let me try again.
NARRATOR: So he did! He grabbed another handful of fruit and began to chew. But once more, when he spit the pits out…
JUMA: (ad-lib spitting pits onto ground)
NARRATOR: …nothing happened!
PERSON 1: Ah, this guy is a phony!
PERSON 2: A fake!
PERSON 3: A total fraud!
PERSON 4: We knew your “magical fruit” was too good to be true!
NARRATOR: Juma was flummoxed.
JUMA: But ladies and gentlemen! I assure you! I am not a phony! On the island where I picked this fruit, it worked like a charm! I swear! I just spit the pits out and right there before my very eyes –
NARRATOR: Before Juma could say another word, he felt someone grab his shoulder.
GUARD: So you're the one making up stories about “magical fruit,” huh?
NARRATOR: Juma whirled his head around. Standing before him was a burly man in uniform.
GUARD: Listen, pal. I am part of the Queen's royal guard. And it is my duty to tell you that on this island we are honest! Because Her Royal Majesty despises dishonesty! She loathes lying! She forbids any fibs!
JUMA: But I'm not telling any fibs! And I'm not lying! I'm telling you, this fruit –
GUARD: Enough arguing, mister! I'm taking you to the palace dungeon and putting you behind bars. Queen's orders.
[SOT: dungeon cell door closes]
NARRATOR: Meanwhile, back at home, Mother and Imani were completely unaware of Juma's misfortune. Instead, the pair was in high spirits, because Mother had finally recovered from her illness!
MOTHER: (healthy again) Imani, now that I'm feeling fit as a fiddle, it's your turn to make your way in the world. Now go out there and make me proud!
IMANI: You bet I will, Mother!
NARRATOR: So, like his twin brother before him, Imani kissed his mother goodbye, then headed out in his boat.
Little did he know that ahead of him lay some stormy seas… and some unimaginable adventures!
[theme music in]
NARRATOR: What do you think will happen to Imani? And what about his twin brother, Juma? Will he ever go free?
We'll find out, after a quick break.
[theme music out]
[BREAK]
[theme music in]
NARRATOR: Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Sheir. Today our story is called “The Magic Touch.”
[theme music out]
NARRATOR: Before the break, twin brothers Juma and Imani set off to make their ways in the world. Juma went first, and wound up in jail. But Imani didn't know that! So when it was his turn to leave home and go traveling, he was in high spirits as he hopped into his boat and took to the sea.
[SOT: storm at sea]
NARRATOR: Unfortunately, the sea was not kind to Imani. The clouds rolled in, the wind picked up, and sheets of rain surged down from the sky. After being tossed for days across the choppy, foam-topped waves, Imani ran aground on a cold, rocky island.
IMANI: Look at this place! So bleak and dreary! I definitely don't want to stay long, but the sea is too rough to head out again. I'll wait for the skies to clear and have a snack. All that sailing has me famished!
NARRATOR: Imani plopped down on a rock and reached into his bag for a pot of cooked millet. But just as he was spooning the grain into his mouth...
BIRD: Excuse me, sir? Any chance you could share some of that?
NARRATOR: Imani looked up. Perched on a cliff above him was a black and white bird. Its body was scrawny and its feathers were rough and matted.
IMANI: Was that you talking just now, bird? Or did those crazy waves toss my boat and my brains?! ?
BIRD: Oh, it was me, alright. And I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but the storm stranded me on this desolate island and I haven't eaten in days!
NARRATOR: The bird fluttered down and perched on Imani's shoulder. Imani gave the scraggly creature a pat.
IMANI: I'd be happy to share my millet with you, bird. And please – call me Imani!
NARRATOR: The ravenous bird stuck its beak into the pot and gobbled up all the millet.
BIRD: Wow! That hit the spot! I appreciate your kindness, Imani. And I promise – one day I'll repay you somehow!
NARRATOR: Then the bird spread its wings and took off across the island.
Imani felt his stomach growl; he was still hungry! So he reached into his bag and fished out a small jar of honey. But just as he was about to suck down a spoonful…
ANT: Pardon me, sir? Any chance you could share some of that?
NARRATOR: Imani looked down. There, on the ground, was an ant! Its little black body was all shriveled, and it seemed to be walking with a limp.
IMANI: Was that you talking just now, ant? Or am I hearing things?
ANT: Oh, it was me, alright. And I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but I am downright famished! This island is so rocky and barren, and I've had a devil of a time finding anything to eat!
NARRATOR: The ant wiggled its antennae. Imani knelt down and gave the creature a smile.
IMANI: I'd be happy to share my honey with you, ant. And please – call me Imani!
NARRATOR: Imani drizzled all of his honey on the ground, and the ant went to work lapping up the sticky, sweet stuff.
ANT: Mmm! That was just what I needed! I appreciate your kindness, Imani. And I promise – one day I'll repay you somehow!
NARRATOR: Then the ant scurried away.
Imani rummaged through his bag and found a cup of rice. But just as he was about to stick a fistful into his mouth…
JINN: I beg your pardon, sir? Any chance you could share some of that?
NARRATOR: Imani looked up. Floating in the air before him was a jinn! His mother had told many tales about these supernatural spirits, but this was the first time Imani had actually seen one!
IMANI: Woah! Was that you talking just now, jinn? Or am I so hungry I'm hallucinating?! ?
JINN: Yup! It was me! I hope I didn't freak you out, sir, but evil spirits have banished me to this island and it's an absolute wasteland! I've been without food for days!
NARRATOR: Imani gave the jinn a sympathetic nod.
IMANI: I'd be happy to share my rice with you, jinn. And please – call me Imani!
NARRATOR: The jinn took hold of the rice and poured every single grain down its gullet.
JINN: Yum! That was perfect! I appreciate your kindness, Imani. And I promise – one day I'll repay you somehow!
NARRATOR: Then the jinn disappeared with a poof.
[SOT: poof]
IMANI: Well that was crazy! I met a talking bird… an ant… I even met a jinn! But I'm so hungry I could pass out – and it's obvious I won't find any food in this dismal place. Now that the skies have cleared, I'll get back in my boat and move on.
NARRATOR: So Imani hoisted his sails and took off across the calm, peaceful water.
Before long he caught sight of another island… and to his delight, it was covered with…
IMANI: …Fruit trees!
NARRATOR: Now, as you might guess, this was the exact same island that his brother Juma had found!
But Imani didn't know that! So he docked his boat, sprinted to the fruit trees, and stuffed handfuls of the bright-red fruit into his mouth.
IMANI: This fruit is delectable! But wait - it has pits inside! Better spit them out. (ad-lib spitting pits onto ground)
NARRATOR: Of course, the moment Imani spit out the pits, and the pits hit the ground, you know what happened, right?
IMANI: Would you look at that?!?? ?
NARRATOR: They instantly blossomed into new trees!
IMANI: My goodness! Not only is this fruit delicious, juicy, and sweet, but it's magic! I'll bring a bunch with me to my next destination. I bet it could come in very handy.
NARRATOR: But just as Imani went to fetch some barrels from his boat…
JINN: [SOT: reverbed] Imani, wait!
NARRATOR: Imani flicked his head around. He couldn't see anyone, but he could have sworn he heard the jinn! The supernatural spirit with whom he'd shared his rice on the desolate, barren island!
IMANI: Jinn?? Is that you??? Are you here?
JINN: [SOT: reverbed] Not exactly… I'm still stuck on that bleak, forlorn island! But I've used my powers to watch over you ever since you left! And since I promised I'd repay you for your kindness, I must tell you – that fruit you're picking… it won't grow just anywhere!
IMANI: It won't?
JINN: [SOT: reverbed] No! It will only grow on the soil of the island where you're standing right now! If you take the fruit with you, you must take some of the soil with you, too. Only then will the fruit work its magic and grow before your very eyes.