0:01

Hello, welcome to Stories

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Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda

0:05

Weldon. Today's story is

0:07

called Beatles Boots, an adaptation of

0:09

a fairy tale by Hans Christian

0:11

Andersen, written for you by Daniel

0:13

Heinz. We

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enjoy the episode. Beatles

1:28

Boots. Once

1:31

upon a time, there was an emperor

1:33

who had a horse with golden shoes.

1:36

That may seem strange at first, but there was

1:38

good reason for it. The

1:40

horse was a beautiful creature with slender

1:43

legs, bright, intelligent eyes, and a mane

1:45

that hung down over his neck like

1:47

a veil. He

1:49

had carried his master through fire and

1:52

smoke in the battlefield with the bullets

1:54

whistling around him. He had

1:56

kicked and bitten and taken part in the

1:58

fight when the enemy advanced and... Then, with

2:00

his master on his back, he had dashed

2:03

over the fallen foe and saved the crown

2:05

and the Emperor's life, which

2:07

was of more value than the brightest gold.

2:10

And for all this valor, the

2:12

Emperor awarded the horse golden shoes.

2:17

It was all the same to the horse. He

2:19

relaxed in his stable, watched over by the

2:21

man who took care of all the horses,

2:23

called a groom. But one

2:25

day, the groom heard a little voice shouting

2:27

from a crack in the wall. Hey,

2:31

it said. Hey, when do

2:33

I get myself some of those? The

2:37

groom looked all around and finally spotted

2:39

a shiny little beetle sitting in the

2:41

wood. Get some of

2:43

what? He asked. Golden

2:46

shoes? Replied the beetle. Why,

2:49

you must be out of your little mind, cried

2:51

the groom. Golden shoes for

2:53

you? Yes,

2:55

certainly golden shoes, replied

2:58

the beetle. Am I not

3:00

just as good as that great horse Yonder,

3:02

who has waited upon and brushed and has

3:04

food and drink placed before him? And

3:07

don't I belong to the royal stables? But

3:10

why does the horse have golden shoes, asked

3:13

the groom? He's a

3:15

hero. He acted bravely and

3:17

selflessly. You understand why he has

3:19

them and you don't, right? Understand?

3:24

What I understand is that it

3:26

is a personal insult to me,

3:29

cried the beetle. It is done

3:31

to annoy me, so I intend to go

3:33

out into the world and seek my fortune.

3:37

Fine, get along then, said the groom.

3:40

You're a rude fellow, cried

3:42

the beetle as he walked out of the stable. And

3:45

then he flew for a short distance till

3:47

he found himself in a beautiful flower garden,

3:50

all fragrant with roses and lavender.

3:54

The ladybugs, with red and black shells on

3:56

their backs and delicate wings, were flying

3:58

about and one of them said, isn't

4:01

this a paradise? What more

4:03

could you ask for? Oh,

4:07

I am accustomed to better things,

4:10

said the beetle. Do you call

4:12

this beautiful? Why, this

4:14

is not even a dung heap. Then

4:18

he went on, and under the shadow

4:20

of a large haystack, he found a

4:22

caterpillar crawling along. How beautiful

4:24

this world is, said the

4:27

caterpillar. The sun is so warm,

4:29

I quite enjoy it. And

4:31

soon I shall go to sleep, and I

4:33

will wake with beautiful wings to fly with,

4:35

like a butterfly. How conceited

4:38

you are, claimed the beetle.

4:41

Fly about as a butterfly indeed.

4:43

To have wings and fly

4:45

why I can do that already.

4:48

And so saying, he spread his wings

4:51

and flew away. Soon

4:54

after, he was flying across the royal

4:56

lawn, and it seemed to go on

4:58

and on and on. After

5:01

a good long flight, the beetle was forced

5:03

to land and rest. But no

5:05

sooner had he touched down, where there came

5:07

a rumble of thunder, and the first few

5:09

drops of heavy rain. The

5:11

beetle tried to shelter under the grass, but it

5:13

was no use. He was

5:16

tumbled over and over with the rain, sometimes

5:18

swimming on his stomach and sometimes on his

5:20

back. And as for flying, that

5:22

was out of the question. Just

5:26

when the beetle was worried he'd be drowned, the

5:28

weather began to clear a little. The

5:31

beetle was able to rub the water from his

5:33

eyes and look around. He

5:35

saw something gleaming, and he managed to make

5:37

his way up to it. It

5:40

was an old dress, which had been laid to

5:42

sun bleach on the grass. He

5:44

crept into a fold of the damp linen,

5:46

which certainly was not as comfortable a place

5:48

to lie in as the warm stable, but

5:51

there was nothing better. So he remained lying

5:53

there for a whole day and night, and

5:56

the rain kept on all the time. Towards

5:59

morning, he crept out of his hiding

6:01

place, feeling in a very bad temper with

6:03

the climate. Two frogs

6:05

were sitting on the linen, and their

6:08

bright eyes actually glistened with pleasure. Wonderful

6:12

weather this, cried one of them, and

6:15

so refreshing. This linen holds the

6:17

water together so beautifully, I almost

6:20

feel like I'm going for a

6:22

swim. Ribbit. I

6:25

should like to know, Ribbit, said

6:27

another, if even the birds

6:29

who fly all over have ever found

6:31

such a wonderful rain. What

6:33

delicious moisture, Ribbit. It

6:36

is as pleasant as lying in a wet

6:38

ditch. I am sure anyone who does not

6:40

enjoy this has no love for his king

6:43

or country, Ribbit. Baa!

6:45

Have you ever been in the Emperor's

6:48

stable? asked the beetle. There

6:50

the moisture is warm and refreshing. That's

6:52

the climate for me, but I could

6:54

not take it with me on my

6:56

travels. Is there not even a

6:58

dung hill here in this garden where a

7:00

person of rank like myself could take up

7:02

his abode and feel at home? But

7:06

the frogs either did not or would not

7:08

hear him. I

7:10

never ask a question twice, said

7:12

the beetle, after he had asked four

7:14

more times and received no answer. Then

7:17

he went on a little farther and stumbled

7:19

against a piece of broken clay pot, which

7:22

certainly ought to not have been lying there.

7:25

But as it was there, it formed a

7:27

good shelter against wind and weather. The

7:30

beetle got closer and saw that several

7:32

families of pincherbugs were making their home

7:34

inside. It wasn't

7:36

much, but pincherbugs don't need much.

7:38

They're very sociable and full of affection

7:41

for their children, so much so that

7:43

each mother considered her own child the

7:45

most beautiful and clever of them all.

7:49

Our dear son has worked himself

7:51

hard, said one mother. Dear

7:54

innocent boy, his greatest ambition is that

7:56

he may one day creep into a

7:58

clergyman's ear. That is a very

8:00

worthy and lovable wish, and having a goal

8:03

will keep him steady. What happiness

8:05

for a mother!" "'Our

8:08

son,' said another, had scarcely

8:10

crept out of the egg when he was off

8:13

on his travels. He is all

8:15

life and spirits. I expect he will wear

8:17

out his pinchers with all his pinching. How

8:19

charming this is for a mother! Is it

8:21

not, Mr. Beetle?" "'You

8:24

are both quite right,' said the Beetle, not

8:26

wanting to start trouble. So they begged him

8:28

to walk in under the piece of pottery

8:30

with them. "'Now

8:33

you should also see my little pinchers,' said

8:35

a third and fourth mother. "'They

8:37

are lovely little things and highly amusing.

8:39

They are never badly behaved except when

8:41

they have tummy aches, which unfortunately often

8:44

happens at their age.' Thus

8:47

each mother spoke of her baby, and their babies

8:49

babbled and made use of the little nippers they

8:51

have in their tails to pinch at the legs

8:53

of the Beetle. "'They

8:55

are always busy about something, the

8:57

little rogues,' said the mother, beaming

9:00

with maternal pride. But the

9:02

Beetle was soon tired of all the pinching, and

9:04

he asked the way to the nearest dung heap.

9:08

"'That is quite out in the great world on the

9:10

other side of the ditch,' answered a pincher. "'I

9:12

hope none of my children will ever go so far.

9:14

It would be the death of me.' "'But

9:17

I shall try to get so far,' said

9:19

the Beetle, and he walked off without taking

9:22

any formal leave, which is considered a polite

9:24

thing to do among Beetles and Pincherbugs. When

9:27

he arrived at the ditch, he met several

9:30

friends, all of them Beetles. "'We

9:32

live here,' they said, and we are very comfortable.

9:35

May we ask you to step down into this

9:37

rich mud. You must be fatigued

9:39

after your journey.' "'Certainly,'

9:42

said the Beetle. "'I shall be most happy.

9:45

I have been exposed to the rain and have

9:47

had to lie upon linen, and cleanliness is a

9:49

thing that greatly exhausts me. I

9:51

have also pains in one of my wings from

9:54

standing in the drought under a piece of broken

9:56

crockery. It is really quite refreshing

9:58

to be with one's own kindred again.'" Perhaps.

10:01

You came from a dung heap observed the

10:03

oldest of them. Know indeed,

10:05

I came from a much grander

10:07

place. I came from the Emperor

10:10

Stable where I was born. With

10:12

golden shoes on my feet. the

10:14

Beetle lied. I am travelling

10:16

on a secret mission but you must not

10:18

ask me any questions for I cannot betray

10:20

my secret. Then

10:22

the Beatles stepped down into the rich

10:24

mad were sat three young lady beetles

10:26

who giggle that such a high and

10:29

mighty beetle approaching. None.

10:31

Of them are engaged yet said their mother

10:33

and the beetle needs giggled. Then. Ah

10:36

said the beetle to was definitely not looking

10:38

to get married at the moment. I'm

10:41

afraid I must be going minus

10:43

and you understand. So.

10:45

Far they could answer. He flew up and

10:48

away, ignoring their calls for him to come

10:50

back and get married that instant. His.

10:53

Wings were dry now so they carried

10:55

him to a great distance til at

10:57

last he reached a greenhouse were a

10:59

window of the glass roof with partly

11:01

open so he quietly slipped in and

11:03

buried himself in the warm earth. It.

11:06

Is very comfortable here. He. Said

11:08

to himself. And. Soon after fell

11:11

asleep. Then. He

11:13

dreamed that the Emperor's horse was dying

11:15

and had left him his golden shoes.

11:17

And also promised that he'd make to more so the

11:20

beetle would have one for all six of his feet.

11:23

It wasn't a very nice dream, but

11:25

as you may have realized by now,

11:27

the beetle wasn't a very nice beetle.

11:31

When. He woke up he realized what

11:33

an amazing place the greenhouse was. It

11:36

had glass all over to lead in the warm

11:38

sun but keep out the cold lanes and wins.

11:41

The. Soil with hot the plants were

11:43

full and the flowers were blooming. It

11:46

was nearly as nice as the royal stables,

11:48

and the beetle was just fouling that he

11:50

should stay there a good long time. when

11:52

a couple of young boys burst into the

11:54

room, Lock said one

11:57

a big beetle. Grab.

11:59

them said the other. The

12:01

beetle squeaked, but was quickly wrapped in a

12:04

leaf and jammed into the boy's pocket. He

12:06

twisted and turned about with all his might, but

12:08

he got a good squeeze from the boy's hand

12:10

to keep him still. Then

12:12

the boy went quickly towards the lake at the

12:14

end of the garden. He had

12:17

made a rough boat out of an old shoe with

12:19

a little stick for a mast and a napkin for

12:21

a sail. "'Your

12:23

ship is ready,' said the boy, and he

12:25

tied the beetle to the mast with a

12:28

bit of string. "'There! Don't want you to

12:30

fall out.'" The

12:32

beetle complained, but of course, humans don't

12:34

speak, Beetle. With a final

12:36

bon voyage, the boys pushed the boat

12:39

into the lake and suddenly the beetle

12:41

found himself a sailor on the high

12:43

seas. He was so small

12:45

that every ripple seemed a mighty wave that

12:47

might tip his shoe boat at any moment.

12:51

The wind blew gently and he was

12:53

carried further and further from shore. Soon

12:56

it seemed there was nothing but wild

12:58

water all around the beetle, the sun

13:00

beating down. Then, out

13:03

of nowhere, a little fly landed on

13:05

top of his mast. "'Huh!

13:08

What beautiful weather,' said the

13:10

fly. "'I shall rest here

13:12

and sun myself. Look

13:14

at you, captaining a boat! You must

13:16

be having a pleasant time of it.'

13:19

"'You speak without knowing the

13:21

facts,' replied the beetle. "'Don't you

13:23

see that I am a prisoner?'

13:26

"'Oh, but I am not a

13:28

prisoner,' remarked the fly, and

13:30

away he flew, laughing to himself. The

13:33

beetle watched him go, still tied

13:36

to the mast and a prisoner

13:38

of the waves. "'Well, now

13:40

I know the world,' said the beetle

13:42

to himself. "'It is an abominable world.

13:45

I'm the only respectable one in it.

13:48

First, they refused me my golden shoes.

13:50

Then, I have to lie on damp linen and

13:52

to stand in a draft. Then, when I have

13:54

made a step forward in the world and found

13:56

out a comfortable position, just as I could wish

13:59

it to.' to be one of

14:01

these human boys comes and ties me

14:03

up and leaves me to the mercy

14:05

of the wild waves while the

14:07

Emperor's favorite horse goes prancing about

14:09

proudly on his golden shoes. It's

14:12

simply not fair. If I had

14:15

received golden shoes I should have been an ornament

14:17

to the stable. Now I am lost

14:19

to the stable and to the world. It

14:21

is all over with me." It

14:24

all was not yet over. A

14:26

boat with a few young girls inside came rowing

14:29

up. "'Look, there's an

14:31

old wooden shoe sailing along,' said

14:33

one of the younger girls. "'And there's

14:35

a poor little creature tied up in it,' said

14:37

another." The

14:40

boat now came close to our beetle's ship and the

14:42

young girls fished it out of the water. One

14:45

of them drew a small pair of scissors from

14:47

her pocket and cut the string without hurting the

14:49

beetle and when she stepped on shore

14:51

she placed him on the grass. "'There,'

14:55

she said. "'Fly away, little bug.'" Away

14:59

flew the beetle, straight through the first

15:01

open window he saw. Inside

15:04

he sank down, tired and

15:06

exhausted. It was only when

15:08

he started using hair as a blanket that he realized

15:10

where he was. He had somehow

15:12

found his way back to the stable

15:14

and he was on the back of

15:17

the emperor's favorite horse with the golden

15:19

shoes. "'Well,' he

15:21

said, "'here I am, seated

15:23

on the emperor's favorite horse, sitting

15:26

upon him as if I were the emperor

15:28

himself. But what was it the groom

15:30

asked me?' "'Oh, I remember now.

15:32

That's a good thought. He asked me why

15:34

the golden shoes were given to the horse.

15:37

The answer is quite clear to me now. They

15:40

were given to the horse so that he can carry

15:42

me.' And

15:44

this thought, wrong as it was, put the

15:46

beetle into a good mood. The

15:49

sun's rays also came streaming into the stable

15:51

and shone upon him and made the place

15:53

lively and bright. "'Traveling

15:56

expands the mind very much,' said the

15:58

beetle. "'The world is not so big.' No bad

16:00

after all, if you know how to take things as

16:02

they come." And

16:04

with that, he fell into a deep

16:06

sleep on the horse and never again

16:08

bothered about the golden boots. The

16:12

End Today's

16:14

story, Beetle's Boots, an adaptation of a

16:17

fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, was

16:19

written for you by Daniel Hines, edited

16:22

and produced for you by Ellie Hines, and

16:24

performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon. If

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