Susannah Flood (Life and Beth, Birthday Candles) and Etai Benson (The Band's Visit, Company) star in this Jewish folktale about a clever, quick-witted woman who uses her brilliant brainpower to save her family.
Samin Nosrat (Salt Fat Acid Heat, Home Cooking), Hrishikesh Hirway (Home Cooking, Song Exploder), and Josh Malina (The West Wing, Chutzpod) star in this Ukrainian and Polish tale about what happens when misery loves company so much, it actually comes to life.
David Morse (John Adams, How I Learned To Drive) and Fiona Glascott (Fantastic Beasts, Julia) star in this Irish tale about a magical creature who helps a young woman avoid hard work, until the tables are turned.
Jazmyn Simon (Ballers, Most Perfect You) and Megan Boone (The Blacklist, The Underground Railroad) play competing birds in this Native American story about the surprising ways that slow and steady can win the race.
Allison Strong (The Week Of) headlines this Incan tale from our second season about a brave, magical journey to heal a prince and save a family.
Mario Cantone (And Just Like That, Surf's Up) and Denise Crosby (Star Trek: The Next Generation) star in this folktale about how the giraffe got its long neck, and how the rhino got an unexpected ally!
Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite, Lightyear) portrays a beloved trickster who lives by his wits—and uses them to outwit others—in this folktale from the Spanish-speaking world.
Malia Baker (The Baby-Sitters Club, Are You Afraid of the Dark), Kelly Jenrette (The Handmaid's Tale, All-American: Homecoming) and Kenny Leu (A Shot Through the Wall, Midway) headline a story about a troupe of actors who always bring down the house, until they're nearly brought down themselves.
Broadway stars Michael Cerveris (The Gilded Age, Fun Home) and Patrick Page (The Gilded Age, Hadestown) star in a Ukrainian folktale that shows there's more to wisdom than meets the eye.
Actors, directors and real-life couple Marielle Heller (The Queen's Gambit, MacGruber) and Jorma Taccone (MacGruber, The Lonely Island) headline a tale about bossy bullies and itsy-bitsy underdogs.
In this classic Indian tale, Maulik Pancholy (Phineas and Ferb, Sanjay and Craig) plays a wonderfully wise adviser who finds an ingenious way to bring the truth to light.
Edi Gathegi ("The Harder They Fall," "For All Mankind") stars in this East African story about twin brothers, enchanted fruit, and the magic of an open heart.
Glynn Washington (Snap Judgment) and Tiffany Boone (Hunters, Nine Perfect Strangers) star in this favorite folktale from season one, about a lazy bear who isn't big on sharing, until he meets a clever rabbit.
Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien, Rogue One) plays a wily coyote desperate to show the world just how ultra-mega-super-spectacular he is -- or thinks he is, anyway!
Jacob Laval (John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch, Unbreakable Boy) plays a super savvy critter with a sharp body and even sharper mind in this Siberian folktale about taking advantage of hospitality.
Michael Zegen (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Boardwalk Empire) helps Melora Hardin (The Bold Type, The Office) get her literal and figurative "just desserts" in this tricky tale about two very different neighbors.
Tony Award winner Jayne Houdyshell (The Humans, The Music Man) stars in this Burmese tale about honesty, honor, and a highly coveted coconut tree.
Izaac Wang (Clifford the Big Red Dog, Raya and the Last Dragon) plays a tiny eel who teaches a big frog an even bigger lesson in this laugh-out-loud legend from Australia.
Kimiko Glenn (My Little Pony, Orange is the New Black) learns the wonders of wisdom that old age can bring in this touching tale with roots in Japan, Laos, Mongolia, Slovenia, Romania, Russia and Haiti.
Elaine Hendrix (Dynasty, The Parent Trap), Mark Pellegrino (Supernatural, American Rust), and Devyn McDowell (Annette, The Good Nurse) star in this Jewish and Persian tale about how fortune can change in the blink of an eye.
In this whimsical tale from the archives, comedian Margaret Cho (The Margaret Cho, Fresh Off The Bloat) plays a greedy woman who bites off more than she can chew.
This Circle Round favorite starring Story Pirates Podcast hosts Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney and Meghan O'Neill shines a sparkling light on the treasures that come from honesty, integrity and honor.
Podcast luminary Avery Trufelman (99% Invisible, Nice Try!) stars as a generous baker touched by magic in this appetizing episode from the Circle Round archives.
Does bigger always mean stronger? Oscar nominee & children's author Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild, Annie) stars in this amusing folktale from the Circle Round archives.
Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and an all-star cast, this tale from China explores the true riches in life.
Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and an all-star cast, this Vietnamese origin story imagines how a very important grain first came to earth.
Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and an all-star cast, this tale from Mexico explores wisdom, folly, and everything in between.
In this zany Celtic tale from the archives, when fairies come to help Parker Bates (This Is Us) with his chores, he discovers the spirited creatures are far more trouble than they're worth.
Jona Xiao (Raya and the Last Dragon, Hightown) plays a flower peddler who makes gardens and goodness grow in this story with Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, Moroccan, French, Canadian, and Peruvian roots.
Chef, author, and TV personality Carla Hall (Carla and the Christmas Cornbread, Holiday Baking Championship) plays a sly, surprising judge in this courtroom tale with roots in China and the Ozarks.
