Hello and welcome to Super Great Kids Stories.
Wise tales from storytellers around the world which will make you laugh and sometimes cry.
Recommended for ages 5 to 105.
I'm Kim and I love stories.
Today we have a fairy tale for you from China, told by the wonderful Alton Chang.
It's called The Luminous Pearl.
How are you, super-great kids?
Are you having an OK week?
There's been a lot of snow in the US.
I wonder if you've been able to get out and play in it,
or have you had to watch it through the window and keep warm indoors?
No matter what the weather, it's grey, wet and muddy here in the UK,
I hope you're all finding reasons to be cheerful and entertaining each other with stories and songs
if you can't go outside.
I went to see some wassailing this weekend which is a winter tradition where people go in a procession to an orchard dancing and singing to thank the apple trees
for giving them a good harvest.
They dip bread into spiced apple cider and they hang it on the tree as a little gift.
They also bang instruments and pans to scare away any bad spirits who might just be lurking.
It was all jolly good fun and
if you like apple trees then you might enjoy listening to the Apple Tree Man story which is on our podcast or you could read it in our new book.