Rewritten from a Georgian Tale by Hugh Lupton. (© Hugh Lupton 2002). Many years ago – and it was neither my time nor your time – there lived a great king. And one night that king dreamed a strange dream. He dreamed that a fox was hanging by its tail from the ceiling above his […]
Tale from the Iliad, Book 6. Translated by Joan Sutton. We are departing from our usual type of posting with this very special contribution from Joan Sutton. Joan is a Greek scholar who has been studying Homer’s Iliad for the past six years. This story has not been rewritten for oral performance, but is a
adapted by Joan Stockbridge. There was a path that stretched from here to there. On one side of the path, tall mountains loomed. Along the other, the cold sea moaned. Along this path came two fairy women, wrapped tightly in dark cloaks. As they walked along, they saw a bundle in the path. It mewed
From a 19th century literary tale attributed to Chippewa sources, retold by Fran Stallings. When I first heard this story in childhood, there was no music: the chant was just recited. I have added the chant melody and the chordal accompaniment, but I also perform it sometimes without the music, and it still works. A
Shingebiss and the North Wind Details »
A Folktale from Russia. Adapted by Elisa Pearmain. Once upon a time there lived a tailor’s son named Joseph. He worked beside his father in his little shop cutting and stitching clothing for the wealthy folks in town. As he grew older, Joseph began to dream of making something special for himself to wear. He
an Inuit (Eskimo) story, Retold by Laura Simms. In the very beginning of time, the Inuit people say, Raven made the world. Raven was both a god and a bird with a man inside. After Raven created everything, he decided to remain on the earth. He loved the people and the animals and he was
A Koryak Story from Kamchatka Peninsula, Retold by Kira Van Deusen. In Kichiga old woman Kytna lived with her old man. They had a daughter named Ralinavut, a grown-up daughter. Not far from their village lived a wolf pack, twenty-eight wolves. One time Ralinavut went for a walk and got lost, she did not return
How Old Woman Kytna Brought Her Daughter Home Details »
Adapted by Andre Heuer. Once there was a snake with a rather bad attitude. The small village near where the snake lived was very fearful of this snake. You see, this snake slithered through the grass, silently, seeking its victims, and without warning would strike and devour its prey. It was known to eat hens,
The Snake and the Holy Man Details »
A Hungarian Folktale, Retold By Gail Rosen. I have told this story in many settings. Its humor is delightful and the story allows thinking and conversation about death, in a way that feels safer for people than direct questions about their personal feelings and experiences. But she was full of life, and never dreamt of
Prepared by Laura Simms. One evening I told my son a story that I had read from the Lemba tribe of Sierra Leone, West Africa. I was delighted to find tales from the country where he was born. Sierra Leone has been involved in a horrendous civil war for ten years. The war has resulted
