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November 1, 2008Throughout the world stories have been told and retold for millennia. In the fabric of a culture, they act as vital threads in the weave. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. World stories spread as the culture grows.
One of the great benefits of my travels around the world is the wellspring of world stories I have found in each country I have visited. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Rituals and customs. Daily habits and geography. So the world stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. In the process, I have discovered how world stories arise out of the cultures from which they are born. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, around the United States, Canada, and Europe. I find myself amazed at both the differences and similarities of the various countries.
All cultures regard certain notions as sacred. The demonic can also be found. These notions appear regularly in their stories. Their stories grow out of this mythical soil. Many world stories derive from mythology. Creation stories form the majority of this category, along with other stories help explain the world.
By contrast, folk tales spawn from daily village life. Naturally, stories of the folk world are couched in rural settings. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales. The questioning minds of preliterate villagers found apt expression through stories of magic and mystery. Many folktales were cautionary tales with lessons for avoiding catastrophe. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Keep away from wild animals! Do not talk to strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good is eternally pitted against evil. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well. And that brings us to storytelling today. Modern society is a far cry from rural villages, yet the stories ring true regardless.
Some world stories are humorous. Other world stories are mysterious. Many world stories are full of insight. Often world stories are inscrutable. Generally world stories teach. All world stories keep us amused.
No matter what, all world stories maintain a deep bond with the fabric of their culture. People tell of their experiences through world stories. And they have merit in worlds far removed from their origin.
Listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories” to enjoy the variety found in world stories. It is an award winning journey that will take you around the globe!
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Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish. ”
What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain.
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jaystetzer. com. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from the World Full of Stories CD are good examples of inspirational stories. From the CD Parking in Manhattan, “Service with a Smile” brings a great message to the listener.
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To me, nifty stories are a blend of entertainment and education, or what some call “edutainment. ” I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.
Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message. It teaches by example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious.
The meaning is hidden in the actions of the characters. It is up to the listener to decipher the message. And different listeners will carry away different messages. This kind of story is generally attractive to a wider audience. The subtler lessons tend to come from longer tales.
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There are many similar examples of priceless humor from virtually every country on the planet. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them. You can find priceless humor and more at http://www. jaystetzer. com.
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Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even stories using animals as characters reflect the situations and actions of our species.
The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well. Wars. Pestilence.
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These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales. Stories about magic and mystery were apt outlets for questioning minds of preliterate villagers. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Steer clear of wild beasts! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings.
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In turn, that lends substantial meaning to the world stories I hear. And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. The more I experience a particular culture, the more I appreciate the value of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, throughout Canada, the United States, and Southeast Asia. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.
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Daily habits and geography. In turn, that lends substantial meaning to the world stories I hear. And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. The more I experience a particular culture, the more I appreciate the value of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, throughout Canada, the United States, and Southeast Asia.
Laughter takes the sting out of life. And as long as we are laughing at the foibles of others (and not ourselves) we find those situations funny. This is priceless humor.
Look around you at the great humorists. Dave Barry.
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And I anticipated that my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that will last far beyond the moment of giving. One great gift I have found is a memorable story.
Many folktales were cautionary tales with lessons for avoiding catastrophe. Stay out of the dark forest! Steer clear of wild beasts! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good is eternally pitted against evil. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. Regardless of genre, any worthy world story can be applied to contemporary life.
Care for some inspiration? At http://www. jaystetzer. com you can find memorable inspirational stories. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from the World Full of Stories CD are good examples of inspirational stories.
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The lost keys. The misunderstood comment. The consequences that follow are generally laughable.
The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. Listeners can readily find many humorous circumstances in my CD Parking in Manhattan.
And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!
My “Recordings” page on this website lists three story CDs. Fables in Four Minutes is a collection of ten stories, each one representing a different storytelling genre. World Full of Stories has a dozen stories that will take the listeners on a trip around the world.
Useful info.
Priceless humor their brush.
What makes priceless humor? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The lost keys. The misunderstood comment.
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Later still, it cropped up in conversations about more “cultural” experiences: nifty books, nifty poems, and nifty stories.
The word seemed allusively defined, yet attractively so. Still, I did not really define the word until I found myself using it to refer to the stories I tell to audiences and on recordings. Actually, it was a listener who called my material “nifty stories,” and that comment sent me to the books. The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial.
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Mark Russell. Garrison Kiellor. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere. Henry Fielding All of them were storytellers.
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Most of the time it was rough going. I quickly realized that a good gift is hard to find. A meaningful gift is even rarer. And whenever I succeeded in finding a gift that I regarded as special, I treasured it. And I anticipated that my children would do the same.
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