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February 15, 2009For as long as humans could talk throughout the world stories have been told and retold. In the fabric of a culture, they act as vital threads in the weave. In any society they define the roots and significance of the peoples. 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. And each time I visit another country I have the opportunity to learn a bit about it. Rituals and customs. Geography and daily habits. 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. The more I experience a particular culture, the more I appreciate the value 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.
You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. You can also find things demonic. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Myth forms the basis for many world stories. 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. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. Fairy tales also live in the world of folktales. 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! Steer clear of wild beasts! Do not talk to strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good is eternally pitted against evil. One can discover the Golden Rule in most plots. 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 enigmatic. 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.
To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories.” It is an award winning journey that will take you around the globe!
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We prefer to take our medicine with a bit of sweetener. Enter laughter. Humor makes a hard message a bit easier to swallow. Witty humor is priceless humor. A unique combination.
For example, a story with a moral is one that provides a clear message. It teaches using a concrete example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious. The characters may act out the meaning of the story. It is up to the listener to decipher the message.
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The stories are ageless. The messages of long ago still have merit in the world today.
What’s so important about inspirational stories? First, consider the barrage of daily news and information. Second, the lives we live give us no breathing space to reflect. And without time to reflect, how can we develop insight into the affairs of the day? This is where inspirational stories serve us well.
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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 was my listener describing when he called my stories “nifty?” The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.
Thanks. I could have used this info a while ago.
Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless situations create priceless humor.
You can also find many examples of priceless humor in world stories. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Two good examples from my CD Fables in Four Minutes are “Rock Soup” and “Herschel in the Woods” My CD World Full of Stories has many examples a listener can enjoy.
To this day I still remember and follow those messages. Treat others the way you want to be treated. There is no substitute for honesty. Take time to smell the flowers. Give back to your community.
Even later, the word took on a more cultured definition in reference to poems, books, and, of course, nifty stories.
Whenever I heard the word I assumed it meant something good, something attractive. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it. 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.
Great stuff.
All cultures regard certain notions as sacred. You can also find things demonic. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Many world stories derive from mythology.
This blog was great.
It is up to the listener to decipher the message. And different listeners will carry away different messages. Stories such as these are inclined to be more widely popular. Longer stories are likely to be more subtle in the lessons that result. Epic stories have many layered lessons Think of the difference between an Aesop fable and a tale from the Arabian Nights.
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.
I am now a grandparent. And I am always on the lookout for a unique gift children would enjoy.