Monday, December 31, 2007

Storytelling Quotes II

"History is fables agreed upon.
Voltaire

"Stories are medicine.They have such power; they do not require that we do, be, act anything -we need only listen"
Clarisa Pinkola Estes

"Facts don’t persuade, feelings do. And stories are the best way to get at those feelings. "
Tom Asacker

"Storytelling is not what I do for a living - it is how I do all that I do while I am living. "
Donald Davis

"Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today."
Robert McAfee Brown

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Auld Lang Syne

No, it's not a story but it's a song that is sung each year and yet most of us know nothing about it.

The song Auld Lang Syne is traditionally sung by most of us on the stroke of midnight each New Years Eve however in Scotland, where Auld Lang Syne originates it is also sung on Burns Night, January 25th, to celebrate the life of the author and famous poet Robert Burns.

Auld Lang Syne is also said to be used as a graduation and funeral song in Tiawan and Hong Kong and as a graduation song in Japan and Hungary.

The song/poem has been found in earlier forms in 15th and 17th century volumes by anonymous authors.
But Robert Burns found a song ,

which never was in print, nor even in manuscript, until he took it down
from an old man singing,—adding that the poetry was enough to recommend any air.
About the same time he sent another copy to James Johnson for the now celebrated
Standard Collection of Scottish Songs, the "Scots Musical Museum;" and it was
printed and published for the first time in December 1796, in the fifth volume
of that work, about five months after Burns died.
Check this website for more complete information on Robert Burns and Auld Lang Syne:
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/articles/langsyne.htm

THe song is about love and friendship in times past. The lyrics in the song Auld Lang Syne referring to 'We'll take a Cup of Kindness yet' relate to a drink shared by men and women to symbolize friendship.

It is bandleader Guy Lombardo that popularized the song and made it a New Years tradition.
Lombardo first heard "Auld Lang Syne" in his hometown of London, Ontario, where it was sung by Scottish immigrants. The song became a part of his bands repetoire. Lombardo played the song at midnight at a New Year's eve party at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City in 1929, and thus a New Year's tradition was born.

AULD LANG SYNE
Words adapted from a traditional song
by Robert Burns (1759-96)

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

Chorus

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

Chorus

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

Chorus

Meanings
auld lang syne - times gone by
be - pay for
braes - hills
braid - broad
burn - stream
dine - dinner time
fiere - friend
fit - foot
gowans - daisies
guid-willie waught - goodwill drink
monie - many
morning sun - noon
paidl't - paddled
pint-stowp - pint tankard
pou'd - pulled
twa - two

Same Auld Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg
Auld Lang Syne

Friday, December 28, 2007

A Storytelling Quote 1

"The activities that are the easiest, cheapest, and most fun to do—such as singing, playing games, reading, storytelling, and just talking and listening—are also the best for child development.”
Professor Jerome Singer, Yale University

I have always enjoyed Jim Henson's muppets. Everything from their Sesame Street series to their Muppet Show. This Storyteller's Series which unfortunately was short lived is fabulous and well worth getting. It is available on DVD. Here is a sample of one of the stories available in the series.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

The Man Who Had Two Wives - A Tale from Aesop

A middle-aged man had two wives (you can see the trouble coming, can't you ).

His first wife was quite a bit older than him.
His second wife was younger than him by at least 10 years.

Each was jealous of the other and chose to see her husband as closer to her own age.

Now the man's hair was turning gray (can't imagine why ), which the young wife did not like, as it made him look too old for her husband.
So every night she used to comb his hair and pull out the white ones.
But the elder wife saw her husband growing gray with great pleasure, for she did not like to be mistaken for his mother.

So every morning she used to arrange his hair and pull out as many of the black ones as she could.
Soon the man soon found himself entirely bald.

Moral: Yield to all and you will soon have nothing to yield

A tale from Aesop retold by LaurenLanita

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

I'm Proud to Be Me

This is a song/poem that I learned while working at a summer camp in Alaska.
I researched it and found the song to be of unknown origins and author.
It's a great song for kids about diversity and tolerance.
(Wish I could sing it for you!!)


I"m Proud to be Me

I'm proud to be me but I also see
You're just as proud to be you.
We might look at things a bit differently
But lots of good people do.

That's just human nature
So why should I hate you
For being as human as I?

We get what we give.
If we live and let live
We'll both get along if we try.

I'm proud to be me, and I also see
You're just as proud to be you.

It's true!

You're just as proud to be you!

Unknown author

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

The Legend of La Befana

Hello and Merry Christmas!!
I thought since this was the Christmas season, I would start my stories with a Christmas Legend.
Enjoy!!!

The Legend of La Befana

A Christmas tale from Italian Folklore retold by La

La Befana was an old woman who lived in a small village in Italy. She was known throughout the village for her wonderful baking and the cleanliness of her kitchen. She was often seen sweeping the area in front of her home. And many had heard her say that she was so busy baking and cleaning that she rarely had time to do anything else.

One winter day, while La Befana was sweeping in front of her home, three travelers stopped to ask her for a drink of water. They told La Befana that they were astrologers (they were often called the three wise men) who were following a star to the birth place of the Christ child. She kindly gave them water and then invited them to dinner.

After dinner the astrologers prepared to continue their journey and asked her if she would like to come with them to see the Christ child. La Befana shook her head saying that she could not possibly take the time needed for such a journey. She was secretly itching to get back to her cleaning and cooking. She stood at her door and watched them leave.

La Befana went back to her sweeping. But hours later she began to feel that she had made a mistake. Maybe she should have gone with the 3 astrologers to see the Christ child. La Befana decided to follow them.

She quickly grabbed a basket and filled it with baked goods of all kinds. She then put on her shawl and with her basket and broom hurried off into the night practically running to catch up with the wise men.

La Befana traveled through the night but never caught up with the wise men. It is said that she ran and ran until she and her broom were lifted up into the air!

Ever since that night, La Befana is believed to fly through the night or run over the roofs in Italy on Epiphany eve. She stops at the home of every child, leaving them treats in their stockings if they are good and a lump of coal if they are bad.

She hopes that one of the children she visits will be the christ child.

Copyright LLL, Storyteller/Storysinger

The name Befana is said to be a mispronunciation of the Italian word epifania which stands for epiphany. La Befana still visits the children of Italy on the eve of January 6, Epiphany. She fills their stockings with candy or a lump of coal. It is also believed that she sweeps the floor before she leaves. Many households leave her a small glass of wine and a small plate of goodies.

Hi, I'm La!


Hi,

I'm La and I tell stories. Nooooo, not stories as in lies and untruths (well, not that I'm admitting to) but stories as in storytelling. Folktales, fairy tales, tall tales, myths, legends, fables and any other type of story that I can find. Oh, I almost forgot. I also use a lot of traditional chilren's songs and folksongs. Both of which have wonderful stories to tell. I tell tales for the child and the adult.
Some stories just might give a lesson (actually most deliver some sort of lesson) and some are just for the sheer joy of the telling and the listening.

Through this blog, I plan to experiment with new stories and polish the old stories. And I will definitely be working on my rewriting of tales.
For me it is so much easier and more fun to tell a story than to write it down but write them down I will.

So sit back, relax and enjoy a few stories with me.
And please feel free to comment on the stories.
Which ones you do or do not like and why.

Let the stories begin!!!