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The Goose
Today I invite you to ponder with golden eggs, as many have searched and are indulging in chocolate eggs across the globe, despite cocoa shortage due to climate crisis affecting production and the exploitative labour abuses due to Western demand. I share with you The Goose Adapted from Italian fairytale collector Giambattista Basile’s (1634) La…
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La Loba
Today I invite you to ponder another tale from Estes, C.P. (1992). Women who run with the wolves myths and stories of the wild woman archetype. Rider. This time La Loba (pp. 27-28) which draws from Mexican folklore. What do you collect that is in danger of being lost in the world? What restores your…
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Sealskin, soulskin
Today I invite you to ponder an Inuit tale adapted from Clarissa Pinkola Estes’ exquisite retelling – Sealskin soulskin in Estes, C.P. (1996). Women who run with the wolves myths and stories of the wild woman archetype (pp. 189-191). Ballantine Books. Read – https://louptales.education/sealskin-soulskin/ Then ponder – Where is your sealskin (soulskin)? What do you…
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The treasure of Downhouse
Today I invite you to ponder an English ghost story as I live on a misty mountain, and we have been smothered in dripping clouds for days and will continue to for more days to come. Who is the tall shadow that you fear but may hold the secret to your fortune? What can you…
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The most splendid one of the universe
Today I invite you to linger with a Thai folktale adapted from ‘The best male in the universe’ retold by Uraiwan Prabripu and translated and published by Dr Wajuppa Tossa & Dr Margaret Read MacDonald (2008). Folktales and storytelling. Thank you to dear (now passed) Wajuppa who shared this story with me. Who in your…
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Áine
This Friday afternoon I take you to the world of the Irish goddess Áine. Thank you to a local store who introduced me to Áine and to Aron Hegarty for his splend telling of Cnoc Áine – IRISH MYTHOLOGY STORYTELLING PODCAST – Ep 93 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOuvbwb1YtU With this story I invite you to ponder: Who in…
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Ukrainian sunflower legend
I have chosen today’s story to stand with Ukraine, for the sunflower is Ukraine’s national flower. However, there are complexities to know and to hold. Sunflowers originated from lands now called Arizona and New Mexico. They were introduced to Ukraine in the mid-18th century and for the last two decades Ukraine has been the global…
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The goblin king
Friday afternoon story time… today we hear and hold a folktale traced to Yunnan, China though is more aligned to southern and western Asia folklore. This story makes me think about the ‘goblin kings’ wreaking havoc across the world. They say everyone has a weak spot. What are the weak spots of these bullies? Who…
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Freedom bird
Friday afternoon story time…today I share a powerful story which has been passed from storyteller to storyteller across the globe for many decades, originally heard from a young boy in Thailand. I first heard the story told by storyteller Donna Sife who dedicated it to the people of Tibet. Today I dedicate this story to…
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Clytie & Apollo
Today I invite you to ponder a version of the Greek myth of Clytie and Apollo that was written in Ovid’s epic poem Metamorphoses. I have drawn from content on these 2 pages https://tamedwild.com/a/blog/the-myth-of-clytie-and-apollo and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clytie_(Oceanid) Who or what is your endless love for which you shed all protection and denounce any nourishment in your…
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The fortune teller
I invite you to hear and hold a Russian folktale that invites us to ponder how our wit can reap rewards. What touches your lips but not your tongue? When can we use deceit or trickery that causes no harm? Adapted from Russian folktale The fortune teller in Ragan, K. (1998). Fearless girls, wise women…
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A thousand rooms
Hear and hold a Romanian folktale adapted from How the King chose a daughter-in-law in Ragan, K. (1998). Fearless girls, wise women and beloved sisters: heroines in folktales from around the world (pp. 73-74). Bantam Books. Listen beyond the gendered heteronormative tropes, follow the thread…. and ponder. What quest might you have a go at…
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The Banza
This story is one that I learnt many decades ago from the fabulous Diane Wolkstein (who used to be New York city’s official storyteller). Thank you to the beautiful storytellers of Haiti for their wisdom. This story gives me great strength wrapped in warmth & humour. What instrument is at one with your heart? What…
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The well at the world’s end
Today I draw from Scottish folklore. A quest to a well at the world’s end, as many across the world desperately seek water to quench raging thirst and fires. What is your well at the world’s end? As we witness the entitled increasingly taking hold of the world, notice how acts of kindness are rewarded.
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Echtra Mac n-Echach Muigmedoin
Join me to ponder the wisdom of an old Irish tale … adapted from Sharon Blackie’s version in Hagitude: Reimagining the second half of life (pp. 113-114). What ‘ugliness’ do you need to lie and soften with? What tests of mutual care and respect with Earth might you need to pass?
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The Good people’s shawl
As a new year begins sit with the wisdom of this old tale from the Isle Of Man adapted from ‘The Good People’s Shawl’ (pp. 164-167) in Kerven, R. (2019). Faeries, elves & goblins: The old stories. Batsford. Who are the Good People in your world? What is the shawl that you wrap yourself with?
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Flying with the faeries
Across this week many have played out the belief in Father Christmas/ Santa Claus. I have always been intrigued by faeries and those who know my past I was a fairy for many children’s birthday parties. Believing in magic/mystery brings joy, curiosity & wonder.In this story you may wonder what is lost or misunderstood by…
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Sleep soother
This week’s Friday afternoon story is adapted from the Fairy Midwife told in Hag: Forgotten folktales (2020) Virago Press. It invites you to ponder the wisdom and gifts of sleep soothers as I imagine many of you sincerely need deep sleep as we crawl to the end of the year. Who is your sleep soother?…
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Old women spinning
An invitation to notice women’s silent labouring. Once again drawing from the wisdom of women’s folklore and artisanship. This time from Irish folklore adapted from a traditional story told in the Irish Traveller community and written in Sharon Blackie’s book Hagitude pp.143-145 Where do you see women labouring unnoticed, yet doing such necessary work as…
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Bundles of troubles
It’s Friday afternoon story time! Here’s this week’s story to ponder, a German Folktale from the story “Bundles of Troubles, Bundles of Blessings” in the book A Piece Of The Wind, by Ruthilde Kronberg and Patricia McKissack, Harper, San Francisco, 1990. You may relate if you are feeling the weight of too many troubles. What is…
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The cracked pot
Here is this Friday’s story to ponder – a panacea offering to the mayhem of Black Friday consumerism.How might you tap into the wonder of your cracks?
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Story & truth
It’s Friday afternoon story time ✨ … Here is this week’s storyto ponder…Where do you see truth not welcomed?What are the opportunities for truth cloaked in story to invite greater acceptance?
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Never give up
Friday afternoon story time. Here is this week’s story to ponder…adapted from a version told by Jenni Cargill-Strong see https://storytree.bandcamp.com/track/never-give-up When you feel like you are drowning in crises, what wise words keep you going?And notice those surprise gifts that assist!
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Greedlanders & humblelanders
It’s Friday afternoon story time, after this week’s events I thought it might be useful for us to ponder this story that I crafted. Consider what does materialism take from other?whose song do we need to listen to?
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The Tailor
Here’s this week’s story to ponder. Perhaps the cloth from last week’s story is used in today’s story based on Nancy Schimmel’s story titled The Tailor In E. Brody, J. Goldspinner, K. Green, R. Leventhal & J. Porcino (Eds.), Spinning tales, weaving hope: Stories, storytelling and activities for peace, justice and environment (2nd ed., pp.…
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The child who was poor and good
It’s Friday afternoon story time. Here’s this week’s story to ponder, as if a dear friend. What does it ask you to think about? to realise? Who are the spider, the bird, the bramble bush, and lamb in your life who come to your assistance?
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Old woman of the world
It is that time of the week to unwind and reflect on a story… What is your never-ending tapestry? What is the soup that you tend? Who or what is the crow in your life/in your view of the world?
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The empty bowl
Dear FriendsI’m going to share a story each week or so that invites you to question patterns and wonder about possibilities for moving forward. here is today’s story… [adapted from Sufi story known as The empty bowl or The begging bowl.]What are the bottomless wants and desires in your life?Who is Mukti in your life?…