Comments for Jan's Storytelling Club

Comment on How Ti-Jean Became A Fiddler by Christy's Houseful of Chaos » Blog Archive » Book Review: When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 13:33:16 +0000

[...] his older brothers on their attempt, accumulating magical items on the way. The story can be heard online at the author’s blog and that provides a great lead in for discussions about [...]

Comment on How Ti-Jean Became A Fiddler by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:12:55 +0000

My apologies. I unwittingly got caught in the MobileMe switch to iCloud but I am working to get my website available again asap. I’m so glad your kids like Ti-Jean. He is such a great character — so various and of such delight. The stories recorded here are not read but told so the versions are always somewhat different from the text. One of the wonders of oral transmission!! With luck, once the website is back on track you’ll be able to find more of my books your family might enjoy with you. Thanks so much for being in touch.

Comment on How Ti-Jean Became A Fiddler by Christy

Christy — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 21:00:32 +0000

Your link to more information about the story is broken. I was disappointed to see that because I was hoping to find out more about the background of Ti Jean stories. I found your book at the library and read the first two stories to my children. They clammered for me to read the third to them but I felt like my voice needed a break and I was delighted to find this recording of you reading the stories, so they didn’t have to wait to here the last one.

Comment on Nagila and Navoma and Na by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:28:47 +0000

Always and always we have choices but there are definitely times when everything seems to be weighted against doing what we would otherwise know to be right.

Comment on Nagila and Navoma and Na by Karleen Bradford

Karleen Bradford — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:54:58 +0000

So true. Being powerless can lead to behaviour that would otherwise be unthinkable.

Comment on Nagila and Navoma and Na by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:39:19 +0000

That’s what I love about these stories — the complexity in the midst of apparent simplicity. Part of what’s happening, I think, derives from the fears that come to people when they find themselves in situations where they are relatively (or perhaps totally) powerless. I believe Nagila and Navoma know they can be sent away in an instant. They are much at the prince’s whim.

Comment on Nagila and Navoma and Na by Karleen Bradford

Karleen Bradford — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:22:46 +0000

A lot to think about here. The first two sisters seemed to wish for less selfish things than Na, and yet they couldn’t help being jealous of her when her when her seemingly more self-centred wish also came true. And Na turned out to be the most forgiving and compassionate of the three. I wonder if she knew that the gift of jewels would be a gift to others as well?

Will try this one out on my grandkids as well.

Comment on Gold Tree And Silver Tree by Karleen Bradford

Karleen Bradford — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:58:03 +0000

There’s a whole nother story there.

Comment on Gold Tree And Silver Tree by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:53:54 +0000

Now there’s the question. Thing about the folktales is that they do tend to focus intently on the main characters and see no need to tie up all the loose ends!

Comment on Gold Tree And Silver Tree by Karleen Bradford

Karleen Bradford — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:59:06 +0000

What happened to the king, I wonder?

Comment on Gold Tree And Silver Tree by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:11:04 +0000

Ah, from here, because I’d forgotten about that. It is indeed an amazing insight and one which gives yet another indication of what the stories have to give. Here’s one more: the woman who came to me to talk about the moment when Gold Tree puts her finger through the key hole. “That’s me and my mother,” she said. “And I always do it. I always put my finger through and I always get stabbed. I see now I have to stop.”

Comment on Gold Tree And Silver Tree by Marta Singh

Marta Singh — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 16:35:59 +0000

Ah! I didn’t remember THAT story about what happened when you took Silver Tree and Gold Tree to school. The story I did remember was about this other kid who did the “I am” exercise and said “I am the king.” And he said how he, like the king, smiled and nodded and pretended that everything was nice and normal around him at home, when in fact, it wasn’t. I never forgot about that one. Never. Whenever the story was mentioned by someone, it always came with that kid tagging along.

Comment on Gold Tree And Silver Tree by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:04:48 +0000

This story has been pretty big for me. I was once working in a school and the kids were doing role play — that “I am” exercise where you choose whatever story element you want to be. A boy took the storyteller’s chair. “I am the first wife,” he announced. “I am the first wife and I feel so stupid. I always let everyone else do things for me. I never did anything for myself.” I was surprised, to say the least. Even more so when his teacher told me, “That’s his problem. He has learning disabilities. He wants us to fix them but he won’t do any of his own work.” I realized then how elated he’d been when he went back to his seat again.

Comment on Gold Tree And Silver Tree by Marta Singh

Marta Singh — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:26:24 +0000

I first heard this story – from you – at Ruth and Dean’s house, way back when we held those Spring gatherings. I felt like: Somebody kill that friggin’ fish!

Some seven years later … I’m like: GO TROUT GO! So … yes. That threesome worked for us all.

Comment on Tiddy Mun by A Note About Encore!West | Voices of Venus

A Note About Encore!West | Voices of Venus — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:36:49 +0000

[...] night (you can listen to her telling traditional all-ages stories, mostly from Whales and England, here – link goes to “Tiddy Mun” – [...]

Comment on Lion, Hyena and Rabbit. A Story In A Story by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:51:06 +0000

How about putting their comments here too.

Comment on Lion, Hyena and Rabbit. A Story In A Story by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:50:44 +0000

For me, it’s one of the great stories of all time.

Comment on The Magic Wand by jansstorytellingclub

jansstorytellingclub — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 19:46:33 +0000

As far as I know, this is a traditional story and therefore in the public domain. I believe Laura Simms actually heard it in Africa. You might want to contact her but I don’t think you need to. Thanks for your comment. Would love to learn of the responses if you do start telling it yourself.

Comment on Lion, Hyena and Rabbit. A Story In A Story by Karleen Bradford

Karleen Bradford — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:43:59 +0000

A good story. A thoughtful story. I’m going to get my grandkids to listen to it this weekend and see what they have to say about it.

Thanks

Karleen

Comment on The Magic Wand by Mark Goldman

Mark Goldman — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:03:03 +0000

Hello Jan, I like this story. I agree that the boy wants the power.
I am thinking that this might be a good story for business. A CEO might tell the story to convey the message that she/he wants employees to look at the bigger picture, what would it be like to “hold the wand” or “be the magician.” What would they do with that power?

Are there other/multiple sources for this story? How might I get permission to tell this story.

Thanks!