Stories have been told and retold for centuries throughout the world. How come? For one thing, they are entertaining. For another, they deal with the human condition. Even stories using animals as characters reflect the situations and actions of our species.
For centuries as well, life has been a struggle. Conflict. Famine. Relationship scuffles. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance. A resolution of some sort.
At the same time, nobody likes to be preached to. We desire to sweeten our bitter medicines. That is where laughter comes in. Humor makes a hard message a bit easier to swallow. Witty humor is priceless humor. An awesome blend of entertainment and enlightenment.
As you know, laughter lightens the heart. Laughter takes the sting out of life. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). This is priceless humor.
Look around you at the great humorists. Art Buchwald. George Carlin. Garrison Kiellor. Look at history and the humorists that litter the pages. Mark Twain Henry Fielding Storytellers all. Priceless humor their brush.
Priceless humor… what makes it priceless? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor revolves about common everyday experiences. The missed appointment. The comic situation. 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. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations.
World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. 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” Listen to “The Egg Seller” or “Hickory Dock” from World Full of Stories. These are just a few examples of priceless humor. You will find yourself remembering these stories for a very long time. At www.jaystetzer.com you will find a rich source of priceless humor!
When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are filled with catastrophes and disasters. The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer. It is my job as a Storyteller to sort out the meaning from all the information I hear. To make the tale palatable, I inject a bit of humor. Making the story priceless with priceless humor!
There is priceless humor in virtually every genre. Why? Simple answer number two. Laughter makes learning easier. A story with priceless humor often comes with a lesson attached. It just goes to show what a treasure priceless humor can be.
October 23, 2008
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I would search high and low for something meaningful, something unique. It was tough going most of the time. I quickly realized that a good gift is hard to find. A meaningful gift is even harder to find. And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure
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Famine. Thorny relationships. Struggles that implore some understanding, some support. Some kind of resolution.
At the same time, nobody likes to be preached to.
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. One can learn many lessons from epic stories.
Art Buchwald. George Carlin. Garrison Kiellor. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere.
A unique combination.
As you know, laughter lightens the heart. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And everyone loves to laugh at the foibles of our own species (as long as it happens at the expense of another). Call it priceless humor.
It did not take very long to realize that a good gift is rare gift. A meaningful gift is even harder to find. 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.
They act as vital threads that weave through the fabric of a culture. 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.
This is where inspirational stories serve us well. A listener can mull over inspirational stories. They offer something to think about. Something that helps us to find our personal “true north. Something that gives us perspective.
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And different listeners will carry away different messages. This kind of story is generally attractive to a wider audience. Longer stories are likely to be more subtle in the lessons that result. Epic stories have many layered lessons Just compare a tale from the Arabian Nights to a fable by Aesop to see the difference. Which one gives you more freedom to choose your own message? Personally, I like to find my own message when listening to a story.
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Something that will last far beyond the moment of giving. One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. A CD full of stories will provide hours of pleasure. Think of the glimpse it can give into cultures and customs from countries around the world.
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On the other hand, many stories are not so obvious in the lessons they offer. The meaning is hidden in the actions of the characters. Listeners are left to figure out the message for themselves. And different listeners will carry away different messages. This kind of story is generally attractive to a wider audience.
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. Stories about magic and mystery were apt outlets for questioning minds of preliterate villagers. Many folktales were cautionary tales with lessons for avoiding catastrophe.
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 constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that is memorable long after the gift is given.
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Stay out of the dark forest! 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. 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’s where modern day storytelling has a place.
It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As time passed, I heard the word used in a wider range of conversations, including nifty evenings out, nifty concerts, and nifty songs. 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. However, it was only when I found myself using the word in my description of my own stories that I needed to define it.
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. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.
You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. The demonic can also be found.
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Occasionally a teacher would tell a story that meant a great deal to me. I was surprised to find how memorable those stories were. 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.
Stories have been told and retold for centuries throughout the world. Why? For one thing, they are entertaining. Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even animal characters in stories act out the situations of our own humanity.
For centuries as well, life has been a struggle.
Slow down and notice the things around you. Give back to your community. I am who I am because of those messages.
I find myself using stories I heard long ago when I perform today. They have an ageless quality.
And when I did find a special gift, I regarded it as something of a treasure. And I hoped my children would do the same.
I am now a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that is memorable long after the gift is given.
I will be sure to remember this place. Good stuff.
jaystetzer. com you will find a rich source of priceless humor!
When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are filled with catastrophes and disasters. The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer. As a storyteller, my job is to sift through the data and sort out the meaning.
Moliere. Henry Fielding Storytellers all. Painting scenes with priceless humor.
What makes priceless humor? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor revolves about common everyday experiences.
The characters may act out the meaning of the story. Listeners are left to figure out the message for themselves. 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.
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One can learn many lessons from epic stories. Think of the difference between an Aesop fable and a tale from the Arabian Nights. Which one appeals to you? My personal penchant is for finding my own lessons when I listen to a story. The stories I chose for my Fables in Four Minutes and World Full of Stories CDs are good examples of nifty stories with subtle messages.
Nifty stories edify.
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You will find yourself remembering these stories for a very long time. At http://www. jaystetzer. com you will find a rich source of priceless humor!
I listen to lots of conversations. They are laden with disasters and catastrophes.
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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! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. 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.
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Great stuff.
How come? Because they are entertaining, for one thing. For another, they deal with the human condition. Even animal characters in stories act out the situations of our own humanity.
The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well. Conflict.
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And that brings us to storytelling today. Contemporary society is far removed from rural villages of old, but the old stories still remain pertinent.
Some world stories are humorous. Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are full of insight.
It was tough going most of the time. 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.
Bring more posts.
You should write more. Keep up the good work.
Something that listeners can take away from the story. Call it a message. It might give the listener a suggestion of a new direction. There could even be an outright moral. It doesn’t really matter what name you give to this elusive quality; it is more important that the stories I tell possess it.
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Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. Their stories grow out of this mythical soil. Myth forms the basis for many world stories. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.
By contrast, folk tales spawn from daily village life.
jaystetzer. com. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. Two good examples of inspirational stories are “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from my CD World Full of Stories. “Service with a Smile” on my Parking in Manhattan CD offers the listener a great hidden lesson.
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.
Famine. Relationship scuffles. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance. A resolution of some sort.
At the same time, nobody likes to be preached to.
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Some of them are downright exasperating! A good example is the memories I have of buying gifts for my children. Holiday gifts. Birthday gifts. Those occasional gifts rewarding good behavior. I would search high and low for something meaningful, something unique.
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The consequences that follow are generally laughable.
The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. My CD Parking in Manhattan illustrates many humorous circumstances. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations.
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