Story: Seed of Creativity and the National Storytelling Conference

The 2013 National Storytelling Conference is in Richmond, Virginia this year and it looks like there will be something for everyone!

The SIG (Special Interest Groups) YES, HSA (Healing Story Alliance) and the PRO (Producers and Organizers) are the day before the Master Classes and main conference workshops, which begins on August 1- 4 so don't forget to check out those separate links.

There are offerings for beginning to experienced storytellers, teachers, and those who work in the healing arts. The conference is always a wonderful time to learn, reconnect, network, and reinvigorate your storytelling, teaching and healing soul.

Outside of the hotel there are many exciting venues to visit so plan to come early or stay late! I offer a few stories and informational sites to help you make the most of your time in this beautiful city. Looking forward to seeing you there!


STORIES

American Folklore - Folklore from Virginia; a Pour quoi Tale and two ghost stories await.
http://tinyurl.com/dye6mhu

On to Richmond.com – Real Life Stories From the Richmond Area “The story of the Richmond-Petersburg Region during the Civil War is one of struggle, courage, perseverance and strength. From generals and prisoners to spies and enslaved Americans, the most compelling aspects of the American Civil War are seen through the personal stories of those who lived it. Visit the Richmond-Petersburg Region to learn about real people whose life experiences were forever transformed by this pivotal point in American history.”

http://www.ontorichmond.com/home-front/home-front-stories

 

The Center for Children’s Books - The Folklore Tradition of Jack Tales – Interesting insights to the Jack Tales. “When the Jack Tale cycle migrated from Europe to North America, Jack became an “Americanized farmboy-hero Jack.” (Guiterrez, 85) The first record of Jack in the United States appears before 1800 in Virginia where these tales were “handed down from generation to generation from time immemorial” (Kercheval 1902, 285-86 as quoted by Lindahl (McCarthy 1994, xvii))

http://ccb.lis.illinois.edu/Projects/storytelling/jsthomps/tales.htm

OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
 

Richmond.gov – Everything you need to know about Richmond; business, transportation, maps, tours, cultural events and more.

http://www.richmondgov.com/index.aspx

Tripadvisor.com – Read about eighty-two different activities in Richmond, including museums, theater, landmarks, etc., and how other visitors have rated them.
http://tinyurl.com/c5ds5fp

Virginia Historical Society - The Story of Virginia, an American Experience

“This award-winning exhibition interprets 16,000 years of Virginia history from the earliest artifacts of Native Americans to Virginia at the beginning of the 21st century. This online version allows you to explore the galleries through a new virtual tour.”
http://www.vahistorical.org/storyofvirginia.htm

Virginiafolklife.org - "... a public program of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, is dedicated to the documentation, presentation, and support of Virginia’s rich cultural heritage.Whether sung or told, hand-crafted or performed, Virginia’s rich Folklife refers to those “arts of everyday life” that reflect a sense of traditional knowledge and connection to community."

http://virginiafolklife.org/ 

Visitrichmondva.com – Another site to help you plan your trip, including restaurants that cater to groups, discount coupons, and a free visitor’s guide.

http://tinyurl.com/csexbw6


TRAVEL TIPS

Kayak.com - Airline Baggage Fee Chart
http://www.kayak.com/airline-fees

About.com - 3-1-1 Carry on Rules and more helpful travel information at this link.

http://businesstravel.about.com/od/tipsandtools/g/3-1-1-Rule-For-Liquids-In-Carry-On-Bags.htm

Groupon.com – Just key in Richmond, VA in the search box and some wonderful deals will appear. I used this when I was in TX for the San Antonio Conference and saved 50% off dinner at a beautiful, local restaurant. Just make sure to read the fine print, i.e. available dates and any restrictions before you hit the purchase button. http://www.groupon.com   

 

Karen Chace 2013 ©
This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

 

 

 

The Song and Stories of the Cicada

Cicada and Lychee
an original Chinese Brush Painting
by Margaret Koai

Inkstone, Ink

Used with her generous permission

Update: This blog post was originally written in 2013. The link below will take you to the latest information on the reemergence of cicadas in 2021.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/04/01/cicadas-come-out-2021-brood-x/

The cicadas are reemerging along the East Coast in the United States after seventeen; years. It is estimated there will be a billions swarming and flying around from mid to late May and they will be with us for approximately four to six weeks.

The picture to the left is by the talented Margaret Koai, who studied the art of Chinese Brush Painting under a skilled master, Rong Tian Chi. She graciously gave me permission to use her lovely painting for this blog post and shared this background on the painting.

"The buzzing sound of the cicada when spoken is a very similar sound to a Mandarin word which means "a deep understanding or wisdom". Lychee spoken in Mandarin also has a "story".  The spoken "Ly" means profitable, good luck, money or beneficial so it is a very good word! Almost all Traditional Chinese Brush Paintings have an intricate story hidden within its content.”

There is an ancient Italian myth which suggests that once there were no cicadas, then one day there was born on the earth a beautiful, good and very talented woman whose singing was so wonderful it even enchanted the gods.

When she died the world seemed so forlorn without the sweet sound of her singing that the gods allowed her to return to life every summer as the cicadas so that her singing could lift up the hearts of man and beast once again.

Below you will find stories that feature the cicada and more stories about other insects who visit us during the warmer months. But first, some interesting information about our winged friends, along with a video link so you can hear them shake their tymbals!   

* Cicadas are related to crickets.

* The time from emergence to being able to fly is about 2-3 hours in larger species but can be as quick as 30 minutes in smaller ones.

* Cicadas nearly always sing from a position of rest.

* Cicadas were eaten in Ancient Greece, China, Malaya, Burma, Australia, North and South America and the Congo.

* Cicadas are mentioned in the Iliad by Homer about 10,000 BC. In the third book of the Iliad Homer compares the discourse of "sage chiefs exempt from war" to the song of the Cicada.

* In Japan the cicada is a symbol of reincarnation.

* In ancient Greece the cicada was sacred to Apollo the sun god.

* In some of the Maori folk law of New Zealand the cicada is known as "Bird of Rehua". Rehua is the lord of kindness and plenty which also perhaps reflects the cicadas summer emergence.

* In the Southwest desert of the US, the cicada outwitted the traditional trickster, the coyote, in Zuni mythology.  It produced heat in Hopi mythology, heralding the arrival of summer, and it is “the patron of Hopi Flute societies in charge of both music and healing,” according to Stephen W. Hill, Kokopelli Ceremonies.  The cicada played a key role as a scout and a conqueror in Navajo creation myths.  It brought renewal and healing to other tribes.

The above information came from the following websites:

http://www.earthlife.net/insects/cicadidae.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada
http://www.desertusa.com/mag06/sep/cicada.html
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/?s=cicada

 

STORIES

Coyote and Cicada – Zuni
https://www.erikawanenmacher.com/webpics%20copy/website%20copy/bornagain.html

The Cicada – Laos
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/lao/multimedia/cicada.htm

The Cicada and the Ant
http://lafontaine.mmlc.northwestern.edu/fables/cigale_fourmi_en.html

Cricket and the Sea – Guatemala
https://www.quotev.com/story/3909076/Why-praying-mantis-still-shakes-Folktale-from-ghana/3

Cricket and Cougar – Native American
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore127.html

How Butterflies Came to Be – Philippines
http://folktales.webmanila.com/folktales/animals/?butterflies

How Fly Saved the River – Native American
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore09.html

The Coyote and the Locust
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/zuni/zft/zft19.htm

The Cricket’s Song – Guatemala
http://www.weingartdesign.com/TMaS/Stories/tmas2-Cricket.html

The Grasshopper and the Ant – Central Asia
http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/geft/geft29.htm

The Grasshopper and the Toad - Africa
http://www.worldoftales.com/African_folktales/African_Folktale_6.html

The Insects that Wooed a Wifeless Man – Inuit/Native American
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/inu/eft/eft14.htm

The Lion and the Mosquito - Grimm
https://www.storybookcastle.com/stories/stories/?source_file=the_lion_and_the_mosquito

The Old Woman Who Was Kind to Insects – Native American/Inuit
https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/old-woman-who-was-kind-insects

The Queen Bee – Germany/Grimm
http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-38.html

The Squirrel and the Spider – West Africa https://www.surlalunefairytales.com/books/africa/barker/squirrelspider.html

The Wings of the Butterfly – Brazil
http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/030.html

Why We See Ants Carrying Bundles Bigger Than Themselves – West Africa
https://www.surlalunefairytales.com/books/africa/barker/whyantscarry.html

Yellow Jacket and the Ant – Native American
http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore46.html

CRAFTS

10 Cute and Crawly Insect Crafts for Kids
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/insect-crafts-for-kids-1249902

Seven Simple and Silly Bug Crafts
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/silly-bug-crafts-4026152

DLTK Crafts for Kids – Bugs and Insects Crafts
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/insects/crafts.htm

  

CURRICULUM

 

Cicada Mania – Charts to tell you when or if they will appear in your area, what they look like and more.

http://www.cicadamania.com/where.html

Insects in the Classroom – A wide variety of lessons plans on various insects for ages 3 – 18.

https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/resources/classroom/

 

The Learning Network - They’re Back … Learning About Periodical Cicadas http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/03/theyre-back-learning-about-periodical-cicadas-to-participate-in-citizen-science-projects/

 

National Geogrpahic - Cicada

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/cicada/

 

Science Netlinks – Cicada Invasion

http://sciencenetlinks.com/lessons/cicada-invasion/ 

Smithsonian - The Cicada in China 
https://tinyurl.com/s8fmffw2

FINGERPLAYS/SONGS

The Cicada Hums
https://thewonderofchildhood.com/2011/05/the-cicada-hums-a-verse-and-fingerplay/

Preschool Education – Music, songs, rhymes, and fingerplays about bugs.
https://www.preschooleducation.com/sbug.shtml

SOMETHING EXTRA

The Cicadas

Odysseus Elytis

The Virgin Holy held the sea
in her embrace
Cradling Sikinos isle and Amorgos
and her other children

At the edge of time and weather
and from the far end of winters
I listened to the trumpet conch blow
As the Mermaids swam out

And I amid the sea urchins,
in sandy hollows, by the tamarisks
Like the mariners of old
asked the cicadas:

“My messenger cicadas
hey you, hello! And blessed be your time—
Is King Helios alive?”
and all answered in unison:

“Zi-zi zi-zi zi-zi zi-zi!
He’s -'s -'s-'s-'s-'s-'s-'s ALIVE! ”

https://chs.harvard.edu/j-c-b-yiannis-petropoulos-part-ii-the-cicadas/

 

 

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace 2013 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

 

 

Public Domain VI : Ballads, Folktales, Fairytales and Legends

The Golden Slipper
from
Serbian Fairy Tales

It has been awhile since I posted a collection of public domain books. Here is the sixth in the installment that will continue to for who knows how long! This one offers a collection of ballads, poetry, prose, folktales, legends and fairy tales. I hope you find something delicious to tell among these tasty offerings.

 

A Book of New England Legends and Lore in Prose and Poetry by Samuel Adams Drake 1901. Delve into both these imaginative tales from the New England region of the United States.

http://tinyurl.com/amjox2u

Ancient Tales and Folk-lore of Japan by Richard Gordon Smith, 1918. A collection of “historical legends and folktales from Japan. Themes include ghosts; unrequited love across social boundaries; Shinto landscape, tree and ocean spirits; and tales driven by Bushido and Buddhist ethics.”

http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/atfj/index.htm

Czechoslovak Fairy Tales by Parker Fillmore, 1919. “The old king reached into his pocket, drew out a golden key, and handed it to the prince.” So begins the story of Longshanks, Girth and Keen, one of the many tales that await you within.

http://tinyurl.com/baw8ysh

Fairy Legends of the French Provinces, 1883 – Thirty-four lovely stories filled with charm and enchantment.

http://tinyurl.com/be5ly4j

Mighty Mikko: Finnish Folk and Fairy Tales by Parker Fillmore, 1922. Trolls, princesses, animals and a sixteen part nursery epic await you among the pages of this book.

http://tinyurl.com/acj7atk

Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney, 1903. Myths, Wonder Stories, Historic Traditions and Legends will whisk you away.

http://tinyurl.com/awx8gmj

The Russian Story Book by Richard Wilson, 1916. Fifteen tales, several featuring the hero Ilya, others with Nikita the Footless, the Cake-Baker and more.

http://tinyurl.com/awqvoe2

Serbian Fairy Tales by Elodie L. Muatovich, 1918. Seeking some longer stories to share? This book offers a number of tales in three, four and six parts.

http://tinyurl.com/aqer7bc

Silesian Folk Tales (the Book of Rübezahl) by James Lee and James Thomas Carey, 1915.In legends Rübezahl is a giant, gnome or mountain spirit. He is friendly with good people but if you ridicule him he will take his revenge. Sometimes he is the trickster in folktales.http://archive.org/details/silesianfolktal01caregoog

  

Stories from the Ballads Told to the Children by Mary Macgregor, 1923. The stories of Young Tamlane, Thomas the Rhymer and others await you.

http://tinyurl.com/aguwxro

 

And if you missed the previous blog posts of public domain story collections here are the links for posts 1-5.

• http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/05/public-domain-folktales-myths-legends.html
• http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/06/public-domain-ii-folktales-myths-and.html
• http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/09/public-domain-iii-folktales-fairy-tales.html
• http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/10/public-domain-iv-folktales-fairytales.html
• http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/07/public-domain-v-folktales-fairytales.html

If you found this post useful please take a moment to leave a comment* on the blog. It is always lovely to know that I am not “shouting down a hole.” :)

 

*Please note, if you do leave a comment it will not immediately appear until I have hit the publish button on my side of the Internet street to prevent any spam messages.

  

Karen Chace 2013 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

 

Mother's Day and Memories

"Yet here's a kiss for my mother dear."
From "The Golden Staircase"
illustrated by M. Dibden Spooner, 1906

“If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much.”
   ~ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

As a child, Mother’s Day sometimes meant a double celebration in my family because every seven years it would fall on my mother’s birthday, May 10. This made it  an extra special day! Patricia was a woman filled with contradictions, one day a bundle of insecurities, the next sharing her hard won wisdom. She carried with her the "lilt of Irish laughter" but also the fiery temper that went with her brilliant red hair.

Born during the Great Depression, raised in a family of twelve children, I never fully appreciated her journey of resilience and strength until I was grown with a family of my own. Whenever she came to visit, she would lightly tap on the door, fling it open and cheerfully shout, “Hello to the house!”  She has been gone for 16 years and I miss her every day, but her voice continues to echo through my life and heart.

Happy Mother’s Day to every woman who has opened their hearts to the children in their lives.

STORIES

The Aged Mother – Germany

http://tinyurl.com/c4facmk

The Bad Mother – Romania

http://tinyurl.com/chxwv8r

The Disobedient Frog – Korea

http://tinyurl.com/burfpvk

The Dragon Prince and the Step-Mother – Turkey

http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/ftft/ftft25.htm

How the Kangaroo Got Its Pouch - Australia

http://learningtogive.org/materials/folktales/HowTheKangaroo.asp

Native American Mother Stories

http://www.native-languages.org/legends-mother.htm

The Magic Brocade – China

http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/056.html

Mother Holle  - Germany

http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-21.html

Mother’s Darling Jack – Romania

http://tinyurl.com/bnjdobq

Mother’s Legacy – Eastern Nigeria
https://anikefoundation.org/african-folktales/mothers-legacy

The Poor Sick Mother – France

http://tinyurl.com/d637r25

The Son of  Seven Monthers – India
https://www.surlalunefairytales.com/book.php?id=109&tale=3932

The Story of the Aged Mother – Japan

http://tinyurl.com/cz42pq8

The Story of a Mother – Hans Christian Andersen
http://hca.gilead.org.il/sandhill.html    

BOOKS

Collections of mother and daughter tales:

• Fearless Girls, Wise Women and Beloved Sisters by Kathleen Ragan
• Fiesta Femenina: Celebrating Woman in Mexican Folktales by Mary-Joan Gersen
• Mirror, Mirror: Forty Folktales for Mothers and Daughters to Share edited by Jane Yolen
• Mother and Daughter Tales by Josephine Evetts-Secker

CRAFTS

Better Homes and Gardens – Twenty cute and clever crafts.

http://tinyurl.com/bogl8ql

DaniellesPlace.com – Flowers, frames, bookmarks and more will keep the little one’s busy making a cute craft for their Mom.

http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/mothersday.html

FINGERPLAYS

Helping Mother

I like to help my mother

(nod head knowingly)
To me it's just like play.
(point to self on"me")

I wash the dishes
(pretend to wash dishes)
And sweep the floors
(pretend to sweep)
Because it's Mothers Say
(broad smiles)

Five Pretty Mommies - Sung to "Five Little Ducks"

Five pretty mommies I once knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, tall ones, too,
But the one in the middle that belongs to me…
I love her and she loves me!

Down to the grocery we did go,
Wibble – wobble, wibble – wobble, to and fro,
But the one in the middle that belongs to me,
I love her, and she loves me!

SONGS

A Mom's a Special Lady - Sung to: "Eensy, Weensy, Spider"

A Mom's a special lady,
So hug her every day.
She gives you lots of food to eat,
And takes you out to play.

Your mother reads you stories,
And buys you sneakers, too.
Aren't you happy that you have
A mom who loves you so?

Five Pretty Mommies - Sung to "Five Little Ducks"

Five pretty mommies I once knew,
Fat ones, skinny ones, tall ones, too,
But the one in the middle that belongs to me…
I love her and she loves me!
Down to the grocery we did go,
Wibble – wobble, wibble – wobble, to and fro,
But the one in the middle that belongs to me,
I love her, and she loves me!

Sometimes Mom Says Sung to: "Twinkle, Twinkle"

Sometimes Mom says "don't do this"
Sometimes Mom says "don't do that"
Still she loves me that I know.
Why? Because she tells me so.
Sometimes Mom says let's do this.
Sometimes Mom says "kiss, kiss, kiss!"

Many more songs for Mother’s Day here:
www.preschooleducation.com/smother.shtml

STORY STRETCHES

Momma don't allow no "jumping " around here (Shake your finger at the children)

Momma don't allow no jumping around here (jump up and down)
I don't care what Momma's going to say (shake finger back and forth)
I'm going to do it anyway (point finger to self)

Momma don't allow no "jumping" around here. (jump up and down)

 

Continue with other actions:

Momma don’t allow no twirling around here. (spin around)
Momma don’t allow no wiggling around here. (wiggle up and down)
Momma don’t allow no clapping around here. (clap hands)
Momma don’t allow no stomping around here. (stomp feet)

Mommy, Mommy

You and the children stand together and do the movements suggested by the verse.
Mommy, mommy, let's sweep the floor. (pretend to sweep the floor)

Mommy, mommy, let's go to the store. 
(pretend to drive a car)

Mommy, mommy, let's bake a cake. 
(pretend to mix ingredients)
Mommy, mommy, let's take a break. 
(wipe brow and whisper "whew")

Mommy, mommy, loves me so. 
(Draw a heart shape in the air with fingers)

Mommy, mommy, watch me grow. 
(Stretch arms up high)

Mommy, mommy, turn out the light. 
(Make a click sound and turn pretend light off)
Mommy, mommy, say good night 
put hands together beside cheek and tilt head)

 

Karen Chace 2013 ©

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission, please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.