Labor Day: A Tribute to the American Worker



Work

by Ford Madox Brown, 1865

The summer sun is still high in the sky but we all know how fleeting the wonderful warm months really are. Although the first day of fall is not until September 22, the Labor Day holiday, on September 2 this year, traditionally heralds the end of summer here in New England. Many celebrate with the traditional family cookout, parades, picnics and even fireworks; a sendoff to summer before school begins again.

Yet, the real reason for the holiday isn’t so we can say goodbye to summer in style, but to pay tribute to the American worker and their contributions to the well-being of the country. Below I offer you some multicultural folktales about workers around the world to add to your repertoire, and of course some crafts and curriculum resources as well. But first, a little history of the holiday…

• Labor Day, is the first Monday in September every year and is a creation of the labor movement in the United States.
• The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City.
• Some state that Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday in 1882 when he was secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York.  Others argue it was proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in 1882 after he witnessed the annual labour festival in Toronto, Canada.
• Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday on February 21, 1887.
• President Grover Cleveland signed it into law as a national holiday in 1894 in an effort to conciliate organized labor after the Pullman Strike.

The above information came from the following websites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day

https://www.dol.gov/general/laborday/history    

STORIES

Gluskabe Changes Maple Syrup – Native American/Abenaki

http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/GluskabeChangesMapleSyrup-Abenaki.html

John Henry, the Steel Driving Man – United States

http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/john_henry.html

Lazy Jack – England

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/efft/efft73.htm

Manabozho and the Maple Trees – Native American/Ojibewe

http://www.native-languages.org/ojibwestory.htm

Stand the Toil - Swedish

http://oaks.nvg.org/stal13-15.html#toil

The Ant and the Grasshopper – Aesop/Greece

http://www.bartleby.com/17/1/36.html  

The Calabash Kids – Tanzania

http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/024.html

The Devil and the Werewolves – French Canadian

http://tinyurl.com/lzklawm

The Disobedient Son – Mayan

http://tinyurl.com/l9u9e2r

The Elves and the Shoemaker – Grimm/Germany

http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-39.html

The Great Drum - Africa

http://www.folktales.net/ujima.html
The Golden Mountain – Russia

http://www.compassrose.org/folklore/russian/Golden-Mountain.html

The Hard Working Girl and the Lazy Girl – Hungary

http://tinyurl.com/ptwzmwc 
The Hired Hand – Iceland

http://www.theicelandguide.com/folktales/the-hired-hand

The Husband Who Was To Mind the House – Norway

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/norway010.html

The Labors of Hercules - Greece

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/Herakles/labors.html

The Little Red Hen – England

http://archive.org/stream/thelittleredhen18735gut/18735.txt

The Speaking Stone - England

http://tinyurl.com/kn9ev5a

The Success in Life of Three Brothers – Japan

http://enargea.org/tales/Japanese/3_bros.html

  

BOOKS

Apples4theTeacher – Children’s Books for Labor Day and Community Helpers

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/labor-day/kids-books/

CRAFTS

Enchanted Learning – Labor Day Crafts, Activities

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/laborday/

Apples4theTeacher – Labor Day Coloring Pages

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/coloring-pages/labor-day/

CURRICULUM

Education World - Great Sites For Teaching About... Labor Day and U.S. Labor History
http://www.educationworld.com/a_sites/sites045.shtml

National Education Association - Labor Resources Help Students Learn More About Working Men and Women

http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/labor-resources.html

The Strike that Shook America – Bread and Roses
http://www.history.com/news/the-strike-that-shook-america-100-years-ago
(My thanks to Nicolette Nordin Heavey for reminding me of this piece of  history.)

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.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Stor E Telling September October 2007

Hare and Tortoise
by
Arthur Rackham, 1912

I have penned the Stor E Telling column since January of 2002 and the articles from 2002-2006 are the publications page of my website found here http://www.storybug.net/stor-e-telling.html. I will be adding the columns from 2007 to 2012 to that page as well, but I am in the process of checking what link URL's have changed or are now defunct. It is a time consuming process so I am taking the “slow and steady” approach via Aesop and will post the individual columns on my blog for now.

I will not be adding current columns until the following year, so if you want immediate access to the newest websites, consider becoming a member of the National Storytelling Network.

 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2007                                             

Be the Storyteller - Welcome the wee ones back to school in style. From the Canton Public Library in Michigan, poems and fingerplays listed alphabetically by theme to add some zing to your storytelling.                                                                               http://www.cantonpl.org/teller/poemss.html

Conversations With Ghana

Five folktales from the country of Ghana. The site also offers some additional background information useful to teachers who may be exploring this culture with their students.        
http://www.ncsu.edu/chass/extension/ghanatalk/folktales.html        

Irish Literature, Mythology, Folklore and Drama  I know St. Patrick’s Day is months away but you will need all of the extra time to explore this amazing site.                       
http://www.luminarium.org/mythology/ireland/

Jamaican Anansi Stories                                                                                              Tricksters are universal figures in folkore and Anansi is one of our most beloved. This site offers a wide variety of Anansi tales as well as trickster folklore from various cultures. The text also includes transcriptions of folk music, and a large collection of riddles, all cross-referenced with folklore studies from other cultures. There are also musical notations in some of the texts for the musical among us!

http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/jas/index.htm#idx

Johnny Appleseed

Fall brings to mind the taller than life tales connected with Johnny Appleseed. This site offers interesting background information on the real man, including an article written 26 years after his death.                                                                                                      http://www.appleappetite.com/Johnny.htm

Karen’s Whimsy

Add some interest and excitement to your brochures, publicity flyers, or website with these beautiful public domain selections of clip art in a variety of categories.

http://karenswhimsy.com/public-domain-images/

The Life of Buddha
“A biography of Buddha retold in a simple style, stringing together a coherent narrative arc from the several classic Buddhist texts…free of technical Buddhist terminology.”

http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/lob/index.htm 

In the United States the first Sunday after Labor Day is “Grandparents Day.” Here are stories from around the world to help you honor our elders.

Raven and His Grandmother – Aleut                                                                      http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/Raven_And_His_Grandmother-Aleuts.html

The Dreaming Tree – Brazil

http://spiritoftrees.org/the-dreaming-tree

Grandmother Spider Steals the Sun – Cherokee                                            http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/GrandmotherSpiderStealsTheSun-Cherokee.html

Grandmother Wolf – China                                        

http://members.home.nl/marcmarti/yugur/folktale/tale11a.htm

Grandmother Spider Steals the Fire – Choctaw                             http://www.indigenouspeople.net/spider.htm

Holger Danske - Denmark                                                   

http://www.4to40.com/folktales/index.asp?p=Holger_Danske

The Old Grandfather and His Grandson – Germany                            http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm078.html

A Present for Grandfather – Indonesia                                           

http://www.4to40.com/Story/index.asp?p=A_Present_for_Grandfather

The Lime Tree – Russia                                           http://www.learningtogive.org/materials/folktales/LimeTree.asp

Grandmother’s Golden Dish – Serbia http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=shedlock&book=eastern&story=grandmother

Story-Lovers.com – Grandparent’s StoriesAs always, Jackie Baldwin provides us with a bounty or resources.                                          http://www.story-lovers.com/listsgrandparentstories.html

 

This link did not appear in the original column; I wrote this blog post for Grandparent’s Day 2012. You will find more stories and resources to celebrate the day here:

Grandparents: Adding Richness to Our Lives

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/08/grandparents-adding-richess-to-our-lives.html

 

 

 “Avast ye Hearties! September 19 is Talk Like A Pirate Day so I offer some sites to help you develop some pirattitude!

 

Howard Pyle’s Book of Pirates                                          http://etext.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/PylPira.html

Blackbeard’s Queen Anne's Revenge  

http://www.qaronline.org/About.aspx

Pirates! Fact and Legend                                                   

http://www.piratesinfo.com/

 

This link did not appear in the 2007 column as I did not post it on my blog until 2009. Since there are stories and resources related to pirates I have included it here.
Talk Like A Pirate Day
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2009/09/talk-like-pirate-day.html
 

 

PREVIOUS STOR E TELLING BLOGS

January February 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/06/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e.html

March April 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/06/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e_30.html

May June 2007
http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/07/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e.html

July August 2007

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/07/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e_15.html



In the future, if you want to find these columns again insert Slow and Steady or Stor E Telling into the “Search This Blog” bar on the left side of this blog to find them quickly.  Make sure to scroll up to see the links as the most current blog article will still be displayed as well.

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.

 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Stor E Telling July August 2007

Hare and Tortoise
by
Arthur Rackham, 1923

I have penned the Stor E Telling column since January of 2002 and the articles from 2002-2006 are the publications page of my website found here http://www.storybug.net/stor-e-telling.html; all you just have to point and click.

I will be adding the columns from 2007 to 2012 to that page as well, but I am in the process of checking what link URL's have changed or are now defunct. It is a time consuming process so I am taking the “slow and steady” approach via Aesop and will post the individual columns on my blog for now.

I will not be adding current columns until the following year, so if you want immediate access to the newest websites, consider becoming a member of the National Storytelling Network.

 

JULY AUGUST 2007

In keeping with the Oral History theme of this issue I offer some additional sites for the journey.

Do History

From Harvard University, a virtual how to on piecing together fragments of the past using primary resources; step-by-step guidelines are also provided.
http://dohistory.org/home.html
 
Dying Tongues
“The language and the culture, you can't have one without the other. It's like trying to have life without water or life without air. It just can't be done.” The people of the Manda, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes of North Dakota have joined together to save their heritage and language from extinction. Learn about their culture through interviews, photos and early recordings. 
http://legacy.inforum.com/specials/DyingTongues/
     
History Matters
Designed for high school and college teachers, and students it serves as a gateway to web resources offering materials, first-person primary documents, and guides to analyzing historical evidence. An extra bonus is a host of resources to assist you in completing your own oral history project. http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/oral/online.html . For the main site go to: http://historymatters.gmu.edu/

Illinois Institute of Technology: Voices of the Holocaust (1939-1945)

Here you will find transcripts and interviews with survivors of the Jewish Holocaust as part of the Voices of the Holocaust resource.
http://voices.iit.edu/

Oral History Resources

My personal collection of websites gathered over the years.
http://www.storybug.net/links/oralhistory.html

Youth Source

A resource for heritage-related learning, providing materials and examples of heritage learning for teachers and students. 
http://www.youthsource.ab.ca/default.htm

Some sites to help your summer storytelling sizzle!

Flying Pigs Campfire Songbook
This cyber songbook will have your campers and scouts swinging and swaying between stories. http://www.flyingpigs.org.uk/songa.shtml
 
September is around the corner. Here are some remarkable sites to help your students start the school year off on the right foot.

Race Bridges

“Racebridges seeks to build "bridges" with stories and activities between racial and ethnic groups that allow us to walk in another's shoes, so that the stranger will become a friend.” The artists associated with this organization are accomplishing amazing work while offering free lesson plans and resources here http://www.racebridges.net/cor_temp_page.htm so we can be a part of the mission in our corner of the globe.  Take a moment to cross the bridge at www.racebridges.net and envision a brighter world!
 

Stop Bullying Now

This site is full of resources to help address the problem of bullying. There are specific areas for teachers, administration, communities, parents and other professionals. This particular page link has an astonishing array of resource sheets you can download for free. http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov .  There are also games and webisodes for children to help them deal with the issue of bullying. Use this link to access the main page.

http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov

 

Other sites of interest…

The Haunters and the Haunted

From Bartleby.com an extensive anthology of 57 ghost stories collected by Ernest Rhys published in 1921.
http://www.bartleby.com/166/

Myths and Ancient Stories

From China Peru and beyond, an array of tales featuring the fanciful fox!
http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune/myths.html

 

PREVIOUS STOR E TELLING BLOGS

January February 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/06/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e.html

March April 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/06/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e_30.html

May June 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/07/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e.html

In the future, if you want to find these columns again insert Slow and Steady or Stor E Telling into the “Search This Blog” bar on the left side of this blog to find them quickly.  Make sure to scroll up to see the links as the most current blog article will still be displayed as well.

 

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.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Stor E Telling May June 2007

Hare and Tortoies
by
Arthur Rackham, 1912

I have penned the Stor E Telling column since January of 2002 and the articles from 2002-2006 are the publications page of my website found here http://www.storybug.net/stor-e-telling.html; all you just have to point and click.

I will be adding the columns from 2007 – 2012 to that page as well, but I am in the process of checking what link URL's have changed or are now defunct. It is a time consuming process so I am taking the “slow and steady” approach via Aesop and will post the individual columns on my blog for now.

If you interested you may want to subscribe to the blog so you will receive them as soon as they are up. I will not be adding current columns until the following year, so if you want immediate access to the newest websites, consider becoming a member of the National Storytelling Network.

Directions: In the future, if want to access these columns insert Slow and Steady, as I will begin each new addition with that title, OR Stor E Telling into the “Search This Blog” bar on the left side of this blog.  Make sure to scroll up to see the links as the most current blog article will still be displayed as well.

 

May June 2007

The sweet, succulent smell of spring is in the air! After the long, harsh winter many of us endured, what better way to celebrate the awakening of Mother Earth than with stories that celebrate the creation of the world.

Creation Myths from Different Countries and Civilizations

Stories from China, Inca, Hindi, Islam, Zulu and more.
http://www.crystalinks.com/creationcountries.html

The Germanic Myth of Creation

http://users.dickinson.edu/~eddyb/mythology/Creation-1.html

Additional creation myths from numerous cultures.

http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/oberon.htm
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/cordelia.htm
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/ophelia.htm
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/miranda.htm
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/umbriel.htm
http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/ariel.htm                                                   

America is not the only country to celebrate its independence each year in July. Canada Day is July 1 and Bastille Day, the national French holiday is July 14. I offer you some story sites from these three diverse lands to help you plan ahead so you can be ready to join in on the festivities!

American Folklore
I first shared this site in 2002 but it is well worth a second look. Take an armchair journey with folktales, myths, legends, Tall Tales and ghost stories from the 50 United States. Tales are clearly indexed so you won’t even need to ask for directions.

http://www.americanfolklore.net/

Talking Tall Tales
From the Calgary Public Library, an interactive site that will tell you some tall tales about Johnny Chinook and his wild adventures in the Canadian West! * This site is currently not working due to a flood, which compromised their data center. Check back at another time to see if the link is working. http://calgarypubliclibrary.com/tales/intro.html

Also from the American Folklore site, five links sharing stories from our friendly neighbors to the north. http://www.americanfolklore.net/canada.html

The Tales of Mother Goose by Charles Perrault
At the age of 67 Charles Perrault laid the foundation for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, when he published this book under the name of his 17 year old son.

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault.html

Perrault’s Fairy Tales - Eight of his best known fairy tales.
http://www.angelfire.com/nb/classillus/images/perrault/perra.html

The Fairy Tales of Marie-Catherine d´Aulony

Marie-Catherine lived in France during the time of Charles Perrault but her tales were shared in a more conversational style and usually featured a female protagonist. Many of her works were collected by Andrew Lang in his Fairy Books.
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/authors/daulnoy.html
This page on Facebook did not exist in 2007 so I am adding in now. Thanks to Rob Vanderwildt of Belgium for starting this special group on Facebook  for those interested in the works of Marie-Catherine d’Aulony. https://www.facebook.com/groups/135330009942691/

 

Other Sites of Interest

EasyBib.com

Are you compiling research information for a workshop handout, book, or lesson plan? Here is an easy tool to help you automatically site and source your work in either ALA or MLA format. http://www.easybib.com/

The Key of Gold

Twenty-three Czech folktales by Josef Baudis, circa 1917.
http://volny.cz/enelen/baud/baudisf.html

Myths and Ancient Stories

From China to France, Lapland to Peru and beyond, tales featuring the fun and fanciful fox!
http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune/myths.html

Theoi Project: Guide to Greek Mythology

Persephone, the Greek Goddess of spring growth led me this wonderful site, “a comprehensive guide to the gods (theoi), spirits (daimones), fabulous creatures and monsters (theres) of ancient Greek mythology.”
http://www.theoi.com/index.html
 

PREVIOUS STOR E TELLING BLOGS

January February 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/06/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e.html

March April 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/06/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e_30.html

 

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.

 

 

 

Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Stor E Telling Column March April 2007

Tortoise and the Hare
bye
Arthur Rackham, 1912

I have penned the Stor E Telling column for Storytelling Magazine, a publication of the National Storytelling Network, since January of 2002 and the articles from 2002-2006 are the publications page of my website found here http://www.storybug.net/stor-e-telling.html; all you just have to point and click.

I will be adding the columns from 2007 – 2012 to that page as well, but I am in the process of checking what link URL's have changed or are now defunct. It is a time consuming process so I am taking the “slow and steady” approach via Aesop and will post the individual columns on my blog for now.

If you interested you may want to subscribe to the blog so you will receive them as soon as they are up. I will not be adding current columns until the following year, so if you want immediate access to the newest websites, consider becoming a member of the National Storytelling Network.

Directions: In the future, if want to access these columns insert Slow and Steady, as I will begin each new addition with that title, OR Stor E Telling into the “Search This Blog” bar on the left side of this blog.  Make sure to scroll up to see the links as the most current blog article will still be displayed as well.

MARCH APRIL 2007

A World of Difference Institute

A valuable site highlighting numerous bibliographies on multicultural and anti-bias books for children. Related links and resources are included.
http://www.adl.org/bibliography/default.asp

ASL University

Complement your stories using sign language. This site shares a hundred sign concepts frequently used between parents and their young children. For those who wish to investigate further, there are finger spelling and number lessons, materials about ASL, a dictionary of words with photos of f movements, and more.
http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-layout/concepts.htm

Beyond Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Incorporate some musical rounds and add rhythm and fun to your storytelling.  This site offers thirty-two songs, dating back to the middle ages, complete with music, lyrics and sound files.
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~msmiller/rounds.html

Buddhist Tales for Young and Old

Fifty-Five stories, many of which indicate the character trait symbolized in the story.
http://www.buddhanet.net/bt_conts.htm

March is Women’s History Month. Searching for some exceptional stories of extraordinary women to portray or research? Well, look no further, these sites will serve you well not only in March but throughout the year.

300 Women Who Changed the World

Where they lived, what they did, timelines, multimedia archives and more.
http://search.eb.com/women

Distinguished Women of Past and Present

This is truly an amazing site! The stories and additional links offer new insights into the remarkable contributions women have made throughout history categorized by subject matter or name. You could spend a century here and not finish!
http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/index.html

The National Women’s History Project

An educational nonprofit organization founded in 1980. Their mission is to “recognize and celebrate the diverse and historic accomplishments of women by providing information and educational materials and programs.” Search by category, state or discipline.
http://www.nwhp.org/

Notable Women Ancestors

From adventurers to witches the site offers a brief synopsis for each woman with a link to additional biographical information.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nwa/index.html

Women of the Hall

The National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca, New York “is a shrine to some of the greatest women in the history of this country….” Search alphabetically or by last name.
http://www.greatwomen.org/women.php

May 5 is Cinco de Mayo, the national festival of Mexico; here are a few sites to help you get ready to join in the celebration!

 
Mexican Folktales
An extensive bibliography of folktales to help you find just the right story to share
http://nancykeane.com/rl/682.htm

Magic Tales of Mexico

I shared this site in 2005 but it bears repeating; nine stories from the colorful culture of Mexico.
http://www.g-world.org/magictales/domingo.html

American Folklore: Mexican Folklore

Thirteen Ghost Stories, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends from Mexico.
http://www.americanfolklore.net/mexican-folklore.html#2

SEED (Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development)

Begun in 1998, SEED is a global non-profit education program serving students ages 10-18. The main site at http://www.planetseed.com/home is ripe with resources and provides access to “technological and knowledge resources for underserved students and teachers….These include a range of project-based activities provided through an extensive multilingual web site, hands-on science education workshops, and collaborative international projects.” If you swim a little deeper you will find discover an “Ocean of Stories” http://www.planetseed.com/ocean-of-stories from Algeria to Yemen, adapted and retold by renowned storyteller Laura Simms. There are also seven activities http://www.planetseed.com/node/22912 to complement the stories.

 

PREVIOUS STOR E TELLING BLOGS

 

January February 2007

http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/06/slow-and-steady-wins-race-stor-e.html

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.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Stor E Telling Column January February 2007

The Tortoise and the Hare
by
Arthur Rackham, 1912

If you are a member of the National Storytelling Network (and if not, why not?) and save the hard copies of their amazing Storytelling Magazine, you know it is always filled with insightful articles from talented storytellers and educators.

I have been blessed to pen the Stor E Telling column since January of 2002 and currently have 109 pages of Internet research on a wide variety of themes, holidays and subjects. Some of those sites have been categorized and used in my blog and newsletter, and I have all of the articles from 2002-2006 on the publications page of my website found here http://www.storybug.net/stor-e-telling.html; all you just have to point and click.

Eventually, I will be adding the columns from 2007 – 2012 to that page as well, but right now I am in the process of checking what link URL's have changed or disappeared into the Internet ether. Of course, it is a time consuming process so I decided I will take the “slow and steady” approach via Aesop and post the individual columns on my blog for the time being.

Beginning with this January February 2007 issue, I will post the articles on my blog, minus those sites that are no longer “live.” on a weekly basis. If you interested you may want to subscribe to the blog so you will receive them as soon as they are up. I will not be adding current columns until the following year, so if you want immediate access to the newest websites, consider becoming a member of the National Storytelling Network. Their magazine is only one of the benefits you receive as a member, then not only will you have the latest websites delivered right to your door, but access to the insight and wisdom of performers, librarians and educators around the world. The information shared in just one issue alone is worth an entire college semester studying at the feet of those who have walked the walk!

 

Directions: In the future, if you are reading a back issues of Storytelling Magazine and want to find my corresponding column, insert Slow and Steady, as I will begin each new addition with that title, OR Stor E Telling into the “Search This Blog” bar on the left side of this blog. The associated links to columns I have added will appear at the top of the page to the right. Make sure to scroll up to see the links as the most current blog article will still be displayed as well. Of course, right now only this one will appear but that will change as I continue to march merrily, and slowly, along.

And so we begin…

STOR E TELLING: JANUARY FEBRUARY 2007

“I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree...” National Arbor Day is April 27, 2007; here are three web sites to help you plan your programs around our beautiful trees.

 

Arbor Day.org
The official site with everything to help you support and share this important day.
http://www.arborday.org/

Spirit of Trees

I shared this site in 2003 but it certainly bears repeating. Cristy West’s growing website offers curricular resources, essays, organizational links, poetry and folktales from some of our leading storytellers and scholars. Rest in the cool shade of its branches and let the spirit of the trees nourish your soul.
http://www.spiritoftrees.org/

Trees for Life

“Award winning conservation charity dedicated to restoring the Caledonian Forest in the Highlands of Scotland.” From Alder to Yew, this site is offers an array of myths and folklore of the Caledonian Forest that will surely complement an Arbor Day storytelling program.
http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/mythfolk/index.html

Bus Songs

We all know that sometimes our audiences need to “get the wiggles out” and what better way than to have them sing along! Your toes will be tapping and your fingers snapping as you explore this fun site full of songs that just add some extra Zip A De Doo Dah to your storytelling programs.
http://www.bussongs.com/

Cambodian Folktales

A wonderful array of tales from Cambodia featuring folktales, and stories of the mountains and temples. http://gocambodia.com/Cambodian_folktales/index.asp

St. Patrick’s Day will be here before you can say Slainte! Here are three sites to help you connect with the Celts.

Celtic Fairy Tales

http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/fairytale/bl-collected.htm

Fairy Tales and Folktales of the Irish Peasantry

Edited by W. B. Yeats and published in 1888 the stories are here to enjoy, courtesy of Sacred Texts. Revel in tales of the Merrow, Changelings, Pookas, Fairies and Banshees, Saints, Priests, Giants and Devils, Kings, Queens, Earls and Robbers; Yeats covers them all!
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/yeats/fip/

The Welsh Fairy Book

Eighty-four stories published in 1907 by Jenkyn Thomas, along with a page of pronunciation notes.
http://classiclit.about.com/library/bl-etexts/wjthomas/bl-wjthomas-welsh-complete.htm

Classroom Clip Art

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Free, fun animal clipart to spice up your storytelling brochures, library posters, classroom curriculum or web pages!
http://classroomclipart.com/clipart/Clipart/Animals.htm

The Golden Rod Fairy Book

“Fairyland is not on any map, and some people actually insist that there is no such country…” So begins the introduction to this delightful book, edited by Esther Singleton and published in 1903. Stories from England, France, Poland, Bohemia, Russia, India, China, Italy, Denmark, Ireland and Spain are contained between these cyber covers and include such authors as Perrault, Grimm and Anderson. In the words of Esther, “All you need is a comfortable chair and a bright fire…”
http://www.elfinspell.com/GoldenrodTitle.html

 

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.