The Golden Greeks: Myths, Fables and Folktales

The Olympian Gods
by Monsiau 1754-1837 

The Summer Olympic Games are here and so I decided to do a bit of research to refresh my memory on the ancient beginnings of the games. It has been wonderful watching one of my favorite sports, swimming, so you will also find folktales connected to the water, and of course, Greek myths and fables.

Whichever country you are cheering on, I hope you will find something interesting, fun and useful below.

Originally, the Olympic Games were held in Olympia, Greece beginning in the 8^th century B.C. The Ancient Olympic Games were a series of competitions held between representatives of several city-states and kingdoms in Ancient Greece. These games featured mainly athletic but also combat and chariot racing events.

At the start of the Olympic Games, the Greeks would ignite a cauldron of flames upon Hera's altar. They lit the flame using a hollow disc or mirror called a skaphia, which focused the sun's rays into a single point to light the flame. The flame would burn throughout the Games as a sign of purity, reason, and peace. During the games, all conflicts among the participating city-states were postponed until the games were finished.

The origin of these Olympics is a mystery but some myths identify Heracles and his father Zeus as the progenitors of the Games.The Ancient Games featured running events, a pentathlon (consisting of a jumping event, discus and javelin throws, a foot race, and wrestling), boxing, wrestling, pankration, and equestrian events.


The Olympics were of religious importance, featuring sporting events alongside ritual sacrifices honoring both Zeus and Pelops, divine hero and mythical king of Olympia.


While there is exact date as to when the Games officially ended, the most commonly held date is 393 A.D. In 1896 Baron Pierre de Coubertin, tried to revive the games. He initially planned to hold the games in France, but was convinced that Greece was the appropriate country to host the first modern Olympics. Thirteen countries competed in nines sports: cycling, fencing, gymnastics, lawn tennis, shooting, swimming, track and field, weight lifting and wrestling.

Information from the following websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Games

http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/olympic-torch1.htm

GREEK MYTHS AND FABLES 

Aesop Fables – No post about Greece would be complete without sharing some Aesop Fables.

http://www.mythfolklore.net/aesopica/

Greek Mythology for Kids – This site offers myths but also activities and lesson plans connected to Greece. http://greece.mrdonn.org/myths.html

  

STORIES

Since one of the most popular sports in the modern day Olympic Games is swimming here are some stories connected to water.

Bear Lake Monster - United States

http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/the_bear_lake_monster.html
The Good Ferryman and the Water Nymphs - Poland

http://worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Polish_folktale_5.html 

The King of the Sharks – Hawaii
http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/08/the_king_of_sharks.html

The Golden Fish - Russia

http://russian-crafts.com/tales/gold_fish.html

The Heart of the Monkey - Africa

http://www.english-for-students.com/Heart-of-The-Monkey.html
The Seal’s Skin – Iceland 
http://www.vikingrune.com/selkies-folktale/

Sam-Chung and the Water Demon - China

http://worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Asian_Folktale_16.html
Water Faeries - Scotland
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/sfft/sfft36.htm
Why Dogs Wag Their Tails - Philippines
http://asiarecipe.com/phitales3.html
Wild Goose Island – United States
http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2008/09/goose_island.html

SOMETHING EXTRA

Two previous blog posts with stories of the sea!

Siren’s of the Sea 

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2010/02/mermaids-sirens-of-sea.html

Water, Water Everywhere! 

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/03/water-water-everywhere.html

CRAFTS

Kaboose.com -  Make your own Olympic torch. Easy for ages 4 and up.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/olympic-torch.html

Activity Village – More crafts connected to the Olympics; medals, Olympic Rings and other patriotic crafts.

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/olympic_crafts_for_kids.htm

CURRICULUM

A-Z Teacher Stuff – Seventeen lesson plans connected to the Olympics from grades K-12.

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/Olympics/

History for Kids.org – Learn about the ancient Greeks; religion, mythology, ancient life and more.

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/

RECIPES

Kid Friendly Olympic Recipes 

http://www.sj-r.com/blogs/community/justforkids/x383254025/Kid-Friendly-Olympic-Recipes

If you find this information and the links helpful in your work please consider taking a moment to leave a comment at the end of the blog. I love hearing from you!

Karen Chace 2012 ©

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.

Escaping the Troll

Grimm's Fairy Tales,
1812 Edition's cover

Her Story, Your Story, Our Story:
An Afternoon with Women Who Have Escaped the Troll

by Regina Ress 

This article was previously published in the LANES Museletter, 2012.
           

"What message do you want to send to other women who’ve been captured by a “Troll?"“
"Love yourself enough to leave.”
"Anything else?"
"Don’t settle for less.”

Storytelling is not just kid stuff. We, the storytelling community, know this. Indeed, we know that “kid stuff” can be….and should be…meaningful at its core. Life long learning begins with those bedside stories of survival, of  compassion, of what life holds, offers, and teaches.  And for those whose stories takes some bad turns, stories and storytelling can help them find our way out of the woods and home.

I am currently helping to launch a non-profit organization, Healing Voices-Personal Stories, whose mission is to bring awareness to women striving to overcome abuse through the distribution of film and video. Having worked with women in several correctional facilities, I am keenly aware that women who end up in jail generally have a history of abuse. Bad stories; bad endings.

But do all bad stories have to have bad endings? Is there a way to learn and grow a new story?

Last June, I spent time with a group of women in a “resettlement” program. These are formerly incarcerated women who have come through abuse and who are actively in the process of changing and reclaiming their lives. The women are part of a support group that meets once a week at the Community Partners in Action Resettlement Program in Hartford,Connecticut.  I brought fresh strawberries from my friend’s spring garden, an old European fairy tale, and some questions. 

The story I brought to Hartford last spring was one of the Grimm’s Tales. It describes the trials of a Princess who falls through the crack in a glass mountain and is forced to be the house drudge of the long-bearded Old Rink Rank. She loses all sense of herself, even forgetting her own name. This young woman is eventually rescued, not by a prince, but by her own efforts. When she hits rock bottom, something shifts in her psyche and she finds her own way back up to the light.

I told Old Rink Rank, adding my own voice,  asking a question or two within the telling, but not changing the original Grimm version. It is a spare story. It is a very clear story.

The women in our group listened with great attention, nodding at times, often uttering a chorus of “uh-huhs” at recognizable moments in this story of abuse and redemption. After the telling, in response to my questions as well as their own, they fleshed out their understanding…and mine as well…of this classic tale. Our discussion was lively, filled with recognition and gritty wisdom.  The women very much took control of the conversation, finding questions and answers themselves, often engaging in a kind of debate over issues raised in the story.  We looked at how easy it is to fall through the cracks, losing ourselves to the “trolls” ever waiting to use us for their own purposes. The story does not tell us how and why the Princess turns her situation around. But these women knew:

“All that hard work gave her strength.”

 “When you hit rock bottom, when you are fed up, that’s when you make the changes.”

We also discussed two possible endings.  The Princess, having trapped the old man by his long beard, sets him free once she has returned to the world.  In the Grimm version, her father, the King, has him killed. We looked at the justice of this.  Then we looked at a more forgiving model, the possibility of not taking revenge. A different kind of justice.

As our time was quite short, we did not get in to our own personal stories. However,  it was clear that all of us, group members, case workers, and I, recognized aspects of our own lives in this timeless tale. And working with it in this way helped us all clarify and enlarge our understanding   of our lives.

Two of the women commented to me on their way out that they never understood that “those old stories actually meant something.” Ah!   This storyteller quoted a favorite adage in the storytelling world: The stories are not good because they are old; they are old because they are good.

And they do, they most definitely do “mean something.”



Regina Ress is an award winning storyteller, actor, writer and educator who has performed and taught for over forty years from Broadway to Brazil in English and Spanish in a wide variety of settings from grade schools to senior centers, from homeless shelters and prisons to Lincoln Center and the White House. Performances range from delightful folk tales to some of the world’s great mythologies. She also tells original stories about New York City, 9/11, and Love.

Regina is Storytelling Adjunct for New York University’s Programs in Educational Theatre and Multilingual/Multicultural Studies and produces the storytelling series at the historic Provincetown Playhouse in NYC. In 2003 she was awarded the Oracle for Leadership and Service by the National Storytelling Network.  www.reginaress.com


Regina Ress is a guest blogger for Karen Chace and Catch the Storybug blog. All rights to this article belong to Regina. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without the expressed written permission of Regina Ress. If you would like to be a Guest Blogger email Karen at storybug@aol.com with "Guest Blogger" in the subject heading .

Celebrating Daughter's Day in China

The Star Lovers

by Warwick Goble, 1910

In China, August 23 is known as Daughter's Day and also the celebration of Chinese Valentine’s Day, or the Double SeventhFestival, celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The holiday evolved from the ancient Chinese love story, The Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden, also known as the story of Altair and Vega.

The raging river, formed in one version by the Empress as she attempts to keep the lovers apart, also explains how the Milky Way was formed. In some versions the bridge is formed by sparrows, in other versions, the magpie.

• The Daughter’s Day Festival is an important day for girls. In the evening, they prepare melons and fruits prior to engaging in worship and praying that their wishes for a good marriage will come true.
• Young girls display needlework, make paper flowers, burn incense and make fruit offerings to the night sky.
• It is the one day of the year when young girls may request for any wish to the Weaving Maid. (Vega star)
• When the star is high in the sky, the girls do a test, which involves placing a needle on the water surface. If the needle does not sink in the water, the girl is already smart enough and she is eligible for a married life.
• Since is it is also considered a holiday of friendship others cook horse beans and share with their neighbors.
• Girls throw five-color ropes, made by the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, on top of the roof for magpies. It is believed that magpies will use the ropes to build the bridge.

Sources for the above information:

http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/August/chinesevalentine.htm
http://www.celebrating-valentinesday.com/celebrating/chinese-valentines-day.shtml
http://www.ehow.com/how_2093105_celebrate-chinese-valentines-day.html#ixzz21Ss67RS9
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/from-china-to-japan-the-story-of-altair-and-vega-1026751.html

STORIES

Some tales to help you celebrate the daughter's in your life.

The Legend of the Magpie Bridge

http://www.novareinna.com/festive/valmagpie.html

The Bamboo Cutter’s Daughter – Japan 

http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/jft2/jft208.htm

The Blind Man’s Daughter – Korea 

http://www.sejongsociety.org/korean_theme/korean_folk_tales/shim_chong.html

The Boat that Went on Land and Water – France 

http://www.mordent.com/folktales/french/boat/
Daughter and Step Daughter – Russia 

http://russian-crafts.com/russian-folk-tales/daughter-and-ste-daughter.html

The Daughter of the Rose – Romania 

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/rft/rft06.htm

The Daughter of the Skies - West Highlands 
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/pt1/pt116.htm
The Daughter of the Sun – Cherokee/Native American 

http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc005.htm

Earl Mar’s Daughter – England
http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-32.html

Leelinau, the Lost Daughter – Native American
http://worldoftales.com/Native_American_folktales/Native_American_Folktale_29.html

The Marsh King’s Daughter – Denmark
http://hca.gilead.org.il/marsh_ki.html

The Padishah’s Daughter and the Young Slave – Tajik/Iran
http://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Anthropology/Tajiks/TajikFolk.htm

The Sea King’s Daughter – Russia
http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/032.html
The Star Lovers – Japan (Found on page 65 in _Green Willow and Other Japanese Fairy Tales_, downloadable at the link.)http://archive.org/details/greenwillowother00jame

The Twelve Dancing Princesses – Germany
http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-9.html
The Three Daughter’s and the Lost Cow – Tibet
http://www.crosby-lundin.com/tibet/culture/folktales/cow.html

The Tortoise with a Pretty Daughter - Nigeria
http://worldoftales.com/African_folktales/Nigerian_folktale_1.html

The Widow and Her Daughters – Scotland
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/pt2/pt233.htm

The Worthy Daughter - India
http://stories4u.50webs.com/Folktales/theworthydaughter.htm

CRAFTS

In preparation for the festival young Chinese girls make paper flowers for the celebration.

Tie Dye Flowers – This cute craft is made with coffee filers.
http://tinyurl.com/d6jbfp8

Tissue Paper Flowers
http://crafts.kaboose.com/flower2.html

Weave a Paper Lantern
http://www.freekidscrafts.com/woven_paper_lantern-e847.html 

CURRICULUM

Magpies in Nature and Myth

http://www.wisdomportal.com/Magpie.html

Galaxies Galore

http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/galaxies-galore/teacher/lessonplan.html#new


SOMETHING EXTRA

Looking for stories to celebrate the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival?  Click over to this link.
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/05/dragons-mythical-mystical-magical.html

Karen Chace 2012 ©

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

What the World Needs Now...

"What the world needs now,
Is love, sweet love,
It's the only thing that there's just too little of.
What the world needs now,
Is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone"

Yes, I am dating myself just by knowing the words and tune to this 1965 tune by Hal David but the lyrics are a fitting tribute to what my friend and colleague Kristin Pedemonti is attempting now.

First, a bit of background on this remarkable young woman. In 2005 Kristin sold her home and her possessions to Fund, Found and Facilitate volunteer project Literacy Outreach Belize. She has donated performances for over 33,340 children in 100 schools and trained 800 teachers and librarians throughout Belize. She also travels around the world sharing stories. In 2011 she was awarded the coveted National Storytelling Network’s International Story Bridge Award for her outstanding work in other countries. Now, she is featured on TED Talks, hoping to motivate others to share their joy. After viewing her video (see below, scroll all the way down the page; you don't want to miss it!) I asked Kristin to share the background of her journey for this inspiring TED Talk. True to form, she leapt at the chance with…

"JOY...

It all began with a bottle of bubbles on the Subway in NYC, 2008. I was sitting there, squashed in among the passengers; everyone looked somber, exhausted. So, I pulled out a bottle of bubbles (I'm always packin') and began to blow. Someone smiled. I reached into my bag and handed a bottle across the aisle, gesturing for them to join me. They did. That one bottle shared turned into 500 bottles or more, I've lost count.

That same bag contains my Free Hugs sign. I never leave home without it. That sign has traveled with me throughout the US, Europe, Central & South America and even to the Top of Mountain Machu Picchu in Peru. I organize and Share Free Hugs Every Where I go.

Fast Forward to April 2012. Puneet sent me a link to the TED Talks Worldwide Talent Search in 14 cities Around the World. He wrote, "Kristin, you need to enter this contest, but do something serious about your storytelling, not that Free Hug stuff."

But the "FREE HUG stuff" was what called out to me, demanding attention. So, I ignored his advice and submitted my one minute video and short essay about Sharing JOY through Storytelling, "I want to Share Joy because JOY is Contagious, let's make it go viral!"

TED sifted through thousands of entries and, Oh my goodness; I was one of the lucky 31 chosen for the Next Step in the Search: a five minute TED Talk in NYC. Five minutes to convince the World to "pick me, pick me" for Step 3, a full length TED Talk to present at their 2013 Worldwide Talent Search Event. I was awed by the other "selectees." A young man with no right hand played the most beautiful violin you ever heard. A 15 year old discovered a potential early diagnosis for pancreatic cancer; a scientist shared how microscopic magnets can clean water. And then there was ME, with my bottles of bubbles, Free Hugs Sign and a Big Wheel, speaking about something so simple: Joy.

Please take five minutes and allow yourself to feel some Joy. Oh, Yes, Joy is meant to be shared. Perhaps you will share some bubbles or a hug a stranger. Yes, indeed, what the World Needs Now is..... Joy. Sweet. JOY."

If you enJOYed my talk please log in to TED and leave a comment as to why this deserves to be a full length TED Talk. My heart thanks you.

HUG and ooOOoOOoooooo Bubbles!"
Kristin Pedemonti
Professional Storyteller, Literacy Advocate
Visit www.storytellerkp.com to learn more!

Karen Chace 2012 ©

 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.

Does "Your Story" Ring True?

Pinocchio, 1911
From, Das Plakat

Pinocchio’s Nose Grows ^©
by Linda Gorham

* This article was previously published in the Northlands Journal, June 2010. It is republished here with her permission.

Truth in advertising. It’s a simple concept yet so many have, perhaps conveniently, forgotten how dishonesty can ruin careers. We have the politician who exaggerated his service in Vietnam, the renown chef who lied on his resume about where and for whom he cooked, the CEO who, well, didn’t actually ‘graduate’ from Harvard, and the Olympic athlete who, for years, denied taking steroids. Plus, there are countless people who lied about getting Medals of Honor in Vietnam. You’ve heard the responses, “Oops.” “Sorry.” “I misspoke.” And you’ve heard their consequences as they were humiliated, fired, jailed and/or forced to take early retirements.

This phenomenon is not just for the high profile professions. The temptation to exaggerate our experiences and qualifications occurs in every field – yes, even in the storytelling world. We too, could use a ‘truth in advertising’ reality check.

• Are we bilingual because we tell The Barking Mouse?
• Are we bona fide musicians if we occasionally bang on a drum, shake a tambourine, or blow into a recorder?
• Does taking a workshop with fill-in-the-blank-big-name-storyteller make us similarly talented?
• If we have told with fill-in-the-blank-big-name-storyteller, are we also qualified to be headliners?
• Do we have the right to give ourselves the title Master Storyteller, Griot, or Baba?

Are we tiptoeing into Pinocchio nose growing situations? Are we portraying ourselves honestly? Are we standing behind our own credentials? Are we creating experiences and qualifications we don’t really have? Are we afraid we blend in with in the increasingly crowded world of storytelling that we won’t be noticed?

We all spend hours creating, editing, and tweaking our resumes, brochures, websites, blogs, and all the other marketing tools at our disposal. We check for typos, punctuality, and grammar. How about one more check … for honesty?

We each want to stand out. That’s a human trait. It reflects a desire to grow and get the jobs we feel we deserve. But it is my hope that we want to stand out on our own skills, experiences, and talents. Find your own voice. Figure out who you are and what you have to offer. Ask yourself, “What makes me extraordinary and unique?”

·           What type of stories do I tell?

·           What kind of emotional energy do I convey?

·           What do I offer that is distinctive?

·           What is my look, my colors, my signature style?

·           What descriptive words do I want someone to say after seeing me perform?

·           What do I have to offer that sets me apart from others?

Be remarkable in your own right and you will never feel the need to define yourself by your relationships with others. There are plenty of ways for you to express your own creative uniqueness.

Seth Godin defined the concept of individuality in his book PurpleCow. Godin’s thesis is that we have all seen plenty of black and white cows. Dime a dozen, right? Just think how excited we would be to see something new, something unique, something that stands out – something like a purple cow! Is there room for individual and event purple cows in the storytelling world? Absolutely!

Purple cow-type storytelling events are growing fast. The Moth is a purple cow. The Moth started as a group of people sharing stories monthly in someone’s living room. The concept is to have very short humorous personal stories, selected by lottery, that are told in small bar-type clubs. Since 1997, The Moth has had over 3,000 sold-out events in over eight major US cities reaching over 100,000 people. 

A Fringe is a purple cow. The Fringe concept started in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1947 as an alternative festival that played concurrently, but outside the formal location, of the Edinburgh International Festival. Fringes don’t focus on a single genre. They are ‘performing-arts smorgasbords’ that embrace theater, dance, puppetry, and spoken word. There are fifteen fringe festivals in the United States and many more throughout the world. Fringes are growing fast!

Individual storytellers are purple cows too. Today we see storytelling combined with dance, music, mime, and puppetry. We see more movement, more staging, and extreme body language. There are no limits.

Eighteen years ago, I was part of a group of writers who wrote and published Quality Angles. This book, geared to business executives, was a thesis on what it takes to be successful and balanced in the business world. My contribution was to find and interview people with unusual (Purple Cow type) jobs.

Finding them in the pre-Internet age was a challenge. I searched newspaper archives, library reference books, and bookstores. I also asked everyone I knew for leads. In the end, I found twenty amazing people. Among them was an ice cream taster whose tongue was insured for $1,000,000. I also found a woman who was a professional screamer, a full time rodeo clown, and even a professional storyteller. Imagine making money tasting ice cream, screaming in movies, protecting cowboys, and telling stories (to kids and adults)!

Interviewing these professionals was an eye-opening experience. They were all gutsy, determined, and not afraid to take risks. I asked them about the challenges of having unusual jobs and I asked them what advice they would give to others interested in doing the same. “Be unique,” they said. “Be known for excellence. Provide the highest standard of what your customers need. Provide your skills in a new way to show your customers the possibilities beyond what they think they require.” And from my ice cream taster, “Keep your reputation strong; be known as a person of integrity.”

My mother was famous for saying, “The truth will set you free.” I don’t think she would mind if I alter her mantra just a little bit. Honestly evaluating who you are and what you have to offer is key. Truth in advertising will set you free.

  

Dynamic and exciting, Linda Gorham engages her audiences by using movement, humor, and sometimes zaniness as she tells imaginative folktales (and more!) updated with “attitude!” Her stories, keynotes, and history programs inspire, entertain, and inspire all ages.

Linda performs internationally as a storyteller, speaker, and workshop presenter. Since 1989, in addition to her work in schools and libraries, Linda has customized programs for festivals, museums, keynotes, conferences, staff development, and corporations.  www.LindaGorham.com

 * Linda Gorham is a guest blogger for Karen Chace and Catch the Storybug blog. All rights to this article belong to Linda. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without the  expressed written permission of Linda.

Public Domain V: Folktales, Fairytales, Myths and Legends

The Blue Bird
by Edmund Dulac, 1916

We are so lucky to be living in a time when the antique folk and fairytale books of old are available with a few clicks of the keys. This post is the fifth in a series of public domain offerings; you will find the links to those previous blog posts at the end of this page.

If you own a Kindle, many of the downloadable books may be saved either directly to the Kindle or to your computer, and then transferred over. Currently, I have approximately 175 folktales books, easily available on my Kindle so a fairytale/folktale is just a power button away! Happy reading!

If you find these posts useful please take a moment to leave a note in the “Comment” section below. I love hearing from you!

The Children of Odin by Padraic Column, 1920. Retellings of the Norse Eddas and the Volsung Saga for young adults. http://tinyurl.com/6rmc8tc

A Collection of Kachari Folktales and Rhymes by J.D. Anderson, 1895.

http://www.archive.org/stream/kacharis00endliala/kacharis00endliala_djvu.txt

Fables for Children, Stories for Children, Natural Science Stories by Leo Tolstoy, 1904.

http://www.archive.org/details/fablesforchildre00tols

Folk Tales of Breffny by Bampton Hunt, 1912; The Voice at the Door, The Basket of Eggs, and many more tales await to enchant and delight.

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029911264

Folk Tales of Kashmir by James Hinton Knowles, 1888 - “Many of these tales are, probably, purely Kashmiri in origin, while others are undoubtedly variants of popular tales current in India and other parts, which have been adapted and modified to suit the language, style of thought, and social usages of the country.”

http://www.archive.org/details/folktalesofkashm00knowuoft

Gypsy Folk-Tales by Francis Hindes Groome, 1899 - Welsh, English, Slovak, Bohemia Gypsy Stories and more. “…fascinating reading for everyone interested in the Roma people. These are not watered down 'fairy tales,' but sophisticated and often earthy stories, with 'Adult situations.'”

http://tinyurl.com/74gufue

Indian Fairy Tales - Twenty-nine tales from Joseph Jacobs, 1912.

http://tinyurl.com/6l3956

Italian Folktales - Twenty-one folktales, adapted from Starparola, Basile, Calvino and others.

http://tinyurl.com/9x77zv

Korean Tales: Being a Collection of Stories Translated from Korean Folk Lore, 1889. Legends of Rabbit and Other Animals, The Faithful Dancing Girl-Wife, The Enchanted Wine Jug and other lesser known tales can be found her. http://tinyurl.com/7oogx3a

The Legends and Myths of Hawaii - Learn about Hina, the Helen of Hawaii, Kaala, The Flower of Lanai, and many more in this 1887 book by David Kalakaua.  http://tinyurl.com/d3r6wo

Old English Fairy Tales by Sabine Baring-Gould, 1906; Robert the Evil, The Badger in the Bag, The Undutiful Daughter and others await. http://tinyurl.com/89j85d3

Polish Legends, Folktales and Myths – “Many of these legends have been around for a thousand years or more. These legends, myths and stories recount the meaning behind Poland's national symbol and flag, about several of its early rulers and first king, and the dragon of Krakow.” http://tinyurl.com/7v2p3mq

Portuguese folk-tales by Consiglieri Pedroso, 1882. Meet The Enchanted Maiden, The Vain Queen,The Spell-bound Giant and more interesting characters among these thirty folktales. http://tinyurl.com/77ydwss

South-African Folk-Tales by James A. Honey, M.D., 1910. “This is a collection of South African folklore collected during the 19th century. It includes many great animal tales with classic African wisdom.” The Judgment of Baboon, The Lost Message, and The Monkey’s Fiddle are just a few of the tales waiting to tickle your imagination!

http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/saft/index.htm

And if you missed the previous blog posts of public domain story collections go to:

• 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

Karen Chace 2012 ©

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.

Social Media: What Are You Bringing to the Party?

"Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the
stories you tell."     Seth Godin

This month I was part of a panel presentation, “Selling Stories, Not Snake Oil” with Linda Gorham and Elizabeth Ellis at the National Storytelling Network’s conference in Cincinnati. Each of us had 20 minutes to speak on a specific subject. Linda’s topic was how to conduct our business in an ethical manner. Elizabeth shared how she successfully manages the different “hats” she wears to run her business.

My piece was on social media and why we should embrace it, or at least a part of it, to move our business forward. To be successful with social media we need to take the “me” out of the equation. This is a different business model than we have been used in the past; it isn’t about our time, it is about their (our clients) time. What can you offer them to add value to their work?

John Battelle, founder and CEO of a media publishing firm states, “Social Media marketing is about brands acting, well, social, which means they need to show up to the party with a nice bottle of wine, if that's what the party calls for. They need to come ready to have a dialog, and add value to the event.”

The question for all of us is, “What are you bringing to the party?” The resources below were part of the handout I offered to the attendees so they could begin to dip their toes in the deep waters of social media. I hope you will consider wading in as well.

5 Best Ways to Expand Your LinkedIn Network
http://socialmediatoday.com/daniel-levine/561801/5-best-ways-expand-your-linkedin-network

5 Little Known Reasons to Use Twitter for Business
http://www.selfemployedcafe.com/5-ways-twitter-business/

5 Ways to Advertise Your Website for Freehttp://www.businessknowhow.com/internet/promote-website.htm

7 Ways to Promote Yourself Without Bragging: To Attract Attention, You Have to Show Off 
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/self-promotion.htm

10 Tweaks to Give Your Facebook Business Page Greater Impact
http://socialmediatoday.com/carole/507195/10-tweaks-give-your-facebook-business-page-greater-impact

26 Tips for Using Pinterest for Business
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-tips-for-using-pinterest-for-business/

30 Social Media Predications for 2012
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-th

Great Ways to Use LinkedIn for Your Small Business
http://onpointbizbuzz.com/324/great-ways-to-use-linkedin-for-your-small-business

Grovo.com - an online training site and guide to the Internet where users can learn about everything from Amazon to using Facebook Timeline.
http://www.grovo.com/home/whatsnew

HootSuite - A social media dashboard to help you streamline your web activities on Facebook, FourSquare, LinkedIn, Mixi, MySpace, Ping.fm, Twitter, and Wordpress.
http://hootsuite.com/

How Google’s +1 Button Affects SEO
http://mashable.com/2012/02/21/google-plus-1-seo/

Is Pinterest the Right Choice for Your Business?
http://www.mymagneticblog.com/is-pinterest-the-right-choice-for-your-business/

Leverage Technology, Build Relationships - Useful and interesting podcast with acclaimed technology expert Terry Brock, hosted by Championship Communicator, Bill Lampton, Ph.D.
http://thecompletecommunicator.com/?p=1854

Reaching Success with Business Blogging and Hard Work
http://gilygily.com/reaching-success-with-business-blogging-and-hard-work.html

The Top 5 Social Media Managing Tools
http://socialmediatoday.com/jen-eisenberg/549608/top-5-social-media-managing-tools

Top 8 Pinterest Tips
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/09/top-ten-pinterest-tips_n_1265033.html

Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Websites April 2011 http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites

The Ultimate List: 40 Social Networking Sites Specifically for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, and Startups
http://smallbizbee.com/index/2010/02/02/ultimate-list-40-social-networking/

Which Social Sites Are Best for Which Marketing Outcomes?
http://mashable.com/2011/03/11/social-media-marketing-chart/

Why Your Small Business Should Check-Into Foursquare
http://onpointbizbuzz.com/332/why-your-small-business-should-check-into-foursquare

Bit.ly – If your small business uses a Twitter account you are only allowed 140 characters per tweet. If the URL you want to share has more you shrink your URL to a more tweet-friendly size. http://bit.ly/
                              
Tinyurl.com – This will also shorten a URL you may want to highlight in your blog posts or newsletters.
www.tinyurl.com

Marketing - It’s Not a Myth! – This link will take you to an article I wrote for the National Storytelling Network’s blog.
http://blog.storynet.org/marketing-not-a-myth

Karen Chace 2012 ©

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.