The Three Companions
Indonesian Legends and Folk Tales. Told by Adele de Leeuw, 1961 Every year Cholera made a visit to the Holy City of Mecca with her companions Death and Fear. One year however, Fear came to the city before Death and Cholera. The old gatekeeper, who did not know Fear, let her enter. When Cholera and …
The Snake of Dreams
Rewritten from a Georgian Tale by Hugh Lupton. (© Hugh Lupton 2002). Many years ago – and it was neither my time nor your time – there lived a great king. And one night that king dreamed a strange dream. He dreamed that a fox was hanging by its tail from the ceiling above his …
Trojan War Story
Tale from the Iliad, Book 6. Translated by Joan Sutton. We are departing from our usual type of posting with this very special contribution from Joan Sutton. Joan is a Greek scholar who has been studying Homer’s Iliad for the past six years. This story has not been rewritten for oral performance, but is a …
The Stolen Child
adapted by Joan Stockbridge. There was a path that stretched from here to there. On one side of the path, tall mountains loomed. Along the other, the cold sea moaned. Along this path came two fairy women, wrapped tightly in dark cloaks. As they walked along, they saw a bundle in the path. It mewed …
Shingebiss and the North Wind
From a 19th century literary tale attributed to Chippewa sources, retold by Fran Stallings. When I first heard this story in childhood, there was no music: the chant was just recited. I have added the chant melody and the chordal accompaniment, but I also perform it sometimes without the music, and it still works. A …
Just Enough
A Folktale from Russia. Adapted by Elisa Pearmain. Once upon a time there lived a tailor’s son named Joseph. He worked beside his father in his little shop cutting and stitching clothing for the wealthy folks in town. As he grew older, Joseph began to dream of making something special for himself to wear. He …