Effective Storytelling - a basic manual
Take the story as close to them as you can. · Keep it brief and simple · Stimulate their senses · Describe the characters and settings, · Aim your story at the ...
on the internet
While traditionally stories were learned by listening, the best source today is the children’s department of the Public Library - particularly in the section (J)398. There you will find all sorts of folk and fairy tales, tall tales, trickster stories, etc. Many stories are <anchor>on the internet</anchor> as well. As you browse, look for stories that "touch" you. Start with simple stories, then as your experience grows, be sure to explore and branch out.
Eldrbarry's Joy of Story Listening
Some of Eldrbarry's favorite stories and their background, profiles of favorite story authors and illustrators,

helps on finding, selecting and learning stories, as well as connections to other sources.



Story tellers must also be story listeners. Finding a story is the first step.

Sources for finding stories: The main source is any public library. In it is a large treasure trove of collections of folklore (398 in the Dewey System, usually in the Juvenile department), and many classic stories have been woven by masters. There are many children's writers that have been largely forgotten. I hope to profile some of these on this page. Other story tellers may also provide a source of inspiration, though it is best to go to their sources, rather than copy their tales. Your own memories and personal anecdotes are a rich source for creating stories as well.

Then the story should be studied and connected to its roots, whether an author, a culture or a folk tradition. In selecting stories to learn and tell, look for tales that attract or speak to you in some way. Gradually the story takes on a personal meanings within. Then the story teller can begin to tell it as his or her own.

Then the "listening" process begins. If a story orginated in a time or culture, try to see it in its context. If it is the creation of a particular writer, get aquainted with that person and why the story was written. For example, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) wrote Horton Hears the Who in response to his observations of the Japanese people during the occupation after WWII. "A person's a person, no matter how small" has a historical context and message. Folklore and fairy tales, even Mother Goose rhymes have roots and origins. Putting in the effort to "listen" will make a story much more meaningful.

Eldrbarry's Tales:

- Raven

- Folk

- Author and Illustrator Profiles: With biographies, stories, examples and links

- Eleanor Farjeon A Story Writer

- Howard Pyle A Story Artist

Definitons: Traditional Tales
and Folk Lore consist of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales, stories, tall tales, and customs included in the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. Oral Tradition is the cultural material transmitted orally from one generation to another. (Wikipedia links)

- Mythology - Myths are the body of stories which a people or group uses to explain nature, and their history, and customs. They include: Creation Myths and Myths of Origin relating to how things have come to be.

- Legends are folk tales or epic accounts of events or people presented as "historically grounded," but often embroidered or exaggerating details with elements of magic or popular belief.

- Fables are succinct fictional stories, in prose or verse, featuring animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are given human qualities such as verbal communication, illustrating moral lessons which may at the end with a pithy maxim.

- Puurquoi or "Why?" Stories give "explanations" for why creatures and things are as they are.

- Trickster Tales "A trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and conventional behaviour." Tricksters are often small creatures that must rely on their "smarts" to deal with stronger and more powerful beings, sometimes to their own good, and sometimes not.

- Fairy Tale Fairy tales are stories that range from those originating in folk lore to more modern stories defined as literary fairy tales. Fairy Tales are a type of short story that typically features European folkloric fantasy characters and usually magic or enchantments. Fairy tales may be distinguished from other folk narratives such as legends (which generally involve belief in the veracity of the events described) and explicitly moral tales, including beast fables. - List of Fairy Tales

- Tall Tales have "unbelievable elements", related as if they were true and factual. Tall tales are often told in a way that makes the narrator seem to have been a part of the story. They are usually humorous or good-natured, often pushing their credibility to the edge.

- Fool or Noodlehead stories are often humorous tales of Sillies, fools, and Simpletons.

- Ballads Most ballads are narrative stories, often in a metrical form that can be sung. There are love, and love lost tales, stories of heroes and outlaws, ghostly tales, even many Epic tales fall in this category.

- Scary Stories which include Ghost Stories, Witch Tales, Monster, Vampire, and Horror Stories. Many campfire tales fall in this category, as do the following Urban Legends. Jump tales usually end with a shout to give people a sudden fright.

- Urban Legends a form of contemporary folklore that may or may not be true, often with elements of horror.

See Eldrbarry's Hatter's classics for bibliographies on Storytelling and the various Genre of Story.

Links to sources of Story Material for finding a story

Campfire Stories Resources:

Links to sources on Authors and Writers of literary tales

## Source Etiquette

Proper storytelling ettiquette requires giving credit to sources and respecting copyrights.

- Stanford Fairuse Center Deals with copyright issues especially relevant to the education and library community, including examples of fair use and policies. Useful copyright charts and tools are continually added to help users evaluate copyright status and best practices.

- Copyright Advisory Network Tools for determining Copyright including The Copyright Genie, a Fair use Evaluator and a Digital Copyright Slide Rule! Do I need Permission?

- And for searching out Copyright holders, The WATCH files is quite useful.

Storytelling Etiquitte

Compiled by Barbara Griffin, Olga Loya, Sandra MacLees, Nancy Schimmel, Harlynne Geisler, and Kathleen Zunde.

You are Viewing: http://www.eldrbarry.net/rabb/joy.htm -- © 1996 (updated 2014) Barry McWilliams Thanks for visiting The Joy of Story Listening.

Your suggestions and comments welcome- as well as suggestions of other links to be added!