eStories by Story Teller

Read more about the e-stories project

Ramona Moore Big Eagle
Story	Tradition	Length
Turtle Island	Native American	5:18
There was a place called “Skyland.” In Skyland there was a tree called the Tree of Life. One day a strong wind uprooted the tree and opened a big hole into another world. The chief’s wife fell through it and birds caught her. They carried her down and she ended up on a turtle. The dirt from the uprooted tree kept falling down on the turtle and gradually made land in there. That is how the Earth was created.
Imani Adrea
Story	Tradition	Length
PeeWee and the Big, Green Spider	African American	4.57
An African American tale about a boy who likes to take 5 extra minutes in bed in the morning.
Batt Burns
Story	Tradition	Length
Leprechaun's Trick	Irish	3:5 minutes
The old farmer really wants that pot of gold, but leprechauns are known for outsmarting people.
The King with the Horse's Ears	Irish	4:57 minutes
Is the handsome king actually very funny looking? His barber knows his big secret.
Bunjo Butler
Story	Tradition	Length
The Story of Talk	African	5 minutes
A talking cow? A talking rock? You'd run too if it happened to you! An African tale.
Mrs. Bear and Mr. Crow	African American	6 minutes
Don't believe everything you hear! Even if it's coming from a friend.
Sister Caroliese
Story	Tradition	Length
Brer Rabbit and the Raccoon	African	3:48 minutes
Brer raccoon used to catch frogs by the river bank for dinner. When the frogs conspired against him, Brer Rabbit came up with a plan to help him.
Why Dogs and Cats Don't Get Along	African	3:09 minutes
Once Upon A Time, dogs and cats were the best of friends. What happened to a beautiful friendship?
Alton Chung
Story	Tradition	Length
The man who made the trees blossom	Japanese	6:06 minutes
Once upon a time in ancient Japan there was a kind man who had a dog named Shiro. The old kind man loved Shiro, and Shiro loved him. One day Shiro sniffed something in the ground and brought it to the attention of his master. He dug out a pot full of gold coins. The kind man shared the gold with the whole village. Only one man was unhappy: the mean neighbor of the kind man……, listen to the story.
Gladys Coggswell
Story	Tradition	Length
Daven and the Monkey	African-American	4:40
Daven, wanting to impress other kids with his skill of precise rock throwing, promised them to throw a rock at his family’s pet monkey’s head without actually hitting its head. During practice, he accidentally hits the monkey’s head and kills it. While trying to hide his crime, he becomes the object of his sister’s blackmail.
Kathy Coleman
Story	Tradition	Length
Devil and Bobtail Jack	Appalachian	5:34
The devil enters an agreement with farmer Bobtail Jack to share farm products. But the devil is not smart enough to win three contests with Bobtail, which involve growing corn, potatoes and raising pigs. Each time he is outwitted by Jack.
Cathy Crowley
Story	Tradition	Length
Tenali the Wise and Funny	Indian	5:42
Tenali was the King’s prime-minister. The King decided to organize a competition for a new prime-minister to see if he could find even a better one. So, he ordered each candidate to get a kitten and to fatten it for a month, and return to him with the results. Tenali was also a candidate.
Laura Edmonds
Story	Tradition	Length
The Mermaid, the Moon and the Dragon	unknown	7:16
In the land of timelessness there were merfolk and dragonfolk living as unfriendly neighbors. A mermaid named Ashtra went one day to a shipwreck site where she found a beautiful precious egg. There she meets a dragon called Alador. Suddenly they hear a strange moaning from the moon above. Alador takes Ashtra on his wings to the moon to see what reason for it was.
Elizabeth Ellis
Story	Tradition	Length
Like Meat Loves Salt	Appalachian	4:29 minutes
This is an Appalachian version of an old folktale. William Shakespeare loved this tale so much, he used it to write the play "King Lear."
Why Cats Wash After They Eat	African American	2:06 minutes
This African-American pourquoi story comes from North Carolina."Pourquoi" (pronounced "por-kwah") means "why" in French, and pourquoi tales are old legends told to explain why certain things are the way they are.
Lynette Ford
Story	Tradition	Length
Anansi and the common sense	West-African	4:37
Anansi, the Spider, wanted to make some money and thought that selling “common sense” could be quite profitable. So, he started to collect it into a gourd. However, when he decided to hide the gourd on top of a very tall tree, it fell down and broke up, releasing all the collected common sense. People picked up the common sense, but not everybody got the same amount. Some got nothing.
Geneva Greenfield
Story	Tradition	Length
Old Brer Fox and His Tail	Native American	4:25 minutes
Old Brer Fox running away from dogs escapes into a small cave. Not having anybody else to brag about how clever he was, he begins talking to his body parts. He asks his feet, then his ears, then his eyes what their part in this victory over the dogs was. He almost forgets to ask his tail…
Yvonne Healy
Story	Tradition	Length
Lugh, the Shining One	Irish	5:12
Lugh, “the Shining One,” one of the characters of Irish mythology, approached the great halls of Túatha Dé Danaan at the Hill of Tara, the seat of high kings of Ireland, asking to be admitted. The gatekeeper refuses, saying that only people possessing unique skills, or talents, are allowed in. Lugh declares to have a mastery of a number of such skills and talents, but to no avail – such people are already inside. Listen, to find out what was the special talent to let him in.
Donna Ingham
Story	Tradition	Length
The Biggest Lamb Dyer	Contemporary Texan	3:07 minutes
Did you hear the one about the Texas cattle and sheep rancher whose wife was dying some clothes in a large tub? A tiny lamb accidentally fell in, thereby turning a lovely shade of blue. But it dried up quickly and the next morning it was playing with the other lambs in a small fenced in area by the side of the road. The rancher was very surprised when a tourist stopped and offered $25 for the rare blue lamb. The rancher quickly realized that he was on to something big.
Rebecca Jernigan
Story	Tradition	Length
Sarah the Little Ghost	Contemporary, Louisiana	5:30
On a Halloween eve night in a cemetery, a little ghost, Sarah, was awakened by moonlight from her grave. She started to wander around, left the cemetery and went to town. But suddenly, she got scared by other approaching ghosts.
Steve Kardaleff
Story	Tradition	Length
The sweat of our brow	Contemporary, Macedonian	1:57
Before time there was nothing in the universe and God slept. But then He woke up and started to create: stars, Earth and everything. After a while, He got weary and stopped on Earth to rest. When He sat down, two drops of sweat fell to the ground from his brow, and that is how He created the first man and the first woman. Since then people have to earn their daily bread by the sweat of their brow.
Fellisco Keeling
Story	Tradition	Length
Katrina's Bad Day	African American	5:13 minutes
Katrina had been naughty and was sent to her room. That's when she started hearing strange things.
The Little Boy in the Peanut Shell	African American	5:39 minutes
Some unusual things happen on this fishing trip. Maybe some magic will help or maybe not. Sometimes magic can create more trouble than it is worth.
Kevin Kling
Story	Tradition	Length
A Lightning Story	Contemporary, Minnesotan	3:00
Kevin’s story from his childhood when he was being struck by lightning and survived while helping his father build an airplane during a thunderstorm.
Baba Jamal Koram
Story	Tradition	Length
Suunjata: The Lion King of Mali	African	4:1 minutes
Adult expectations and confidence can lead to great feats by our young.
The Little Cornbread Man	African American	6:14 minutes
We must all use our wisdom and do our best in whatever we attempt. Sometimes we need to slow down.
Dorothy McMahon
Story	Tradition	Length
The Best Liar	Russian	3:54 minutes
At one time, the king got bored and decided to organize a contest for the biggest liar. The winner would get a golden apple. There were many liars in the country but none seemed to impress the king. Then suddenly a poor shepherd showed up with an extraordinary claim.
Joe Miller
Story	Tradition	Length
Lefty the Leaf	Contemporary/personal	3:28
Lefty was a leaf that was left in the park after fall raking, but, fortunately a schoolboy working on a science project found it.
Robin Moore
Story	Tradition	Length
The Ghost of the Maple Tree	American	3:23 minutes
Hidden gold lures a young boy to follow a dreamy ghost into a forest.
Silver Lake Trout	American	5:17 minutes
A tall tale about a young boy and his grandfather who teach a fish to live on land.
Maurine Nichols
Story	Tradition	Length
Birds of a Feather Flock Together	Contemporary American	4:28 minutes
Adapted from “The Farmer and the Cranes” Aesop’s fable.When a new family moved into her neighborhood, Cecilia, a wonderful and very prompt teenager started to hang out with the same age, but less perfect children of those people, Toby and Cassie. One day Toby suggested to skip school and head down to the mall. Cecilia enthusiastically agreed. The next day she borrowed a car from her mom and all three of them slipped out of school. They headed to the mall……
Loren Niemi
Story	Tradition	Length
The autumn raking accident	contemporary American	3:22
Two boys play with autumn leaves while the narrator’s elder brother is raking them. When the latter’s girlfriend arrives, he tries to impress her by balancing the rake on his chin. Suddenly, the rake loses its balance, and….
Queen Nur
Story	Tradition	Length
Bearly Asleep	African American	4:13 minutes
A humorous story about Mr. Bear who has some trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
All Stuck Up	African American	4:34 minutes
Once upon time, there were three frogs, an older brother, a middle brother and a baby frog brother. One day they saw something extraordinary.
Steve Otto
Story	Tradition	Length
Gone fishing	Contemporary, American	3:49
A father and his son go fishing one day. While fishing, and not really catching anything, they notice a green walnut on a half rotten log in the creek. When a squirrel comes to eat it, it is pulled into the water by a humongous bass. After a while, the bass brings another green walnut and places it on the log.
Eira Patnaik
Story	Tradition	Length
The Flowering Tree	Indian	4:15 minutes
Two poor sisters discover a magical secret that leads them on a journey of betrayal and redemption.
Story in Search of an Audience	Indian	5:47 minutes
A tale from India illuminating the power of stories to empower and enrich lives.
Sandy Pomerantz
Story	Tradition	Length
Rabbi’s Advice	Jewish	6:42 minutes
Mendel’s daughter just moved into his house with her husband and two mischievous sons. Mendel, thinking that they were making too much noise, went to ask a rabbi ‘s advice. The rabbi told him to bring also his dog inside. This caused even more noise in the house. Mendel went to see the rabbi again and he advised him to bring inside also the hens from his farm. But that caused even more noise……
Rosemary Lee Potter
Story	Tradition	Length
Cabin’s ghosts	Contemporary, American	3:47
When one takes apart an old log cabin of 1830s and assembles it together in a different place, one does not know what to expect. At night, a ghost puppy, or a Civil War young woman ghost may unexpectedly appear. One hears such stories all the time and one does not believe, until the time when awoken from deep sleep, one sees a ghost puppy thumping its tail at the kitchen door.
Dylan Pritchett
Story	Tradition	Length
Balloons	African American	3:08 minutes
Why is respect important? Who should we show respect to first?
The Three Sons	African	2:25 minutes
What is the greatest honor we can give our ancestors? Which of these sons display that power?
Ricardo Provencio
Story	Tradition	Length
De tal palo tal astilla (Like father, like son)	Traditional, Mexican	3:43
Grandpa used to show and teach everything to his grandson. But as he grew older, he could not work as well as before, and often he was getting ill requiring help from his daughter in law and his son. They decided to expel grandpa from home to the barn. But when the grandson saw his father preparing a blanket for grandpa to stay in the barn, he started to cut the blanket in two….
Gail Rosen
Story	Tradition	Length
The Best Birthday Present	Jewish	4:41 minutes
A "gift" of a story, to help us find gifts in unexpected places.
What Will We Pray For?	Jewish	5:39 minutes
Even the wise can gain wisdom. What will the Rabbi pray for?
Momma Sandi
Story	Tradition	Length
Paka the Cat	African	5:1 minutes
Who's the biggest, baddest cat in the forest?
Sister Wind and Sister River	African American	3:54 minutes
Did you ever stop to think about what is really going on when the rivers ebb and flow?
Sadarri Saskill
Story	Tradition	Length
Goldilocks and the three bears	Classic fairy tale	8:31
The three bears take a walk in the woods while their porridge cools. While they are out, Goldilocks comes into the house. She tastes the bears’ porridge, breaks the little bear's chair, and falls asleep in his little bed. When the bears return from their walk, they discover what Goldilocks has done. In fact, she is still sleeping in the little bear's bed. Goldilocks wakes up and runs away.
Joyce Slater
Story	Tradition	Length
Polar Bear and the trolls	Swedish	4:06
A hunter decided to offer a live polar bear to the king. As the hunter and the bear were traveling, they stopped for a rest at a house that at Christmas time was being invaded by ill-minded trolls. When the trolls tried to play a joke on the sleeping bear, the bear chased them out of the house forever .
Mary Carter` Smith
Story	Tradition	Length
The Blind Man and the Bird	African	6:31 minutes
How can a blind man hunt?
Shahla Sohail
Story	Tradition	Length
Uncle No Rouz (Amu No Rouz)	Iranian	6:12 minutes
The old woman is very anxious to see Uncle No Rouz (Amu No Rouz)and works hard to clean and decorate her little house for him.
Lady Beetle (Khaleh Souskeh)	Iranian	5:28 minutes
Lady Beetle (Khaleh Souskeh), decides to find a nice young man to be her husband.
Ed Stivender
Story	Tradition	Length
Cinderella	European	4:25 minutes
Think you know Cinderella? Think again.
Honey Bunny	American	5:12 minutes
Brer Fox, who has a hankering for a rabbit meal, tries to "out fox" Brer Rabbit.
Tahira
Story	Tradition	Length
Children Need Praise		2:08 minutes
It is important that children’s efforts are appreciated along with their achievements.
The Sun and the North Wind		2:24 minutes
The sun and the north wind were contesting each other's strength. They decided to pit themselves against an unfortunate traveler.
Dovie Thomason
Story	Tradition	Length
Beaver Woman and the Eagle	Native American	4:42 minutes
A traditional Lakota (Sioux) lesson-story about the qualities that TRULY make someone GREAT.
Mice Make Peace	Native American	5:11 minutes
A traditional Iroquois lesson-story that shows that even the small can achieve great things.
Beth Vaughan
Story	Tradition	Length
A Harper in Fairy Land	Greek-English	6:07 minutes
Medieval Orpheus and Eurydice - with a happy ending
The Devil's Bridge	Celtic	4:51 minutes
Welsh legend of a clever old woman.
Donna Washington
Story	Tradition	Length
Anansi and the Hat Shaking Dance	African	5:04
Anansi, the spider, being extremely hungry, went to his mom to get some food. There he has a little misfortune.
Nanette Watts
Story	Tradition	Length
Tales are better than gold	Contemporary	5:15
Three brothers stopped at the house of an old woman to rest during a trip to a new place where they wanted to settle down. Although their pockets were filled with gold, the old woman wanted them to share a tale with her instead of payment. Two brothers gladly told her a tale, but the third one refused. The old woman ushered him out. He went to other houses around wanting to pay for the night with gold. But everywhere there were all kinds of danger. In terror he returned to the old woman’s home begging her to let him in.
Diane Williams
Story	Tradition	Length
Annie Mae Jumps the Broom	African American	6:23 minutes
This story explains a tradition that has been revitalized in African-American weddings today. During the times of slavery in America there once were two slaves who were in love and wanted to get married. Aunt Minnie, the counselor on the plantation encouraged the couple to wait a few days until they were sure. Finally the day arrived and everyone was excited. Listen up what was needed to tie the marriage knots then.
Lucinda Wise
Story	Tradition	Length
Frog, the Innkeeper’s Daughter	Adapted Fable	8:09 minutes
A couple of innkeepers, after many years of waiting, finally had a baby. It turned out to be frog. Nevertheless, they loved their daughter frog very much. The daughter developed a great talent for singing. A prince walking by fell in love with her voice and decided to marry her. Through a coincidence three faeries helped the daughter frog to become a beautiful princess.