Sports! - Almost everyone’s got a favorite one. In America, Canada, and Russia, hockey is a common favorite. Soccer, of course, is popular all around the world from Brazil to England. But in Japan, sumo wrestling is one of the most traditional and beloved sports. Sumo wrestling a full-contact competition where two opponents face off and try to knock the other out of a circular ring. However, there’s also a deeper reason why so many people love and participate in sports. Sports teach us fitness, dedication, honor, and so many valuable skills that will help us throughout our entire lives. Today, Motoko will share with us a story about an excellent sumo wrestler that uses both the strength of his body and his integrity to provide for his family.

 

On today’s episode, enjoy the following:

"Turtle Learns to Fly" by Dovie Thomason on Voices of the Animal People (12:29)

One of the many reasons to love Dovie Thomason is that she is never afraid to tell stories that come from her indigenous background and today’s story “Turtle Learns to Fly” is no different. In this tale from the Lakota people, Turtle wants to fly south with the birds for winter but has to learn to keep his mouth shut in order to do so. This adventure is from a collection of stories called Voices of the Animal People.

 

"Boundless Strength" by Motoko on The Promise of Chrysanthemums (13:20)

Motoko tells all kinds of stories from Asain folktales, to ghost stories, to personal memoirs. Today, she tells us a story called “Boundless Strength” where a sumo wrestler has to use his physical and moral strength to provide for his family. This tale comes from a collection of stories called The Promise of Chrysanthemums. 

 

"The Jewel" by Cindy Rivka Marshall on By the River - Women’s Voices in Jewish Stories (15:57)

Cindy Rivka Marshall has been telling stories to create a safe place governed by respect for all since 1989. Today’s story, “The Jewel” reflects that timeless value for human connection and respect, where a landlord investigates his poor tenants to confirm if the rumors of them having a jewel are true. This story comes from a collection of stories called By the River - Women’s Voices in Jewish Stories.

 

"The First Woman Doctor in the West" by Kate Carney from Heroic Woman You Can Talk To (8:07)

Kate Carney collects and performs stories of heroic women throughout history. This is a story about a person who had to have boundless strength to take up the position in history that she did - the first woman doctor in the West.