Dragonfly Tales

Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages. 

So this episode's TOP FIVE is about Leo's favourite gods and goddesses. What are your favourites? Draw us a piccy and don't forget to post it in the FaceBook Group.

This episode, we welcome storyteller Sharon Carr to the podcast.

Originally from Canada, Sharon Carr, has lived in the Midlands for many years. She can trace her love of stories back to her Welsh mother who would share family tales of ghostly visits, ancient feuds and folklore that have been passed down through the generations. Sharon loves to share funny and magical stories from all over the world to enchant all age groups. She has shared stories at festivals, shared stories in museums, schools and libraries.

You can watch Sharon telling stories at the World Storytelling Cafe HERE and on YouTube HERE.

Our story is another trickster folktale - this one is a Bengali tale about a clever old lady who outwits some hungry animals in the deep dark forest. You can find a nice version of it HERE.

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

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Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Tabala Music from SFX and Music World 

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages. 

We hope you enjoyed this episode's Scavenger Hunt! We would LOVE to see some photos of all the things you found. Did you manage to find them all?

Don't forget to post pics in the FaceBook Group.

This episode, we welcome storyteller Carl Merry to the podcast.

Carl was once a teacher and ran storytelling clubs and story days in schools to engage children with storytelling. 

He’s been a professional storyteller for over 20yrs, and has performed at loads of festivals, theatres, community groups and schools across the country. He’s performed in medieval costume too at re-enactment days. He loves the history and folklore of Essex and has devised lots of stories about ancient burial grounds, witch trials.

You can find out more about Carl at his website HERE.

Our story is an old trickster folktale from ancient China - it features a recurring character called Lazy Dragon, who is a thief. But he only steals from the rich, and gives what he steals to the poor and needy - a bit like Robin Hood. Most of the stories are a bit grown up, but we thought you'd like this one!

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

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Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Music from Free Music Archive and Beat Source 

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages.

We hope you enjoy the return of LEO's TOP FIVE! Don't forget to post pics of your doggies and ideas for other top fives in the FaceBook Group.

This episode, we welcome storyteller Eamonn Keenan to the podcast.

Eamonn loves telling stories from Irish lore, particularly stories of heroes, fairies and ghosts. He learned many stories from his father, who was also a storyteller and a singer.

Now Eamonn tells stories to children and adults and has told in many different countries England Ireland, Finland, USA and Australia.

Eamonn will be bringing out an audio collection of folk tales later this year and you can watch him perform HERE at the World Storytelling Cafe.

Our story is an old folktale that has travelled the world - it has been told by travelling communities, such as the Romani, for centuries. It has lots of names but is usually called 'The Three Golden Hairs of the Sun King'.

We love this story and its introduction of the Fate sisters - you can find out more about the Three Fates Here.

How many other things come in threes in this story?

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

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Facebook  

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Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Music from Free Music Archive 

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages.

It's the merry month of May, and we can feel summer drawing near. We'd love to see some photos of your outdoor activities - don't forget to post them in the FaceBook Group.

This episode, we welcome storyteller Valentine Hanson to the podcast.

Valentine is an actor and storyteller from East London. He's played lots of characters from history and told of their lives to audiences and families in schools, museums, heritage sites and, most recently, online to families at home.

Valentine likes to tells stories from African and Caribbean folklore.

This particular tale is a Swahili story called The Heart of the Monkey. Swahili is a language spoken in countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in East of Africa.

You can learn more about Swahili HERE and more about Swahili folktales HERE.

Our story is in celebration of the Gaelic/Celtic festival Bealtaine, also known as May Day across Europe. It's a fire festival, and like the Samhain, a time when faery folk are about. 

You can find out more about celebrating this time of year HERE.

The story is part folktale, part original tale. We took lots of influence from the Estonian Folktale 'Mikku and the Trees', retold by Margaret Read MacDonald, for the first part.

But the arrival of the Green goddess is our own imagining of what she looks like, how she speaks and, most importantly, what she wants us to remember. We are all guardians of nature and the earth.

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

Patreon

Facebook  

Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Music from Soulpacifica - tihana.net/soulpacifica 

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages.

  ***We had some tiny audio issues this week. We hope it doesn't affect your fun. Naughty Pixies! Thanks for listening***

This episode, we welcome storyteller Hannah Need to the podcast.

Hannah , The Storyteller of Southfields, is a professional storyteller based in London who loves to tell traditional tales with a twist or two. Her storytelling work takes her to schools, festivals, storytelling events, clubs and more recently the world of zoom and podcasts.

If you'd like to find out more about Hannah and her stories, you can check out her website HERE.

Our story is from Ancient China and it's a very strange and slightly spooky tale of transformation. We like ALL witches, good AND bad, and Third Lady is an interesting character indeed! You can read a version of this tale in Angela Carter's collection HERE. (she's called Mrs Number 3)

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

Patreon

Facebook  

Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Music from Musicmood No copyright Music 

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages.

We hope you have enjoyed some holiday fun where you are!

This episode, we welcome storyteller Sef Townsend to the podcast. 

Sef has spent many years animating children and adults through the medium of story, language, rhythm and song and he is equally at home in a nursery school; in the family atmosphere of a local festival; or at a national museum.

Recent work has taken him from shantytown schools in South Africa to the British Museum; from the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Centre to remote villages in the West Bank.

In the last couple of years he has shared stories, given workshops and conducted his own research in Belgium, China, Italy, Argentina, and Chile, as well as writing ‘London Folktales for Children’, with colleague Anne Johnson, and their ‘London’s River Folktales for Children’ will be published by The History Press early next year.

If you want to find out more about Sef, visit his website HERE.

Our story is from Aotearoa New Zealand and is an old Maori myth. The Maoris are the indigenous people of Aotearoa and you can learn lots about their history and culture HERE.

Maui is a trickster demi-god, and is always up to something. But many of his tales are about how he created and formed Aotearoa. You can read more about Maui and the myths of this amazing place HERE.

We also ADORE this play of Maui Tames The Sun so check it out HERE.

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

Patreon

Facebook  

Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

War Drums music by N

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages. 

This episode we launch on April 1st - also known as APRIL FOOLS DAY! Yes, it's a day for pranks and tricks - but keep them light-hearted and silly

If you want to more about the origins of April Fool's Day, you can read more HERE.

And for a list of silly and harmless pranks to pull on your family, you can go HERE.

This episode, we welcome storyteller Wendy Shearer to the podcast. 

Wendy Shearer is a Storyteller and Writer, with a love for bringing folktales, myths, and legends to life. She tells stories at festivals, in schools, and venues including The British Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the Royal Academy of Arts. 

Wendy’s repertoire is drawn mostly from her Afro-Caribbean heritage. She tells tales of trickster, spirits, and shapeshifters, peppered with memories handed down from her Grandmother. 

Her first two books: ‘African and Caribbean Folktales, Myths and Legends’ and ‘Caribbean Folktales with Windrush Migration Stories’, will be published by Scholastic and The History Press in 2021.

Our story is all about the wise fool Nasruddin.

He’s a wonderful character whose tales are told all across the Islamic world – India, Pakistan, the middle east, turkey, Afghanistan, even parts of Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Russia, even China.

Mullah Nasruddin is sometimes called 'Hodja' – which means master, and his lessons are very interesting. He gets up to all sorts of funny antics, but we also learn that he can be unusually wise. Lots of people go to him to advice – from peasants to Emperors.

You can find out more about Nasruddin HERE and there is a lovely book of his tales HERE.

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

Patreon

Facebook  

Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Arabic music by ALD - No Copyright Music

Video Link: https://youtu.be/4TnANpid7ac

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages. 

Happy St Patrick's Day (for yesterday). As you know, Emily & Leo are of Irish heritage and on the 17th March we celebrate the patron saint of Ireland - Saint Patrick. 

But he wasn't actually Irish!

If you'd like to learn more about St Paddy you can do so HERE. 

Our little Irish lullaby at the end is a famous song called 'The Castle of Dromore'. Emily's parents used to sing it to her and she sang it to Leo when he was a baby. 

There is an Irish Gaelic phrase in the song ' A pháiste bán a stór'. It means 'my fair-haired darling'. Awwww!

This episode, we welcome storyteller Sarah Lloyd Winder to the podcast. Sarah is a professional storyteller who seeks out tales from around the world to tell at a variety of venues and situations. From Folktales that tell the story of how Iceland got its volcanoes and Denmark its fjords to the beautiful myths and folklore of Japan, she seeks stories of beauty, horror, comedy and the way people act.

If you would like to find out more about Sarah and her stories, you can visit her website HERE.

Our story is a favourite - a 'Jack' tale. There are lots of versions of this story all over the world, where the character follows the advice but gets it muddled or delayed. But it all turns out alright in the end!

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

Patreon

Facebook  

Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

The Jazz Piano by Bensound.com

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages. 

It's March! Happy coming of Spring! 

And we have two great stories for you in this episode.

This episode, we welcome storyteller Jill Lamede to the podcast. Jill, The Tintagel Storyteller, lives in the magical birthplace of King Arthur, and may often be found telling tales on the cliffs above Tintagel Castle. 

Jill is telling a lovely story called Small Creatures, a tale from Romania shows that even the Creator may make a few mistakes.

You can find out more about Jill on her website HERE. And you can watch Jill telling her stories on her YouTube channel HERE.

Our story follows Rosie and Tommy, two children living in London in WW2. Lots of children lived through the Blitz in London and were evacuated to the countryside.

 If you would like to find out more about children in London during WW2, you can learn more HERE or check out these excellent books:

 Bombs and Blackberries by Julia Donaldson

Horrible Histories - Woeful Second World War

Wave me Goodbye - Jacqueline Wilson

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

Patreon

Facebook  

Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Fairy Garden Harp Music by Chris Collins

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Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages.

So there is lots going on right now. Hurray! Valentine's Day, Pancake Day (UK) and Chinese New Year! 

And we have THREE amazing stories for you in this episode.

Our first is from our young guest teller, Sofia. She is 8 years old and is telling a traditional tale from her home in France - Fox and Crow. Animal tales appear in every culture on every continent, and this one is a lovely version of an Aesop fable. Fox fools crow with its cunning and wit to win some food. A beautiful telling, Sofia! Bravo!

If you would like to read more about the French version, you can do so HERE.

This episode, we also welcome Master storyteller Daniel Morden. Daniel has been a storyteller for thirty years and he loves tales of all shapes, sizes and origins.

You can watch him tell a tale on his YouTube channel HERE.

Daniel has also written many fantastic books. You can find them by clicking HERE.

And check out his website www.danielmorden.org

Our story celebrates Chinese New Year and explores the wonderful link between stories and customs. If you want to learn more about this amazing yearly festival and its stories, you can go HERE.

Welcome to Season 2 of Dragonfly Tales, a story podcast for children of all ages.

So it's National Storytelling Week here in the UK! So we are celebrating everything story! If you would like to know more, then please visit The Society for Storytelling Website or Facebook Page and share your story fun.

We have two lovely stories for you and in this episode we welcome guest storyteller Rachel Ann Harding.

She is a traditional storyteller and musician, passionate about myth, and traditional tales. In 2018 she performed at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN and is the creator and producer of the Story Story Podcast, featuring wonderful tellers and tales from around the world (including us!).

Our story is a Native American tale about how things came to be. You can find out more about the wonderful connections between humans and nature in many Native American Tales and this is a great place to start: The Girl who helped Thunder and other Tales

Remember to join us over on Patreon. You also get early access, AD FREE episodes, bonus content, videos and birthday shout outs!! So hop on over and help to support us. 

You can follow us and join us on:

Patreon

Facebook  

Instagram

Thanks for listening!

Theme Music by Leo Grazebrook on GarageBand

Storytelling and songs by Emily Hanna-Grazebrook 

Guitar & Production by Andy Grazebrook

Art by Light Creative

Sound effects by Uppbeat

Chinese and Medieval Music by Royalty Free YouTube

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