If you know anything about animals, you know that you shouldn’t ever get between a mother and her children. Whether it be a bird, a moose, or a bear, they will protect their young with a ferocity that would scare anyone. They’re ferocious because they know there can be real threats out in the world. The trouble is, some threats aren’t just out for the animals, they can be for us too. Luckily, we also have our protectors. It can be our parents, siblings, our friends, and maybe even others. Whoever it is, they help us face the world with confidence so we can succeed. Here on The Apple Seed we are bringing you stories about people who protect others or protect themselves through many means. We have stories from Sheila Startks, Antonio Sacre, and a Song by Ryan Shupe.  

 

On today’s episode, enjoy the following:

“Gerald the Giant” by Sondra Singer from Stories of Rhythm and Fantasy (15:12)

Our first story comes from Sondra Singer, a member of the Rocky Mountain Storytellers, and The National Storytelling Network. It’s about a giant named Gerald. He’s a kind giant who lives with a community of dwarves as their protector. As much as Gerald loves his dwarf neighbors, he gets kind of lonely without the company of someone else like him. When another giant comes through their neck of the woods, however, Gerald has to decide whether the giant is a threat or if she really just needs a friend.

 

“Sole Provider” by Ryan Shupe from the Saga of Sanpitch (3:56)

Who better to protect us than our parents? Not only do they protect us from danger, they also protect us from hunger, cold, sadness, and many other types of pain. They support us when we are in need, and help us reach our full potential. Unfortunately, not everyone’s parents are this way, but we hope that everyone with children strives to be. Coming up is a song about parenthood, called “Sole Provider”. Now, this talks mostly about a father, but we know that both mothers and fathers can be providers.

 

“Dog Outsmarts the Leopard” by Sheila Starks Phillips from Family, Friends, and Other Fun Folks (3:19)

Sometimes, when there is no one else, you have to protect yourself. We’ve all seen Disney’s Tarzan fight a jaguar and win, but what if you didn’t have to fight What if there was another way out? Well, maybe there is. In this story, our friend dog has the answers on how to defeat a leopard using nothing but wit and quick thinking.

 

“Uncle Tom and the Rollercoaster of Death” by Antonio Sacre from Uncle Tom and the Rollercoaster of Death (20:54)

Antonio Sacre is a storyteller who grew up in a Cuban, Irish, American family. With that blend of culture came a lot of good stories. But Antonio wasn’t always good at stories. When he was young, he had to practice a lot to get the hang of it and still does. In this story, he tells how he began storytelling and some of his favorite stories about his uncle, Tom.