It’s been a crazy year, the kind where we look for any source of joy and laughter we can to be relieved of daily stresses. Often times, that joy and laughter is found in the fascinating people around us. If you’ve ever people-watched in a park, or in the waiting room at a doctor’s office, or at any family reunion, you know that this world is full of quirky, beautiful people. Their actions, ideas, stories, and perspectives enrich life, and make the hard times light-hearted with their authenticity. 

Today’s stories will move us all to smile at the quirky and fascinating characters of the world. We’ll hear stories of rascals that steal from others’ gardens, talented game players with beautiful Jewish traditions, and magical beings that spin feathers into fine cloth. Each story will make us a little happier with the sway of its song and the energy of its teller.

 

On today's episode, enjoy the following:

"Spin the Dreidel" by Mark Binder from A Chanukah Present (7:30)

In our first story, storyteller and writer Mark Binder, who was recently nominated for an Audie Award, tells a story of a young boy so talented at the game of spinning the dreidel that a man is willing to gamble all he owns – even the man’s own daughter’s hand in marriage – on a dreidel game against the boy. The young boy, having promised his skills would one day win him a wife, agrees to the match. Stay tuned to see who wins as Mark regales us with Spin the Dreidel, from his album A Chanukah Present.

 

"Japanese Folk Story" by Brenda Wong Aoki from Timp 2017 (8:14)

We’ve talked games, we’ve talked food, now we’ll talk love and greed! Producer, playwright, and storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki tells the story of Su, a beautiful woman with a magical gift and a husband who doesn’t know the origins of that gift. Su is able to fabricate beautiful cloth for her husband to sell, but when she makes the cloth, her husband isn’t allowed to enter the room. One day, in a spurt of greed, Su’s husband breaks this rule, and is bewildered by what he finds. Lean in close as Brenda tells her Japanese Folk Story, from the album Timp 2017. 

 

"John the Rabbit/Wolf’s Garden" by Lyn Ford from An Evening at Cedar Creek (13:40)

Ohio-born storyteller and teacher Lyn Ford explores the story of John, a rabbit who longs to eat up whole garden. One day, John the Rabbit attempts to eat up Wolf’s garden, but finds he must learn Wolf’s musical password to enter the garden gate. Find out what exactly Wolf’s garden gate password is as Lyn tells John the Rabbit/Wolf’s Garden, from her album An Evening at Cedar Creek. 

 

"Dancing Granny (Carribean Folktale)" by Eshu Bumpus from Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie to (8:05) 

Award-winning storyteller and jazz vocalist Eshu Bumpus, regales us with a story of Anansi, a lazy trickster who just keeps getting pulled from his TV by a family who demands to be fed. Anansi devises a plan to start stealing from the garden of the neighboring granny by luring her with a perfect song to boogie to. Anansi starts singing a jig and gets Granny dancing right out of her garden long enough for him to raid it. But Granny won’t take these tricks for long. Find out how she fights him off in Eshu’s Dancing Granny (Carribean Folktale) from his album Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie to. 

 

"The Boy Who Hated Latkes" by Mark Binder from A Holiday Present (4:54)

In this next piece, we’ve got a second story from the great Mark Binder today, where he tells of his son who passionately hates latkes. Latkes are a potato pancake fried in oil, and to this day, Mark’s son refuses to eat them. Listen in on the origins of his son’s distaste for this delicious Jewish treat as Mark tells The Boy Who Hated Latkes, from his album A Holiday Present. 

 

Radio Family Journal: "Grandpa's Costumes" (5:16)

It's been a fun hour getting to know all sorts of quirky characters, like sly rabbits and dancing grannies. All this quirkiness reminds Sam of a quirky character from his life. Here's another entry into his Radio Family Journal.