If you’ve ever dreamed about traveling to Japan, getting rich, or serving justice on your grumpy neighbors, then this episode will be like a dream come true - and as an extra bonus, there’s a sprinkle of magic in there too. Today we’ll be hearing tales that’ll inspire both sorrowful sympathy and warm, fulfilled smiles from great tellers such as Susan Strauss, Alton Chung, and Charlotte Blake-Alston!

On today’s episode, enjoy the following:

“How Racoon Got His Dinner” PART I by Charlotte Blake-Alston

“Tanuki and Usagi” by Alton Chung

“The Wolf’s Eyelashes” by Susan Strauss 

“How Racoon Got His Dinner” PART II by Charlotte Blake-Alston

Alton performs at storytelling festivals internationally, sharing stories and legends from Hawaii and spreading aloha.  He also tells stories from the Hawaiian Monarchy and the Plantation Days as well as Asian folk tales from all around the Pacific Rim.  Alton is also passionate about sharing stories of the Japanese American Experience of WWII.  In 2005, Alton was awarded the first J.J. Reneaux Emerging Artist Award by the National Storytelling Network.  He has performed at the Congress of Asian Storytellers in Singapore, the International Gimme Story Storytelling Festival in the Cayman Islands, as well as venues in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan..  He has also performed at the Talk Story Festival, the Bay Area Storytelling Festival, the Four Corners Storytelling Festival, the Oklahoma City Storytelling Festival, and has been a Featured Teller at the National Storytelling Festival.