The Apple Seed

Assistant Producer Kassie Schreiber shares some her favorite stories, tellers, and moments that she’s had so far while working on The Apple Seed. Tellers include Susan Klein, Willy Claflin, and Kim Weitkamp, as well as a featured segment from our previous episode, “Moral of the Story”.

Persephone by Susan Klein (2:52)

Susan Klein's interpretation of the age old Greek myth of Persephone. Learn more about Susan Klein by visiting: www.susanklein.net

Brazilian Folk Characters (18:14)

A clip from The Apple Seed episode "The Moral of the Story", wherein Andre Marques, our sound engineer, explains some Brazilian folk characters he remembers from his childhood. You can listen to the rest of that episode by clicking on this link: Moral of the Story

So What and Drop Dead by Willy Claflin (24:18)

Maynard Moose’s take on Snow White and Rose Red. Learn more about Willy Claflin by visiting: www.willyclaflin.com

WZIX by Kim Weitkamp (34:50)

A story from Kim's childhood about how her mother helped her process the first brush of grief. Learn more about Kim Weitkamp by visiting: www.kimweitkamp.com

When you’re in a creative pinch there are different ways of finding your flow again, different brainstorming tools that will hopefully unclog your mental drain and let your art run smoothly out of you. And we wanted to look at one of those methods on this episode. It’s called a mind map, and what you do is start off with a general topic, word, or idea. From there you let your mind jump from that topic to something else that word or idea made you think of and you kind of continue with this free association training until your creativity is up and running again. Listen along to hear what stories our mind map takes us to on this episode of The Apple Seed.

The Gypsy Wagon by Dan Keding (2:00)

Dan recalls his childhood and how the gypsies would roll into their immigrant chicago neighborhood with unique things to sell and a horse drawn wagon. Learn more about Dan Keding by visiting: www.dankeding.com

Maruska and the Twelve Months by Beatrice Bowles (7:36)

Maruska's wicked stepmother and stepsister keep asking her to fulfill ridiculous requests but she manages to carry them through with help of the Twelve Months she meets high in the mountains. Learn more about Beatrice Bowles by visiting: www.beatricebowles.com

The Old Apple Tree by Diane Edgecomb (20:27)

The Apple Tree is a fixture in the neighborhood but as it gets older it struggles to produce the same amount of fruit it used to so the tree waits for someone to properly enjoy the few apples it has left. Learn more about Diane Edgecomb by visiting: livingmyth.com

Jimmy and the Seed by Susan Reed (32:31)

Jimmy has a seed that he refuses to plant but people in his life encourage him to plant it because they know it will yield more good than if he lets the seed just sit in his pocket. This story also includes an accompanying song entitled "Seed". Learn more about Susan Reed by visiting: www.susanreed.com

Jack and the Christmas Tree by Mark Binder (41:12)

The tale of Jack and the Beanstalk with a little holiday spin. Learn more about Mark Binder by visiting: markbinder.com

You can't always get what you want. But when you can't get that you often end up getting what you need, whether it's tins of milk, a new perspective or magical aide. And if you're very lucky every now and then you not only get what you need but you also get what you want.

The Lake of Eternal Youth by Laura J. Bobrow (1:28)

A king who studies black magic wants to stay forever young but in order to help him with that ritual his wife must first pass a test of bravery. Learn more about Laura J. Bobrow by visiting: www.laurajbobrow.com

Lady in White by Laurie Allen (8:15)

In an old western shop a lady frantically comes in over the course of three days, every time asking for a tin of milk and leaving expensive jewelry in exchange. The honest tradepost worker tries to find the woman in order to make a fair trade but when he finds her he encounters an unexpected situation. Learn more about Laurie Allen by visiting: utahstorytelling.org/laurie-allen-americana-storyteller-guitarist

A Room of My Own by Donald Davis (14:27)

When Donald is 3 years old, his little brother is born. At first, Donald loves sharing a room with his brother and they become great friends, but when Donald turns 13, he suddenly hates his brother and his family and all he really wants is a room of his own. Until he goes to summer camp. Learn more about Donald Davis by visiting: www.ddavisstoryteller.com

The Three Spinning Fairies by Odds Bodkin (45:27)

A girl who hates to spin gets stuck in a situation where her life depends on it, when her mother tells the queen of the land that all her daughter does everyday is spin. Learn more about Odds Bodkin by visiting: www.oddsbodkin.net

This is the season of the National Storytelling Festival, the event more prominent, perhaps, than any other in the story of the storytelling Revival in America. The festival is now in it’s forty-fifth year, and is characterized by more than ten thousand people descending upon the tiny town of Jonesborough, Tennessee, the oldest town in the state, to share a weekend’s worth of stories. This year, the festival features a lot of our favorites, as well as a host of new voices, and we’re going to bring you some of those folks on this episode of the Apple Seed: Tellers and Stories.

Look it Up by Donald Davis (1:47)

www.ddavisstoryteller.com

The Apron by Madeline L Pots (17:11)

www.madelinelpots.com

Iron John and The Little Drummer Boy by Willy Claflin (45:20)

www.willyclaflin.com

A lot of the stories that we play here on the Apple Seed are stories passed down orally from generation to generation. We’ve got a lot of respect around here for oral storytelling traditions around the world. But there’s something special about the inspiration, edification, entertainment, and enrichment that comes from stories written on paper that you can store on a bookshelf and take down when you want to, devouring your favorite passages in silence or out loud. On this episode, we’re sharing performances by some of our favorite storytellers of the literature they love.

Sir Gawain and Lady Ragnell by Ed Stivender (6:07)

Based on a 15th century poem called "The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle", which is, itself, a retelling of a story a lot of people know as "The Loathly Lady". No one knows who the original author is, but this is Ed's take which was recorded at the National Storytelling Festival. Learn more about Ed Stivender by visiting: edstivender.com

The Two Skyscrapers who Decided to Have a Child by Angela Lloyd(16:50)

Written by Carl Sandburg, the story was originally published in 1922 as part of his collection Rootabaga Stories, but that recording of the story about two skyscrapers was made in the wake of September 11, 2001. Learn more about Angela Lloyd by visiting: www.angelalloyd.com

The Cask of Amontillado by Syd Lieberman (27:09)

Written by Edgar Allen Poe this story makes deliberate jabs at his rival author, Thomas Dunn English, by alluding to characters and events in his novel. Others have also interperted this story as a way to scare people out of drinking, but whatever the reason he wrote the story it still makes for quite a scare. Learn more about the late Syd Lieberman by visiting: www.sydlieberman.com

Cyrano De Bergerac by The Acting Company (40:03)

The final scene from Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, in a readers theater performance by Suzanne Christensen, Noah Kershisnik, Leah Kershisnik, and Sam Payne.

Assistant Producer, Victoria Hardy, shares some of her favorite stories from tellers Molly Catron, Jay O'Callahan, Leeny Del Seamonds, and Kate Dudding.

Roots and Raccoons by Molly Catron (1:33)

Molly fondly recounts the story of her great grandfather and his family. She reluctantly decides to take her four granddaughters to the White family reunion. Despite her fears of the family judging her raccoon-eyed, wannabe rock star granddaughter, she learns that family connections can bridge any gap. Learn more about Molly Catron by visiting: www.mollywcatron.com

Max by Jay O'Callahan (20:06)

A story about a boy named Max whose grandparents teach him, “If you’re in love and you have a song, you can do anything. The ordinary laws don’t apply.” Max takes their advice and woos his crush, Emma, while simultaneously saving her father’s jewelry store from bankruptcy. Learn more about Jay O'Callahan by visiting: ocallahan.com

Cielito Lindo by Leeny Del Seamonds (32:07)

A personal story from Leeny about how she was teased for her height, her glasses, her ears, and her moles and how her mother sings her a song to help her realize it's her unique qualities that make her special. Learn more about Leeny Del Seamonds by visiting: www.leenydelseamonds.com

In the Face of Evil by Kate Dudding (41:11)

Kate goes to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and hears the stories of three people form the Oklahoma city terrorist attack--a survivor, a rescuer and the father of a victim. Learn more about Kate Dudding by visiting: www.katedudding.com

Storyteller Donna Washington collects and shares stories from all over the world, with audiences all over the world. We caught up with her at the St. Louis Storytelling Festival, where we heard her perform for audiences of all ages. On today’s episode, we’ll share a recording of a performance for a group of St. Louis elementary school students, as well as a conversation following the gig. It’s stories from India, Germany, China, and the USA, with Donna Washington, on today’s episode of the Apple Seed: Tellers and Stories. Find more of Donna and her work at www.dlwstoryteller.com

The Brahman, the Tiger, and the Mouse (1:30)

Donna Washington Interview (15:28)

A Knock at the Door (24:41)

Brer Possum and the Frogs (35:34)

The Blanket and the Bowl (51:22)

There are times in our lives when we have memorable encounters. We can meet our hero. Return to our family after a long absence. Or fall in love with a glance. And it can be hard to put those experiences into words though because we feel like we’re interacting with something beyond our normal scope of reality, something so magical it probably belongs in a fantasy. Which are the kinds of stories featured in this episode, stories in fantastical realms where the characters meet creatures in mystical places that change the course of their lives.

Dragon Mountain by Sophie Snell (Part 1) (1:27)

A young boy named David, whose life gets shook up after his mother is bitten by a snake spurring him on a journey to retrieve a dragon’s tooth to cure her. Learn more about Sophie Snell by visiting: www.sophiesnell.co.uk

Dragon Mountain by Sophie Snell (Part 2) (12:40)

David enters Dragon Mountain and beholds all the wonders within it before reaching the dragon's lair.

Dragon Mountain by Sophie Snell (Part 3) (27:50)

The conclusion of the story where things take a turn once David meets the dragon.

Blind Harry by Jess Smith (39:09)

When Blind Harry is walking home unescorted one night after providing his incredible fiddle music for the local Lord’s daughter’s wedding he gets swept into the bog where he's asked to play his fiddle for another wedding, and this time it's for the elf king's daughter. Learn more about Jess Smith by visiting: www.jesssmith.co.uk

Whether it’s the ominous music of Jaws, discovering little sea creatures like crabs or oysters, or a romantic walk on the beach, the ocean means something different to all of us. This episode features a range of songs and stories from Michael Katz, Brian "Fox" Ellis, Jill Lamede, Charlotte Blake Alston, Bob Reiser, Allison Downey, and Heather Forest that will sail you beyond the sea!

Hole in the Sea by Charlotte Blake Alston (1:19)

A gardener goes to great lengths to find something to cover her head everyday from the sun and rain and she finds a rock in the ocean that'll do the trick. The only thing is that it covers a giant bottomless pit. Learn more about Charlotte Blake Alston by visiting: www.charlotteblakealston.com

Ishiusu by Michael Katz (8:33)

A poor Japanese man finds a magic mill that he uses to make rice cakes and soon becomes very rich. His already wealthy brother decides to steal the mill stone, in the hopes that it will make him even richer. Learn more about Michael Katz by visiting: www.storytellermichael.com

In the Realm of the Seal King by Brian "Fox" Ellis (23:08)

While waiting for her father to return home from seal hunting a young girl is whisked away to the underwater kingdom of the Seal King himself where she experiences a change in perspective. Learn more about Brian "Fox" Ellis by visiting: foxtalesint.com

The Mollusk's Tale by Bob Reiser (34:50)

A story about an oyster named Pearl who is confronted with an oyster hunter and learns that her most important gift is not the magnificient pearl in her mouth but rather knowing when to speak. Learn more about Bob Reiser by visiting: www.bobtales.com

The Blue Fish by Jill Lamede (43:52)

A poor fisherman, whose father used to be an expert fisherman but who is now too frail to help, can't seem to catch a fish until one day when he finally catches a magic blue fish that grants him one wish. Learn more about Jill Lamede by visiting: www.lamede.com

Zig Zag Walk by Heather Forest (49:59)

A sweet song about a crab who learns to walk zig zag just like her mother. Learn more about Heather Forest by visiting: www.heatherforest.com

Blue Deep Aegean by Allison Downey (52:31)

A love song about the Aegean sea. Learn more about Allison Downey by visiting: allisondowney.com

In his iconic song, Superstition, Stevie Wonder states “When you believe in things you don’t understand, then you suffer, superstition ain’t the way”. However, if superstitions are erroneous beliefs that often cause one to suffer how is it that they stick around? Maybe it's because they make such interesting stories that range from making you laugh to raising the hair on the back of your neck. Whatever your own view of superstitions may be these stories are worth your time!

Mule Humans by Tim Lowry (1:20)

A husband and wife exchange some words to each other on an "amber day" about how certain parts of the other person's body looks like a mule and then those body parts actually turn into mule parts! Learn more about Tim Lowry by visiting: www.storytellertimlowry.com

The Goophered Grapevine by Charlotte Blake Alston (13:22)

A story about a southern plantation of grapes that the owner had cursed by the local “conjuring woman” when too many people were stealing and eating the grapes. Learn more about Charlotte Blake Alston by visiting: www.charlotteblakealston.com

The Boogin in the Gray Graveyard by Donna Washington (39:24)

There is a king that is super superstitious - to the point where it’s a problem because it prevents him from doing his job properly. He’s so afraid of bad luck he’s practically incapacitated so his staff comes up with a way to make him believe he’ll never have bad luck again. They tell him that if a shirt is sewn in the Gray Graveyard - which is rumoured to be haunted - that it will be the luckiest shirt in the world and if he were to wear that shirt the good luck would seep into him and therefore bad luck would never touch him. Learn more about Donna Washington by visiting: www.dlwstoryteller.com