The Apple Seed

Every year, there's an event that the Apple Seed looks forward to like a lot of people look forward to Christmas: It's the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival -- one of the largest storytelling events in the country for nearly three decades. It happens right here in our backyard, at the beautiful Ashton Gardens in Lehi, Utah, and attracts great tellers from far and near. This episode of The Apple Seed features the work of just a few of the great tellers featured at this year's festival: Donald Davis, Charlotte Blake Alston, Bil Lepp, Michael Reno Harrell, Josh Goforth, and even our host, Sam Payne!

Under Adverse Conditions by Bil Lepp (1:12)

www.leppstorytelling.com

Southern Suggestions by Michael Reno Harrell (11:00)

www.michaelreno.com

The Red Scooters by Donald Davis (21:05)

www.ddavisstoryteller.com

Hammers of Steel by Charlotte Blake Alston (30:04)

www.charlotteblakealston.com

Dennis Zwang's Saxophone Prayer by Sam Payne (40:28)

www.sampayne.com

My Dearest Dear by Josh Goforth (54:31)

www.blueridgeheritage.com/josh-goforth

One of the seven deadly sins, greed has long plagued the human race. Greed causes people to do things they wouldn’t normally do, like turning on their friends and family all for the sake of obtaining wealth. Or attempting to obtain it. Greed never rewards, and in this episode we've got stories of people who are beguiled nonetheless by a range of things that glint and glitter. Stories in this episode are:

New Mother by Daniel Bishop (1:33)

Two little girls behave very poorly in order to get a pretty music box an old lady has. Learn more about Daniel Bishop by visiting: www.danielbishopthestoryteller.com

The Mountain by Sean K. Buvala (13:28)

Two brothers with different worldviews stumble upon a mountain filled with gold. The only problem is that it's guarded by giants. Learn more about Sean K. Buvala by visiting: seantells.com

The Greedy Man in the Moon by Karl Behling (23:07)

A poor boy cares for a dying sparrow and nurses him back to health so ther bird bestows a marvelous gift to him. A greedy neighbor wants the same reward so he tries to trick the bird into giving him the same gift. Learn more about Karl Behling by visiting: kbstoryteller.webs.com

Ananzi's Narrow Waist by Len Cabral (32:05)

Ananzi promises everyone in the village that he will eat with them, but when everyone’s dishes are ready at the exact same time he runs into a sticky situation. Learn more about Len Cabral by visiting: www.lencabral.com

Golden Arm by Daniel Bishop (38:25)

A story about a mean, greedy, nasty man who marries a mean, greedy, nasty woman with a golden arm.

Keeping the Gold by Heather Forest (44:19)

A song and a story about a miser who never gave away his gold. Learn more about Heather Forest by visiting: www.heatherforest.com

The Poor Man and the Rich Man's Purse by Mary Hamilton (47:28)

A rich man loses his wallet and accuses the poor man of stealing it when he tries to give it back. The amount isn't the same as what the rich man thought he'd lost so they go to a rabbi to settle the affair. Learn more about Mary Hamilton by visiting: www.maryhamilton.info

Farmer and Demon by Sean K. Buvala (51:21)

A farmer finds a demon sitting in the middle of his field atop a pile of riches and decides to strike a deal with him in order to obtain the wealth before his eyes.

In the 1940s classic film, Casablanca the leading lady, Ilsa says to the club pianist “Play it Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By’.” which spurs her and and the club owner Rick, down memory lane of their love affair several years ago. Oddly enough the line is usually misquoted as “Play it again, Sam” but whatever way you end up saying it, at the core of the line is the power of music. Highlighting that power and the joy of playing an instrument, the stories in this episode include:

That Old Piano by Michael Reno Harrell (1:27)

A song about an old piano and the nostalgia of the the south. Learn more about Michael Reno Harrell by visiting: www.michaelreno.com

The First Flute by Bob Reiser (4:12)

A folktale from the Algonquin people about a young boy in love who relies on the forest to appease his beloved’s request before she finally agrees to marry him. Learn more about Bob Reiser by visiting: www.bobtales.com

Tater's Musical Adventure by Sheila Starks Philips (17:00)

A story about a little boy’s journey of trying pretty much every instrument but not being able to play anything well until he discovers...the importance of practice! (And just the right instrument). Learn more about Sheila Starks Philips by visiting: www.sheilaphillips.com

The Fiddler & the Wolves by The Storycrafters (27:05)

A skilled fiddler is walking through the woods and he realizes something is stalking him. All he has to defend himself is a loaf of bread, a turkey leg, and his fiddle. So he tries everything he can think of to keep himself safe. Learn more about The Storycrafters by visiting: www.storycrafters.com

The Fiddler of Dooney by Joseph Sobol and Kathy Cowan (37:06)

A song that swings back and forth from the story of a fiddler to their perspective of playing - as well as some great fiddle music. Learn more about Joseph Sobol by visiting: www.josephsobol.com and more about Kathy Cowan by visiting: www.kiltartanroad.com

How Henry Hagglyhoagly Played the Guitar With His Mittens On performed by Bill Harley (42:16)

This story is written by Carl Sandburg. Henry is intent on serenading the daughter of the rutabaga king with the guitar he recently purchased but the night is so cold when he finally arrives beneath her window he decides to keep his mittens on when he plays. Learn more about Bill Harley by visiting: www.billharley.com

The Littlest Drum by Sondra Singer (49:34)

A drum maker had made a little drum for a young girl but she got sick so he gave her family money instead of the drum. Because of that choice he now struggles to sell this tiny instrument at the market until he finds just the right player for it. Learn more about Sondra Singer by visiting: www.storynet.org/teller/

Jay O’Callahan’s long form story, “The Golden Drum”, that occurs in a fantastical medieval time, where the kingdom of Artana is threatened by invasion and their only hope for defeating their enemy rests on a magical golden drum. The drum is nestled in a deep cave and guarded by three impossible tasks. This story is about the clever and unlikely protagonist that obtains the drum and saves the kingdom. You can find out more about Jay O'Callahan and his work by visiting: ocallahan.com

The Golden Drum Part 1 (1:58)

The Golden Drum Part 2 (8:50)

The Golden Drum Part 3 (21:28)

The Golden Drum Part 4 (29:39)

The Golden Drum Part 5 (39:27)

If you’re a church-goer, then you know that church is not only a place for spiritual uplift and worship, but it’s also the place where the foibles and idiosyncrasies and wonderfulness and strangeness of each member of a community is often on display for his or her neighbors. Look no further than church to find examples of resourcefulness and horse-sense, and an environment in which the limits of patience, tolerance, and good-naturedness sometimes find themselves under the most strenuous tests. Stories and songs in this episode include:

A Funeral for Cuss by Bil Lepp (2:01)

A hyperbolized story of a man named Cuss and the unique circumstances that took place at his funeral. Learn more about Bil Lepp, who has authored a parenting book entitled "Muddling Through: Perspectives on Parenting", by visiting: www.leppstorytelling.com

The Mighty Tudor's Biscuit World Biscuit Oven Organ by Adam Booth (21:10)

A tall tale about a time that Adam Booth offered his organ skills for the Easter Service of a local church. Learn more about Adam Booth, who holds a masters degree in music history, by visiting: www.adam-booth.com

The Night that Changed Everything by Geraldine Buckley (35:25)

The story of a night that changed her life, a night when Geraldine Buckley agreed to present in a maximum security prison. Learn more about Geraldine Buckley, who has several prison themed presentations, by visiting: www.geraldinebuckley.com

Church by Sam Payne and Savoy (44:24)

A song written by Lyle Lovett about a hungry congregation. Learn more about Sam Payne and Savoy, who have played all around the world, by visiting: www.sampayne.com/savoy

The Creation by Ed Stivender (48:33)

A humorous yet textually rooted telling of the creation of the world according to the bible. Learn more about Ed Stivender, who is a theologian and a banjo player, by visiting: edstivender.com

It’s been 16 years since two planes crashed into the World Trade Centers. And in this episode we wanted to take some time to listen to some stories from great tellers that resulted from that terrible day. Stories that were written to help digest hard times, heal wounds, and assist us to step forward into the future as better people.

An Everyday Hero by Anne Rutherford (2:18)

A fictional piece about how an average man chooses to make a difference after the events of September 11th, 2001. Learn more about Anne Rutherford by visiting: www.annerutherford.com

Scheherazade by Mary Grace Ketner (15:30)

The story of the woman who told the 1001 tales to keep from being killed by the sultan. Amidst that story Mary Grace Ketner shares a personal experience of being in the women’s room of a mosque to pray on the night of 9/11. Learn more about Mary Grace Ketner by visiting: talesandlegends.net

September in Alaska by Bryan Bowers (23:41)

Bryan describes his experience living in Alaska during the month of September, seeing all of the beautiful wildlife and fishing in the Kenai river with his son. Learn more about Bryan Bowers by visiting: www.somagency.com/bryan-bowers

Ohio Son by Sam Payne (38:10)

This song is about a father who watches his son grow up in Ohio. He is there every step of the way in his son’s life, including when he goes off to war in Iraq. Learn more about Sam Payne by visiting: www.sampayne.com

The Healing Sticks by Regina Ress (44:54)

Regina Ress finds healing after 9/11 with an indigenous group in Costa Rica. Learn more about Regina Ress by visiting: reginaress.com

Stories that feature or relate to the character of Baba Yaga, a character that appears in Slavic folklore as a witch of the woods, but that being said she’s more than your basic witch in the woods. She flies around like other witches but instead of donning a broomstick she rides a mortar and pestle. She’s got iron teeth. And her house stands on chicken feet, with blinking windows, often positioned behind a fence of human bones. She's unique. And complex. Sometimes she's bad like most witches but other times she's helpful, almost like a fairy godmother - either way she makes a great story.

Baba Yaga by Tim Lowry (1:43)

Sasha’s evil stepmother sends her into the woods to be eaten by Baga Yaga. Will she manage to escape before it's too late? Learn more about Tim Lowry by visiting: www.storytellertimlowry.com

Wham! Slam! Jenny-Mo-Mam! by Richard & Judy Dockery Young (13:05)

Some kids go into the woods and find an old witch who wants to eat them but they use some magic of their own to keep her at bay. Learn more about Richard and Judy Dockery Young by visiting: www.yawp.com

Russia by Mary Hamilton (21:15)

From her album "Sisters All...and One Troll" which includes Cinderella stories from around the world, this is the story of Vasilisa the Beautiful, a tale usually associated with Baba Yaga. Learn more about Mary Hamilton by visiting: www.maryhamilton.info

Little Man No Bigger Than Your Thumb by Beatrice Bowles (24:53)

A prince's sisters are kidnapped in a whirlwind and while journeying to find them he stumbles across Baba Yaga who guides him to the man who carried off his siblings. Learn more about Beatrice Bowles by visiting: www.beatricebowles.com

Katora; Lord of the Wind by Judith Black (37:17)

A father sends his daughters to marry the fierce wind that’s tearing through Siberia in order to tame him. Learn more about Judith Black by visiting: storiesalive.com

Harvest season can often be a bountiful and joyful time of the year, but a lot of what you reap is determined by what you planted in the first place. Highlighting stories of reward and/or comeuppance based on what the character initially sows, to illustrate what goes around comes back around too.

Little Yamo and The Apple Tree by Karen Golden (1:10)

A young man earns the trust of the entire forest through a series of good deeds. Learn more about Karen Golden by visiting: www.karengolden.com

The Samurai and the Sea Turtle by Dan Keding (12:50)

As a young man, a samurai sets a sea turtle free from a fisherman. Many years later their paths cross once again during a stormy night on the ocean. Learn more about Dan Keding by visiting: www.dankeding.com

Pennsy Cemetery by Kim Weitkamp (19:20)

Kim learns the story of Mr. Ramsey, the old sexton who ran the local cemetery, and how he would organize the plots based on local gossip: sinners near the tracks and saints near the trees. "Head Bone Rattles" is the song written to accompany this story about the sounds of the rattling bones as the train runs past. Learn more about Kim Weitkamp by visiting: www.kimweitkamp.com

Uncle Rabbit and Uncle Tiger by Olga Loya (41:02)

Tiger is trapped under a branch and Bull saves him, however right afterwards Tiger tries to eat Bull. They go around asking for different opinions on how a good deed should be repaid. Learn more about Olga Loya by visiting: www.olgaloya.com

The King with the Horses Ears by Liz Weir (47:49)

A king harrasses a hag and and is cursed with horse ears. Learn more about Liz Weir by visiting: www.lizweir.org

Annette Simmons said, “The telling and hearing of stories is a bonding ritual that breaks through illusions of separateness and activates a deep sense of our collective interdependence”. A common place for story swapping is within the family. In this episode of The Apple Seed, we’re focusing on stories within and about the family that draw people closer together. Some of the stories included in this episode are from the Story Corps Project and more stories can be found on their website: storycorps.org

A Story About the Story by Fran Yardley (2:08)

Fran plans to perform a story for her family, but is derailed and in the process discovers that it’s the sentiment of the memory rather than the polish of the performance that makes a story shine. Learn more about Fran Yardley by visiting: www.creativehealingconnections.org/fran-yardley

Colorless Love by Molly Catron (9:43)

Molly remembers her nanny, Evelyn. Though not a true familial connection, Evelyn’s memory is something Molly treasures. Learn more about Molly Catron by visiting: www.mollywcatron.com

Ledo Lucietto and Anne Lucietto (19:33)

A family talks about their shared passion for engineering.

Don Byles and Mackenzie Byles (22:04)

A father talks to his daughter about passing on the family business which they’ve had for over a century.

Judge Joe Pigott and Lorraine Pigott (25:23)

Joe shares memories of his step-grandfather, whose panicked reaction to the original “War of the Worlds” broadcast in 1938 has since evolved into one of their family’s favorite stories.

Grandpa Al and Max by Glenda Bonin (28:39)

Glenda’s dad and her are cleaning through the attic and the come across some things that spark the story of how her grandfather acquired his best horse, Max. Learn more about Glenda Bonin by visiting: www.storyworksgroup.com

Kevin Fredericks, Isaiah Fredericks, and Josiah Fredericks (36:05)

Two young sons ask their father a range of questions from "Where were you born?" to "Why can't we own a rollercoaster?".

The Lap by Kim Weitkamp (39:24)

Reminiscing on the various laps in her life, the changes of a body with age, and the relationships we develop with time. Kim's also plays "You Are My Sunshine" . Learn more about Kim Weitkamp by visiting: www.kimweitkamp.com

Owning a home is often considered a life milestone. But like with any major change, there are a few challenges and complications that accompany the joys and comforts of owning a house. This episode of The Apple Seed covers a whole spectrum of homeowner issues - stories of inheritance, pesky visitors and landscaping problems to name a few. Stories included in this episode:

The Fairies at Elmrock Hall by Peter J Parker (2:10)

The gardener of an estate runs into some trouble when the mistress of the house makes some landscaping requests. Learn more about Peter J Parker, who performs as Panryl the Wizard, by visiting: www.storytellerpeterjparker.co.uk

The Pig Who Went Home On Sunday by Donald Davis (19:08)

Three little pigs struggle with building a home and a pesky neighbor. Learn more about Donald Davis by visiting: www.ddavisstoryteller.com

The Little Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle by Zette Harbour (42:55)

An old woman keeps wishing for a better place to live but she’s never grateful for the upgrades a fairy grants her. Learn more about Zette Harbour by visiting: www.zetteharbour.com

Filling Up the House by Dan Keding (50:07)

A farmer asks each of his kids to fill the house for one dollar in order to determine who will inherit it. Learn more about Dan Keding by visiting: www.dankeding.com