The Apple Seed

Sam Payne shared the stage with Tim Lowry at the 2017 Vernal Storytelling Festival. In this episode, get a feel for the vibrant local festival held in the heart of "Utah's Dinosaurland." Storytelling events over the weekend included workshops and entertaining performances from Tim and Sam. Live recordings from the festival in this episode include:

A little bit of Gullah and a familiar Jack Tale

Tim Lowry is a proud Southerner who has the charm, hospitality and manners to follow suit. In this performance, he shares a bit of his knowledge of the Gullah language and culture as well as a fun spin on a familiar Jack tale.www.storytellertimlowry.com

Coconuts

Were you ever in a grade school play? Listen to this rollercoaster tale of understudies and underdogs to find out why it is so aptly titled "Coconuts." Former high school theatre understudy and current host of The Apple Seed are just a few of the many things that can be found in Sam's curriculum vitae, learn more about our host as performer by visiting www.sampayne.com

The Man Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything

People say reading is fun, but Tim Lowry can tell you that it's hard work! However, anything that's worth a great reward is worth the hard work. In this story from the Blackfoot Native American tradition, Tim Lowry shares a treasure from the world of reading.

Tellers and stories on BYUradio.

1\. An object at rest will remain at rest until acted upon, and an object in motion will remain in motion. 

2\. Force equals mass times acceleration.

3\. For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. 

Those are the laws of motion according to Sir Isaac Newton. What you might not have learned in your high school physics class, and indeed, might have in fact learned the hard way, are the laws of commotion, the corresponding principles to Newton’s mechanics that ensure that there will always be at least a little chaos in our cosmos. The laws of commotion are as follows: 

1\. There are things in this world that can’t be stopped, and there are people in this world that will not be stopped. 

2\. Things can and will escalate quickly. 

3\. What goes around must, inevitably, come back around.

Stories included in this episode: 

Burns and His Burials

Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and lyricist, known for his role as a pioneer of the Romantic movement who was known for his blunt political and civil commentary. Celebration of his life and work became almost a national charismatic cult during the 19th and 20th centuries—but it wasn’t always this way. In this story, Mary Gavan shares how the cat kept coming back, so to speak. Learn more about Mary Gavan by visiting www.marycelticstory.ca

The Old Woman and Death

Of the certainties in this world, Death is the surest. But this story, recorded live at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, is about a woman who won’t let the laws of physics or philosophy stop her from getting things done. Learn more about Lyn Ford by visiting www.storytellerlynford.com

The Swamp Fox

An experiment in amphibious recreational vehicles that goes awry, from the inimitable Donna Ingham. Learn more about Donna's work by visiting www.donnaingham.com

A Joel Story: The Muffler Pipe

Childhood experiments often involving pushing the boundaries to their absolute limit. What do you get when you try to combine a muffler-turned-horn with a farm nestled in the mountains? Listen to Lona Bartlett's story about her little brother's curious cacophony to find out. Find more Lona Bartlett stories by visitinghttp://lonabartlett.com

Echoline

A reimagining of the Echo and Narcissus myth (Ovid’s Metamorphoses) set in the present day. There is perhaps no better narrative application of “action and reaction” than the hot tempers of the Greek and Roman gods-- even in a contemporary setting. Learn more about Kirk Waller by visiting www.kirkwaller.com

Boomerang & Lizard Man, Boomerang Song

The boomerang was first encountered by western people at Farm Cove (Port Jackson), Australia, in December 1804, when a weapon was witnessed during a tribal skirmish. The Boomerang Song teaches a dance inspired about the boomerang, Boomerang & Lizard Man is about the indigenous cultural history of the Boomerang. Learn more about Paul Taylor by visiting www.paultaylor.ws

Sam Payne is joined in conversation by Dr. Drew Williams, principal of Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, about the conventions of music making. Later, Sam is joined by some of the students at Tuacahn High who are interested in writing songs that express core parts of themselves. Other stories included in this episode: 

I Hate Music! 

Don't let the title of this hilarious story fool you: Willy Claflin is one of the most enthusiastic and energetic music makers you'd ever have the pleasure of meeting. Do you remember learning the recorder in elementary school? Relive those memories with Willy in this story. Learn more about the storyteller described as a "one-man festival" by visiting www.willyclaflin.com

Lady in Red 

Geraldine Buckley shares the story of one of her very first jobs as a radio DJ, and the story behind a song that haunts her for hilarious reasons. Learn more about Geraldine, who among other things is a world traveler and former chaplain to Maryland's largest men's prison, by visiting her website at www.geraldinebuckley.com

Miriam and the Saxophone 

This story is for anyone who wanted to take music lessons as a kid and found that being a rockstar was a lot more work than they imagined. Practice truly makes perfect in this story from Karen Golden. Learn more about Karen Golden, a purveyor of fine Jewish folktales, by visiting www.karengolden.com

Wisdom is gained through experience. A good story can expose us to lessons we’d rather not learn the hard way. Thankfully, we’re not alone in our experiences which is why proverbs and folktales often go hand-in-hand. And today, we’d like to share some of that folklore and some of those proverbs and lessons with you through stories about never saying never and always being prepared. Stories included in this episode: 

Clever Bird's Counsel

A clever bird shares some advice and then puts it in practice. Learn more about Pam Faro by visiting storycrossings.com

Never Give Up

A Russian folktale from Australian teller, Jenni Cargill-Strong, about a very persistent frog. Learn more about Jenni Cargill-Strong by visiting www.storytree.com.au

You'll Never Take Me Alive

A humorous story by Pete Griffin about being resolute in Michigan. Find more of his work by visiting www.thestorytellingranger.com

Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together

Life is often more complicated than just never and always. Learn more about Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss by visiting beautyandthebeaststorytellers.com

Bigger Badder Better

There’s always someone bigger/badder/better than you, according to Kirk Waller. Find more of his work by visiting www.kirkwaller.com

The Grass is Always Greener

In this story from Syd Lieberman, Syd and his Peace Corps companions learn how a little perspective can go a long way. Learn more about the late Syd Lieberman by visiting www.sydlieberman.com

Tellers and stories on BYUradio.

The Weber Storytelling Festival

When feisty nine-year-old Charlotte DeGrey hears the Mormon missionaries proclaim, ”The church of Jesus Christ has been restored,” she is confused. "Where has it gone? It is preached every Sunday in our drafty old church now isn’t it?” She soon finds her world turned upside down when her mother and older sister become interested in the new religion being preached in the little coal mining town of Dudley, England, in 1851. Soon the family is not only ostracized but also persecuted. While she is intrigued with the new religion, she steams with resentment at their treatment by the community that threatens to plunge her family into poverty. Her journey toward her own acceptance is filled with adventures and heartbreaks. Many new challenges present themselves as she tries to curb her temper and somehow fit into each new place, from England to a year in Boston and on to Zion. Based on a true story written by journalist Christie B. Dalley. In this episode, Christie speaks with Sam Payne about bringing Charlotte's story to life and narratives derived from the family tree. You can find copies of Charlotte's Way on amazon.com.

Other stories about family history included in this episode:

Frogs' Legs

A story about an annual gathering of the Blake Alston family, and folklore passed down through the generations. Learn more about Charlotte Blake Alston by visiting www.charlotteblakealston.com

The White Comanche of the Plains

Donna Ingham shares the story of Cynthia Ann Parker, also known as Naduah, an Anglo-American Texas woman in the 1800s who was adopted into a Comanche tribe. Find more of Donna Ingham's work at www.donnaingham.com

Arrogance is one of the most notorious vices and there are many lessons to be learned in learning the difference between pride and vanity. Stories included in this episode: 

Renaldo 

In this bilingual story from Leeny Del Seamonds, the difference between pride and arrogance, that Leeny learned as a lesson from her father, is emphasized. Learn more about Leeny Del Seamonds by visiting leenydelseamonds.com

Sambalele

Samba Lele is a popular children's folksong that is sung throughout parts of Brazil. In some versions of the song, a sassy monkey learns a lesson in pride. Learn more about The Storycrafters by visiting www.storycrafters.com

Apple Seed Team Roundtable

Sam, Whitney, Deidrene, and Makena gather around the table to talk about times they've eaten humble pie.

Three Strong Women

A wrestler learns lessons in humility from women with incredible strengths. Learn more about Bobby Norfolk by visiting www.bobbynorfolk.com

A round-up of stories, songs, and interviews pulled from episodes that aired during the week of 3 March - 10 March. Weekly highlights featured in today's round-up:

Stories and songs from the third Jambalaya episode. Our Jambalaya episodes featured stories that were good on their own or together. The two stories we feature in today's Saturday Round-Up are "Wayfaring Stranger" by Mike Agranoff, and "The Squire's Bride" by Heather Forest.

Excerpts from our Weber Storytelling Festival episode. This week, on our Warming Up for Weber episode, Sam Payne shared some stories from the teller featured at the Weber Storytelling Festival including this one from Antonio Sacre.

In-Practice Excerpt. Every now and then, we like to share the lessons we've learned from storytelling in segments we like to call The Apple Seed "In-Practice." This excerpt is from our Humor In-Practice episode.

Pride Roundtable. Every once in a while, The Apple Seed team gathers around the table in Studio 3 to discuss storytelling. The theme of this roundtable discussion was "a time you had to eat humble pie."