Welcome to The Apple Seed! Some time filled with stories for you and your family. Since 2013 we’ve been bringing you tall tales, personal tales, fairy tales, historical tales and more. All kinds of tales, from all kinds of tellers.

Who the heck are we anyway? Our personal identity may be defined by anything from our culture, our family, our religion, our values, our education, and more. Based upon all the factors of our lives, how do we define ourselves? What are we? Today’s collection of stories examines the “what” and the “why” of who we are.

On today's episode, enjoy the following:

"Ten Thousand Treasure Cave" by Eth-Noh-Tec from Treasure Bag of Asian Stories (2:41)

"What Is Your Deepest Desire" by Pam Faro from Andalusian Trilogy: Stories of Jews, Christians, and Muslims of Medieval Spain (19:18)

"Wave" by Anne Shimojima (21:50)

"Anansi's Children" by Charlotte Blake-Alston from Bit 'O This-Bit 'O That (30:43)

"Ash Grove" by Diane Edgecomb from In The Groves (37:11)

"Heaven and Hell" by Motoko from Tales of Now & Zen (39:40)

"Then There's Me" by Michael Reno Harrell from Then There's Me (44:44)

The Radio Family Journal: "Wherever You Go" by Sam Payne (50:09)

Carrie Sue Avyar tells a bilingual tale about a tiny ant looking for justice. There are lots of other animals in the story too, and plenty of chances to learn their names in both Spanish and English!

Welcome to The Apple Seed! Some time filled with stories for you and your family. Since 2013 we’ve been bringing you tall tales, personal tales, fairy tales, historical tales and more. All kinds of tales, from all kinds of tellers.

There’s something really great about having a sense of community. The people that surround us can add a lot of color into our lives. Whether you grew up surrounded by neighborhood cookouts, family gatherings, or just like to spend time with loved ones, everybody loves to feel that sense of belonging. One of everyone’s favorite neighbors has to be our friend Mr. Rogers, who once said “all of us, at some time or other, need help… that’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors – in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.” Isn’t that the beauty of having good neighbors?

On today’s episode, enjoy the following:

“Porque el gallo canta en la mañana: Why Rooster Crows in The Morning” by Carrie Sue Ayvar from Cuéntame un cuento: Tell Me A Story (3:13)

Radio Family Journal: "Bucket of Fish" by Sam Payne (14:19)

The Daily Mix: "Cooking for Forty" with Jenna Parker (19:49)

“Chili Cookoff” by Jennie Goldsberry (27:24)

“Kanzo’s Garden” by Lyn Ford from When The Gourd Broke: Common Sense Stories (41:36)

Songwriter and storyteller Michael Reno Harrell tells a little tale of an on-the-road adventure. There are probably all kinds of lessons to learn here. Talking about them is half the fun of hearing the story!

Welcome to The Apple Seed! Some time filled with stories for you and your family. Since 2013 we’ve been bringing you tall tales, personal tales, fairy tales, historical tales and more. All kinds of tales, from all kinds of tellers.

Life is a rollercoaster, isn’t it? And no matter what happens, we know we’re going to have days when things are hectic or difficult to handle. We’ll have challenges to overcome and hurdles to jump. The good news is that all of those difficult things will probably become great stories to tell one day, but in the meantime, sometimes life can be hard. Today’s stories are here to remind you that no matter what happens, the sun always follows darkness, and everything’s going to be alright. Today's stories are full of positive messages, laughter, and hope.

On today’s episode, enjoy the following:

“Story 8” by Catherine Conant from Timp 2017 (2:28)

Radio Family Journal: “Hatching Plans” by Sam Payne (15:17)

The Daily Mix: “The Story Pirates Podcast” with Richie T. Steadman (20:36)

“Southern Suggestions” by Michael Reno Harrell from Grit & Wit (28:27)

“The Day I Fell Out of Love with my First Car” by Anthony Burcher (38:43)

Welsh poet Leslie Norris captures the surprise of an unexpected trip to choose a new pet in this story-poem

Welcome to The Apple Seed! Some time filled with stories for you and your family. Since 2013 we’ve been bringing you tall tales, personal tales, fairy tales, historical tales and more. All kinds of tales, from all kinds of tellers.

What are the examples in your lives? We all have role models that have shaped who we are, what we like, and what we want to become. Examples are important, because they can show us what’s possible. There are, of course, bad examples, but we can use even those to learn what paths we should not go down. This means that we need to be sure what kind of example someone is when we decide to follow their footsteps. How can we do that? The answer may not be simple, but we have some stories today about examples, tricks, and consequences.

On today’s episode, enjoy the following:

“Run!” by Lyn Ford from Rabbit Tales, Too: Family, Foes, and Friends (1:47)

The Radio Family Journal: "Oil Cap" by Sam Payne (14:13)

The Daily Mix: “Raising Arizona” with Bil Lepp (19:10)

“The Story Behind the Story” by Donna Ingham from Historically Speaking (26:55)

“The Gift” by Michael Katz from Far Away and Close to Home: Magical and Mystical Tales from Around the World (34:42)

“The Night Toddler” by Andy Offutt Irwin from Crowd Control (44:00)

From a collection called "Sandburg Out Loud," Angela Lloyd shares one of Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga stories, made up by the great American poet to entertain his daughters.

Welcome to The Apple Seed! Some time filled with stories for you and your family. Since 2013 we’ve been bringing you tall tales, personal tales, fairy tales, historical tales and more. All kinds of tales, from all kinds of tellers.

Today’s episode is full of fun tales to really get you in the dancing spirit. No matter how your day might be going, a good upbeat song and a little dance is always a good cure to lift your spirits. Whether you're a classicly trained ballet dancer, a self-taught pop-and-locker, or just like to bounce along to the beat of your favorite songs, moving along to the music is something we all like to do from time to time. We’ve got a great selection of stories for you today all about people who love to sing and dance.

On today’s episode, enjoy the following stories:

“Dancing Granny (A Caribbean Folktale)” by Eshu Bumpus from Dancing Granny and Other Tales to Boogie To (2:47)

Radio Family Journal: "Skyler's Drink" by Sam Payne (13:17)

The Daily Mix: “To The Last Whale” with Don Shelline (19:46)

“Elaina’s Birthday Dance” by Sheila Arnold from Hands Wide Open (27:32)

“Og Saves the World” by Mark Binder from A Holiday Present (47:10)

“Now I’ve Gotcha” by Priscilla Howe from The Ghost with the One Black Eye and Other Stories (51:12)

Bilingual storyteller Antonio Sacre share an old tale about a mouse family, and its trouble with a ferocious cat. It's mama mouse to the rescue, and there's a lesson for her mouse children in her solution.