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This story contains scenes of violence, as some classic stories do. Listener discretion is advised

In this episode of Great Stories Well Told, we present "Why the Sea is Salt", a traditional tale told in many places and in a number of different versions.   

It is a story of a poor man, a magical gift, and what can happen when more is taken than is needed.

And it offers a simple answer to a question we have all heard: why is the sea salty?

This is  Norse folktale "Why the Sea is Salt" (originally titled Kvernen som maler på havsens bunn).  It was first translated into English in 1859 by Sir George Webbe Dasent in his book Popular Tales from the Norse. 

It has also been published in other story collections.  This version is taken from Sara Cone Bryant's book How to Tell Stories to Children, published in 1918.  

Please let me know what you think:  [email protected]

"Why the Sea is Salt" is the final story in Season 1. 

I hope that you will join me for Season 2 , scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 10th.  

"Why The Sea Is Salt" is a story in the public domain.

A podcast by SBKA LLC