AARON SHEPARD STORIES
(excerpts from posts)
(If you want to retell any of the stories listed below, be sure to obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain)

1) GOS #11 ~ Master Maid: A Tale of Norway
GENRE: Folktale
CULTURE: Norway
THEME: Stubbornness
AUDIENCE: Ages 5 and up
TIME: 12 min.

2) GOS #12 ~ The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend
GENRE: Legend, epic ballad
CULTURE: Russian (medieval)
THEME: Making choices, value of arts
AUDIENCE: Ages 10 and up
TIME: 10 min.

3) In addition, two earlier Gifts of Story have been restored to the series:
GOS #9 ~ The Calabash Kids: A Tale of Tanzania
GOS #10 ~ The Hidden One: A Native American Legend

From Aaron's home page, click on Aaron's Storytelling Page, then on Gifts of Story. As always, you are welcome to tell the stories in live performance or broadcast.

http://www.aaronshep.com

Aaron's specialty is retelling folktales and other traditional literature from around the world. His work has been honored by the American Library Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society.

Three new Gifts of Story have been added to my Web site:

GOS #15 ~ The Magic Brocade: A Tale of China
GENRE: Folktale
CULTURE: China
THEME: Following dreams; creative process
AUDIENCE AGE: 7 and up
TIME: 12 minutes

GOS #16 ~ Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria
GENRE: Folktale
CULTURE: Nigeria (Hausa)
THEME: Dangers of boastful pride
AUDIENCE AGE: 4 and up
TIME: 10 minutes

GOS #17 ~ The Boy Who Wanted the Willies: A Tale for Halloween
GENRE: Folktale
CULTURE: Europe
THEME: Fearlessness
AUDIENCE AGE: 4-12
TIME: 10 minutes

From my home page, click on Aaron's Storytelling Page, then on Gifts of Story. As always, you are welcome to tell the stories in live performance or broadcast.

Some of you may know about the new indexes on my Web site that make it much easier to locate the resources I have available for special needs. As an example, you can use them to find materials related to the current international situation. For stories and scripts related to peace and nonviolence, use my Theme Index.
http://www.aaronshep.com/indexes/theme.html
For stories and scripts on Iraq and the Middle East, use my Geography Index.
http://www.aaronshep.com/indexes/geography.html
And for stories and scripts on Islam, use my Religion Index.
http://www.aaronshep.com/indexes/religion.html
If you're already on my site, the indexes can be reached by links from my main page, and on many other menus, including the Gifts of Story page.

A new Gift of Story has been added to my Web site at:
http://www.aaronshep.com
This one's great fun for older kids and adults, but watch out! It's not for the squeamish!
GOS #19 ~ The Wicked Girl: A Tale of Turkey
A lovely slave girl matches wits with a handsome though bloodthirsty restaurant owner.
GENRE: Folktale, trickster tale
CULTURE: Turkey, Middle East
THEME: Strong woman
AUDIENCE AGES: 9 and up
LENGTH: 8 minutes
From my home page, click on Aaron's Storytelling Page, then on Gifts of Story. As always, you are welcome to tell the story in live performance or broadcast.

Added 11/18/03:

A new Gift of Story has been added to my Web site at:

GOS #21 ~ The Christmas Truce
By Aaron Shepard
On a Christmas Eve of World War I, British and German soldiers lay
down their weapons to celebrate the holiday together.
GENRE: Historical fiction
CULTURE: European (World War I)
THEME: War and peace
AUDIENCE AGES: 10 and up
LENGTH: 12 minutes

Added 2/8/05:

Four new Gifts of Story have been added to my Web site at:

http://www.aaronshep.com

GOS #23 ~ The Adventures of Mouse Deer: Tales of Indonesia and Malaysia
Told by Aaron Shepard

Mouse Deer is small, and many animals want to eat him -- but first they have to catch him!GENRE: Folktales, trickster tales
CULTURE: Indonesian, Malaysian
THEME: Wits vs. power
AUDIENCE AGES: 4-9
LENGTH: 18 minutes (1 + 7 + 4 + 6)

GOS #24 ~ How Violence Is Ended: A Buddhist Legend
Retold by Aaron Shepard

A prince must choose whether to heed his father's last words or take revenge on the king who has killed both parents.

GENRE: Legends, fables, sacred stories
CULTURE: Buddhist, Asian Indian
THEME: Forgiveness
AUDIENCE AGES: 10 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #25 ~ Mop Top: A Tale of Norway
Told by Aaron Shepard
A wild princess must get back her sister's head from a gang of troll girls.
GENRE: Folktales, tall tales
CULTURE: Norwegian
THEME: Heroines
AUDIENCE AGES: 5-12
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #26 ~ When the Twins Went to War: A Fable of Far East Russia
Told by Aaron Shepard
The war-loving men of the Beldy clan are once more off to battle -- but why are the wise young twins going with them?
GENRE: Folktales, fables, legends
CULTURE: Russian (Far East, native)
THEME: Militarism
AUDIENCE AGES: 7-12
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #27 ~ One-Eye! Two-Eyes! Three-Eyes!: A Very Grimm Fairy Tale
Told by Aaron Shepard
Two-Eyes is different from her sisters and others, because she has just two eyes.
GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: German
THEME: Being different
AUDIENCE AGES: 7-12, adult
LENGTH: 12 minutes
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From my home page, click on Aaron's Storytelling Page, then on Gifts of Story. As always, you are welcome to tell the story in live performance or broadcast.

Here is a full list of stories now in the series.

1. "The Legend of Lightning Larry"
2. "The Legend of Slappy Hooper: An American Tall Tale"
3. "Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India"
4. "The Enchanted Storks: A Tale of Bagdad"
5. "The Gifts of Wali Dad: A Tale of India and Pakistan"
6. "Peddler Polly and the Story Stealer"
7. "The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale"
8. "The Battle of Song: A Hero Tale of Finland," from The Maiden of Northland
9. "The Calabash Kids: A Tale of Tanzania"
10. "The Hidden One: A Native American Legend"
11. "Master Maid: A Tale of Norway"
12. "The Sea King's Daughter: A Russian Legend"
13. "The Crystal Heart: A Vietnamese Legend"
14. "Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran"
15. "The Magic Brocade: A Tale of China"
16. "Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria"
17. "The Boy Who Wanted the Willies"
18. "The Princess Mouse: A Tale of Finland"
19. "The Wicked Girl: A Tale of Turkey"
20. "More Than a Match"
21. "The Christmas Truce"
22. "King o' the Cats"
23. "The Adventures of Mouse Deer: Tales of Indonesia and Malaysia"
24. "How Violence Is Ended: A Buddhist Legend"
25. "Mop Top: A Tale of Norway"
26. "When the Twins Went to War: A Fable of Far East Russia"
27. "One-Eye! Two-Eyes! Three-Eyes!: A Very Grimm Fairy Tale"

Aaron Shepard
http://www.aaronshep.com


(This web page updated 12/3/05; 2/8/07)