storytelling resource

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Kelsey Bates I chose to use this Future File as a way to gather stories that I will use in my professional career. I hope to be a children’s librarian in a public library setting, so I selected stories that would work well in that capacity. Most of my stories are aimed at younger children, as that is where most of my storytelling time will be spent, but I have included some stories that would work well for an older audience, around 1218. I tried to select stories from a variety of cultures to be inclusive of many different forms of stories. The Squeaky Door Source: Lockett, Mike. "The Squeaky Door." Michael Lockett Storyteller. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Mar 2012. <http://www.mikelockett.com/stories.php?action=view&id=43>. MacDonald, Margaret Read. The Squeaky Door. New York: Harper Collins Publisher, 2006. Print. Summary: A little boy stays at his grandmother’s house in a big brass bed all by himself, and even though he says he’s not going to be scared, every time she turns off the light and closes the door, he cries. His grandmother ends up bringing in a cat, a dog, a pig and a horse in to sleep with the little boy but they still get scared. Eventually they break the bed and the grandma puts all the animals back outside. The grandma oils the door the next morning and the little boy is able to sleep just fine. Information about the Story: This story originally came from a Puerto Rican folk song called “La Cama” and was retold in a short story by Pura Belpre in The Tiger and the Rabbit and Other Tales (Lippincott, 1965), according to the print source.

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Page 1: Storytelling Resource

Kelsey  Bates    

I  chose  to  use  this  Future  File  as  a  way  to  gather  stories  that  I  will  use  in  my  professional  

career.     I  hope  to  be  a  children’s   librarian   in  a  public   library  setting,  so   I  selected  stories   that  

would  work  well  in  that  capacity.    Most  of  my  stories  are  aimed  at  younger  children,  as  that  is  

where  most  of  my  storytelling  time  will  be  spent,  but  I  have  included  some  stories  that  would  

work   well   for   an   older   audience,   around   12-­‐18.     I   tried   to   select   stories   from   a   variety   of  

cultures  to  be  inclusive  of  many  different  forms  of  stories.  

 

The  Squeaky  Door  

Source:  Lockett,  Mike.  "The  Squeaky  Door."  Michael  Lockett  Storyteller.  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  2  Mar  

2012.  <http://www.mikelockett.com/stories.php?action=view&id=43>.  

MacDonald,  Margaret  Read.  The  Squeaky  Door.  New  York:  Harper  Collins  Publisher,  2006.  Print.  

 

Summary:  A   little  boy  stays  at  his  grandmother’s  house   in  a  big  brass  bed  all  by  himself,  and  

even  though  he  says  he’s  not  going  to  be  scared,  every  time  she  turns  off  the  light  and  closes  

the  door,  he  cries.    His  grandmother  ends  up  bringing   in  a  cat,  a  dog,  a  pig  and  a  horse   in  to  

sleep   with   the   little   boy   but   they   still   get   scared.     Eventually   they   break   the   bed   and   the  

grandma  puts  all   the  animals  back  outside.    The  grandma  oils  the  door  the  next  morning  and  

the  little  boy  is  able  to  sleep  just  fine.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  This  story  originally  came  from  a  Puerto  Rican  folk  song  called  “La  

Cama”  and  was   retold   in  a   short   story  by  Pura  Belpre   in  The  Tiger  and   the  Rabbit  and  Other  

Tales  (Lippincott,  1965),  according  to  the  print  source.    

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Audience:  I  see  this  audience  being  younger  children  around  3-­‐5  in  a  public  library  setting.    The  

book  is  not  that  scary  and  there  is  a  lot  of  repetition,  both  of  which  will  work  well  for  this  age  

group.      

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  I  would  draw  out  the  parts  where  the  grandma  turns  off  the  lights  and  shuts  

the  squeaky  door  to  increase  the  tension.    I  would  also  possibly  use  some  props  of  the  different  

animals  that  would  sleep  with  the  little  boy  so  that  the  children  could  reinforce  what  they  know  

about  these  animals.  

 

Clever  Beatrice  

Source:   Willey,   Margaret.  Clever   Beatrice.     New   York:   Atheneum   Books   for   Young   Readers,  

2001.  Print.  

 

Summary:  Beatrice  is  a  young,  clever  girl  who  decides  to  make  some  money  so  that  she  and  her  

mother   can   eat.     She   decides   to   outwit   the   rich   giant   living   near   her   by   doing   three   acts   of  

strength  in  order  to  win  money.    The  first  time  she  makes  him  think  that  she  can  easily  knock  

down  his   front  door  and  he  gives   in   rather   than  have  to  make  a  new  door.    The  second  time  

they  see  how  much  water  they  can  carry  from  the  well  but  Beatrice  acts  as  though  she  will  pull  

the  entire  well   out   and  once   again   the   giant   calls   it   off.     Finally,   they  decide   to   see  who   can  

throw  a  heavy  iron  bar  the  furthest.    Like  before,  she  gets  the  giant  so  scared  that  she  will  hit  

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his  relatives  in  far  distant  places  with  the  bar  when  she  throws  it  that  he  pays  her  and  she  goes  

back  to  her  mother  much  richer  than  before.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  According  to  the  author’s  notes,  this  is  a  conte,  a  version  of  a  Tall  

Tale   found   in   Michigan   and   Canada.     They   were   told   in   lumber   camps   and   had   large  

exaggerations   with   comic   effects.     This   particular   story,   according   to   the   author,   is   a  

combination  of  many  contes  involving  travelers  outwitting  rich  giants.  

 

Audience:  I  think  a  younger  audience  (5  to  10  years)  would  enjoy  this  story  as  they  can  relate  to  

a   young   protagonist   getting   the   better   of   someone   much   larger   than   they   are.     I   am   also  

picturing  this  in  a  public  library  setting,  just  because  that  is  where  I  am  hoping  to  work  once  I  

graduate.  

 

Adaptation   Ideas:   Although  contes   are   very   traditional   to   Canada   and   Northern   states   in  

America,  as  my  audience   is  younger  children  who  may  not  know  these  places,   I  am  removing  

the  mentions  of  places  like  Sault  Ste.  Marie  and  Big  Bay  de  Noc  and  replacing  them  with  generic  

directions.     This  will   also  make   it   easier   for  me   to   remember   as   I   do   not   know   these   places  

either  and  would  have  to  memorize  them,  making  it  easier  to  mess  up.  

 

Clever  Beatrice  and  the  Best  Little  Pony  

Source:  Willey,  Margaret.  Clever  Beatrice  and  the  Best  Little  Pony.    New  York:  Atheneum  Books  

for  Young  Readers,  2004.  Print.  

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Summary:  Beatrice  keeps  finding  her  horse  in  bad  condition  every  morning.    She  asks  the  baker  

who  is  also  “village  expert  on  things  not  easily  explained”  and  he  helps  her  come  up  with  plans  

on  how   to   figure  out  who   is   doing   this   to  her   pony.     The  plans   include:   putting   flour   on   the  

ground  to  see  the  footprints,  putting  the  pony   in  the  cellar  and  finally   just  catching  the  Lupin  

(an   elf-­‐like   creature).     The   baker   comes  with   her   to   catch   the   Lupin   but   falls   asleep   so   that  

Beatrice  must  bravely  catch  it  herself.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:     Like  the  previous  Clever  Beatrice  story,   this   tale  relies  a   lot  on  

French-­‐Canadian   storytelling   culture.     It   incorporates   a   Lupin,   a   common   character   in   old  

French-­‐Canadian  Folklore.  

 

Audience:  The  audience  for  this  story  would  be  7-­‐9  year  olds  as  there  are  some  terms  that  can  

be  confusing  to  younger  children  such  as  “cellar”  and  “Lupin”.      It  would  be  a  good  story  to  tell  

in  conjuncture  with  other  fantasy  creature  tales  such  as  elves,  fairies  or  brownies.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:    Much  like  the  other  Beatrice  story,  I  would  try  to  give  Beatrice  a  voice  all  her  

own  and  make  her  the  true  hero  of  this  story.    I  would  also  make  the  baker  dumber  so  that  it  is  

obvious  that  Beatrice   is  doing  all  the  work  herself.     I  might  even  have  the  children  draw  their  

own  pictures  of  a  Lupin  afterwards  as  an  activity.  

 

 

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Princess  Furball  

Source:   Ashliman,   D.   L..   "Father-­‐Daughter   Incest   in   International   Folktales   (All-­‐Kinds-­‐of-­‐Fur)."  

Folktexts:  A  Library  of  Folktales,  Folklore,  Fairy  Tales,  and  Mythology..  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  20  Feb  

2012.    

Huck,  Charlotte.  Princess  Furball.  New  York:  Greenwillow  Books,  1989.  Print.  

 

Summary:  A  young  princess  escapes  her  father,  who  was  going  to  marry  her  to  an  ogre,  with  

only  a  coat  made  of  a  thousand  furs,  three  dresses  that  were  just   like  the  sun,  the  moon  and  

the  star  and  small  presents  that  used  to  belong  to  her  mother  (a  gold  ring,  a  gold  thimble  and  a  

little  gold  spinning  wheel).    She  is  captured  by  another  king  and  made  a  servant  but  when  the  

king  throws  three  balls,  she  uses  each  of  the  dresses  to  make  him  fall   in   love  with  her.    After  

each  ball,  she  fixes  the  king  soup  and  places  one  of  her  mother’s  presents  in  it.    He  eventually  

finds  out  and  marries  her.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  Based  off  of  the  Cinderella  story  and  the  Grimm’s  “All-­‐Kinds-­‐of-­‐

Fur”.    Usually  has  an   incestuous  theme  that   I  will  not  be   including  (the  father  wants  to  marry  

the  princess  instead  of  marrying  her  to  an  ogre).  

 

Audience:  Children  around  the  ages  of  6   to  10  who  can   follow  the  many  different  aspects  of  

this  story.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  I  would  probably  use  some  props,  such  as  cutouts  of  the  dresses  and  of  the  

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presents   from   the   mother   as   there   are   so   many   parts   of   this   story   that   it   could   become  

confusing  for  the  children  without  a  constant  reminder.  

 

The  Herb  Fairy  

Source:  Williams,  Rose.   "The  Herb  Fairy."  The  Book  of  Fairies:  Nature  Spirits   from  Around  the  

World.  Hillsboro:  Beyond  Words  Publishing,  1997.  23-­‐31.  Print.  

 

Summary:   A   great   lord   named   Wu   Ming   was   scared   of   the   plague   that   was   ravishing   his  

countryside  and  locked  himself  in  his  palace  and  refused  to  help  any  of  the  peasants.    One  of  his  

servant  girls,  Chun  Tao,  was  a  great  healer  and  escaped  out  of  the  palace  to  help  the  common  

people.    A  white  heron  landed  near  her  and  turned  into  the  Spirit  of  the  Herbs  and  took  Chun  

Tao  to  a  magical  place  full  of  the  best  healing  herbs.    The  Spirit  gave  her  a  small  blue  flower  for  

her  to  eat  when  she  wanted  to  come  back.    Wu  Ming  realized  that  Chun  Tao  was  missing  and  

when  looking  for  her  only  to  find  out  that  she  had  cured  the  land  of  the  plague.    All  that  anyone  

could  tell  him  was  that  she  healed  everyone  and  then  ate  a  blue  flower  which  turned  her  into  a  

heron.    Wu  Ming  lived  the  rest  of  his  days  alone  and  Chun  Tao  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Herbs  lived  

happily  ever  after.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  This  is  a  Chinese  fairytale  that  was  adapted  from  the  retelling  in  

Fairy  Tales  of  the  World,  originally  published  by  Artia  in  Prague  in  1985.  

 

Audience:  Children  around  the  ages  of  6  to  10.  

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Adaptation  Ideas:  I  chose  to  end  the  story  early,  with  Chun  Tao  going  back  to  the  Spirit  of  the  

Herbs   and   living  happily   ever   after,   due   to   time   constraints.    The  original   story  has  Wu  Ming  

following  them  and  causing  them  trouble.  

 

The  Magic  Fountain  

Source:   Ewald,   Jason.   "Sylvain   and   Jocosa."  Promises.   N.p.,   n.d.   Web.   2   Mar   2012.  

<http://students.ou.edu/E/Jason.M.Ewald-­‐1/SylvainJocosa.html>.  

Williams,   Rose.   "The   Magic   Fountain."   The   Book   of   Fairies:   Nature   Spirits   from   Around   the  

World.  Hillsboro:  Beyond  Words  Publishing,  1997.  9-­‐15.  Print.  

 

Summary:   Sylvain   and   Jacosa   always   share   everything   which   causes   a   fairy   to   pay   them  

attention  and  leave  them  small  gifts.    The  fairy  eventually  reveals  herself  to  them  and  promises  

that   they   will   never   be   parted   if   they   promise   to   clean   a   fountain   at   dawn   break   every  

day.    Eventually  Sylvain  and  Jacosa  forget  and  are  forced  to  wander  alone  for  three  years  until  

the  fairy  decides  to  forgive  them.    She  returns  them  to  the  fountain  and  that  is  where  they  build  

their  house,  marry  and  promise  to  always  look  after  the  fountain.  

 

Information   about   the   Story:   This   is   a   French   fairytale.    According   to   Rose   Williams,   it   is  

adapted  from  the  Comte  de  Caylus’s  story  “Sylvain  and  Jocosa”  and  appeared  in  Andrew  Lang’s  

The  Green  Fairy  Book.  

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Audience:  Children  around  the  ages  of  6  to  10  in  a  public  library  setting.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  The  original  story  continues  after  Sylvain  and  Jacosa  get  married  with  a  story  

that  the  fairy  tells  them  about  a  greedy  sultan.    I  would  not  use  this  ending  as  it  feels  like  two  

different  stories  and  would  significantly  shorten  the  time  it  took  to  tell  the  story.  

 

The  Mountain  of  the  Moon  

Source:  Williams,  Rose.  "The  Mountain  of  the  Moon."  The  Book  of  Fairies:  Nature  Spirits  from  

Around   the   World.   Hillsboro:   Beyond   Words   Publishing,   1997.   51-­‐57.   Print.  

 

Summary:   In   the  cold  Himalayan  mountains,   there   is  a  married   ice   fairy   couple  named  Soma  

and  Surya.    One  day  they  see  how  nice  and  warm  it  is  down  at  the  base  of  the  Mountain  of  the  

Moon  and  venture  down  to  play  among  the  flowers  although  they  have  always  been  told  not  to  

do   so.    Soon,   a   king   falls   in   love  with   Surya   and   shoots   Soma  with   an   arrow.    The   fairies   call  

upon   the  great  god   Indra   to   save  Soma.    He  does  and   they  promise   to  never  venture  off   the  

mountain  again.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  This  is  a  Hindu  fairytale  and  was  adapted  from  Hindu  Fairy  Tales  

by  Edmund  Leary.  

 

Audience:  Ages  4-­‐7  in  a  public  library  setting.  

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Adaptation  Ideas:  Because  I  am  choosing  to  tell  this  story  to  very  young  children  I  may  change  

the   king   who   shoots   Soma   into   a   less   violent   incident   or   be   very   non-­‐descriptive   about   the  

incident.  

 The  Minotaur  

Source:    "Minotauros."  Theoi   Greek   Mythology.   Web.   2   Mar   2012.  

<http://www.theoi.com/Ther/Minotauros.html>.  

Turnbull,   Ann.   "The   Minotaur."   Greek   Myths.   Somerville:   Candlewick   Press,   2010.   Print.  

 

Summary:   Prince   Theseus   volunteers   to   be   one   of   the   14   young   victims   that   are   sent   from  

Athens  to  Crete  every  year  as  sacrifices  to  the  Minotaur.    Princess  Ariadne  of  Crete  fell  in  love  

with  him  however  and  gives  him  a  dagger  and  ball  of  twine  to  kill  the  Minotaur  and  find  his  way  

out,  which  he  does.    He   then  escapes  with  Ariadne,  promising   to  marry  her  when   they   reach  

Athens.  

 

Information   about   the   Story:   This   is   a   common  Greek  myth.     Turnbull’s   adaption  was   taken  

from  some  of  the  original  versions  of  the  myth,  according  to  the  author.  

 

Audience:   I  picture  this  audience  as  being  10-­‐18,  especially  with  a   lot  of  boys  in  the  crowd  as  

there  is  a  lot  of  action.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  I  would  try  to  draw  out  the  description  of  the  labyrinth,  especially  how  dark  

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and   smelly   it   is.    I   would   also   leave   out   the   part   about   Theseus   no   longer  wanting   to  marry  

Ariadne   and   leaving   her   sleeping   under   a   tree   on   an   island   unless   I   follow   this   story   with  

“Ariadne  on  Naxos”.  

   

Ariadne  on  Naxos  

Sources   "Ariadne."  Theoi   Greek   Mythology.   N.p.,   n.d.   Web.   2   Mar   2012.  

<http://www.theoi.com/Georgikos/Ariadne.html>.  

Turnbull,   Ann.   "Ariadne   on   Naxos."  Greek   Myths.   Somerville:   Candlewick   Press,   2010.   Print.  

 

Summary:  Ariadne  is  left  on  an  island  by  a  fickle  Theseus.    She  begins  to  despair  but  soon  hears  

a  parade  of  Satyrs  and  nymphs  followed  by  a  man  in  a  chariot  being  pulled  by  two  leopards.    He  

is  Dionysus,   the  god  of  Wine,  who   falls   in   love  with  Ariadne  and  asks  her   to  marry  him.    She  

does  and  they  have  many  children  and  when  she  dies,  as  mortals  must,  he  casts  her  crown  into  

the  stars  creating  the  constellation  Corona,  so  that  she  will  never  be  forgotten.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  This  adaption  was  taken  from  some  of  the  original  versions  of  the  

myth,  according  to  Turnbull.  

 

Audience:  I  also  picture  this  audience  in  the  10-­‐18  range,  although  this  time  with  more  girls  in  

the  audience,  as  it  is  a  love  story.  

 

Adaptation   Ideas:   I   would   give   a   brief   history   about   Theseus   and   the  Minotaur   if   I   was   not  

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telling  this  directly  after  “The  Minotaur”.    I  would  also  embellish  the  parade  so  that  the  youth  

could   really   picture   it.    Finally,   I   would   have   a   constellation   chart   or   a   picture   to   show   the  

children  what  they  should  look  for  in  the  sky  when  they  are  trying  to  find  Corona.  

   

Atalanta’s  Race  

Source:   "Atalanta."  Theoi   Greek   Mythology.   N.p.,   n.d.   Web.   2   Mar   2012.  

<http://www.theoi.com/Heroine/Atalanta.html>.  

Turnbull,   Ann.   "Atalanta’s   Race."   Greek   Myths.   Somerville:   Candlewick   Press,   2010.   Print.  

 

Summary:  Atalanta  was  a  proud  young  woman  and  did  not  want  to  marry  but  her  father  said  

she  must.    So  she  made  an  agreement  that  she  would  only  have  to  marry  the  man  that  could  

out   run   her   in   a   race.    Any   man   that   tried   but   failed   would   be   killed.    Many   died   until  

Hippomenes  decided   to  ask   the  goddess  Aphrodite   for  help.    She  gave  him  three  gold  apples  

that  he  used  to  distract  her  and  he  beat  her  in  a  race.    They  were  married.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  This  adaption  was  taken  from  some  of  the  original  versions  of  the  

myth,  according  to  Turnbull.  

 

Audience:  I  think  an  audience  from  7-­‐18  would  appreciate  this  story.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  Once  again,  I  will  choose  to  not  finish  the  story  about  how  they  did  not  burn  

incense  for  Aphrodite  and  she  made  them  make  love  in  her  mother’s  temple  and  Rhea  became  

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so  mad   that   she   turned   them   into   lions,   forever  doomed   to  pull   her   chariot.     I   enjoy   leaving  

stories  on  a  positive  note.  

 Kate  Culhane:  A  Ghost  Story  

Source:  "The  Blood-­‐Drawing  Ghost."  Internet  Sacred  Text  Archive.  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  2  Mar  2012.  

<http://www.sacred-­‐texts.com/neu/celt/tfgw/tfgw33.htm>.  

Hague,  Michael.  Kate  Culhane:  A  Ghost  Story.  New  York:  SeaStar  Books,  2001.  Print.  

 

Summary:  Kate  is  visiting  her  mother’s  grave  when  a  hand  from  a  nearby  grave  grabs  her.    The  

man   forces  Kate   to   carry  him  down   to   the   town  and   into   the  house  a   rich   family  who   son   is  

someone  that  Kate  has  always  loved  from  afar.    He  makes  Kate  cut  each  of  the  three  sons  and  

place  a  bowl  under  them  to  catch  the  blood  and  then  she  cooks  the  blood  into  some  oatmeal.    

As  she  carries  the  dead  man  back,  she  asks  him  how  to  save  the  sons  and  he  replies  that  only  

eating  some  of  the  oatmeal  would  revitalize  them  and  thankfully  Kate  kept  her  portion  instead  

of  eating  it.    She  promises  the  rich  father  that  she  can  bring  the  sons  back  to  life  if  he  promises  

his  son’s  hand  in  marriage  to  her.  

 

Information   about   the   Story:   Based   on   Jeremiah   Curtin’s   “The   Blood-­‐Drawing   Ghost”  which  

was   collected   from   the   Irish   countryside   in   1892.     Hague’s   version   is   almost   the   exact   same  

story  that  Curtin  wrote.  

 

Audience:    This  would  be  an  older  crowd  as  there  are  scary  aspects  to  the  story.    I  would  aim  

for  an  audience  in  middle  school  and  older.    

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Adaptation  Ideas:    I  would  really  play  up  the  physical  aspects  of  the  story  like  the  grabbing  of  

her  foot  and  having  to  carry  him  down  the  mountain.    I  would  also  make  sure  to  try  to  give  the  

story   a   “spooky”   vibe   by   talking   about   the   creaky   hinges   and   the   thick   fog   that   covers  

everything.  

 Tom  Thumb  

Source:    Carle,   Eric.   "Tom   Thumb."   Eric   Carle's   Treasury   of   Classic   Stories   for   Children.   New  

York:  Orchard  Books,  1988.  9-­‐18.  Print.  

Cole,   Joanna.   "Tom   Thumb."   Best-­‐Loved   Folk-­‐Tales   of   the   World.   New   York:   Anchor   Books,  

1982.  104-­‐109.  Print.  

 

Summary:  A  woodcutter  and  his  wife  want  a  child  so  bad  that  they  will  even  love  one  the  size  

of   the  wife's   thumb.    Which   is   how  big   the  boy   they  end  up  having   is,   so   they   call   him  Tom  

Thumb.    One  day,  two  men  from  the  circus  see  Tom  and  offer  his  father  gold  in  exchange  for  

Tom.     His   father   sells   him   after   Tom   promises   to   return   soon.     What   follows   is   a   series   of  

adventures  as  Tom  tries  to  make  his  way  home.    The  story  ends  with  Tom  recounting  his  tale  by  

saying,  "I've  been  inside  a  mouse  hole,  a  sheep’s  stomach,  and  a  wolf's  belly.  And  now  I'll  stay  

right  here  with  you."  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  The  Tom  Thumb  version  that  I  am  telling  is  credited  to  the  Grimm  

Brothers.    Neither  source  gives  any  information  about  the  story  other  than  a  brief  biography  of  

the  Grimms.    According  to  other  material   I   found,  Tom  Thumb  is  actually  an  English  fairy  tale  

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that  has  roots  in  the  King  Arthur  mythology.    I  am  choosing  to  stick  to  the  Grimms  version,  as  

that  is  the  one  the  audience  is  most  likely  to  be  familiar  with.  

 

Audience:   I   see   the   audience   of   this   story   as   being   children   around   5-­‐8   in   a   public   library  

setting.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  I  am  planning  to  adapt  this  story  by  making  it  easier  for  smaller  children  to  

understand  as  well  as  make  it   less.     I  will  add  asides  and  thoughts  for  the  characters  that  will  

explain  their  motivation  more  than  the  original  story  does.  

   

A  Very  Greedy  Cat  

Source:  So,  Metlo.    Gobble,  Gobble,  Slip,  Slop.  New  York:  Alfred  A.  Knopf,  2004.  Print.  

Walton,  Rick.   "The  Cat  and   the  Parrot."  Rick  Walton  Children's  Author.  N.p.,  n.d.  Web.  2  Mar  

2012.  <http://www.rickwalton.com/folktale/bryant66.htm>.  

 

Summary:  There  once  was  a  very  greedy  cat  that  would  not  stop  eating.    He  ate  all  of  the  500  

cupcakes  that  his  friend,  the  parrot,  made  for  him  and  then  ate  the  parrot.    He  keeps  running  

into  people  that  scold  him  for  being  so  greedy  and  he  promptly  eats  them  including:  A  nosy  old  

woman,  a  farmer  and  his  donkey,  a  sultan  and  his  bride  on  an  elephant,  soldiers,  and  finally  two  

small  crabs.    The  crabs  decide  to  that  the  cat’s  stomach  is  much  too  crowded  with  all  of  those  

people  and  they  cut  their  way  out  of  the  gigantic  cat  and  everyone  else  follows  them  out.    The  

cat  promises  never  to  be  greedy  again  and  the  parrot  helps  sew  him  up.  

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Information  about   the   Story:   The   story  was   taken   from  an   Indian   folktale,   “The  Cat   and   the  

Parrot”,  appearing  in  How  to  Tell  Stories  to  Children  by  Sara  Cone  Bryant.  

 

Audience:  I  would  tell  this  story  to  a  younger  audience,  probably  between  5-­‐8  years  old.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  When  I  tell  this  story,   I  will  use  a   lot  of  repetition.    Every  time  the  cat  eats  

anyone,  he  says,  “Gobble,  gobble,  slip,  slop.”    He  also  keeps  a  running  list  of  everyone  he  has  

eaten  and   says   it   right  before  he  eats   another  person.     Finally,   I   can  add  noises   to   all   of   the  

characters  to  make  them  stand  out  and  have  the  children  help  me  (the  elephant  trumpets).  

 Martina  the  Beautiful  Cockroach  

Source:   Deedy,   Carmen   Agra.    Martina   the   Beautiful   Cockroach:   A   Cuban   Fairytale.   Atlanta:  

PeachTree,  2007.  Print.  

 

Summary:  Martina,  a  beautiful  cockroach,  is  looking  for  a  husband.    Her  grandmother  suggests  

that  she  use  the  Coffee  Test,  where  you  spill  coffee  on  the  suitor’s  feet  to  see  how  he  will  react,  

as  that   indicates  what  kind  of  husband  he  will  be.    Martina  does  and  rejects  a  chicken  who  is  

abusive,  a  pig  who  is  looking  for  a  maid  and  a  lizard  who  is  looking  to  eat  her.    She  finally  sees  a  

mouse  who  is  blind  so  he  knows  that  she  is  strong  and  kind  by  listening  to  her  but  can’t  see  her  

beauty.    He  spills  coffee  on  her  feet,  because  he  also  has  a  Cuban  grandmother,  and  they  live  

happily  ever  after.  

 

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Information  about  the  Story:  Although  it  says  it’s  a  “Cuban  Folktale”,  there  are  no  source  notes  

other  than  a  brief  description  about  the  Cuban  Cockroach  in  the  actual  book.    On  the  author’s  

website,  there  is  a  page  for  “Folktale  Origins”,  but  it  just  says  that  it  is  coming  soon.  

 

Audience:   The   audience   for   this   tale   can   vary   from   elementary   school   students   up   to   high  

school  students.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  The  original  book  has  a  lot  of  Spanish  words  and  definitions  that  I  will  leave  

out   when   I   tell   the   story   just   because   I   have   very   little   knowledge   of   the   language   and  will  

probably  pronounce  everything  incorrectly.    I  will  continue  to  use  the  phrase,  “Martina  Josefina  

Catalina  Cucaracha,  Beautiful  muchacha,  Won’t  you  me  be  wife?”  because  it  has  a  great  beat  to  

it  and  I  can  pronounce  everything  correctly.  

 

The  Tale  of  the  Three  Brothers  

Source:  Rowling,  J.  K.  "The  Tale  of  the  Three  Brothers."  The  Tales  of  Beedle  the  Bard.  New  York:  

Children’s  High  Level  Group,  2008.  9-­‐18.  Print.  

 

Summary:  Three  brothers  need  to  cross  a  river  and  use  magic  to  form  a  bridge.    Death  is  upset  

as  he  wanted  their  souls  so  he  pretends  to  be   impressed  and  offers   them  each  a  wish.    They  

pick   the  most  powerful  wand,  a   stone   that   resurrects   the  dead  and  an   invisibility   cloak.    The  

oldest,  with  the  wand,  brags  about  it  and  is  killed.    The  second  resurrects  his  dead  finance  and  

goes  mad  with   grief   and   kills   himself.     The   youngest   brother   uses   to   the   cloak   to   hide   from  

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Death   until   he   is   an   old  man   and   then   greets   him   as   an   old   friend   and   chooses   to   leave   as  

equals.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  This   is  a  story   in  J.K.  Rowling’s  The  Tales  of  Beedle  the  Bard.     It  

appears  also  in  last  Harry  Potter  book.      

 

Audience:  Since  this  story  has  a  deeper  message  to  it  and  involves  death,  I  would  tell   it  to  an  

older  crowd,  10  and  over.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:   I  would  tell  this  story  in  the  context  of  enriching  the  audience’s  experience  

with  Rowling,  as  a  way  of  advertising  her  supplemental  material.    Although  I  could  make  a  lot  of  

changes,  the  story  would  still  obviously  be  Rowling’s,  so  I  would  actually  try  to  stay  very  close  

the  original  material.  

 

 

How  Platypuses  Came  to  Australia  

Source:  Cole,   Joanna.  "How  Platypuses  Came  to  Australia."  Best-­‐Loved  Folktales  of   the  World.  

New  York:  Anchor  Books,  1983.  605-­‐607.  Print.  

Parker,   K.   Langloh.   “Gaya-­‐dari   the   Platypus.”   Australian   Legendary   Tales.   New   York:   Viking  

Press,  1966.  233-­‐236.  Print.  

Murtagh,   Lindsey.   "Australian   Aborigine   Creation   Myth."   .   N.p.,   n.d.   Web.   7   Mar   2012.  

<http://www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_13.html>.  

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Summary:  A  rat  with  a  spear  kidnaps  a  duck  and  tries  to  make  her  his  wife.    She  finally  escapes  

him  but  gives  birth   to  ducks   that  have   fur  and   little   spears  on   the  back  of   their   legs  but  also  

have  webbed  feet  and  duck  bills.    Knowing  that  they  are  not  wanted  anywhere,  the  duck  takes  

them  far  away  where  they  reproduce  until  there  are  many  of  them.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  These  are  stories  originally  told  by  the  Aborigines,  as  a  creation  

myth  for  platypuses.     It  was  originally  collected  by  Joanna  Cole  in  1966  but  there  is  no  source  

material  about  it.  

 

Audience:   And   older   elementary   group  would   be   preferable,   as   they  would   have   heard   of   a  

platypus  before  I  told  my  store  and  could  picture  what  I  was  describing.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  Although  one  of  the  sources  has  the  animals  picking  their  own  appearance,  I  

am   choosing   to   primarily   use   Cole’s   story   as   it   has   more   characters   that   the   children   can  

become  interested  in.    I  would  also  use  a  picture  of  a  platypus  for  any  of  the  children  that  didn’t  

know  what  one  looked  like.    Finally,  it  might  also  make  an  interesting  digital  story,  much  like  the  

tale  of  the  blind  men  seeing  an  elephant  would.  

   

The  Impudent  Rooster  

Source:  Rascol,  Sabina.  The  Impudent  Rooster.  New  York:  Dutton  Children’s  Books,  2004.  Print.  

 

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Summary:  A  poor  man  yells  at  his  beloved  rooster  that  he  should  do  something  to  help  the  man  

from  starving  to  death.    The  rooster  leaves  and  finds  a  bag  of  gold  but  it  is  stolen  by  a  passing  

rich  lord.    The  rooster  follows  the  lord,  demanding  his  money  back.    The  lord  tries  to  drown  the  

rooster  in  a  well,  cook  him,  starve  him  in  a  treasury  vault  and  have  him  run  over  by  cattle,  but  

the  rooster  swallows  all  of  these  things,  making  him  so  large  that  the  lord  finally  gives  him  back  

the  money.    The  rooster  returns  to  the  old  man  and  gives  him  the  cattle  and  money  that  he  had  

swallowed.  

 

Information  about  the  Story:  This   is  a  Romanian  story,  originally  told  by  Ion  Creanga  in  1876.    

Rascol’s  changes  from  the  original  story  was  to  have  a  “kinder   interpretation  of  the  old  man”  

and  “wordplay  made  possible  by  the  English  language.”  

 

Audience:  I  would  tell  this  story  to  6-­‐10  year  olds.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  I  would  have  the  rooster  say  a  phrase  every  time  that  he  asks  the  Lord  for  his  

money  back,  to  add  repetition  to  the  story.  

   

The  Three  Witches  Source:  Hurston,  Zora  Neale.  The  Three  Witches.  New  York:  Harper  Collins,  2006.  Print.  

 

Summary:  A  brother  and  sister  are  attacked  by   three  evil  witches  and  climb  a   tree  to  escape  

them.    They  call  for  their  dogs  while  the  witches  try  to  cut  the  tree  down.    Their  grandmother  

finally  hears  them  yelling  and  unleashes  the  dogs  who  kill  the  witches.  

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Information  about  the  Story:  This   is   the   illustrated  version  of  this  tale,  originally  published   in  

Every   Tongue   Got   to   Confess:   Negro   Folk-­‐Talkes   from   the   Gulf   States,   the   third   volume   of  

folklore  collected  by  Zora  Neale  Hurston  in  the  1930s.    Hurston  gathered  this  story  from  Hattie  

Reaves,  born  on  the  Island  of  Grand  Command  in  the  West  Indies.  

 

Audience:  I  would  tell  this  story  to  6-­‐10  year  olds.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  This  story  was  written  in  a  southern,  African-­‐American  dialect,  which  I  would  

not  use  as   it  would  come  off  as  unnatural  and  possibly  offensive.     I  would  also  spend  a   lot  of  

time   describing   the  witches   to  make   them   scarier   and  would   probably   tell   this   story   around  

Halloween.  

   

What’s  the  Hurry,  Fox?  

Source:   Hurston,   Zora   Neale.   “What’s   the   Hurry,   Fox?”  What’s   the   Hurry,   Fox?   And   Other  

Animal  Tales.  New  York:  Harper  Collins,  2004.  Print.  

 

Summary:  A  fox  tries  to  outsmart  a  rooster  to  come  down  from  a  tree  so  that  he  can  eat  him  by  

telling  him  that  the  law’s  changed:  foxes  no  longer  eat  roosters,  just  like  dogs  no  longer  chase  

foxes.    Just  then  a  dog  howls  and  the  fox  begins  to  run  away.    When  the  rooster  asks  him  about  

the  changed  law,  he  replies,  “Yeah,  but  them  Hounds  liable  to  run  all  over  that  law  and  break  it  

clean  in  two.”  

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Information  about  the  Story:  This  is  the  same  story  that  Hurston  published  in  her  book,  Every  

Tongue  Got  to  Confess:  Negro  Folk-­‐tales  from  the  Gulf  States.    It  was  originally  told  by  Nathaniel  

Burney,  age  9,  Florida  born.  

 

Audience:  For  children  ages  6-­‐10.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  This  story  was  written  in  a  southern,  African-­‐American  dialect,  which  I  would  

not  use  as  it  would  come  off  as  unnatural  and  possibly  offensive.    I  would  also  characterize  the  

animals  more  and  give  them  personalities  to  make  the  story  a  little  longer.  

   

Lord  of  the  Animals  

Source:  French,  Fiona.  Lord  of  the  Animals.  Brookfield:  Millbrook  Press,  1997.  Print.  

 

Summary:  The  animals  all  gathered  to  decide  who  should  be  Lord  of  the  Animals.    Each  animal  

believes  that  the  Lord  should  have  features  that  they  have  (large  antlers  like  a  deer  or  stand  on  

two  feet  like  a  bear).    The  coyote  stops  them  when  they  start  to  fight  and  tells  them  to  make  a  

figure  out  of  mud.    The  other  animals  fall  asleep  before  they  finish  but  the  coyote  stays  up  all  

night   to   complete   Man   who   can   see   into   the   distance,   hear   well,   stand   on   two   legs,   have  

smooth  skin,  swim  like  a  fish  and  be  clever  like  the  coyote.  

 

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Information  about  the  Story:  This  is  a  creation  tale  from  the  Miwok  Indians,  who  used  to  live  in  

California.     The   culture   as   all   but   vanished,   with   only   around   200   of   them   remaining.     The  

author  drew  on  two  different  sources  for  this  book:  The  Folk-­‐Lore  Record,  Volume  V  (1882)  and  

The  Voice  of  the  Coyote  (1949).  

 

Audience:  Children  in  upper  elementary  school  or  middle  school.  

 

Adaptation  Ideas:  I  would  tell  this  story  as  part  of  a  “creation  myth”  storytime.    I  would  give  the  

children   information   about   the   Miwok   Indians.     Also,   I   would   take   my   time   describing   the  

characteristics   that   each   of   the   animals  want   for   the   Lord   of   the   Animals   to  make   the   story  

more  vivid.