kids stories

For centuries stories have been told and retold throughout the world. How come? For one thing, they are entertaining. Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even stories using animals as characters reflect the situations and actions of our species.

For centuries as well, life has been a struggle. Wars. Famine. Relationship scuffles. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance. Some kind of resolution.

At the same time, nobody likes to be preached to. We desire to sweeten our bitter medicines. That is where laughter comes in. Humor makes a hard message a bit easier to swallow. Witty humor is priceless humor. An awesome blend of entertainment and enlightenment.

As you know, laughter lightens the heart. Laughter takes the sting out of life. And as long as we are laughing at the foibles of others (and not ourselves) we find those situations funny. Call it priceless humor.

Look at the great humorists around us. Dave Barry. George Carlin. Garrison Kiellor. Check out the humorists of history. Mark Twain Henry Fielding All of them were storytellers. Painting scenes with priceless humor.

What makes priceless humor? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The missed appointment. The comic situation. The laughable consequences generally follow in quick succession.

The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. Listeners can readily find many humorous circumstances in my CD Parking in Manhattan. These hilarious comedies involve characters everybody can relate to and empathasize with. Priceless situations create priceless humor.

World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. The retelling of such stories never ceases to bring gales of laughter to listeners. Check out “Rock Soup” or “Herschel in the Woods” from my CD Fables in Four Minutes. My CD World Full of Stories has many examples a listener can enjoy. These are just a few examples of priceless humor. You will find yourself remembering these stories for a very long time. You can find priceless humor and more at www.jaystetzer.com.

When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are laden with disasters and catastrophes. And the life lessons are generally hidden from view. It is my job as a storyteller to sort out the meaning from all the information I hear. To make the tale palatable, I inject a bit of humor. Making the story priceless with priceless humor!

Virtually every storytelling genre contains examples of priceless humor. Why? Simple answer number two. Laughter makes learning easier. A story with priceless humor often comes with a lesson attached. It just goes to show what a treasure priceless humor can be.

I grew up with the word “nifty” as a standard descriptor in my vocabulary. It was a word that meant a variety of things, all of them good and attractive. As I grew older I heard the word being used in a wider range of topics: a nifty song, a nifty concert, a nifty evening out. Even later, the word took on a more cultured definition in reference to poems, books, and, of course, nifty stories.

The word seemed allusively defined, yet attractively so. Still, I did not really define the word until I found myself using it to refer to the stories I tell to audiences and on recordings. Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial.” The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish.”

So how do I define nifty stories? The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. I look for stories with certain underlying values that help the listener to set their internal compass when sailing through life.

For example, a story with a moral is one that provides a clear message. It teaches using a concrete example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious. The meaning is hidden in the actions of the characters. Listeners are left to figure out the message for themselves. And different listeners will carry away different messages. Stories such as these are inclined to be more widely popular. Longer stories are likely to be more subtle in the lessons that result. Epic stories have many layered lessons Think of the difference between an Aesop fable and a tale from the Arabian Nights. Which one gives you more freedom to choose your own message? Personally, I like to find my own message when listening to a story. Check out my World Full of Stories and Fables in Four Minutes CDs for some examples of nifty stories with more subtle lessons.

Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories are memorable. Nifty stories carry a message that applies to all people. Nifty stories are always in vogue. Stories such as these hold the listener’s attention long enough to send their message effectively. Any stories of worth are nifty stories.

For as long as humans could talk throughout the world stories have been told and retold. They act as vital threads that weave through the fabric of any culture. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. As a culture grows, so do its world stories.

I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels throughout the world. And each time I visit another country I have the opportunity to learn a bit about it. In turn, that lends substantial meaning to the world stories I hear. And one of the benefits is to see how world stories come directly from the cultures of origin. My firsthand experience of a given culture heightens my appreciation of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply. A cool recommendation..

Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are insightful. Often world stories are inscrutable. Generally world stories teach. All world stories keep us amused. Nifty stories

Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. People tell of their experiences through world stories. Something else you will like.

To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories. It is an award winning journey that will take you around the globe! You can find world stories and more at www.jaystetzer.com. Click here to read more.

I am always on the lookout for stories that bring something more to listeners than a clever twist of plot. Something that the listener can relate to. Maybe there is a message. Perhaps it gives a hint of direction. It might even state a moral. It doesn’t really matter what name you give to this elusive quality; it is more important that the stories I tell possess it.

As a child I found deep meaning in inspirational stories. I heard similar stories from my mother and my grandfather. Once in a while, a teacher would tell a story that held profound meaning to me. I noticed that stories with a message stuck in my memory. The messages stuck in the memory, too. The Golden Rule. Honesty is the best policy. Slow down and notice the things around you. Community giving is part of community living. Messages that made me who I am today.

I find myself using stories I heard long ago when I perform today. They have an ageless quality. The messages of long ago still have merit in the world today.

What’s so important about inspirational stories? For one thing, we experience a deluge of information and news on a daily basis. Next, we live lives that leave no room for reflection. And without time to reflect, how can we develop insight into the affairs of the day? Here is the place for inspirational stories. A listener can mull over inspirational stories. They offer something to think about. Something that helps us to find our personal “true north. Something that gives us perspective.

Looking for inspiration? At www.jaystetzer.com you can find memorable inspirational stories. Go to the “Listen” page on the site and you will surely discover a number of stories with relevant messages. “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from the World Full of Stories CD are good examples of inspirational stories. From the CD Parking in Manhattan, “Service with a Smile” brings a great message to the listener. I find that inspirational stories stick in the memory long after they are told. In fact, the inspirational stories I tell even inspire me!

We live in a complex, fast moving world. We all need a bit of “inner” direction to guide us as we cruise down the highway of life. Inspirational stories can help us in our travels. Think of them as your own personal GPS! My recordings contain a wealth of inspirational stories. Listen for yourself!

For as long as humans could talk throughout the world stories have been told and retold. They act as vital threads that weave through the fabric of a culture. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. World stories spread as the culture grows.

One of the great benefits of my travels around the world is the wellspring of world stories I have found in each country I have visited. And each time I visit another country I have the opportunity to learn a bit about it. Customs and rituals. Geography and daily habits. So the world stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. In the process, I have discovered how world stories arise out of the cultures from which they are born. The more I experience a particular culture, the more I appreciate the value of their stories. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, around the United States, Canada, and Europe. I find myself amazed at both the differences and similarities of the various countries.

You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. The demonic can also be found. These notions appear regularly in their stories. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Many world stories derive from mythology. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.

Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. Naturally, stories of the folk world are couched in rural settings. Fairy tales also live in the world of folktales. The questioning minds of preliterate villagers found apt expression through stories of magic and mystery. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good and evil are eternal foes. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. Regardless of genre, any worthy world story can be applied to contemporary life. And that’s where modern day storytelling has a place. Modern society is a far cry from rural villages, yet the stories ring true regardless.

Some world stories are downright funny. Other world stories are mysterious. Many world stories are insightful. Often world stories are enigmatic. Generally world stories contain lessons. All world stories entertain.

No matter what, all world stories maintain a deep bond with the fabric of their culture. The experiences of people are drawn in world stories. And in distant worlds they still have meaning.

To enjoy the breadth of subject matter found in world stories, listen to my CD entitled “World Full of Stories.” It is an award winning journey that will take you around the globe!

As a kid, I overheard my older brothers using the word “nifty” when referring to a cool car or a great suit. It alluded to the uniqueness and stylishness of the subject being described. As I grew older I heard the word being used in a wider range of topics: a nifty song, a nifty concert, a nifty evening out. Later still, it cropped up in conversations about more “cultural” experiences: nifty books, nifty poems, and nifty stories.

The word seemed allusively defined, yet attractively so. Still, I did not really define the word until I found myself using it to refer to the stories I tell to audiences and on recordings. Actually, I hit the books when a listener said my stories were nifty. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary definition states: “very good, very attractive,” etymology unknown, originally used in 1865. The standard reference Compact Oxford Dictionary states: “particularly good, effective, or stylish.”

What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I choose to tell are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making a point, a lesson, a message, a bit of perspective. They are a blend of entertainment and education, or what some call “edutainment.” There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line. Great stories

Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories are memorable. Nifty stories travel beyond the culture from which they originate. Nifty stories are always in vogue. These stories are naturally very attractive. Nifty stories are worth their weight in gold! You can find great nifty stories on www.Jaystetzer.com www.jaystetzer.com

I have many memories of my life as a young parent. Some of them are downright exasperating! One of them involves purchasing gifts for my children. Holiday gifts. Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. It was tough going most of the time. It did not take very long to realize that a good gift is rare gift. A meaningful gift is even harder to find. And whenever I succeeded in finding a gift that I regarded as special, I treasured it. And I hoped my children would do the same.

I am now a grandparent. And I am constantly seeking a unique gift children would treasure. Something that is memorable long after the gift is given. One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is suitable for children of all ages. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!

You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes is a collection of ten stories, each one representing a different storytelling genre. World Full of Stories has a dozen stories that will take the listeners on a trip around the world. Parking in Manhattan, my latest project, represents a compendium of hilarious urban folktales, all of them sounding as though they really happened! To purchase my CDs, just follow the directions on the “Recordings” page to place your order.

Hunting for a unique gift children will enjoy and appreciate? A unique gift children can grow with? A unique gift children can enjoy sharing with their friends and family? A memorable gift is the gift of story. The kind of unique gift children will treasure for a long time to come.