Netting World Stories
12/01/08
Throughout the world stories have been told and retold for millennia. 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.
I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels around the world. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Customs and rituals. Daily habits and geography. So the world stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. 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. My travels have taken me to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, around the United States, Canada, and Europe. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.
All cultures regard certain notions as sacred. The demonic can also be found. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. Their stories grow out of this mythical soil. Myth forms the basis for many world stories. Creation stories form the majority of this category, along with other stories help 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. Many folktales were cautionary tales with lessons for avoiding catastrophe. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Steer clear of wild beasts! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good is eternally pitted against evil. 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 humorous. Other world stories are filled with mystery. Many world stories are insightful. Often world stories are enigmatic. Generally world stories contain lessons. All world stories keep us amused.
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. 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!
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