Throughout the world stories have been told and retold for millennia. In the fabric of a culture, they act as vital threads in the weave. They lend definition, roots, and significance to society. 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. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Customs and rituals. Daily habits and geography. So the stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. And one of the benefits is to see how they come directly from the cultures of origin. The more I experience a particular culture, the more I appreciate the value of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, throughout Canada, the United States, and Southeast Asia. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.
You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. The demonic can also be found. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Myth forms the basis for many stories. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.
Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales. 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. Stay out of the dark forest! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good is eternally pitted against evil. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well. 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 stories are humorous. Others are filled with mystery. Many are full of insight. Often they are inscrutable. Generally they contain lessons. All entertain.
Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. The experiences of people are drawn in world stories. And they have merit in worlds far removed from their origin.
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. I have also had the opportunity to learn a bit about each country. Customs and rituals. Daily habits and geography. So the stories I hear have substantial meaning to me. And one of the benefits is to see how they come directly from the cultures of origin. The more I experience a particular culture, the more I appreciate the value of their stories. I have visited countries in Europe, Central and South America, throughout Canada, the United States, and Southeast Asia. The differences as well as the similarities of the various countries impress me deeply.
You can find in every culture notions which they hold as sacred. The demonic can also be found. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. Myth forms the basis for many stories. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.
Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons. The world of folktales is also inhabited by fairy tales. 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. Stay out of the dark forest! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good is eternally pitted against evil. The Golden Rule reigns supreme. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well. 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 stories are humorous. Others are filled with mystery. Many are full of insight. Often they are inscrutable. Generally they contain lessons. All entertain.
Regardless of their intent, all world stories express deep bonds with the fabric of a country and culture. The experiences of people are drawn in world stories. And they have merit in worlds far removed from their origin.
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