Author Archives: Grace Wolbrink

Silver-Tree and Gold-Tree: A Scottish Snow White Variant – Part ll

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

 

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Gleefully enjoying the thrill of the hunt, the Prince gathers his men and his trophies. Upon his return, he learns of Gold-Tree’s untimely demise. His heart aches. Grief overtakes him. Looking at her lifeless body, he sees her radiant beauty and feels the love he has for her. Looking down on her face, he knows he could never bury someone as beautiful as she is. Still looking as fresh and vibrant as the day they met, he decides to make a special room for her inside the castle. A room known only to him.

Time moves on, as does life itself. Feeling inspired, the Prince re-enters the dating game and finds that he has not completely lost his touch. In a moment of magnetic attraction he meets his new queen. He proposes.  She accepts. He hosts yet another wedding.

I am not really sure if the Scottish are as lucky as the Irish, but as luck would have it, the Prince lost his keys and was already running late for his party’s hunting trip rondevu. His on-top-of-it new wife locates the keys right after the group hits the woods outside the castle walls. Examining the ring, she finds an unidentified key. Knowing there must be a door to go with the key, she searches the castle until she finds an unidentified door leading into an unidentified room.

Securing the key in the lock she opens the door. To her unsuspecting surprise she finds a beautiful woman stashed inside. She gasps at Gold Tree’s beauty. Looking down at her hand, she notices a poisonous stab stuck in her finger. Realizing that it might be a bit painful, she yanks it out.

Gold-Tree stretches and yawns. Slowly opening her eyes she looks around. Sitting up she does what women do best; talk, talk and talk some more, with or without lunch.

Later that evening the Prince returns home, dejected and downcast after a grueling day on the hunt.

Seeing her beloved husband so distraught and being the incredible wife that she is, she offers to cheer him up.

According to the Prince, cheering up is not an option unless Gold-Tree comes back to life.

“Well than my beloved husband, do I have a surprise for you, as this truly is the luckiest of all your days. Close your eyes and come right this way.”

Remember the hunting trip blues? Well, they soon became as terminally digested, processed and eliminated as yesterday’s dinner. For what he does not know, but soon will know is that just around the corner sits Gold-Tree joyously awaiting his arrival.

Turning the corner, the Prince flips! I mean their first kiss was pretty incredible, but this time . . . it’s more like indescribable.

Being the amazing wife that she is, his second wife offers to leave, as . . . well . . . wife number one has just returned from the living dead. Plus there is the slight complication of no known precedents for this type of case to follow, refer to or blatantly disregard.

The Prince, loving them both, offers another solution. With open arms he welcomes both of them as his beloved wives. Dismissing with the formality of a handshake, they go for a group hug instead. The Princess’s offer is officially accepted.

Here again this could have been the peaceful ending to a near tragic tale, but not so. You would think that everyone could now live in peace. Ha! A year later, on a certain day of days, Silver Tree makes her annul visit to fairy glen to meet with her bonnie little friend, Mr. Talkative, the trout who lives in the well that stands in the fairy glen.

Once again that same sniveling little well-dwelling trout rats out Golden Tree’s whereabouts and her return from the living dead.

You might think he’d be someone’s tasty meal by now, but no such luck.

Silver Tree freaks out; the whole thing about being trumped by her own daughter in the world of beauty, yet again, for the third year in a row. No respectable beauty queen could ever settle for second place.

Silver Tree again runs to hubby and talks him into getting her another ship so she can see her beloved and long-lost daughter – the one she misses terribly. Hubby agrees and off she goes. Gold-Tree recognizes her father’s ships and alerts wife number two that her mother is really a freelancing professional hit-woman under the disguise of a Queen. Her target, none other than her only daughter Gold-Tree.

Wife number two rises to meet the challenge. Taking Gold-Tree by the hand, together they meet Silver-Tree at the docks.

“Oh lovely daughter, it has been such a long time . . . as in another whole year has gone by. Here we are again. As a small token of my, well, our annual reunion I have prepared a special drink for you.

Wife number two steps forward, right on top of things as usual. “In our country, guests take the first drink.”

A look of semi-horror fills Silver Tree’s eyes. Wife number two steps forward again, unceremoniously helping Silver-Tree take the first sip. A sip which rapidly turns into a heavy handed gulp. At this moment Silver-Tree falls down dead.

Silver Tree un-joyously returns home a corpse and remains this way the first time around.

Back at the castle, the Prince and his two wives live on, happily-ever-after.

 

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Begins!

 

 

 

 

 

Silver-Tree and Gold-Tree: A Scottish Snow White Variant – Part 1

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Troutie, a multi-lingual trout, lives in the well at the edge of the glen. Exactly how many languages and which ones he knows, is currently unknown. However, one thing is known. Troutie speaks fluent trout and at least one or two human dialects.

Bordering on the lower west side of Troutie’s glen is Silver-Tree, her husband the king, and their daughter Gold-Tree’s kingdom.  The family palace of residence is located on the upper north east side near the ocean. Over the course of a few decades, Silver-Tree has cultivated a strong relationship with Troutie.

Standing beside Troutie’s well, Silver-Tree cries;

“Troutie. Oh Troutie, my bonny little Troutie, am I not the most beautiful queen in all the world?”

Glowing, Silver-Tree breathless awaits her favorite response;

“Of course it’s you! You are the most  beautifully gorgeous and spectacularly stunning of all reigning Queens!”

Upon hearing it, Silver-Tree blushes. Silver-Tree gushes. Silver-Tree confidently steps forward into yet another year’s worth of beauty reigning, kingdom success.

The following year, leading the way, Silver-Tree arrives at the well on their pre-designated, pre-appointed date and time, with Gold-Tree following close behind.

Standing alongside Troutie’s well, Silver-Tree peers inside. Looking down, she cries;

“Troutie. Oh Troutie, my bonny little Troutie, am I not the most beautiful queen in all the world?”

Glowing, Silver-Tree breathless awaits her favored response.

“This year it’s definitely not you but you’re welcome to come back next year and try again,” exclaims Troutie.

“What!” cries Silver-Tree angrily. “This has never happened before. Who is it?”

“Your daughter, Gold-Tree,” Troutie replies.

Going home in a near state of semi-explosive, rage-induced lava, Silver-Tree returns home. Vowing her revenge, she collaps. Bedridden, teetering on the edge between worlds, hubby asks what is wrong. She isn’t real clear on a diagnosis, just on the medicinal cure: the heart and liver of her only child Gold-Tree.

Really, what’s a poor old dad to do? I mean his wife is lying there dying right before his very eyes, smitten with an almost incurable disease. Fortunately for him, a King in a faraway land has just asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Dispensing with the traditional formalities, grand announcements and wedding hoopla, he agrees. Wishing Gold-Tree well, he says his good-byes. He then puts Gold-Tree and her husband to be on a ship back to her husband’s homeland.

Problem solved. Well almost. Putting great faith in the placebo effect, he sends a mere lad out to slay a he-goat, trusting that most internal organs between the male and female species are the same, as in identical. Thankfully for him mom took the placebo, ate the organs and miraculously came into a full recovery.

You would think that everyone could now live in peace. Ha! This could have been the peaceful end to a near tragic tale, but no. A year later, on a certain day of days, Silver Tree makes her annual visit to the fairy glen to meet with her bonnie little friend, Mr. Talkative or Troutie, the trout who lives in the well which stands in the fairy glen.

Not only did that sniveling little well-dwelling trout have to once again, proclaim Gold-Tree as the most beautiful queen of all; but he also felt the need to rat out Golden Tree’s whereabouts and spill the beans on the whole he-goat organ conspiracy.

Returning home, Silver-Tree runs to hubby and talks him into getting her a ship so she can see her long-lost daughter – the one she misses terribly. Hubby agrees and off she goes. Gold-Tree recognizes her father’s ships and alerts the servants that her mother is really an unpaid professional hit-woman in disguise. Her target, none other than her only daughter Gold-Tree. The servants hide Golden-Tree in a locked room. Down on shore Mom pitches a motherly fit complete with piercing wails as she expressively expresses her undying love for her only child. The servants buy into the heart-wrenching drama of her story. They personally escort Silver-Tree to her daughter’s locked quarters. Talking through the locked door mom requests a touch between fingers before she returns home. Gold-Tree sticks out her finger. Mom spears it with a poisonous stab. Hearing the thump on the floor, Silver-Tree joyously returns to the ship leaving her daughter for dead.

Silver Tree euphorically arrives home safe and secure in the knowledge that her only daughter and sole competitor in the life and times of a true beauty queen is now dead, yet again. As for her husband, Gold Tree’s father, who knows? All anyone knows is that wife is happy, making life on the home front tolerable at worst or best; no one really knows.

Part ll continued on next post.

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Begin!

Vanity Reigns Supreme – Snow White and Others of Her Kind

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Vanity is truly one of human-kinds, age-old, most sought after quests. Yes, humans transfixed in the constant, pursuit of ageless beauty. Whether King, Queen, Prince, Princess . . . man, woman or child . . . each finds themselves imprisoned in the tormenting sagas of vanity’s treacherous deceit. OK, a bit dramatized, but hey, this reality is often the basic storyline found in many daily soap operas, night-time TV shows and the drama of daily life. Men in pursuit of younger women. Women in search of younger men. An aging parent’s alleged rival of a blossoming young child. One sibling being, or perceived as being, far more beautiful than the others. Multi-million dollar sales under the guise of “health and beauty aids”. . . A list which has gone on through the centuries of time. Yet, within this context lies the basis for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and other variants of her story’s storyline.

Snow White’s riveting tale is filled with murderous intent, waking the sleeping dead, glass coffins and pre-pubescent dwarfs.  All of this wrapped into a thickening plot line where vanity reigns supreme. In meeting the challenges of Snow White’s dark, yet riveting story I became enthralled and fascinated with other tale type variants. Steven Swann Jones in his book, The New Comparative Method: Structural and Symbolic Analysis of the Allo Motifs of “Snow White”, states there is over 400 recorded variants of Snow White documented throughout parts of Africa, Europe, Asia Minor and the Americas.

People in the United States are most familiar with Walt Disney’s film version, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the Grimm Brother’s second literary version of Little Snow-White. Yet other variants of Snow White’s story can be found as: A Young Slave (Italy) Blanca Rosa and the Forty Thieves (Chile),  Myrsina (Greece), Silver-Tree and Gold-Tree (Scotland); The Woman and the Sun (Morocco), and Udea and Her Seven Brothers (Libya).

Author’s Note: Little Snow-White and others of her kind are a  Aarne-Thompson-Uther 709 Classification of Folk Tales (ATU Tale Types)

For additional suggestions on Snow White type tales you can go to:  http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0709.html.

And http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/sevendwarfs/other.html

For this author’s adaptation and retelling of Silver-Tree and Gold-Tree a Scottish variant of Snow White you can go to: https://gracewolbrink.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/silver-tree-and-gold-tree-a-scottish-snow-white-variant-part-1/

And https://gracewolbrink.wordpress.com/2014/09/09/silver-tree-and-gold-tree-a-scottish-snow-white-variant-part-2/

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Begin.

Mirror Images – Little Snow-White

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Snow White’s story, filled with its rich imagery, villainous plot and magical interlacing captured my attention and ignited my pen. Following her plot line from Little Snow-White’s first publication by the Grimm’s Brothers in 1812; their second publication of Little Snow-White in 1957; and on through Walt Disney’s animated film version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, my journey began.  Definitely a dark tale which keeps story enthusiasts of many ages engaged and riveted far into the tale’s murderous unfolding.

I mean really, one’s own Mother being brought up on four accounts of attempted murder; all against her own seven-year old daughter! Her excuse? Some misguided direction from her self-appointed beauty consultant and weasel-y snitch of a talking mirror. Even the Prince had a hard time believing this one. The one about a wooden framed piece of reflective glass being equipped with language capabilities and prophetic insights. All prior to the invention of audio recording devices.

Now, fast forwarding to the end of the story, we find Snow White, a not quite so blushing bride, passively endorsing her own mother’s public, torturous execution; death by dance in flaming hot, metallic shoes. Even the newly emerging German culture of the early 1800’s was having a hard time stomaching this one. As a result, the Grimm’s Brothers revisited their storyboards and brought to the forefront a few revisions for their second edition of Little Snow-White published in 1857. These revisions resulting in increased sales from more socially approving audiences. In the end, it was great for centuries of audience members to come. Thanks to the Grimms Brothers perceptive awareness and
pen-fully correct altercations, North American audiences have been enthusiastically experiencing Hollywood’s current trend of Snow White inspired movies.

So what changed on the story front? In part, Europe’s high maternal death rates. Mothers dying in childbirth resulted in the increased reality of blended families and the rise of step-motherhood. Coupled with economic tensions, the perception of stepmothers being “evil” dominated the social scene. So here you have it; biological mom being brought up on four accounts of attempted murder of her only child is a bit harsh, but if it’s her stepmom being brought up on these same charges, this becomes a whole new, adventurous tale to tell.

Walt Disney’s groundbreaking animated film version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the 1930’s literally exploded US box offices. The Grimm’s Brother’s second version of Little Snow-White, provided Walt Disney with basis of his inspiration.  In retelling Little Snow-White, Walt Disney too met the challenges of audience-induced, story-adaptations. One was meeting North American and European cultural standards of what a socially acceptable marrying age is or should be. Legal sex at the age of seven wasn’t going to make it by today’s standards. The former, publicly torturous death by dance got artfully
re-crafted into death by nature via a one way ticket over a mountainous cliff fueled by a striking touch of lightning. Walt Disney also added his infamous signature adaptation of the Prince’s magical kiss used to awaken Snow White, his soon to be bride, from an enchanted sleep. A touch of romance surpassing Grimm’s rendition of an angry servant carelessly slamming the glass coffin; intentionally or unintentionally.

What is your favorite telling or re-telling (oral, written or filmed) version of Snow White’s infamous adventures? Why? What sets it apart, for you, from others of its kind?

 

Until next time . . . Let your Storyographer’s Journey Begin!

Story Juice – Catch the Squeeze

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

 

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Juice, a sensory word of paradise. Juice is juice. Whether you squish, squeeze, squash, crush, press or ferment the rich succulence of its oozing nectar; it’s still juice. Juice . . . It’s intense and vibrant color . . . Its tantalizing aroma . . . Its delectable taste . . . All together it is indescribably delicious! Fresh, real, flavorful . . . a definite “in the moment” type of visual appeal, stimulating aroma and tantalizing taste.

Now back to stories. Nothing like some great story juice to pucker up a magnificant tale. The freshness of a new twist, an unexpected angle, a line or an image which absorbs you into the moment significantly enhances the impact of your story-based performance or presentation. Each new squeeze encapsulates the delightful power, the tantalizing essence and the sensory impact of story through the art of storytelling. Story juice definitely slurps up the latest life living drama, the ooh’s, oh no’s and aah’s of mind chatter and the torrential rapids of story life’s rippling adventures.

Story juice seeps through every corner, crook and crevasse in life’s vast expansiveness.  Venturing into the realm of story and story juice . . . select a character in a story that spurs you on, inspires you or possibly one you would love to personally squish like a bug – ooze and all. Now spend some time with your character and the context of the story line. Personally get to know your character. Maybe spend some time with this character in their home, at their favorite hangout, a common meeting place alongside the road of their journey . . . as long as you are both comfortable – although maybe being entirely grossed out, terrified, mortified or creeped out may also have it’s story reigning advantages.

Who is this person or creäture? What do they like to wear? What is their occupational or non-occupational identity? Do they have any friends, enemies, worthy or unworthy opponents? Are they rich, poor, dead broke, under-employed, non-employed, slave labor . . . What is the “sign” they hang out in front of their lives – “Poor me . . . I hear my name – someone, somewhere desperately needs my help . . . I have a pain, or two or three or even four and a whole lot more . . . The economy is out to get me . . . My Mother hates me (so what if she died when I was 68 – I can feel her negativity from her grave) . . . Catching the drip(s)?

The more you spend time with your story’s characters and embrace the reality of their lives, the more vivid and alive they we become to you and your audience.

 

Until next time . . . Let a Storyographer’s Journey Begin!

 

Four Key Elements in the Art of Story Development

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Every story we hear, read or tell has a story. The place where story-based artistry begins. So, grab a chair, a stool, or a slice of floor and your favorite muse. Now join us for a brief collaboration in the four key elements of story development. For in story, as in life, its characters are as outlandishly adventurous, deviously mischievous and outrageously zany as any of us truly are.

What is story? Isn’t everything we see, hear and talk about a story?

Story: The place where it all begins: Life is as it is . . .
Change happens . . . Now what? . . .
Life as it has been will never again be the same. A new normal unfolds . . .
The place where the beginning is never the same as the ending.

Story: The narrative and the meaning we attach to the events of our lives.

Storytelling: An interactive art form where storytellers, though their voice and gesture, invite people to join them on a guided tour of vivid imagery.

Destination: Ending’s New Beginning

  • What do you love about the story? I mean really, love about it. If you don’t love it, don’t tell it. By its nature, what we love, naturally grows.
  • What is the ending? It is much easier to get there if you know where you are going! A few short words, phrases or movements guides your story’s journey securely into its destination.
  • Memorizing the ending helps insure you and your listeners arrive at their targeted destination; especially when meeting the challenges of unexpected interruptions, brain farts and cosmic disturbances.

Captivation: Love at First Sight!

  • Besides the story itself, what are some key parts or aspects of this story’s storyline which captures your attention? Why?
  • What do you love, hate, regurgitate or scream about the main characters and their antics? Why?

Engagement: The Meet and Greet of Team Building!

  • Take a few minutes to meet and greet your story’s characters. Who are they? What are they like to hang around with?
  • Revisit the key images in your story – this is correct, not the words of your story, but the images inside your story. Step inside each one of them. Who is there? What is happening around you and/or them?
  • What are the dominate feelings and emotions that you and/or your characters are experiencing?

Listen: Story’s Interactive Unfolding

Supportive, or responsive listeners help us grow our stories. Supportive listeners also allow you, the teller, to see what audience members are hearing. Storytelling is an interactive art form. Responsive listeners support storytellers in naturally bring out unexpected and unrehearsed bits of humor; spontaneous internal dialog; insightful moments of awareness; or newly inspired story-line twists and turns.

Select a few supportive; non-critical, non-critiquing, non-judgmental listeners or consult the services of an experienced storytelling coach. Listeners, per your direction, can either:

  • Listen without comment.
  • Listen and offer what they appreciated about the experience and/or the story.
  • Listen and offer bother appreciations about the experience and/or the story and offer any questions they might have.
  • When working with a professional storytelling coach you may also want to add some suggestions regarding the more technical and artistic aspects of storytelling and story development.

Celebration: A gift from my heart to yours . . . Story’s Story Continues . . .

Your story is a gift to your audiences. Like any gift, it is given from the heart. Invite your audience members to join with you on an interactive journey into the enchanting realm of story’s vivid realism and adventurous journey.

Remember: It’s your story to tell, so tell it like it is; in only the way you can! Let your story be the one long remembered after the performance or presentation is done.

                                                                                     

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Begin . . . !

 

 

 

A Touch of Love – A Taste of Life

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Life Living Moments – Living Life Memories

The Inuit Folktale, Two Friends, adapted and retold by Storyteller Grace Wolbrink

Starting off in life. Ohhh . . . the point of a finger . . . ahh . . . each one sparks with twinkling eyes . . . outstretched hands . . .  reassuring hugs . . . gentle kisses . . . sticky fingers . . . A touch of love – A taste of life.

Growing up . . . mud puddles, snail races, skinned knees, awkward moments stuck in trees . . . Oh no, your Mom found out too?  Two friends, their weddings united, they now stand; one facing east, the other facing west. Their life dreams securely planned during a time when people still filled the earth and the spirit of adventure still filled the land.

On the eve of daylight, with a musk-ox head between their hands, each friend made a cup. One cup fashioned from each horn on the same ox’s head. Goodbyes are said, not knowing when, but knowing that, someday, they too will meet again.

Traveling close to the land the two friends, in two separate directions, set out to travel the world. Being that the world is a very large place to travel and takes quite a bit of time. The two friends got older, each had children, their children had children, and their children’s children had children. The day came, on the eve of life’s twilight, the two friends, now carried by their children; meet face to face once again. Life living moments – living life memories.

According to the American Society on Aging, nearly 1 in 4 US households are caring for someone over the age of 50. Out of these households approximately 40% of these care givers are raising children and 64% are working either full-time or part-time. Care giving, caregivers, lives, coupled with life’s commitment. Yet, in the words of Pablo Casals, a world-famous cellist . . . “the capacity to care is the thing which gives live its deepest significance.”

In developing this story I found myself deeply challenged by the words of caregiver, Barbara Bernard caring for her parents, each diagnosed with a terminal illness within a week of each other. Barbra spoke about her commitment to, each day, finding ways to create memories for herself and her parents. Through creating these memories Barbra focused on life and the aspects of life that continued to bring joy to her Mother and Father. Watching the sunset while sipping coffee, feeling the fresh drops of summer rains, feeling the soft sensations of bunnies fur against one’s skin, smelling the aroma of fresh flowers or enjoying a favorite, off-season, holiday treat.  “I am hopeful that whoever will be caring for me finds ways to help me seize moments in every day and create answers to the question, “What was your favorite part of the day?” (Barbara Bernard) A touch of love – A taste of life.

“The world is magnificent!” cried the two friends.

Meeting again, on the eve of life’s twilight, the two friends shared their adventures, recounted their dreams and compared the remains of their drinking horns. Yes, remains, for over the years, scratches from each friend’s cup stayed among the rocks in the streams – the place where each friend had stopped to fill their cup with water and where each one had scraped it along the river’s bottom.

They started out when they were young without children, meet again when they were old, carried by their children. Each friend now sitting side by side with one’s back to the east, the other’s to the west, they mummer, “Truly the world is magnificent.”

All rights reserved September 2010.

 

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographers Journey Begin!

 

Story’s Setting – Where to Begin

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Knowing where you are is as important in everyday life as it is in story. Much like a building’s address, the setting of your story lets the listeners know where they are going and what they can expect when they arrive. Through the vehicle of story, the storyteller transports their listeners into the physical reality of story’s journey. Story’s location and characters live in the physical reality of story. They too have emotions, lives and physical and emotional challenges like any of us experience.

When developing a story orally, you have only a few simple sentences to quickly bring your listeners into the reality of your story’s setting, unlike authors who can fill pages or even chapters about the setting of their stories. Storytelling happens in the moment. It can’t be repeated, re-run or bookmarked for future reference.

In the beginning of the story as well as the ending of your story, a few carefully crafted and memorized sentences will ensure a strong start and the arrival of your designed ending or story’s destination. The middle, just like any road map, the roads, waterways, back alley’s or fight patterns depends on you the storyteller. As in life, as in story, there are many roads to get to a single destination.

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Begin!

Noodle-head Tales: A Lutheran on Sunday – A Methodist by Weekday

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

church-organ-393921_1280Noodle-head tales: Those lovable tales of fools, nitwits and numbskulls! Tales told and retold featuring one innocent fool or a chorus of fools. One example is our beloved Jack and the Beanstalk. Our endearing protagonist, on his way to market sells the family cow for a handful of magic beans leading a cloud topping hilarious adventure of giant proportions! In the Jewish tradition we find the town of Chlem, an entire, endearing town of fools with its headline news flash – the Cobbler Kills the Baker! Yes, indeed, it is true. The verdict rendered; death by hanging. A once cheering crowd of court goers falls silent.  A townsman’s question now brings urgent considerations before the Judge; “But who, yes, who will mend our shoes?” This piece of enlighten information brings the judge to further deliberation and a review of the town records. It has come to the attention of the Judge there are indeed two town administrators.  A new verdict has been reached: Let one of them be hanged! Noodle-heads, symbols of our own out-witting moments of senseless fortitude.

Recently I was honored to listen to a musician’s personal story of her early musical opportunities, much along the lines of our beloved folkloric noodle heads! A short except that I have entitled:

A  Lutheran on Sunday –  A Methodist on Weekdays

A young girl, growing up in a small rural community, committed both to her piano lessons and her local church.

The day came, as it does for some, but not for all, that the local church organist is indeed resigning.

“But who, who will play the organ”, cries committed church leaders and church goers, taking pride both in their denomination and their congratulation.

A twelve year old piano student is called before church leaders.

It has come to our attention that our beloved church organist has resigned and that your play the piano.

“Yes, yes, this is true.”

“We would like you to be our next beloved church’s organist.”

“Church organist!  I am a pianist, not an organist!”

“They both have keys, don’t they?”

“Yes, yes, this is true.”

Church leaders now offer her an hourly wage known to only a few working class workers. The young pianist thinking hard, thinking fast, searching her soul, does the only noble thing that can be done. She promptly accepts the position of church organist. Now under the careful guidance of her ever faithful Methodist piano instructor, she prepares for Sunday’s services. Church leaders and church goers applaud at the skills of their new organist.

A few Sunday services go by.  A young piano student is called before church leaders:

“It has come to our attention that you are playing Methodist hymns in our non-Methodist, to be exact, Lutheran Church.”

“Yes, yes, this is true.”

This is indeed a problem. Thinking hard, thinking fast, searching her soul, she does the only noble thing that can be done.  She takes her Methodist hymn in-scripted sheet music from the midnight blue folder and places them lovingly in her newly acquired green three-ringed binder, with bold lettering on the front: Lutheran Hymns for the Lutheran Church. The church leaders and church goers smile in gleeful approval as, now, the correct hymns are being played in their beloved church’s domination.

Several more weeks went by. Again a young pianist is called before church leaders:

“It has come to our attention that the foot pedals are not being utilized on our beloved Church’s organ.”

“Yes, yes, this is true.”

This is indeed a problem. Thinking hard, thinking fast, searching her soul, a piano player knowing no other organist to seek instruction from, does the only noble thing that can be done. Turning off the sound to the foot pedals. Her feet are now skillfully crossing each and every pedal, while her fingers play on. The Church council smiles in gleeful approval as, now, the foot pedals are being fully utilized on their beloved Church’s organ.

Yes, yes, it is true, a Lutheran by Sunday and a Methodist by Weekday.

All rights reserved, 2013

 

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Begin!

Listeners – Story’s Fertilizer!

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Storytelling is an interactive art form. One which can not exist or happen without a listener. The interaction between you, the teller, and the listening members of your audience ignite and liven the images of your story’s story. For in the moment it is told, the world of story becomes the listener’s living reality. A story, like our experiences in life, can never be duplicated or experienced in the same way again. The faces of story are as varied as the faces of our audiences. Each time we tell our stories the words, their impact and the audience’s responses will be unique to this moment in time.

Grab a listener and ignite your storytelling jet packs. Take a few minutes and think of a few people who are able to listen. Listening meaning no talking, no editorial comments and no unsolicited remarks. Their job? To listen. To simply listen. Once everyone is assembled, tell your story. Enjoy. Watch and take note. In this moment your story will grow in unexpected ways. Images will become clearer. Your voice tone and canter much stronger. See how unexpected and unrehearsed bits of humor, internal dialog, and moments of awareness or newly inspirited story-line twists and turns happen when you tell and retell your story. By seeing what your audience is hearing and the unique gift of this audience’s interaction, your story’s story-line continues to bloom. Also how easily your story ripens and grows inside of you; the teller.

In the early stages of my story’s development, I ask my responsive listeners to just listen, as I tell my story. Other times, as my story continues to grow and unfold inside of me, I ask, “What do you like about the story? or What did you like about this experience?” Again, I am not asking them for a cirque. I am simply asking what they like about the story and/or the experience. Storytellers through the responses of their listeners are able to see what others are hearing. Storytelling is an interactive, experiential journey into the world of story and the vivid reality of is characters and their lives.

This may also be a great time to secure the services of a storytelling coach. Information on storytelling coaches can be found online or through the National Storytelling Network.

 

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Continue!