What in the World are World Stories?
Written by: chuckseltzer
Total views: 34 |
Word Count: 464 |
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 |
0 comments
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. In any society they define the roots and significance of the peoples. As a culture grows, so do its world stories.
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. 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. 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. You can also find things demonic. Their stories regularly exhibit these notions. They make up the mythical soil out of which the stories grow. 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. 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. Many folktales were cautionary tales with lessons for avoiding catastrophe. Stay out of the dark forest! Keep away from wild animals! Do not talk to strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales. Good is eternally pitted against evil. One can discover the Golden Rule in most plots. No matter what the genre, a good world story brings meaning to the contemporary world as well. And thats 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 mysterious. Many world stories are full of insight. Often world stories are inscrutable. Generally world stories teach. All world stories entertain.
No matter what, all world stories maintain a deep bond with the fabric of their 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!
About the Author
Learn more about nifty stories, visit a helpful page.
Rating: Not yet rated