This is a book that has been around for a long time, but I just picked it up again and was reminded what a great book it is. Margaret Read Macdonald collected these stories and proverbs in Peace Tales, World Folktales to Talk About. Not only is it a wonderful starting point for those who are looking for a place to find this kind of story, it is a reminder for those us who may have been down the path before.
Peace Tales contains some of my personal favorite stories that have been in the repertoire for many years, and a few that I'd forgotten about, but will be coming back soon. Old Joe and the Carpenter, The Neighbor's Suspicious Looking Son, Not My Problem (A Drop of Honey), and Lifting the Sky are wonderful stories to tell and for audiences to hear.
I remember the first time that I heard Vi Hilbert tell "Lifting The Sky" and watching an audience of storytellers join in as we lifted the sky that night. No one who was in that audience will ever forget that image. Each of us may have a different picture of the sky moving up, but none will be able to lose the magic given to us by that tiny reed-thin woman motivating us to lift the sky into its proper place. That prompted me to use the story with audiences, particularly those of younger children.
Although the book was originally published in 1992, it is timeless and should have a place on every storyteller's book shelf. Also included are Margaret Read Macdonald's usual bibliographies, tips for telling, sources for the stories and additional delights to discover while perusing this delightful volume.
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