Road Trip for a Book: The Storyteller's Sourcebook

I explore several libraries with my most regular stops with the Salt Lake County Libraries and the Davis County Libraries.

Living in Layton, the Central Branch of Davis County is the closest one to me at about 10 minutes from my home whereas I tend to find the best selection at the Whitmore Branch of the Salt Lake County Library system after a 45-minute drive.

I assumed that the Central Branch would have a copy of the coveted book "The Storyteller's Sourcebook: A Subject, Title, and Motif Index to Folklore Collections for Children 1983-1999" edited by Margaret Read MacDonald and Brian W. Sturm.

There were some pages I needed to continue my research on possible opening stories for my premiere. I aimed for the Reference Juvenile Literature section as that was where I found it at the Weber County Library on November 19th. It was not there. I checked the computer to be sure. There was not a copy at any of the seven branches of the Davis County Library system!

I glanced at my watch. It was 5:35pm. The Weber County Library closed at 6:00pm on Saturdays.

I ran to my car and drove as fast as I could knowing it would take from 20-25 minutes to drive depending on traffic.

I forgot about the Christmas parade.

The road that headed east and usually taken to the library was closed due to the parade.

I headed more north, looking to east at every intersection to see if this part of the street was open. No luck. I wondered aloud, "How long is this parade?!"

By this time it was 5:53pm.

Finally, I saw where the parade ended and zoomed until I saw the blessed building: Weber County Library.

I did not care that I parked crooked. I was here. I bolted for the doors. I knew exactly where this book was and grabbed it from the shelf.

Then the copier had to be. . .temperamental (to put it nicely).

After a few battles and asking for a librarian's help, I made the copies of the pages in the book that listed all the motif codes in connection to family and folklore.

If you read a previous post, you may wonder I did not make copies of these pages as the book was in my hands on November 19th. My response would be "Why do we do or not do things?" Sometimes there is not a clear answer.

Yet I had the copies now and felt more prepared to find the opening story for the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" premiere.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Holly Robison: Buddy for "The Gardener's Wife"

With so much time dedicated to the marketing of "Family Famine: Hunger for Love", I had to focus on story development.

As simple as blocking the time on my planner, I scheduled every Friday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm to be "The Gardener's Wife" Day with story buddy Holly Robison. (Yet this time was to almost 4:00pm.)

As there are one or two songs I would like her to sing duet in this story, then it made sense to choose her. The other fact is that she is fun and inspirational.

For perspective on the story, I asked Holly to read the version in "Latin American Folktales: stories from Hispanic and Indian traditions" edited by John Bierhorst and published by Pantheon Books. The way Holly would interpret what was happening through her tone of voice or pauses was enough for me to dwell in the story and create images in my mind.

Afterward the reading, Holly asked me questions. For some I did not have answers but they were great to consider.

Out came the whiteboard and here were some of the results:

• Does the Garden reflect the barrenness of the Gardner's Wife?
• With the image of the squash at the end, how can that image be threaded throughout?
• What are the meanings behind the symbols of the bird that speaks, the orange tree that dances, and the water that jumps and leaps?
• What if everything seemed to blossom around the Gardner's Wife except for having children?
• Would the Gardener's Wife have a favorite plant or tree? Would it be referred to in the story?
• What importance, if any, is there for the titles to be Gardener and the Gardener's Wife versus Farmer and the Farmer's Wife? Has this any Colombian connection? Does this mean that the Gardener and his Wife live within the palace?
• What draws the Queen to the garden? Was there a rumor that the King overhears and shares with her?
• Why would the King need a night patrol to overhear conversations? What kind of unrest is in the kingdom? What problems does the King fear that people may talk about?
• When reviewing the Hero's Journey (Joseph Campbell), is the threshold when the Girl goes up the mountain and then down to the plain?
• What is the Gardener's Wife response when each of her Adopted Children go on the quest?
• Why does the Queen not sense the presence of her own Children when with the Gardener's Wife? Or does she?

Finally, a rough outline of the story was drawn as I wanted the Gardener's Wife to be the focus whereas the original focuses on three sisters and who they want to marry first.

Besides whiteboards, I am a believer in scrap paper. The image below is the original outline and some of the print from the other side can be seen:






















This is only the beginning of a fantastic journey for "The Gardener's Wife". Feel free to follow the process.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Joshua Payne: Future Guitarist for the Teller

Thanks to the Daniel Day Trio for granting permission to post their picture.
(Left to right: Dave Bowen, Joshua Payne, and Daniel Day.)




Two months ago I talked with Clive Romney about the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production and how I imagined a musician, perhaps a guitarist, to accompany me during the story "Forsaken Brother", an Ojibwa tale.

He asked for an impromptu telling of tale, which I did, and then gave his recommendation: Joshua Payne.

The whole Payne family is musically inclined with Marvin Payne, the father, being the most famous as folksinger and actor. Marvin had been nicknamed "The Troubadour" with all his masterpieces.

His sons quickly turned to rhythm and cadence.

One of his sons, Sam Payne, performed at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival with guitar at the knee and later collaborated with Clive Romney, Nancy Hanson, and Tammy Robinson for the performing arts show that combined song, storytelling, dance and even quilting in "The Ghosts of Gardner Village".

Another of Marvin's sons, Joshua Payne, who has also played at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, joined his guitar talents with Daniel Day on drums and Dave Bowen on bass as part of the Daniel Day Trio. This group specializes in 80s, Contemporary, Jazz, and Neu-Jazz and original pieces upon request.

I called Joshua and left a message on his voice mail. I noticed that the Daniel Day Trio would perform at a restaurant about 20 minutes away from where I lived. Luckily, Joshua called back so I could let him know my plans to hear his group play and to introduce myself at the end.

I invited my neighbor, Teresa Cutler, to join me to hear the Daniel Day Trio as well as to enjoy some Japanese cuisine at the Tona Sushi.

Though I was able to hear some clips of music online from them, nothing replaces going in-person. The three musicians swung to the rhythms and grooves so that I found myself tapping my feet and nodding my head.

Afterward, I gave Joshua a copy of the "Forsaken Brother" story so he could see if it would be a story he would be inspired to create sound effects and songs. The printed version would not be the presented piece on stage. At least Joshua had somewhere to start.

Joshua expressed, "I am extremely interested. Rarely do I get a chance for creative pieces and that is what I love the most."

He even suggested that a friend of his may also be interested in the project and asked if I would be open to that thought.

I was thrilled by the idea and have yet to hear if his friend truly would like to participate.

In the meantime, I am pleased that it is likely that Joshua Payne will be joining my venture with the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production.

I called Clive Romney to thank him for the recommendation of Joshua Payne. Clive needed to know that I did remember though it had been two months to act upon it.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Lullaby of Love: Song of the Gardener's Wife

Songs and lullabies rushed to my mind after choosing "The Gardener's Wife" story for the grand finale piece of the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love".

In a matter of moments, I could envision the gardener's wife rocking a baby in her arms. This image quickly switched to me caressing a baby. As my husband and I do not have children yet, such an image stirred emotions of great excitement.

The words came out of my mouth and I could see them sung to my future children.

In the story, a baby is sent to the gardener and his wife by the river. Water is also an essential part to birth.

So the words that came to me:
Oh my child, my precious child
The waters sent you here
Oh my child, my precious child
To have you close and near

This lullaby is short though such a song of love is often that way.

I called my storytelling friend, Holly Robison, and told her my discovery. I sung the lullaby to her and asked if she could sing it as a duet for a certain part of the story. We have told tandem tales before where we harmonized.

She said yes.

I explained that when the song is first sung, I would sing it. Then Holly would harmonize with me for the second time. She would "oooo" the tune while I narrated that throughout the village other mothers and fathers sung the song. This would be a hint to the audience to join in. As they would have heard the words twice and there are four lines with two lines repeating, then it would be simple enough. The words--though few--would also be in the program.

I may have an ASL interpreter so we would have the song in sign language.

Something happens when everyone sings together.

As the adopted children of the gardener and his wife grow up in the story, then the song will be sung again though not in such a dramatic way as the first time. However, the audience would be familiar with the tune and the words and could join in each time.

As the gardener and his wife wanted children for a long time, it seemed natural that the wife would have another song--a grieving song--while waiting for that moment.

The words and tune have yet to come to me.

There is a line that I feel must be part of it:
There's a hunger in my soul. I yearn for more.

As I explore the story more, then more inspiration will come.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

The Grand Finale Story: At Last it is Found

Though I listed the Colombian story "The Three Sisters" in a previous post, today was when inspiration struck.

Sometimes stories need to be set aside so that the right paths to take can be found on the creativity map.

The original story starts with three sisters giggling and teasing about who they would want to marry. The oldest sister would like to be with the king's baker as then she can have sponge cake all day. The middle sister would like to be with the king's steward as then she can have anything in the pantry to eat. The youngest sister would like to be with the king himself as then there is quite a feast to eat for every meal.

This conversation is overhead and reported to the king, and the king has these idle wishes to come to pass. The oldest and middle sisters are jealous though they do marry their respective grooms. Eventually, the king and the youngest sister, now the queen, have a child. The two jealous sisters switch out the baby for a dog and then put the baby in a wooden coffin and send it down the river.

Then we meet a gardener and his wife who are unable to have children. The baby is found and they praise God for the blessing.

The king and queen have a second baby. The jealous sisters switch out the baby again, this time for a cat, and send the baby down the river. Again, the gardener and his wife are blessed.

A third time the king and queen have a baby. The jealous sisters switch out the baby for a piece of wood. The gardener and wife are joyous beyond measure as a third child comes down the river to them.

There is much more to this story, though I discovered that I had the most compassion on the gardener's wife. As my husband and I want children of our own and have started the adoption process, I could hear the sounds of joy that the gardener's wife must have shared when her husband walked through the door with a baby, and then a second one, and finally a third. The story came alive and it was at that moment I knew this story had to be part of the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production.

For this reason, I will rename this story from "The Three Sisters" to "The Gardener's Wife".

I looked at the back of the Latin American Folktales: stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions edited by John Bierhorst for any notes or hints of other versions and variants. As this was a book published by Pantheon Books, there was guidance.

I learned the following:

• Aarne-Thompson Motif Index is type 707 of The Three Golden Sons
• Versions with this type 707 could be found in California, Chile, Dominican Republic, Mexico, New Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Europe, India, and the Middle East
• Colombian version found in this book is close to the one shared in Thousand and One Nights

Naturally, I will search out these other kinds as well as research the Colombian culture.

I have found the final destination with the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production--this story!

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller