All stories are appropriate for all age groups and can be used to discuss spiritual themes and ethical situations. They can be used at an event to bring joy and happiness. These stories have been performed at schools, libraries, festivals, prisons, devotionals, junior youth groups, youth gatherings, firesides.
Turtle Knows your name and Other Tales – 40 minutes
A young boy has a problem—his name is so long that not one person can remember it. Still his granny insists he learn and use it. The boy thinks he has the longest name in the world, but could Granny’s be even longer? With the funny names, abundant dialogue and animal noises, you are sure to be entertained by this lively Carribean tale. This tale is followed by two bonus stories about young children who made a decision in their childhood that changed not only their lives but made history.
FLY, EAGLE, FLY – by Christopher Gregowski
25 minutes long – Story from Africa
After a stormy night, a farmer, searching for his lost calf, finds a baby eagle that has been blown out of its nest. He takes it home and raises it with his chickens. When a friend comes to visit one day, he tells the farmer that an eagle should be flying high in the sky, not staying on the ground but the farmer disagrees. Twice, the farmer’s friend tries to get the eagle to fly, but it sees the chickens on the ground and drops down each time. At last the friend, followed by the farmer, carries the young eagle back into the mountains and where it learns to fly into the horizon.
This story can be used to discuss our spiritual vs material nature, the Junior Youth Program, bullying, perseverance, patience.
THE BOSSY BOULDER– by Monica Estill
25 minutes long – Story by Alaskan writer
The Bossy Boulder is on top of the world when Time and Change push him off his high place. His world crumbles and his is broken. Again and again he falls and breaks. He goes through the stages of grief and as he gets smaller he comes to acceptance. Soon he is sand among sand; no bigger no smaller––only then does he realize that he is one with the mountain.
This story can be used to discuss superiority, equality, unity, tests and difficulties, humility, grief, acceptance
YOU ARE SPECIAL– by Max Lucado –with some name changes by story-teller
20 minutes long – Story by American author
In the town of Wemmickville there lives a Wemmick named Punchinello. Each day the residents award stickers—gold stars for the talented, smart, and attractive Wemmicks, and gray dots for those who make mistakes or are just plain ordinary. Punchinello, covered in gray dots, begins to feel worthless. Then one day he visits the woodcarver, his creator, and he learns that his worth comes from a different source.
This story can be used to discuss comparison, shame, worthlessness, uniquness, present society, materialism
THE BLIND MAN – African Story from Zimbabwe and Botswana
15 minutes – Alexander McCall Smith
A man marries a women whose brother is blind. The young man is eager to get to know his new brother-in-law and so takes him out hunting. He takes advantage of his blindness and then learns a very important lesson
This story can be used to discuss greed, jealousy, wisdom, kindness, making a wrong right, honor.