Loading summary
Transcript4 lines
- [00:14]
A
Hello and welcome to Super Great Kids Stories Wise tales from storytellers around the world, which will make you laugh and sometimes cry. Recommended for ages 5 to 105. I'm Kim and I love stories. This week's story is a fable and a trickster tale from Greece told by British Belgian storyteller Rebecca Lemaire. It's got a little song in it. I wonder if you could try learning it. So, super great kids, how are you? I wonder if you've tried anything new this week. It's Father's Day in the UK and in the US this weekend. Maybe you could try telling your dad or someone in your family a story. I think that all dads will be very pleased or dead chuffed, as they say in Yorkshire where I come from. You could try telling today's story, or you could take another simple story like the wide mouthed frog and try telling that one. Practice telling it to your pets or teddy bear first. This week's story is a fable from Greece, which is a sunny, beautiful country in the south of Europe where they grow delicious olives. Fables are stories which usually have animals in them and they carry a little message or a little nugget of wisdom to teach us. The story that Rebecca Lemaire is going to tell is one of Aesop's fables. Historians think that Aesop lived two and a half thousand years ago in ancient Greece. Imagine children like you being told this story two and a half thousand years ago. That is a very long time ago. The story is about a little donkey who wants to be braver and stronger than he really is. So just before we find out what happens to the donkey, let's play the animal Alphabet game while we have a quick word with the grown ups. So, starting with the letter A for anteater, can you work down the Alphabet and see how many animals you can think of? So, A for anteater, B for bear, and can you think of an animal beginning with C? Here's a clue. Ready? Off you go. Hello, super Great kids. I'm back. I wonder what animals you came up with and how far down the Alphabet you got. Did you get as far as H for horse or hippo? Then give yourself a pat on the back. So now it's time for our fable from Greece. I wonder as you listen, if you can be a story detective and work out what this story is trying to teach us. Let's give a very warm welcome to Rebecca Lemaire. Ready? Mouth open. Story jump out.
- [03:40]
B
Hello, everyone, My name is Rebecca le Maire. The Belgian British storyteller who lives in Spain. I'm going to tell you a story today that I learnt at school as a little girl in Belgium. Let's begin. Do you remember how to say once upon a time in French? Il est t' une foi. That's right. Il est t' une foi. There was a donkey. And the donkey was walking down the lane, singing his favourite tune. Danger. The donkey froze. And then he ran, hid behind a tree because they're lying. Across the lane was a lion. The donkey behind the tree felt every bone in his body chattering. His legs were wobbly. Did the lion see me? He wondered. Is it coming? Silence. Complete silence. So very slowly, very carefully, the donkey peeked from behind the tree. The lion wasn't moving at all, not even a whisker. The donkey waited and waited. Is it sleeping? The donkey wondered. The donkey peeked again, step by step. The donkey came out from behind the tree and crept closer. The lion was still there, just lying across the lane. Maybe, you know, I can just pass by quietly. Very quietly. Very, very quietly. But the donkey was just too curious to just pass by. What is this lion doing there, lying across the lane, having a nap right there in the middle of the pass. Very bravely, the donkey approached. The lion, stood over it, reached out a hoof and poked the lion and took two steps back. Very quickly. Nothing. The lion hadn't moved. The donkey blinked. He looked closer and closer still until suddenly. Aha. That's not a lion. Was a lion's skin with the lion's head, the lion's legs, the big paws, the lion's tail. Everything was there except the lion itself. The donkey looked around. No one was there. No one was watching. And a thought popped into the donkey's head. Hmm. What if I tried this lion skin on? You know, just put it on me and see what happens. And so he did. He picked it up. He pulled the lion skin over his back, adjusted the head, slipped each of his legs into the four lion skins. Legs. Shook himself once, shook himself twice. Huh. It fits. I wonder what I look like? Wondered the donkey. At that very moment, something hopped across the path. Now, let's see if you can guess what it was. It hops along on quiet feet with a twitching nose so soft and sweet its ears stand tall. It loves to hide. What is it that hops outside? Yes. A rabbit. Well done. The rabbit looked up, saw the donkey in the lion's skin and froze. And then, zoom. It dashed into the bushes, shouting, a lion in our forest. A lion in our Forest. I saw him with my very own eyes, honest. The donkey blinked. Au bain salors, c' est moi qui la peur comme ca. Did that little rabbit just run away from me? Was it scared of me? Wondered the donkey. Did the rabbit really think I was a lion? Ha. The donkey stood a little taller and began to walk again, singing. Let's see if you can sing with me and the donkey. Tuck. Soon he saw an animal standing on its back legs, reaching up into a tree, nibbling at leaves. Listen carefully and see if you can guess the animal. It climbs and nibbles quick and neat on rocky hills with nimble feet, with little horns and clever eyes. Who is this snack loving surprise? Yes. A goat. The donkey in the lion's skin crept up behind the goat and tapped it on the shoulder. The goat turned its head, ah. Leapt into the air and off it ran into the forest, shouting. Can you say it with me? A lion in our forest. A lion in our forest. I saw him with my very own eyes, honest. The donkey's eyes grew wide and a grin spread across his face. And he began to sing. You see, his song was now changing. I'm very scary with this lion on my back. Dum ta ka dum ta ka dunka dumka tack. It's so much fun to see them run. As the donkey walked around the forest and approached a big clearing, the ground began to tremble. Thump, thump, thump. Here comes the next animal. Big grey body, long strong nose, floppy ears and heavy toes. It sprays up water, loves to play. Who is stomping on the way? An elephant. Exactly. The donkey in a lion's skin stood there in the entrance of the clearing. The elephant stopped, looked, trumpeted in shock, turned and ran, calling out, Go on, say it with me. A lion in our forest. A lion in our forest. I saw him with my very own eyes, Honest. Ah. The donkey laughed and sang louder. I'm very scary with this lion on my back. Dum taka dum taka dunka dunka tuck. It's so much fun to see them run. The donkey was feeling walking taller and taller. And soon he spotted long legs moving through the trees. Long long neck stretching high, reaching leaves up in the sky with gentle steps and spots. So tall. Who is the tallest of them all? A giraffe. That's right. Hearing a sound there below, the giraffe bent her neck and looked through the branch and saw the donkey in the lion skin. The giraffe's eyes widened and off it ran, legs flying. Ah. Say it with me. A Lion in a forest, A lion in a forest. I saw him with my very own eyes, honest. By now the donkey felt something bubbling inside him and his song changed a little as he walked along. Doom tuck a doom tuck a doomka doomka tuck I am the king, I love to scare and sing Doomtucka doom tuck A doomka doomka tack it's so much fun to see them run. You see, the donkey was starting to believe he was a lion. The king of the jungle. The donkey then heard something coming from above in the trees. He looked up and there was a group of animals. They swing on branches full of fun. They chatter loudly in the sun. Bananas are their favourite snack. What are these? Climbers? Never slack. Monkeys, of course. Well done. And there was another animal in a neighbouring tree. Let's see if you can guess. This one. With feathers bright of red and green it copies words it's heard and seen. It's squawks and talks up in a tree. What is this chatterbox like me? A parrot? That's it. And off it went, flying above the babbling monkeys who were swinging from branch to branch, all of them screaming at the top of their heads, let's say it. A lion in our forest, A lion in our forest. We saw him with our very own eyes, Honest. And the donkey sang doom tuck a doom duck a doomka doomka tuck I am the king, I love to scare and sing Doomtucka doomtucka doomka dumka duck. It's so much fun to see them run. And he came across another animal. Spots in shadow, quiet and sleek. Silent paws and eyes that seek Fast and fierce it hunts its track. Who is watching, ready to attack? It was indeed a leopard. Here the donkey paused. For just a moment. He hesitated. But then he lifted his head, stamped his hoof. And the leopard slipped silently away into the trees. Gone. The leopard was too proud to shout. And so he didn't. And now the donkey, fully convinced he was indeed a powerful lion, sang doom thakka dum duck a doomka dunk a tuck I am a lion and there's no turning back. Doom ta ka dum da ka dunka dunk a tuck. It's so much fun to see them run. Run away quick, I'm on the attack. And then the donkey stopped. He had come to a tree. And under that tree there was someone very familiar. The fox. The fox who always teased him. The fox who laughed at his voice, his walk, his songs. The fox was leaning back against the tree, his legs stretched out in front of him fast asleep. The donkey's heart began to beat faster. This is it, he thought. I'll scare him more than anyone else. We'll see how clever he feels now that I'm a lion. Je suis le lion. He crept forward, closer, closer still. He reached out and tickled the fox's feet. The fox, still with his eyes closed, moved his feet away and said in a sleepy whoever it is, just go away. This is not the time for games and tickles. I'm having a nap again. The donkey in the lion's skin tickled the fox's feet and the fox. Go away, I said. The fox opened his eyes a little and. And saw there, looking into his face. Ah, a lion. The fox was now wide aw frozen, unable to escape. Oh, thought the donkey, this is it. Sweet revenge. I'm going to give him the fright of his life. Scare his whiskers off. A great big roar right in his face should do it. And so the donkey took a deep breath, preparing himself to give the greatest, biggest, loudest, most terrifying roar. He opened his mouth, breathing an e r e r e. The donkey put both paws over his mouth, shutting his own mouth. Oops. When the fox had recovered from his surprise, he said, you're not a lion. It's you, donkey. From behind the trees there were giggles and snorts and whispers. The animals stepped out one by one. The rabbit, the goat, the elephant, the monkeys and the parrot appeared above the fox's head in the tree. And the leopard, well, leopard was nowhere to be seen. And they all called out, there is no lion in our forest. There is no lion in our forest. It was Donkey all along, honest. And the fox sat up slowly, still trembling a little, but also smiling, and he said, oh, Donkey, you almost scared my beautiful bushy tail off. Oh, Donkey, who knew you could play such jokes? We all believed you until you opened your mouth. The donkey stood very still and then shook his mane, stamped his hoof and began to sing again, softly at first, and then louder. Doom da ka dum da ka dumka dumka duck. And all the animals joined in and sang their own song. Dum da ka doom da ka dumka dumka duck. Doom tuck a doom tuck a doonga doomka tack. You're very scary with that lion on your back. Doomtaka. Doom tuck a doomka doomka tack. Please never scare us again like that. Doom tuck a doom tuck a doomka doomka tack. And from that day on, the animals took the donkey a little more seriously. And the song, well, they Sang it everywhere, all the time. It is a catchy song, don't you think? And so that song wandered through the forest and across the world and somehow it reached my ears. And that is how I came to tell you this tale today.
- [20:31]
A
Ah, thanks very much, Rebecca. That's a nice way to end a story. Maybe you could remember that ending. So that story wandered across the world and reached my ears and that is how I came to tell it to you. What did you like about that story? I rather like the drumming sound. Doom taka doom taka doom Kataka tack. And I like the animals riddles. Could you make up a riddle about an animal and see if your siblings can guess it? So, with your detective hats on, what do you think that fable was teaching us? Maybe it was a warning not to overdo it and take your tricks too far. Or could it be trying to say, be happy with who you are. Don't try to be something you're not. Can a donkey make a good lion? Can we change who we are? Stories mean different things to different people. I wonder what it meant to you. And now it's time to flip, flap, fly around the world with Story Owl to say hello and thank you to the owlets who've recently hopped into our nest and joined our storytelling club. Let's start in Singapore, where Adam, who's 10 and 7 year old Miriam live. Adam's favorite story is the Luminous Pearl and Miriam loves the old woman and her pig, told by Jason Buck and heading a long way west. Next, let's go to the Netherlands in Europe to Greet Atlas, who's 6 and lives in Almira. He became an owlet so that he could listen to the Baba Yaga stories. Atlas is also a big fan of world mythology. Good for you Atlas. You might want to check out a book by storytellers Daniel Morden and Hugh Lupton. It's called Greek Three Heroic Tales. Maybe ask your grown up to check it out. It's for ages 8 and above. A short hop across the North Sea next to the UK to say hello to Emily in Bristol who turned 11 last month on May 15th 13th. Emily loves stories by Toup, including Tianjay and the Yellow Dress and Stick Woman, as well as those by Kate Corkery and Jason's Gingerbread man. Oh, and she also likes the Baba Yaga stories. Hurrah. Another short flight west, this time across the Irish Sea to greet Luca, who's 7, and Isla, who's 5, who live in Sligo. Their favourites are Molly and the Skeleton and the Baba Yaga stories. And their dad loves the devil in the Luck Child story. Luca and Isla like making up their own stories every night. Well, that's very good news. You're storytellers. And hello to Tallulah, who's 5 and lives in Portugal for much of the year and Canada in the summer. Lucky you, Tallulah. I wonder if that means you can speak two languages. Tallulah listens in the morning by the fire. And when travelling with her family, Baba Yaga stories are her favourites. And her dad's favourite is the Danish story Hey ho. Over to the United States now to say hello to owlette Sibyl, who's 5 and lives in New York. Her favorites are River Mama and the Sea Witch. Yes, Sibyl, I love that story too. And let's fly a long way west all the way to Colorado next to greet Lara, who's nine, and Leo, who's four. They're from London and currently live in Boulder. Their absolute favorites are how the Snakes Got Their Poison and How the Sea Became Salty. Lara says she really enjoyed the recent Super Great Scary Story live session online with Jason Butt and Amy Douglas. Well, that's nice to hear, Lara. And we'll keep hovering over Colorado to say hello to Paisley, who's 7, and Juniper who's 5. They've been listening to us from the very beginning. Excellent news. That makes you super fans. They listen to stories as they fall asleep and then retell them in the mornings. Well, that makes me very happy. Well done. Paisley's favorite story is Tatterhood and Juniper's the twelve Dancing Princesses. Another flight west, this time all the way to California to say to Owlet Aiden, who's five, and his three year old sister Aurelia who live in Palos Verdes. Aiden especially loves the sky scary stories including Molly and the Skeleton as well as the Anansi ones and the Catfishers. His favorite storyteller is Jason Buck. And Aurelia likes the Anansi stories. Let's head east to Memphis, Tennessee now to greet Owlet Legend, who's six, and Lennox, who's two. Their favourites include Baba Yaga's Bubble Bath and Bhikkubai and the Coconut. Very good choices. And finally we fly north to Wisconsin to say hello to Everett, who's seven and four year old Andrew, who live in Menominee. Everett has been reading the Super Great Kids Stories book to his brother every evening. What a lovely thing to do, Everett. And his favourite story is the Ghost of the Bloody Finger. And Andy's favourites are the Trickster tales, especially Anansi and the hot pepper soup. Well that's good because we've got Trickster tales as a theme at the moment. I hope you're enjoying them. And our pick of the week picture goes to 7 year old Juno from Hanover in Germany for her drawing of the Scottish story the Catfishes. Juno has drawn the old black cat and the younger white one who are having a singing competition to see who gets to eat the fish they've caught. I love the way Juno, that you've put musical notes drifting above their heads. And your drawing of Sly Mr. Fox with his jagged teeth and white tipped tail who tricked the cats and is now slinking off with the juicy fish in his mouth. If you'd like to see Juno's drawing and others, go to our website supergreatkidstories.com and click on the tab artwork and photos or go to our facebook page facebook.com supergreatkidstories and I recently met up with some super great kids fans at a literature festival in Walton on Thames where I was signing our Super Great Kids Stories book. So hello to Chloe who's seven, and her sister Theodora. Chloe's mum is from America and her dad is from Switzerland and they're living in Surrey in the uk. And hello to Alex who's four, and Harry who's eight, who are also from Surrey, from Claygate. Thanks to all you owlets for your super great support. It's because of you that we can keep finding new storytellers in different countries. If you'd like to support us on Patreon or on Apple Podcasts, we'll say hello to you on the show. You can hear our stories advert free and you can have access to all the stories in our Super Great archive. Plus you'll have access to 50 super great scary stories and depending on your level of subscription, over 60 bonus stories and access to our Super Great Kids stories express with short introductions, no adverts purely story great for listening to stories back to back. Visit our website for more details. Supergreat kids stories.com well that's it for today. I hope you have a happy week and have a happy Father's Day. If you're celebrating happy listening and telling. This podcast was produced by Kim Normanton and David Smith at Wardour Studios in fabulous Fitzrovia in London.
- [29:58]
B
Sam.