Category: 
January 3, 2009
For centuries stories have been told and retold throughout the world. Why? Because they are entertaining, for one thing. Another reason is that they deal with the human condition, one way or another. Even stories using animals as characters reflect the situations and actions of our species.
The struggles of life have been with us for centuries as well. Wars. Pestilence. Relationship scuffles. Struggles that implore some understanding, some support. Some kind of resolution.
At the same time, nobody likes to be preached to. We prefer to take our medicine with a bit of sweetener. That is where laughter comes in. Humor makes a hard message a bit easier to swallow. Witty humor is priceless humor. A unique combination.
As you know, laughter lightens the heart. Laughter enlivens the spirit. And as long as we are laughing at the foibles of others (and not ourselves) we find those situations funny. Call it priceless humor.
Look at the great humorists around us. Art Buchwald. Mark Russell. Russell Baker. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere. Henry Fielding Storytellers all. Painting scenes with priceless humor.
Priceless humor… what makes it priceless? The answer is simple. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The lost keys. The comic situation. The consequences that follow are generally laughable.
You will find lots of priceless humor in urban folktales. My CD Parking in Manhattan illustrates many humorous circumstances. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless humor arises out of priceless situations.
World stories also capitalize on priceless humor. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Check out “Rock Soup” or “Herschel in the Woods” from my CD Fables in Four Minutes. My CD World Full of Stories has many examples a listener can enjoy. There are many similar examples of priceless humor from virtually every country on the planet. These stories will stick with you long after you heard them. At www.jaystetzer.com you will find a rich source of priceless humor!
When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are filled with catastrophes and disasters. The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer. It is my job as a storyteller to sort out the meaning from all the information I hear. To make the tale palatable, I inject a bit of humor. Making the story priceless with priceless humor!
There is priceless humor in virtually every genre. Why? Simple answer number two. Laughter makes learning easier. There is often a lesson to be learned through a story with priceless humor. It just goes to show what a treasure priceless humor can be.
Horaayy..there are 47 comment(s) for me so far ;)
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Painting scenes with priceless humor.
Priceless humor. what makes it priceless? The answer is simple. Priceless humor revolves about common everyday experiences. The lost keys.
You will find yourself remembering these stories for a very long time. You can find priceless humor and more at http://www. jaystetzer. com.
I listen to lots of conversations.
The current Wiktionary defines the word as “good; a general term for anything that is good, useful or beneficial. ” A thesaurus gives synonyms such as “peachy, smashing, dandy, great, keen, and groovy,” all of which strike me as exchanging one jargon term for another!”
What makes nifty stories nifty? The stories I tell always have a message, a lesson, a bit of perspective, and they are, indeed, particularly good and rather effective at making their point. You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message.
However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious. The characters may act out the meaning of the story. It is up to the listener to decipher the message. And different listeners will carry away different messages. This kind of story is generally attractive to a wider audience.
Their stories grow out of this mythical soil. Myth forms the basis for many world stories. They include creation stories along with other stories that explain the world.
Folktales, on the other hand, are generated from daily village life. These stories rise out of a rural setting for obvious reasons.
Priceless humor.
There is priceless humor in virtually every genre. What is the reason for it? Simple answer number two. We learn best when we are laughing. A story with priceless humor often comes with a lesson attached.
Keep the good posts coming.
A good example is the memories I have of buying gifts for my children. Gifts for the holidays. Gifts for birthdays. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I would search high and low for something meaningful, something unique.
Epic stories have many layered lessons Just compare a tale from the Arabian Nights to a fable by Aesop to see the difference. Which one gives you more freedom to choose your own message? Personally, I like to find my own message when listening to a story. Check out my World Full of Stories and Fables in Four Minutes CDs for some examples of nifty stories with more subtle lessons.
Nifty stories edify. Nifty stories appeal to a broad audience.
Honesty is the best policy. Slow down and notice the things around you. Community giving is part of community living. I am who I am because of those messages.
I find myself using stories I heard long ago when I perform today.
Love this blog. This is a great blog.
A CD full of stories will provide hours of pleasure. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!
You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes is a collection of ten stories, each one representing a different storytelling genre. World Full of Stories has a dozen stories that will take the listeners on a trip around the world. Parking in Manhattan, my latest project, represents a compendium of hilarious urban folktales, all of them sounding as though they really happened! If you wish to make a purchase of one or more CDs, the directions on the “Recordings” page will assist you.
Birthday gifts. Gifts rewarding good behavior. I spent some serious hours searching for something unique, something meaningful. Most of the time it was rough going. I quickly realized that a good gift is hard to find.
Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Do not go into the deep, dark woods! Keep away from wild animals! Do not talk to strangers! Then again, many folktales tell of reward and happy endings. Good is eternally pitted against evil. One can discover the Golden Rule in most plots. Regardless of genre, any worthy world story can be applied to contemporary life.
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Naturally, stories of the folk world are couched in rural settings. Fairy tales also live in the world of folktales. The questioning minds of preliterate villagers found apt expression through stories of magic and mystery. Cautionary tales abound, all of them containing messages to avert disaster. Stay out of the dark forest! Keep away from wild animals! Avoid strangers! On the other hand, reward and happy endings comprise many folktales.
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At http://www. jaystetzer. com you will find a rich source of priceless humor!
When I am out and about, I tune into conversations around me. They are laden with disasters and catastrophes. The conversants generally cannot see the life lesson they offer.
Useful info.
And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!
You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes contains ten wonderful stories from ten different storytelling genres. For listeners who want to take a virtual trip around the world, World Full of Stories makes a unique present.
I’ll be back for sure.
I keep coming back to this blog.
Moliere. Ogden Nash. Storytellers all. Priceless humor their brush.
Priceless humor.
Don’t stop writing.
Relationship scuffles. All of which beg for some direction, some assistance. Some kind of resolution.
At the same time, nobody likes to be preached to. We prefer to take our medicine with a bit of sweetener.
You could say that my idea of nifty stories is stories that enlighten as well as entertain. There needs to be a message beyond a witty punch line.
Any story with a moral at the end sends the listener a clear message. It teaches by example. However, the lessons in many other stories may not be as obvious.
On the “Listen” page of my website, click any one of the story samples and you are likely to find a message worth your time. Two good examples of inspirational stories are “The Egg Seller” and “Herschel and the Wedding” from my CD World Full of Stories. “Service with a Smile” on my Parking in Manhattan CD offers the listener a great hidden lesson. Long after they are told, inspirational stories stay in the memory. I am even inspired by the inspirational stories I tell!
We live in a complex, fast moving world.
I needed this info last month.
I will come back to this site.
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Russell Baker. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere. Ogden Nash. Storytellers all.
Good. I was looking for thie very stuff last month.
It is the honey in the brew. Witty humor is priceless humor. A unique combination.
As you know, everyone loves to laugh. Laughter takes the sting out of life.
One great gift I have found is a memorable story. And it is appropriate for all ages, children included. A CD full of stories will provide hours of pleasure. Think of the glimpse it can give into cultures and customs from countries around the world.
My “Recordings” page on this website lists three story CDs.
A memorable story is that kind of gift. And it is suitable for children of all ages. Think of all the pleasurable hours an entire CD of stories can provide. Think of the glimpse it can give into cultures and customs from countries around the world.
You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website.
And it is suitable for children of all ages. A CD full of stories will provide hours of pleasure. Imagine the trip around the world your progeny can take on the wings of a story!
You can find three CDs listed on the “Recordings” page of my website. Fables in Four Minutes contains ten wonderful stories from ten different storytelling genres. For listeners who want to take a virtual trip around the world, World Full of Stories makes a unique present.
As a culture grows, so do its world stories.
I have been blessed by the number of world stories I have found from my travels around the world. And each time I visit another country I have the opportunity to learn a bit about it. Customs and rituals. Daily habits and geography.
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Great blog. Very helpful stuff here.
I will be sure to remember this place. Thanks.