Stories, Tales, Myths, and Legends

"A little whimsy, now and then, makes for good balance. Theoretically, you could find this type of humor anywhere, Bot only a topflight science-fictionist, we thought, could have written this story, in just this way..." ~Science Fiction Stories introduction to Philip K. Dick's "The Eyes Have It."

The short story in this episode  was published by the San Fransisco Examiner in 1890. The author is Ambrose Bierce and the story is titled “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge."

This episode covers two short stories that are titled "The Star and the Lily." Published nearly four decades apart, each story covers a unique cosmology as they unfold. One explains why we find water lilies where they are, the other explains why garden lilies bloom when they do.

This episode is myth from antiquity retold by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It comes from his “Wonder Book” and is titled “The Paradise of Children.” You may have heard of Pandora's box, this myth is where that idiom originates.

This Persian fairy tale comes from a book published in 1906 titled, The Cat and the Mouse:
A Book of Persian Fairy Tales.

This episode explores a tale from one of my real-life adventures. It's from a trip I took with my son to Mt. Wudang in China.

This is a story that was recorded by Albert D. Hesler from his interactions with the Yoruba people of Nigeria. It was collected in Helser's book titled, African Stories, published in 1930 and is titled “The Origin of Death.” 

This is an original adaptation of Nathan's based on the work of Xenophon. In book two chapter one of Memorabilia, Xenophon has a short excerpt regarding the choice of Hercules, it is this excerpt that has been adapted and expanded upon.

This episode explores the genre of Science Fiction. This story was found in the winter 1949 edition of the pulp science fiction magazine, Planet Stories. It was written by Alfred Coppel and is titled "Flight From Time."

Alfred Jose De Arana-Marini Coppel was an American author from Oakland California. After he served as a Fighter pilot during world war II, he started a prolific career as a writer. He went on to become one of the most prolific pulp authors of the 1950’s and 60s, pounding out short stories and novels across multiple genres. He topped the bestseller list with a suspense thriller titled “Thirty-Four East” in 1974.

This episode is a reading of a work by the Russian writer Anton P. Chekhov. I found this story in a publication titled, “Best Russian Short Stories” compiled by Thomas Seltzer in 1917. The contribution from Chekhov from this compilation is titled, “The Bet." I hope you enjoy!

This piece of Japanese folklore, recorded by Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, was originally published in 1871 in a book titled, “Tales of Old Japan.” The piece of folklore I’ll be reading from it is a fairy tale titled, “The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Blossom.” 

This episode is a reading of a classic tale written by Hans Christian Anderson titled, "The Little Mermaid." If all you know is the Disney version, you are in for a tale that is much darker, I hope you enjoy.

This piece wasn’t even on my radar until I read about it a week or two ago in George Saunders new book “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain,” even though it is from one of my favorite authors. It was published in 1925 and is titled, “Cat in the Rain” by Ernest Hemingway. 

This week I'm taking a slight departure from our normal readings to bring you one of the most recognizable pieces of English poetry. Please enjoy this reading of Clement Clark Moore's, "A Visit From St. Nicholas."

Please enjoy this old Russian legend that I ran across in The Pearl Story Book published in 1919. I think that if you listen to it you may find some interesting parallels to other pop culture figures surrounding this time of year.

If you want to engage with discussion questions and find exercises associated with this story head over to nahansen.com for additional resources.

This is the last installment of October's classic ghost and horror stories so I thought I would end it with an American staple, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. Published in 1820, it quickly became a favorite of everyone and Disney later made a softer, shorter, animated movie about it. That was my only experience with the story until I sat down to read it for you, and the pacing and tone of the original is much different. I hope you enjoy.

This story, written by Myla Jo Closser, is a different look at what happens at the pearly gates. Taken from the unique perspective of a dog, this ghost story is less frightening and more endearing.

In this episode of Stories, Tales, Myths, and Legends, I will read "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Gilman was a particularly influential writer, and this story has been held up as an illustration of how we as a society dealt with women's mental health issues. As you listen think about how this story is over 120 years old, and we haven't come very far from where we were.

Throughout October I'll be reading old ghost and horror stories. This one was written by Arnold M. Anderson and was published in 1904 by J.S. Ogilvie Publishing Company.

Please enjoy this Korean tale titled "The Enchanted Wine Jug."

Listen to "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde.

This episode is a reading of “The Farmer and the Badger” translated from Japanese by Yei Theodora Ozaki. This story was published in her book titled, “Japanese Fairy Tales” published in Tokio in 1908. Ozaki published three other books where she liberally translated the old stories and fairy tales of Japan. Even though she steeped herself in Japanese traditional stories, she bucked the cultural norms by refusing an arranged marriage, leaving her father’s house, and becoming a teacher and secretary to support herself. She later married a Japanese politician named Yukio Ozaki. 

This episode features a Japanese story preserved by Lafcadio Hearn in his book titled, Shadowings which was published in 1900. Hearn also went by the pen name Koizumi Yakumo. His works focus on Japanese culture. His most famous work is, Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things which was later made into the movie Kwaidan by Masaki Kobayashi.

Please enjoy Nathaniel Hawthorne's interpretation of the Greek myth of the three golden apples read by Nathan Hansen. Published in 1851, this classic tale has had generations on the edge of their seats! Nathaniel Hawthorne is also the author of The Scarlet Letter, Twice Told Tales, and The House of Seven Gables.

This reading of "the Magic Bon Bons" by L. Frank Baum comes from his book titled American Fairy Tales published in 1901 by the George M. Hill Company.

This is an original adaptation of the Grimm's fairy tale, "Three Little Men in the Wood." This story is adapted from Grimm's Fairy Tales, edited by Frances Jenkins Olcott, published by the Penn Publishing Company in 1922.
The original publication can be viewed at: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52521/52521-h/52521-h.htm