Folk stories

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. Conflict. Famine. Relationship scuffles. Struggles that implore some understanding, some support. Some kind of resolution.

Needless to say, no one cares to listen to preaching. We desire to sweeten our bitter medicines. Enter laughter. It is the honey in the brew. Priceless humor is filled with wit and wisdom. An awesome blend of entertainment and enlightenment.

As you know, everyone loves to laugh. 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. George Carlin. Russell Baker. Check out the humorists of history. Moliere. Henry Fielding All of them were storytellers. Priceless humor their brush.

What makes priceless humor? There is a simple answer to this question. Priceless humor involves situations which most of us have experienced. The missed appointment. The misunderstood comment. The laughable consequences generally follow in quick succession.

The world of urban folktales is a rich source of priceless humor. Listeners can readily find many humorous circumstances in my CD Parking in Manhattan. Folks can relate to and empathize with the characters involved in these hilarious comedies. Priceless situations create priceless humor.

You can also find many examples of priceless humor in world stories. These stories always bring gales of laughter when they are told. Two good examples from my CD Fables in Four Minutes are “Rock Soup” and “Herschel in the Woods” Listen to “The Egg Seller” or “Hickory Dock” from World Full of Stories. 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!

I listen to lots of conversations. 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. Priceless humor.

There is priceless humor in virtually every genre. Why? Another simple answer. We learn best when we are laughing. 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.