Stories For Children In Crisis
Together with a coalition of international storytellers, I have gathered traditional tales from around the world, stories that may provide an internal place of peace for children. Stories that explore and transform feelings of powerlessness and fear into courage and inspiration are enduring. It is our hope that these cultural treasures can provide new and rich images to replace actual or televised images of violence.
There are immediate ways to help our children find calm while feeling strong emotions. One of these is the intimate sharing of stories. We can ease our children's hearts while supporting the process of genuine mourning. These tales experientially remind us of the unceasing and potent resources of goodness, love, awareness, and spirit that we each have within ourselves as a natural birthright.
While a tale is being told, everyone telling the tale and everyone listening creates their own internally imagined story. Each person becomes the creator of his or her own story. These images arise within each person in a unique and personal way.
Stories contain seeds of healing, and telling them encourages growth and rejuvenation. Storytelling is an ancient method that has always served to bring people together and to stimulate creative imagination, wisdom, and compassion.
Laura Simms
Director of the Gaindeh Project, An International Storytelling for Survival Initiative
Email: storytellingforsurvival@hotmail.com
Phone: (212) 674-3479
Click on the links below to view the Stories, Articles and Related Websites
Helpful Suggestions For Telling Stories to Children
by Laura Simms
The Stories
In The Beginning
A Cherokee Tale
by Olive Hackett-Shaughnessy
Retold by storyteller Gayle Ross ©2001
How Night Came Into Being
A Hindu Tale told by D.M. Kartha ©2001
Sent by Cristy West from Washington, DC
How God Chose The Site For The Temple of Jerusalem
An Adaptation of a Talmudic Legend
Offered by Rinah and Leon Sheleff of Israel ©2001
Two Friends and One Horse
An Isreali Tale told by Crimean Jews
Rewritten by Yoel Perez ©2001 Adapted by Laura Simms
The Red Fish
A Tale from Turkey
Adapted by Laura Simms ©2001
A Portrait of Peace
Offered by Linda Spitzer ©2001
The Golden Squash
A Tale from Tibet
Adapted by Laura Simms ©2001
The Mice and the Elephant
A Tale from India
Adapted by Laura Simms ©2001
How Squirrel Got Its Stripes
A Tale from the Ramayana of India
Retold by Laura Simms ©2001
The Princess and the Crow
A Tale from the Black Sea
Retold by Laura Simms ©2001
Articles
How to Create Stories for Children who Are Having Fears and Nightmares
by Nancy Mellon - September 21, 2001
Helping Our Children Share Their Worries and Concerns in Troublesome Times
by Andre B. Heuer
Related Web Sites
Related Web Sites
by AskERIC