Fairies and Tales

Some of the world’s best stories involve what can only live in our imagination. Why is it that we love exploring fake worlds with characters that we know aren’t real? Well, for one thing, it allows us a brief escape from daily life. All of us need that every once in a while. We also love exploring new ideas, creatures, and places. But perhaps the most important reason fantasy appeals to us is because it gives an unbiased view of the human experience. Without rules of the real world we can see what it means and how it feels to be human regardless of where the experience takes place. Today’s episode features a collection of tales all about the fantastic. From dragons, to fairies, to a magical horse and talking animals, we have stories from Jess Smith, Kevin Cordi, Brian "Fox" Ellis and more. On today’s episode, enjoy the following: “Dragonory” by Jess Smith from Dragonory (10:37) Who is the best storyteller? We all have our favorites, but have you ever considered that the best storytellers aren’t actually human? Jess Smith, a storyteller from Scotland happens to know such a thing. A dragon. History is full of them, and they’re often terrifying. But, according to Jess, they’re also great with a story. And while most of them are gone from the world, there is still at least one around. “The Whispering Bridge of Fukushima” by Kevin Cordi from Wisdom Keepers: Unlocking the Puzzle, Wise Tales and Wise People (6:37) What’s a story without a moral? Well, one could argue that stories without morals are important, that they teach us that things aren’t always black and white. However, stories with a moral are also important. They teach us how to be good, that there are consequences for our actions. A lot of fantasy stories have a strong moral, including this one, about a girl who fell in love with a man who turned into a tree. Her father was not pleased, and determined that the only solution was to cut down the tree. However, forcing someone to do what you think is best for them doesn’t always work out how you might thin