The simple wisdom of a poor, old farmer is highlighted in this Chinese tale of a horse, a son, and a farmer from a small village in China. Retold by Michael R. Kasony-O’Malley, also known as “Michael the Storyteller.” (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Michael the Storyteller Tells Tales

Episode 17: The Chinese Horse Story

When you pull the tail of the pooka, there’s no tellin’ where the tale might end! Kathleen Green’s delightful Irish story of a pooka is brought to life by the Irish Storyteller Michael O’Malley. (See Jimmy Stewart’s movie Harvey for another great pooka tale.) (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 25: Philip and the Pooka: An Irish Tale

Children especially enjoy this light-hearted Ethiopian tale of the silly farmer, retold with oohs & aahs & old bones by Storyteller Michael Kasony-O’Malley. This story can also be found in Pleasant DeSpain’s collection of Tales of Nonsense and Tomfoolery. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 24: The Silly Farmer: A Tale from Ethiopia

Seeing the “Balcony” sign in an old theater at First Night Boston decades ago changed Michael’s life, along with Jay O’Callahan’s Raspberries. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 23: Why I Tell? (Part 1: First Night Boston with Jay O’Callahan)

Doing the Tibetan Buddhist phowa practice with Jesus Christ for HaHa (my Roman Catholic godmother, Aunt Mary). Sogyal Rinpoche’s The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. The Sacred Heart of Jesus painting. Dual or Double Belonging: On being a Buddhist Christian. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 22: Tibetan Phowa Practice with Jesus & HaHa (Aunt Mary): A Buddhist Christian Story

This gentle tale from Japan is retold by Environmental Storyteller Michael Kasony-O’Malley (aka Michael R. Malley or Michael O’Malley). It is found in Frances Jenkins Olcott’s 1919 collection: The Wonder Garden: Nature Myths and Tales from All the World Over. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 21: The Wind in the Pine: A Japanese Tale: An Earth Mother Story

Storyteller Michael Kasony-O’Malley (aka Michael R. Malley or Michael O’Malley) adapts and tells this tale inspired by Margaret Read MacDonald’s story “Old Joe and the Carpenter” found in her collection of Peace Tales.

Episode 20: Two Farmers and the Carpenter

Irish Storyteller Michael O’Malley (aka “Michael the Storyteller” or Michael Kasony-O'Malley) thinks of his own father whenever he tells this story from County Down in Northern Ireland. Michael tells this tale with permission from Maggie Kerr Peirce who shared it in the collection entitled Ready-To-Tell Tales. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 19: Half a Blanket: An Irish Tale

Michael R. Kasony-O’Malley (“Michael the Storyteller”) shares an American pourquoi tale (aka as an origin story, an etiological tale, or a “reason why” story) about the bunny rabbit’s ears and tail. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 18: An American Folktale: Why Bunny Rabbits Have Long Ears and Short Tails

Beltaine (May Eve) is one of the four turnings of the Celtic year (along with Lughnasa, Samhain, & Imbolc) when the wall between us and the Spirit World is particularly thin... For more information about the Fairies/the Sidhe (Shee)/the Good People see Irish Earth Folk by Diarmuid MacManus, The Fairy Faith in Celtic Countries by W.Y. Evans-Wentz, and Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales by Alwyn & Brinley Rees. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 16: A Photograph in Ireland

Mr. Jackal, Mrs. Jackal, Tiger, Monkey, and the Jackal cubs all play their roles in this folktale from Tibet about a great trickster retold by Michael the Storyteller (Michael Kasony-O'Malley). (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 15: Jackal & Tiger: A Tibetan Trickster Tale

Michael the Storyteller (aka Michael Kasony-O’Malley or Michael the Writer & Speaker on Spirituality, Culture, Tradition, Ecology, & Lore) describes the Good Friday ritual of slowing it down with silence in a cemetery from noon to 3:00 pm. Lake Park Cemetery, Youngstown, Ohio... The Burning of the Library at Alexandria... (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 14: Good Friday Cemetery Silence

In this tale of a king’s vanity and a tree’s life, Environmental Storyteller Michael R. Malley (aka Michael Kasony-O’Malley) engages in a bit of “Green Storytelling.” Michael expands Storyteller Marie Shedlock’s 1920 recording of this Buddhist Jataka Tale from India, honoring the trees through this Earth Mother Story. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 13: The Tree Spirit: An Earth Mother Story – A Buddhist Jataka Tale from India

Storyteller Michael R. Malley (aka Michael Kasony-O’Malley) shares this Congolese tale about the limits to our “points of view.” This story and lesson explores how differing perspectives can disrupt, destroy, or enrich friendships. Michael originally found this tale from central Africa in one of Heather Forest’s collections of stories. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 12: The Red and Blue Coat: A Tale from the Congo

A delightful European folktale about a tree fairy, marital strife, & a magical sausage! Found in Sweden, England, & throughout Europe, Storyteller Michael R. Malley (aka Michael Kasony-O’Malley) brings the spirited characters to life in this lively tale. (Music: Courtesy of Adrian von Ziegler, "Prophecy." )

Episode 11: The Three Wishes: A European Folktale

Each Friday, Michael the Storyteller shares another story from his vast repertoire of tales. These stories are for kids, families, and everyone who enjoys a good tale!