FolkTales set to Music from Around the Globe

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In this Palestinian folktale featuring our storyteller Bill Gordh and qanun master Firas Zreik, Thuraya is whisked away to a mysterious palace tower by a hungry ghoul—but she’s no helpless prisoner. With music, quick thinking, a little magic, and a daring new friend, Thuraya cooks up an escape plan full of surprises. A thrilling, funny, and enchanting tale about courage, creativity, and outsmarting monsters.

Learn more about Firas Zreik: https://www.firaszreik.com

WMI Plus At Home with Firas Zreik and Ronnie Mallley

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The story follows an old man living in the mountains who discovers his leaking tea kettle has magical properties: When he tries to boil water, the kettle transforms into a tanuki (raccoon dog) who makes a mess of the old man’s house! Once the tanuki returns to being a kettle, the old man boxes it up and gifts it to his handyman friend, Haruki, who discovers that it can dance! Haruki and the dancing kettle begin performing together, gaining fame and fortune all across Japan. Eventually, realizing his friend had grown tired of traveling and performing, Haruki returns the kettle to the old man, sharing the joy and a hidden treasure of gold.

WMI Plus At Home with Kaoru Watanabe

Sound courtesy of Cliff Hahn Sound

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In a tiny village, sisters Gitika and Lalitika are on a mission to save their struggling mom by selling blossoms from Gitika, who can magically transform into a flowering tree and back to herself again - but only with very careful preparations. The blooms catch the eye of Neela, the king’s daughter, who wants to keep them all for herself, but Neela's brother, the prince, uncovers Gitika's secret and falls in love with her. Unfortunately, Neela's flower obsession leads to some serious drama when she and her friends gather them carelessly, disregarding Gitika's specific instructions, and leaving Gitaka in flux. How will she transform into herself again?

More about Saraswathi Ranganathan

Sound editing courtesy of Cliff Hahn Sound

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For this FolkTale episode, Bill plays banjo and is joined by Malian kora master, singer, and fellow storyteller Yacouba Sissoko. Yacouba was born to a well-known Djeli family in Kita, Mali. For centuries, Djelis have been the musical storytellers and keepers of the history and fables of their culture. The kora, a 21-stringed plucked instrument with a gourd resonator, is the traditional instrument accompanying their songs. 

Long ago when Sun and Moon lived on the earth, they played with their friend Water every day. When they invite Water to their house, Water sadly tells them it is impossible to visit because their home is too small. So Sun and Moon plan a surprise for Water that ends up surprising them!

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Sound courtesy of Cliff Hahn Sound

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Grammy Award-winning fiddler and vocalist Lisa Gutkin (The Klezmatics) and Bill Gordh tell the Jewish-Ukrainian tale A Garment for the Moon. The moon loves being up in the night sky but sometimes she gets cold. The tailors of the town try to weave a garment to keep her warm but she keeps changing shape! One tailor remembers a tale from his childhood about a place where they weave with light. Could that be the answer? And if so, how will he find it?

More about Lisa Gutkin and The Klezmatics

Editing courtesy of Cliff Hahn Sound

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Mehrnam Rastegari and storyteller Bill Gordh improvise this Persian folk tale which tells the story of a young woman named Parinaz who escapes being married off to a rich man she does not love by hiding in a golden lamp stand, where she is discovered by a prince who falls in love with her voice. Mehrnam is an Iranian composer, vocalist, and kamancheh player now residing in New York City.

More about Merhnam Rastegari

Recording courtesy of Cliff Hahn Sound

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and pipa master Zhou Yi improvise the Chinese folktale The Dragon's Eye which tells the story of a tinker who meets and befriends an orphaned dragon whom he raises in his home. Zhou Yi is a pipa (a four-string Chinese lute) soloist, educator, and the Artistic Director of the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of NY.  She graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China.

Recording courtesy of George Wurzbach

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and gnawa artist Samir LanGus improvise the Moroccan tale of The Sultan's Horse, in which the Sultan must choose one of his three sons to be his successor, and tasks them with traveling and returning with a report of what they have seen and done. While the elder sons choose the fastest horses, the youngest son chooses his father's old horse, who leads him to a singing feather, and ultimately sends them on a journey to find the Sultan of the Spirits' daughter.

Samir sings and plays the gimbri - a three-string  lute that is central to the gnawa spiritual tradition.

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and Finnish ensemble Kardemimmit improvise the folktale  "The Enchanted Kantele".  In this magical story, a hunter saves a squirrel who transforms into a beautiful woman named Karina. They marry, but the King desires Karina and plots to eliminate the hunter by challenging him to a series of seemingly impossible tasks. However, the King has underestimated Karina's power.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Scandinavia House in NYC.

More about Kardemimmit

Watch the video of the recording

Sound editing courtesy of David Klym

WMI Folktales are supported by a grant from Con Edison and world music lovers like you. We thank you!

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and Tibetan artist Techung improvise the folktale  "The Gathering Tree", which delves into the adventures of Paulden, a lone traveler who uncovers life-saving tips by  paying heed to conversations among the animals at the Gathering Tree. As he shares his newfound knowledge with the village, they shower him with gratitude. But a sneaky fellow traveler who is jealous of Paulden’s good fortune tries to exploit the animals and locals, leading to a very different, not-so-pleasant ending.

More about Techung

Sound editing courtesy of David Klym

WMI Folktales are supported by a grant from Con Edison and world music lovers like you. We thank you!

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda improvise the South American folktale "The Two Girls" - a cautionary tale of two girls: one from a humble home, whose compassion earns her a well-deserved reward for helping an elderly woman in their village. The other girl who is spoiled and cruel, tries to take advantage of the same woman... but is in for a rude awakening.

More about Edmar Castaneda

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and percussionist Cyro Baptista improvise the Brazilian folktale "Night Comes to the Rainforest".  The story follows a farmer's wife, the daughter of the mighty Snake King, who tells her husband about night, which he has never experienced. They decide to send three friends on a mission to fetch darkness from the Snake King. He hands them a nut containing night, with strict instructions not to open it until they return to his daughter, but temptation gets the better of them.

More about Cyro Baptista

sound editing courtesy of Iuri Oriente

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and multi-instrumentalist Seamus Egan improvise the Irish  folktale "Red Rory and the Fairies".  Red Rory likes showing off and telling stories - especially about the fairies. When he takes his fibbing a step too far, the fairies strike back with their playful wrath, throwing a wrench in his plans to head home for dinner with a trail of tricks and hurdles.

More about Seamus Egan

Listen to WMI Plus At Home with Seamus Egan and Stephen Winick

Sound editing courtesy of David Klym

WMI FolkTales podcasts are supported by a grant from Con Edison and world music lovers like you. We thank you!

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Storyteller Bill Gordh and veena player Saraswathi Ranganathan improvise the Indian folktale "Grandmother Rabbit and The Elephant King", an enchanting  story that dives into the drama between two ponds, one ruled by rabbits and the other by elephants. When the elephant's watering hole dries up, they barge into the bunny's pond, causing chaos. But wise Grandmother Rabbit has a plan to reclaim their turf.

More about Saraswathi Ranganathan

WMI FolkTales podcasts are supported by a grant from Con Edison and world music lovers like you. We thank you!

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