Gifts of Story

“Gifts of Story” is a series of storytelling adaptations of stories by Aaron Shepard. You are welcome to tell these or any other stories by Aaron in live performance or broadcast, but please mention the author and the children’s book, if any. (For other uses, please see Aaron’s Rights & Permissions.)

Special features are available for most of the stories. These can include reader’s theater scripts, printable color posters, photo features, audio recordings, extended author notes, fun writing exercises, and alternate story versions. To find these features, click on links to Aaron’s Extras. For info on picture books adapted for these scripts, click on the book cover images.

For more stories, see Aaron’s World of Stories. For email notice of new stories, subscribe to Aaron’s Update.

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Besides browsing the detailed menu below, you can use Aaron’s Indexes to find stories, scripts, and picture books by title, age, genre, theme, country or region, historical period, ethnic group, religion, mythology, holiday, or activity. Or you can just search this area or all Aaron’s pages.

GOS #1 ~ The Legend of Lightning Larry

A cowboy with a huge smile, a gun that shoots bolts of light, and a hankering for lemonade takes on Evil-Eye McNeevil’s outlaw gang.

GENRE: Fables (original), tall tales, humor
CULTURE: American (Western frontier)
THEME: Peacemaking
AUDIENCE AGES: 4–12, adult
LENGTH: 8 minutes

GOS #2 ~ The Legend of Slappy Hooper: An American Tall Tale

Slappy is the world’s biggest, fastest, bestest sign painter, but he’s too good—his pictures keep coming to life.

GENRE: Tall tales, folktales
CULTURE: American
THEME: Pursuit of excellence
AUDIENCE AGES: 5–12, adult
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #3 ~ Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India

The princess Savitri must use all her wit and will to save her husband from the god of death.

GENRE: Myths, folktales, legends
CULTURE: Asian Indian (ancient), Hindu
THEME: Heroines, determination
AUDIENCE AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #4 ~ The Enchanted Storks: A Tale of Bagdad

The Calif and his Vizier try a spell that changes them into storks, then find they can’t change back.

GENRE: Fairy tales, folktales
CULTURE: Iraqi, Middle Eastern
THEME: Recklessness
AUDIENCE AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 14 minutes

GOS #5 ~ The Gifts of Wali Dad: A Tale of India and Pakistan

Wali Dad, a humble grass-cutter, never asked for wealth—so why can’t he give it away?

GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Asian Indian, Pakistani
THEME: Generosity
AUDIENCE AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #6 ~ Peddler Polly and the Story Stealer

The storytellers of Taletown are mysteriously losing their stories, while a stranger sells “storyboxes” in the town square.

GENRE: Fables (original), humor
CULTURE: ——
THEME: Television
AUDIENCE AGES: 9–12
LENGTH: 10 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #7 ~ The Baker’s Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale

Van Amsterdam, the baker, is as honest as he can be—but he may have something left to learn.

GENRE: Legends, St. Nicholas tales
CULTURE: American (Dutch colonial)
THEME: Generosity
AUDIENCE AGES: 5 and up
LENGTH: 6 minutes

GOS #8 ~ The Battle of Song: A Finnish Tale of Magic

Excerpted, adapted from The Songs of Power

A young man faces an ancient one in a contest of magic.

GENRE: Epics, fantasy
CULTURE: Finnish
THEME: Boasting, generation gap
AUDIENCE AGES: 10 and up
LENGTH: 6 minutes

GOS #9 ~ The Calabash Kids: A Tale of Tanzania

The prayers of a lonely woman are answered when her gourds change into children.

GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: African, Tanzanian
THEME: Name-calling
AUDIENCE AGES: 4–9
LENGTH: 8 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #10 ~ The Hidden One: A Native American Legend

The invisible hunter at the end of the village is sought as husband by every village maiden—but will Little Scarface even dare to try?

GENRE: Folktales, Cinderella tales
CULTURE: Native American, Canadian
THEME: Self-esteem, heroines
AUDIENCE AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 8 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #11 ~ Master Maid: A Tale of Norway

When Leif goes to work for the troll, only the advice of a remarkable young woman can save him from his foolishness—if only he’ll listen!

GENRE: Folktales, tall tales
CULTURE: Norwegian
THEME: Stubbornness, heroines
AUDIENCE AGES: 5 and up
LENGTH: 12 minutes

GOS #12 ~ The Sea King’s Daughter: A Russian Legend

A poor musician is invited to play in the Sea King’s palace, where he’s offered more than riches.

GENRE: Legends, folktales, epic ballads
CULTURE: Russian (medieval)
THEME: Making choices; value of arts
AUDIENCE AGES: 10 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #13 ~ The Crystal Heart: A Vietnamese Legend

The mandarin’s daughter did not really see the boatman who sang from the river, but she’s sure he’s her destined love.

GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Vietnamese
THEME: Kindness, false imagining
AUDIENCE AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #14 ~ Forty Fortunes: A Tale of Iran

When a young man’s wife makes him pose as a fortuneteller, his success is unpredictable.

GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Iranian (Persian), Middle Eastern
THEME: Pretension
AUDIENCE AGES: 7 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #15 ~ The Magic Brocade: A Tale of China

To save his mother’s life, a young man must retrieve her weaving from the fairies of Sun Palace.

GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Chinese
THEME: Following dreams; creative process
AUDIENCE AGES: 4 and up
LENGTH: 12 minutes

GOS #16 ~ Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria

Shadusa thinks he’s the strongest man in the world—till he meets the real Master Man.

GENRE: Tall tales, folktales
CULTURE: West African, Nigerian
THEME: Machismo
AUDIENCE AGES: 4 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #17 ~ The Boy Who Wanted the Willies

Hans has never in his life been frightened—but a night in a haunted castle should finally give him his chance.

GENRE: Folktales, tall tales, ghost stories
CULTURE: German, European
THEME: Fearlessness
AUDIENCE AGES: 4–12
LENGTH: 10 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #18 ~ The Princess Mouse: A Tale of Finland

When a young man seeks a wife by way of family tradition, he finds himself engaged to a mouse.

GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: Finnish
THEME: Kindness, humility, integrity
AUDIENCE AGES: 4–12, adult
LENGTH: 12 minutes

GOS #19 ~ The Wicked Girl: A Tale of Turkey

A lovely slave girl matches wits with a handsome though bloodthirsty restaurant owner.

GENRE: Folktales, trickster tales
CULTURE: Turkish, Middle Eastern
THEME: Heroines
AUDIENCE AGES: 9 and up
LENGTH: 8 minutes

GOS #20 ~ More Than a Match

When the king’s most powerful warriors are defeated by a giant who’s blocking the road, the Wise One must find a way past.

GENRE: Fables (original)
CULTURE: ——
THEME: Means and ends, peacemaking
AUDIENCE AGES: 5–12, adult
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #21 ~ The Christmas Truce

On a Christmas Eve of World War I, British and German soldiers lay down their weapons to celebrate the holiday together.

GENRE: Historical fiction
CULTURE: European (World War I)
THEME: War and peace
AUDIENCE AGES: 10 and up
LENGTH: 12 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #22 ~ King o’ the Cats

Peter is notorious for telling wild stories—so who will believe him now, with his crazy claims about cats?

GENRE: Folktales, tall tales, ghost stories
CULTURE: British (English)
THEME: Credibility
AUDIENCE AGES: 4–12, adult
LENGTH: 10 minutes

GOS #23 ~ The Adventures of Mouse Deer: Tales of Indonesia and Malaysia

Mouse Deer is small, and many animals want to eat him—but first they have to catch him!

GENRE: Folktales, trickster tales
CULTURE: Indonesian, Malaysian
THEME: Wits vs. power
AUDIENCE AGES: 4–9
LENGTH: 18 minutes (1 + 7 + 4 + 6)

GOS #24 ~ How Violence Is Ended: A Buddhist Legend

A prince must choose whether to heed his father’s last words or take revenge on the king who has killed both parents.

GENRE: Legends, fables, sacred stories
CULTURE: Buddhist, Asian Indian
THEME: Forgiveness
AUDIENCE AGES: 10 and up
LENGTH: 10 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #25 ~ Mop Top: A Tale of Norway

A wild princess must get back her sister’s head from a gang of troll girls.

GENRE: Folktales, tall tales
CULTURE: Norwegian
THEME: Heroines
AUDIENCE AGES: 5–12
LENGTH: 10 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #26 ~ When the Twins Went to War: A Fable of Far East Russia

The war-loving men of the Beldy clan are once more off to battle—but why are the wise young twins going with them?

GENRE: Folktales, fables, legends
CULTURE: Russian (Far East, native)
THEME: Militarism
AUDIENCE AGES: 7–12
LENGTH: 10 minutes

Aaron’s Extras

GOS #27 ~ One-Eye! Two-Eyes! Three-Eyes!: A Very Grimm Fairy Tale

Two-Eyes is different from her sisters and others, because she has just two eyes.

GENRE: Folktales
CULTURE: German
THEME: Being different
AUDIENCE AGES: 7–12, adult
LENGTH: 12 minutes

For more stories, see Aaron’s World of Stories.