Tell me a story

Who doesn’t like listening to stories and tales? Tales have been told around the fire since prehistoric times. First tales were just told and transmitted orally and later they were codified in written format.

Every part of the world has its myths and legends to tell. Think about Greek mythology, about Scandinavia saga, the Ragnarök, epic Persian tales, Chinese legends, Celtic myths and legends, Aesop’s fables, etc.

We often think about children’s bedtime stories, but the truth is that people of all ages like stories and storytelling. Some people have dedicated their lives to studying them and their similarities throughout different cultures like

Joseph Campbell in the early 20th century. Others have dedicated theirs lives to assemble them, like the brothers Grimm previously in the 19th century. Others like Freud have been analysing them and interpreting them in all possible ways.

Now all those stories that speak to our imagination have inspired today’s story tellers in Hollywood and around the world.

However, all human beings are story tellers. Stories are a way to explore what it is to be human, myths have become part of our collective back ground. Those stories tell us how we behave, what moves us, and it explains our emotions. Tales teach us moral lessons, explain facts of live, give reason and entertainment.

Our society is saturated with storytelling. They fill our living rooms through the telly, they fill our brain when we’re reading books, newspapers and magazines, they fill our ears through radio, podcasts and audiobooks.

I love stories. I love listening to podcasts and audiobooks while working in my workshop. I can’t imagine living without my daily read before dozing off to sleep and I can really get into a good film or series on tv.

Now that I live in Ireland, a place full of legends and stories about fairies, giants, leprechauns, and mysteries I love hearing and reading about them and discovering a country through its tales and myths.

What is your favourite pastime? Does it involve stories as well in one way or another?