Heads Up! Don't Miss These

Summer's a busy time and folks ask about programs.  I intentionally don't post a calendar.  Not all my storytelling is open to the public.  There's also a security issue.  BUT ... last week I posted about an event for all story-lovers on Saturday, May 30 at Fisk Farm.  This past week at Greenfield Village reminded me to be sure people know in advance about Historic Fort Wayne Coalition's Civil War Days.  It's not until September 12 and 13, but put it on your calendar NOW if you are in the Detroit metro area, or can drive here for a great Living History program as we celebrate the Sesquicentennial of the ending of the war.

Did you notice the tiny map shows Fort Wayne's in Detroit!?!  O.k. there's another Fort Wayne in Indiana, but this one is for those of us in the mitten-shaped state.

Inside the Fort Commander's house I tell as Liberetta Lerich Green, whose brothers mustered out of Fort Wayne in the 5th Infantry, while she joined her parents operating the family's Underground Railway Station in Shelby Township just outside Utica.  With me are Elise Parker as Sarah Edmonds, who served as a soldier, spy, and nurse and also Trish Moss as Governor Blair's wife (with a doozie of a story about Custer!)

Mentioning Greenfield Village, a friend took several photos there worth sharing of one of my Civil War era dresses.  Back on September 20th of last year I discussed the issue of Slave Cotton and how it was a factor in the Civil War.  This is one of those Civil War era dresses.  While the others were shown then with a hoop, I showed how this particular dress would look without one (and why the fashion wasn't always followed.)

Here are some photos Jackie Salter took of me, this time with hoop skirt, around Greenfield Village, including with some of my Historic Fort Wayne Coalition friends.  (We talked Jackie into a brief walk-through in the second to last photo here.  Such fun!)

Looks like a Rogue's Gallery

 

Who was that soldier boy? 

Have a great summer and be sure to include storytelling!

If you are in southeast Michigan

This is a "heads up" for anyone in southeast Michigan.  This will be worth adding to your schedule on Saturday, May 30.

Hauff - Caliph Stork, parts 4 & 5 - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

With the introduction of the "Captive Owl" we entered the heart of Hauff's story.  I could continue with yet another day, but tomorrow I want to post an event here in Southeastern Michigan.  Fortunately parts 4 and 5 are a bit shorter than the earlier sections.  Be sure to look after the story for a few more suggestions from me at the end.

 

 

So our Caliph has had his life forever changed by his own case of laryngitis of a most unusual sort.  My own is showing signs of lifting.  The trick is to not push an ear and throat viral infection into being more than a temporary problem.  Tomorrow I will post a storytelling event where I definitely hope to be back to "what passes for normal."

In the meantime I want to suggest strongly reading other stories by Wilhelm Hauff.  Both Project Gutenberg and the Internet Archive give many volumes in their original German, but also in English such as this version by J.G. Hornstein.  There are other stories that are also justifiably still popular and worth Keeping the Public in Public Domain.  Happy journeying through these "Caravan Tales."

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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, "Keeping the Public in Public Domain."  The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated.  I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20th century.  My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them.  I hope you enjoy discovering new stories.  

At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my normal monthly posting of a research project here.  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my monthly postings as often as I can manage it.    

There are many online resources for Public Domain stories, none for folklore is as ambitious as fellow storyteller, Yoel Perez's database, Yashpeh, the International Folktales Collection.  I recommended it earlier and want to continue to do so.  Have fun discovering even more stories!

Hauff - Caliph Stork, part 3 - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

We are right in the middle of the story of Caliph Stork, with the Caliph and his Vizier now stuck in stork form.  This is because they laughed and the magic word to change them back is forgotten!


The story continues with "The Captive Owl."
  

from Andrew Lang's The Green Fairy Book, "The Story of Caliph Stork" illustrated by H.J. Ford

This strange "Captive Owl" is about to bring magic and, yes, even romance to our story.  Watch for it in two days as our story nears its conclusion.  Because the final two sections are slightly smaller, I've decided to combine them.