FolkTales set to Music from Around the Globe

Send us a textThe 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 WatanabeSound courtesy of Cliff Hahn SoundSupport the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

Send us a textIn 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 RanganathanSound editing courtesy of Cliff Hahn SoundSupport the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

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!More about Yacouba SissokoEditing courtesy of Cliff Hahn SoundSupport the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

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 KlezmaticsEditing courtesy of Cliff Hahn SoundSupport the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

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 RastegariRecording courtesy of Cliff Hahn SoundSupport the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

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 WurzbachSupport the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

Storyteller Bill Gordh and gnawa artist Samir LanGus improvise the Moroccan tale of The Sultan's Horse, followed by a brief conversation between the two.  Samir sings and plays the gimbri - a three-string  lute that is central to the gnawa spiritual tradition.More about Samir LanGusSupport the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

Storyteller Bill Gordh and Finnish ensemble Kardemimmit improvise the folktale  "The Enchanted Kantele",  followed by a conversation with the musicians. The kantele is the Finnish national instrument. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Scandinavia House in Manhattan.More about KardemimmitWatch the video of the recording(Sound editing by David Klym)WMI Folktales are supported by a grant from Con Edison and world music lovers like you. We thank you!Support the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

Storyteller Bill Gordh and Tibetan artist Techung improvise the folktale  "The Gathering Tree",  followed by a conversation with Techung.More about Techung(Sound editing by David Klym)WMI Folktales are supported by a grant from Con Edison and world music lovers like you. We thank you!Support the showKeep in touch with us! Join our newsletter

Storyteller Bill Gordh and Colombian harpist Edmar Castaneda improvise the South American folk tale "The Two Girls".More about Edmar Castaneda