Oral storytelling is as old as humankind and found in all cultures. Stories have been used to teach, to pass on the history, culture and values of a people, to entertain and even bring healing.
Perhaps one of the most well-known collections of stories is the “One Thousand and One Arabian Nights”; tales from across the middle east. The frame story is that of the ruler Shahryar who, learning of his wife’s infidelity, has her killed. Afterwards, he marries a succession of young women, killing each of them the morning following the wedding night so she cannot dishonour him. Eventually, the vizier’s daughter, Scheherazade, volunteers to become Shahryar’s next wife and saves her life by telling her husband a story each night which she leaves incomplete. His desire to hear the ending is so strong, that he keeps his wife alive to hear it the following night. And so it continues night after night until her husband decides to spare her life. Such is the power of story.
Storytelling is widely used in the world of business. There are many training courses that teach people how to incorporate stories into their presentations. People remember information presented to them through story so much more easily than lists of facts and figures. A story can also eloquently promote understanding of a point being made.
Some Types of Story
Teaching Tales/Folk Tales
“Once upon a time...”. When we hear these words, we know we are going to be transported from current time to another time. Folk tales are stories passed down through a culture’s oral tradition. There is usually some kind of dilemma or test for the characters in the tale such as telling the truth, or not. Here the boy reveals the emperor’s nakedness. Here the rabbit finds a diplomatic way to avoid answering the king of the beasts’ difficult question, for the wrong answer will cost him his life. Here a downtrodden character is helped by an animal or non-human being.
Through folk tales, we see the fight for justice, the weak becoming heroic, a character overcoming any manner of challenges. Folk tales teach us that life is challenging, that acting appropriately is rewarded and that power when misused, can be reversed.
Jesus told teaching tales to his followers and we usually refer to them as parables. Parables tend to be short and simple. Through the telling of these stories, Jesus sought to pass on moral or spiritual lessons. Some of the best known are “The Prodigal Son” (Luke 15, 11 – 32), “The Talents” (Matthew 25, 14 – 30) and “The Good Samaritan.” (Luke 10, 30 – 37).
Wonder Tales
Here we meet stories of transformation and initiation. There may be happenings that can’t be explained. Animals may speak and offer wise advice. The hero accepts that he must die and because of this, is saved by events at the last minute. The boy becomes man. One of the most well-known wonder stories is “Cinderella”. Our heroine is helped by a fairy godmother and her magic to elevate her status, a reward for her uncomplaining acceptance of her earlier destiny.
Myths
Many cultures have their own mythology. Myths endeavour to explain the cosmos, creation and natural phenomena. They also pass on the religious and spiritual traditions of their people at the time they were written. In Norse mythology for example, we hear how the universe was created through the meeting of fire and ice. We are introduced to the pantheon of gods who were worshipped in those northernmost parts of Europe during the Middle Ages. These are gods who personify the best and worst of character traits, demonstrating their fallibility, despite their status.
Personal Stories
Everyone has their personal stories to tell and there are clubs in this country set up specifically for this. Telling a personal story to others can be cathartic. It can also be instructive. Hearing how a person dealt with a challenge can resonate deeply within us and be therapeutic. It can also show us that many human challenges are universal and it is through hearing others’ stories that we can appreciate this and perhaps receive healing. This is how story becomes medicine.