Telling a tale or two: it's a disappearing art

Once upon a time.... children huddled around their parents and grandparents to hear stories of love, war and heroism. Besides providing wonderful entertainment to the little ones, these storytelling sessions strengthened the filial bonds with children and gave their imagination flight. But, with technology taking the lead in our lives, we seem to have lost this precious medium of communication...

THIS WEEK: Role of storytelling in the development of children

An' all us children,
    when the supper things
 is done
We set around the kitchen
 fire an' has the mostest fun
A-list'nin' to the witch tales
 'at Annie tells about
An' the gobble-uns 'at gits
 you
Ef you
 Don't watch out!
– James Whitcome Riley
(Little Orphant Annie)

Once upon a time... we sat around our grandparents listening to stories of an evil witch with warts and a greenish pallor, armed with a boiling cauldron and poisoned apples, the friendly and not-so-friendly ghosts in the haunted house, jungles filled with leonine roars, dewy-eyed doe-a-deers, foxy foxes, spotty leopards and so on. Some of us as children spent some of the happiest hours of our lives reading fairy tales (sometimes minus illustrations), our imagination taking us into the hills and dales and caves and deep jungles as we saw goggleeyed the battle of the good vs. evil.

Of course, many of us were blessed with a master storyteller in the family, usually a grandparent or an aunt, who would weave dialogue, sound and gestures into a rich tapestry of a tale, whose memories perhaps linger even today as does the face and warmth of that favourite aunt or uncle or grandparent.

About storytelling
Storytelling is one of the oldest art forms evolved out of the human need to communicate and keep historical records of events. Long before the digital invasion and mass communication, storytelling was a common pastime in most communities. A good storyteller was a respected member of the community. In Ireland, roving storytellers, called bards, were treated like royalty.

In exchange for the best food and beds whenever they came into town, the bards would sing everybody's favourite tales and share gossip and news from across the country. Storytelling, an essential part of the human experience, recognises no age barrier. In fact, the Grimm's tales were originally meant for adult consumption and storytelling festivals are always teeming with appreciative adults.

Characteristics of storytelling
Storytelling is interactive, and a good storyteller always keeps close tabs on the pulse of the audience through verbal ('Then what happened?') and non-verbal (yawns or bored shuffling of feet) feedback. The storyteller has various tools in his verbal kit to keep the audience hanging on for more – changing voice, tones, accents and pace, and using colourful word imagery. Purists frown at reading a story. Films, CD-ROMs, audio files, Internet... these do not even come close to the unique pleasure of oral storytelling.

Both, the storyteller and the audience, have clear roles in transforming storytelling into a co-creative process. The teller's role is to prepare and present the story using vocal and body language that is understood and appreciated by the audience. Some storytellers narrate a story verbatim, others simply use the characters and bare outline of the events, and add their own dialogues, interpretation and events, while still others create their own original story. The listener's role is to hear the story and actively create the dramatic, multi-sensory images and characters in their minds. These images are based on the magical performance of the teller and helped by their past experiences and beliefs. The story is thus unique and personal for each individual.

The importance of storytelling
Filial bonding: Parents and psychologists agree that in today's fast-paced and busy life, filled with the means of impersonal communication, storytelling creates a warm, caring and exciting environment for the child. Children have a particular fascination for stories about their parent's childhood - how they swam and fished in the rivers, how they roamed over fields and plains with friends, mischief and pranks, stories that they heard from their grandparents. Repeats and reruns are frequently requested. This sharing and transmission creates strong bonds of understanding and tolerance between parent and child. In these magical moments, children and adults 'speak the same language' and are on the 'same wavelength'. A visit from a storytelling relative (grandmothers are popular!) is always eagerly awaited.

Psychologists agree that happy endings are thought to give a mood lift which aids in getting a good night's sleep and chases away demons of the night. One psychologist recommends that parents and children should read the Harry Potter series together and then talk about the nature of good and evil, justice and mercy, right and wrong.

Cultural legacy
Researchers believe that folk tales, fables and myths are one of the oldest means through which society has transmitted customs, beliefs, values, mores and lore from one generation to the next. These components make each culture unique and distinctive. By sharing experiences with the next generation, we pass on accumulated wisdom and stored knowledge. Stories related in native tongues help in the transmission and survival of ethnic languages – this is particularly true for expatriates.

Through stories, societies validate their very existence and purpose. Stories help us to link past, present, and future by teaching us to anticipate the possible consequences of our actions. Fauzia, a Moroccan in her 20s, still vividly remembers a story narrated by her mother about a boy who clipped the wings and feet of a bird only to be caught in an accident, resulting in the same cruel fate, realising too late the acute suffering he had caused the bird.

Gaining verbal and reading skills
At an age when children cannot read, stories lay the foundation of acquiring important vocabulary skills. Being able to clearly express thoughts and fears, children feel more confident, social and safe. At a later age, storytelling helps students to develop advanced inter-personal, listening and communication skills. Scientific studies have proved that stimulation in young children helps them develop rich dendrite connections, directly proportional to intelligence.

Enhancing imagination
Listening to a well-told tale encourages children to use their imagination. It empowers them to consider new and inventive ideas and envision themselves competent and able to accomplish their hopes and dreams.

Diagnosis and therapy
Stories catering for specific purposes help with such simple problems as getting children to brush their teeth every night, or with complex ones such as coping with divorce. As a diagnostic tool, it is a perfect foil to know what's really going on inside a young mind. The truth is revealed in the tale. As a therapeutic tool, it can be used to suggest alternative forms and modes of behaviour.

Wholesome entertainment
Given the price of movie tickets, theme parks and even good-quality books, many parents find that