Fairy tales, stories, and folklore provide meaning to our lives. They shape our childhood and instill right and wrong. There is not a clear line between between folk or fairy, myth and reality in these stories. Our imaginations fill in gaps and we are left with a sense of wonder. Storytelling encourages the listener to use their imagination. It connects people and cultures similar to music. Society uses these genres to teach difficult lessons and to set boundaries in fun and mysterious ways.
Many stories but one World. International Storytelling, Diane Ferlatte.
The Deaf Tree, ASL story. - YouTube video of story at it's best.
StoryCorps - broadcast on NPR, StoryCorps is "committed to the idea that everyone has an important story to tell and that everyone’s story matters. Our mission: to help us believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all — one story at a time. Since our founding in 2003, we’ve helped nearly 700,000 people across the country have meaningful conversations about their lives. These recordings are collected in the U.S. Library of Congress and in our online archive which is now the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered."
Ultimate Guide to Storytelling - links to several storytelling web sites.