In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will explore the Chinese folktale, “The Old Woman and the Tiger.” The story is retold by Mary Hemingway who grew up in northern China. In this story, we’ll see a different side of the wise crone archetype. No longer a side character, she is now the protagonist. And rather than serving as the “helper,” this old woman puts herself first. She shows us that one person can make a difference and achieve justice to boot. It’s an old message but especially relevant today.

Story: Mary Hemingway, “The Old Woman and the Tiger,” vol. XI, no. 9 Story Parade (Sept. 1946): 11-14.
Richard Marshall, "Jack Zipes and the Many Subversions of the Fairy Tale."
Illustration: Photo from Pixabay.
Music: The Snow Queen Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2024 Kathy Shimpock.

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For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock explores the Grimm tale “Frau Trude.” It’s a short didactic story that allows for many surprising interpretations. Whether she be a witch or a crone, there’s a lot of cackling and crackling going on. Hopefully, we can stay out of the fire without getting burnt! Either way, she's a friend you'll want to have. Fingers crossed!

My latest blog post discusses the color implications in this story. Check it out to learn even more!

Story: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Frau Trude, Kinder- und Hausmärchen (Children's and Household Tales -- Grimms' Fairy Tales), no. 43, 1837. Translation by D. L. Ashliman. © 2001.
Sancinetti, Raquel, "The Wisdom of Living in the Present According to My 107-Year-Old Best Friend," New York Times, Nov. 14, 2023.
Illustration: Photo from Pixabay.
Music: The Snow Queen Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2024 Kathy Shimpock.

Support the Show.

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

In this episode the Storyteller Kathy Shimpock explores the relationship of the crone within the maiden, mother, and crone trilogy. She tells the Greek myth of "Demeter and Persephone" and shares a lesser known variation in which Hecate plays a pivotal role.

Story: "Demeter & Persephone" (a traditional Greek myth) as told by Kathy Shimpock.
Cover illustration: "The Night of Enitharmon's Joy," by William Blake, 1795.
Music: The Snow Queen Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Copyright 2020 Kathy Shimpock. All rights reserved.

Support the Show.

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).