From: HAROLD.FELD@hq.doe.gov
Date: 4 May 94 10:55:00 -0400
To: hamizrachi@aol.com, sca@mc.lcs.mit.edu, storytellers@world.std.com
Subject: More Storytelling.....(long)
Message-Id: <M104418.002.a8pl1.6882.940504143921Z.CC-MAIL*/O=HQ/PRMD=USDOE/ADMD=ATTMAIL/C=US/@MHS>

          Unto all who read these words, greetings from Yaakov.

          I have elected to change the form of my discourses on
          storytelling a triffle.

          A Dialogue Upon Storytelling, and the Manner of
          Storytelling, by Yaakov Hamizrachi, residing upon the Rialto
          Bridge.

          Aura of Beffudlement:  Good brother Yaakov!  I am pleased to
          see you here upon Rialto Bridge.   In truth, I expected to
          find you here, for I am told by those that know you that you
          are here often, doing no real work, but engaged in debate
          with the other habitues of this place.

          Yaakov HaMizrachi: Sweet sister Aura!  Well glad I am to
          see you again.  How do you like the study and courses of the
          University?  I pursued them in bygone days myself.

          AB: I find them noble arts and necessary in the conduct of
          affairs, but I regret that while at University I neglected
          to learn bardic arts.  For, on my return to the Laurel
          Kingdoms, I found myself at bardic circles, where, to put it
          briefly, I was tongue tied and awkward, and regarded as
          little more than a block of wood.  I should have liked to
          have acquired skill in storytelling during the hours between
          serious studies, an accomplishment which would have rendered
          my company welcome to all.

          YH: That will be an easy thing by reading good books in
          order to sharpen your wit and by learning storytelling,
          singing and musical instruements.

          AB: I much enjoyed singing and playing the doumbec, which
          put me on good terms with the Horde.  But I could not get
          me a silver armband or other treasurer upon which, it seems
          to me, the reputation of a young bard depends.

          YH: You are quite right, as those who give treasurers and
          rewards do not desire to have splitting headaches, which
          comes from overmuch listening to the doumbec.  Also,
          storytelling allows a patron to survey the bard and see all
          his aspect, to savor the quality of his performance, and to
          see if his breath emit an odor, as of bad meat.  And the
          good storyteller do encompase all the arts of the performer
          such as singer, oratition, actor, and more that these others
          do not put forth.  Therefore is storytelling considered the
          best and most worthy of the bardic arts.

          AB: You speak truely, it seems to me, but that I have heard
          certain moralists and others rail against storytelling as an
          idle practice.  As you are a religious man I pray you tell
          me why it be permitted to spend time on such things, or to
          tell bawdy or other unseemly stories.

          YH:  For every detractor of stories, there are a hundred who
          do praise them for their power to teach and to give wholsome
          diversion.  The Rabbis report that the greatest among them
          knew all the tales of foxes, and of washerwomen, and for
          this were they considered great and learned.  Further, it
          is reported that the High Priest was kept awake all the
          night before the Day of Antonement by storytellers, lest he
          suffer an emission in the night and be rendered unfit for
          service in the Temple.  The descendants of Ishmael so revere
          stories and storytellers that the tales of Mohamad are a
          source of law.  So too the Christains say that their Jesus
          preached by means of parables and stories.  Even the anceint
          pagans did thus, for it is said that Augustus himself could
          not sleep at night unless a storyteller stood by to relieve
          the cares of the day with fables and tales of wonder.

          AB: This seems a most excellent recomendation.   Yet what of
          the bawdy tales that are favored, that deal with matters
          coarse and plain.

          YH: Even these tales have value.  For, if you examine them,
          you will see that many of them have fine value and give good
          moral teaching, showing the vanity of love and romance and
          the futility of persuing one's venal desires.  Also, in
          many of them, it is shown how those who behave immorally
          receive their comeuppence.

          AB: Your discourse shows me proper wisdom.  I see it can be
          meritorious to tell even the bawdiest tale.  Therefore,
          since there is no shame in the matter, I would bid you teach
          me all that you can about this most excellent art.

          YH:  Since I know your quality, I know that you know the
          basics: To learn the tale well so that you are familiar with
          the details, to practice it, and to use one's body and one's
          voice in the telling.

          AB: Yes, these basics are known to me, so that I may tell a
          passable tale.  But now, dear brother, do confide in me the
          techniques and devices by which one may improve the telling
          of tales.


          OF THE LANGUAGE OF STORYTELLING

          YH: First, you must give thought to the language which you
          use.  The storyteller must, above all else, use words to
          paint an image.  Wherefore first I must caution you, if you
          tell what is commonly called a 'period' tale of old, to
          exise from your words all trace of modern loqutions and
          expressions.

          AB: But why should this be so?

          YH: Nothing will so anger your audience as to tease them
          into the image you desire then to tear it down before them.
          If you have filled their heads with the vision of Arthur and
          his knights of old, nothing could so jar them as to hear
          Arthur disclaim some modern jape or slang expression.  Then
          will the audience's dreams be dashed and your purpose
          defeated.

          AB:  But is it not true that some humor may be derived from
          this juxtaposition of imagery?

          YH: I'faith, a truely skilled storyteller may sometimes
          achieve this effect,  but more often than not it is the
          amature who does this by accident, never noticing the slip
          that has tripped off his tongue.  Even if the audience
          laughs, you have but gained cheap laughter of no account.
          You may as well saved everyone the trouble of listening to
          you and broken wind loudly before your elders.

          AB: Your point is well taken, but do you speak against all
          comedy then?

          YH: Heaven forfend!  The gift of laughter is one of the
          greatest gifts the Holy One, Blessed be He, has given to
          man.  But recall that you are bard, not a buffon.  The Bard
          uses wit, and satire, and irony.

          AB: How may this be achieved?

          YH: Irony is a great weapon.  Make it sharp, but not so
          subtle that it passes out of view of your audience.
          Euphamism may also aid you, especially if you use it
          ironically.  For example, if you said of a man in the act of
          fleeing his foe 'and so he exercised that bravery and
          intelligent discretion for which he was justly famous.'

          AB: And, as you have said, the gesticulations of the hand
          and face should also compliment this effect.

          YH: Precisely so.  Further, you may make the point with the
          quality of your voice, and contrasting it with the
          description given in words.  For example, if you said of a
          harriden: and then, in her own sweet dulcet tones, she
          gently exclaimed' and then screached out the words, that
          would work as well.

          AB: I see.

          YH: Yet I urge you to be wary and not to overuse any one
          trick.  A song may be beautiful once, but it becomes tedious
          to hear again and again.  In a tale, you must balance the
          tricks you use for effect.

          AB: Yet how does one know the proper balance?

          YH: That skill comes with time and much practice.  If you
          persist, then you shall learn the way of it.  But come, the
          hour of nones comes nigh, and I am famished and parched.

          AB: In truth, good brother, so am I.  Let us continue our
          discourses after we have taken refreshment.