Hello and welcome to Super Great Kids Stories.
Wise tales from storytellers around the world which will make you laugh and sometimes cry.
Recommended for ages 5 to 105.
I'm Kin and I love stories.
This week's theme is how and why tales.
Today we hear how stories came into the world.
A tale from South Africa told by Wangari.
Well hello super great kids and how are you?
Did you have a happy week?
Did you tell any stories this week?
Some of you have contacted us to say that you've been telling stories to your family and friends.
That makes me want to do cartwheels.
Hurrah!
Give yourself a pat on the back if you've told a story recently.
Another reason that I'm jumping for joy is that we've seen the cover for our book Super Great Kids Stories from Storytellers Around the World.
It's blue and bright and Story Owl sits right in the middle, beaming with delight at all the magical illustrations.
It's a treasury of not one, not two, not three, but 30 of your favourite stories, including Anansi and the Hot Pepper Soup, Nora and the Aki Fruit, Baba Yaga and The Ghost of the Bloody Finger.
It's now available for pre-ordering.
It'll be released in the UK in mid-September and in the US and Canada in early November.
The links for pre-ordering are on our website, supergreatkidsstories.com, in the news section.
If you follow the links, you'll be able to see the book cover for yourself.
There's also a super great video if you want to see more.
You can find it on our website, on Patreon and on our social media.
Story Owl is the star and she is tickety-boo and hooting up a storm.
Do have a look and let us know what you think.
The story this week is from South Africa, which is known as the Rainbow Nation because its people come from many cultural backgrounds.
South Africa also has beautiful music and dance and amazing wildlife.
And according to this tale that you're about to hear, it's also the country where stories began.
And just before the story, I have a little challenge for you.
This is a how and why story.
Which is your favourite how and why story?
And why do you like it?
So, for example, my favourite is Why Crocodiles Sleep With Their Mouths Open.
And I like it because it's funny and it has a song.
You might like How the Rainbow Got Into the Sky or How Leopard Got Its Spots.
Or you might prefer one that you've made up yourself like Why Do Penguins Waddle?
So what's your favourite?
Are you ready?
Off you go.
Hello, super great grown-ups.
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Hello, super great kids.
I'm back.
Did you decide which is your favourite How Am I story?
You might like to draw a picture of it and send it to us at supergreatkidstoriescom so we can share it with other story lovers.
And now it's time to hear our story from South Africa.
Let's give a warm welcome to Wangari the Storyteller.
Hello, super great kids.
How are you?
Oh, my name is Wangare from Nairobi in Kenya.
And it is so, so good to be back here telling a story to you.
Well, of course, I know you love stories.
That's why you're listening.
And I love stories.
That's why I am a storyteller.
But have you ever thought, where do stories come from?
Where do the stories that we tell, that we listen to, where did they come from?
Yes, stories about Anansi and Kakasungura the hare.
The stories we tell about the ogres and the genies and the selkies and the fairies.
Where do you think they all came from?
Well, I know that there are a number of stories about where stories came from.
And the one that I am going to share with you today comes from the African continent, but it does not come from my country.
It comes all the way from the southern part of Africa in South Africa.
And there we meet the Zulu people.
And sometimes when a storyteller From there want to tell a story, they say which means once upon a time, a long, long time ago, when the first people were living in this world, There lived a woman whose name was Manzandaba.
And Manzandaba lived with her husband, Zenzele, and their children.
And of course, they had neighbors here and neighbors there.
And they were a happy family.
And they were quite busy too.
For during the day they could be seen very busy out there working in their fields, digging and planting and weeding and harvesting.
And the children would be seen out there taking care of their livestock, their cows and their goats and their sheep.
And sometimes, when they had some free time, maybe over the weekends, the family would go down to the river and they would swim and the children would stand there and throw stones into the river.
And laugh and smile.
They were a happy family.
Well, most of the time.
For you see, that time in the evening when the sun has gone down to sleep, it's a bit dark.
But it's not late enough for them to go to bed.
The children would complain, oh, mommy, this is so boring.
What can we do?
And the mother would say, well, why don't you go and play?
No, it is too dark to play.
Well, you should go to bed.
No, I don't want to go to bed.
It is still too early.
And Zenzele Manzadaba's husband would also complain for, you see, He loved to carve things from wood.
And when the sun went down, there was not enough light to do this work.
And, after a lot of complaining in the house, Manzandaba decided that she was going to find out from her neighbors what they did at this time when it's too late to play outside and yet too early to go to bed.
And she realized that her neighbors had the same problem.
And Manzendaba thought that she absolutely had to find a solution from all the complaining.
To find something interesting, something exciting for the children and the family to do.
And Zanzeli agreed that he was going to take care of the family.
He would do whatever it took.
He would clean, he would cook, as long as Manzendamba went to find a solution.
And one day, early in the morning, Manzendamba woke up and made breakfast for the whole family, put aside some food in a basket and, after they had their breakfast, hugged her children and her husband and bade them farewell.
Kwa-su-ga-su-ga-su-ge-la-bo.
Kwa-su-ga-su-ga-su-ge-la-ma-ma-we.
Kwa-su-ga-su-ga-su-ge-la-bo.
Kwa-su-ga-su-ga-su-ge-la-ma-ma-we.
Kwa-su-ga-su-ga-su-ge-la-ma-ma-we. yes mother number walked and walked and walked and she didn't go for very long when she saw fanny the gorilla hey fanny my friend how are you and fanny was sitting there grooming her child removing some dust on this side and making sure that the child was very clean and fanny said Hello, Manzandaba.
Good to see you.
Fene, I have a question for you.
Please tell me that time of the day when the sun has gone to bed, it's too late to do anything, but too early to go to bed.
What do you do with your children?
Oh, Manzandaba.
Huh?
My days are full.
I have my hands full every single day, from morning to evening, getting food for my children, making sure they are clean, keeping them safe.
Oh, come evening, I am so tired.
When the sun goes to bed, so do I. Ah, Mazandaba noted, she understood what Fene was saying.
She wanted something different for herself and her family.
So she said thank you to Fene and goodbye and continued walking.
And she approached a forest and she walked between the trees.
She heard a sound.
Tiny.
What was that, she thought.
And she walked until she came to the base of a tree.
And looking, she saw the cricket.
Hello, cricket.
How are you?
I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have a question for you.
Please tell me, during that time, when the sun has gone to bed and it is too early to go to bed but too late to do any work, what do you and your family do?
And the cricket said, this is what we do.
We sing.
Singing.
Oh, that sounded interesting.
But it didn't sound like what she was looking for.
And she said, thank you very much, cricket.
Hmm, I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for.
Thank you, but I will keep looking.
And she went off.
And it was getting darker and darker in the forest.
And in the distance, her eyes saw something.
Light dancing.
As if it was fire dancing from one side to the other side to the other side.
And when she got near, she saw that it was not fire, but some fireflies.
Do you know fireflies?
They are small insects that dance in the night and they are flashing lights all over.
And she said fireflies, how are you please tell me, what do you do at that time of the night when the sun has gone down to bed?
But it is too early to go to sleep and it is too late to do anything.
And the firefly and her family oh, gave a dance, flashing their lights this way and that way and that way.
And the fireflies said, this is what we do.
We dance.
Oh, dance.
Dance sounds amazing.
Dance sounds good.
But I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for.
And the fireflies asked, well?
If you don't know what you're looking for, how will you know when you find it?
And Mazandaba said, well, when I find it, I will know.
Thank you so much, fireflies.
And she continued with her journey out of the forest into a big clearing.
And there she met another family of animals.
Now, these animals have long ears. big teeth, and they love to hop.
Who do you think these are?
Yes, it was the hare.
And the hare, seeing a human being, ran away as fast as he could, hopping and hopping and hopping.
Nogwaja, Nogwaja the hare, please don't run.
I come in peace.
And Nogwaja the hare stopped and turned to look at Mazandaba.
And Mazandaba asked the same, same question that she had asked the other animals.
Nogwaja said, flipping an ear here and an ear there and twitching his whiskers.
Well, we tell stories, of course.
Stories!
You tell stories.
That sounded just like what Mazandaba was looking for.
Nogwaja, I think my family would love some stories.
Can you tell me some stories?
Now, you know the hare is quite a trickster.
He had heard about stories, but he didn't know any stories himself.
And he didn't want to say that he didn't know any stories.
So he twitched an ear and another ear and said, Woman, what is wrong with you?
We don't tell stories when the sun is out high.
It is time for me and my family to find something to eat.
And he hopped off.
Ha!
Stories?
Stories?
Oh, that sounds amazing.
I think I now know what I am looking for.
And, of course, when Manzan Damba met the next animal, Glovu the elephant, she asked a different question this time round.
Glovu, you huge and wise animal who roams all over.
Do you know where I can find some stories?
And Lovu said, Mazandaba, I don't know where you can find stories, but I know who you could ask.
Why don't you look for the wise eagle?
He knows all the secrets of the land and the secrets of high up in the sky.
Look for Nkwazi and ask him.
And Mazandaba knew that she was likely to find Nkwazi next to the big ocean hunting for some fish.
So she went down and ran and ran and ran and...
There was Nkwazi high up in the sky, and Nkwazi was hunting for a fish.
His eyes focused his talons out when, Nkwazi, Nkwazi, Nkwazi!
Mazadaba called out loudly, Frightening Nkwazi!
Hey!
Woman, why are you shouting my name like that?
Now you see you have made me drop my fish.
And Mazangaba said Oh Nkwazi wise one, you who knows the secrets of the land and secrets of high up in the skies, I have a question for you.
Please tell me, where can I find stories?
And Nkwazi said Well, I am wise, but I don't know everything and I don't know where you can find stories, but I know someone who might help you.
Stay here and I will be back.
And the eagle flew away.
And Mazandaba sat there, brought out her basket of food and ate.
And she waited for two days and three nights.
And on the third day, in the afternoon, Nkwazi the eagle flew down.
Hey, Mazandaba, I have someone for you.
And from the water came a huge sea turtle.
And the sea turtle said, come on, hop on my back.
We will find some stories for you.
And Mazandaba jumped on the sea turtle's shell, holding tightly.
And together they went into the water and deep down into a completely different land.
Yes, they were in the land of the spirits.
And Matanda was shocked to see a completely different land from where she was from.
And the people in the spirit land was shocked to see someone from the land up there.
And finally, Mazandaba explained herself that she was looking for stories.
Yes, stories that she could tell to her family when the sun went down, when it was too early to go to bed but too late to do any other meaningful work.
And the people in the spirit land said we definitely have some stories and you would love to share them with you.
But tell us, Manzantaba, what can you give us in return?
And Manzantaba said, anything you want.
Anything you want that is within my power, I will give.
And they said well, we cannot come to your world to see how you live, to see what you do, to see how you spend your days?
Can you bring us a picture?
And Mazandaba said, a picture?
I can definitely get you that.
And she bid them farewell, climbed back on the sea turtle, and up they went.
And she and the sea turtle agreed to meet three days later on the show of the great ocean.
And when she went back, her family and the neighbors were waiting to see, to find out what she had been up to, what had she experienced.
And quickly she explained to her husband Zenzele about the picture that the people in the spirit land wanted.
And he said, that I can definitely do.
And he took a big piece of wood and he began carving some people cultivating the land.
Some people doing some weeding.
The children playing, the river flowing, the people enjoying their lives.
And when it was ready oh, this time round, Manzandaba and the children took her all the way to the ocean.
And the sea turtle was there as they had agreed.
And she climbed on the shell and down they went.
And she presented the beautiful carving to the people in the land of the spirit.
And they were amazed to see all this.
And then they said, Mazandapa, thank you so much for sharing your world with us.
Here.
Take this beautiful necklace and give it to your husband as a gift for his hard work.
And for you, Mazandaba, the gift of stories.
And they gave Mazandaba a big shell saying anytime you want to tell a story, just put this shell on your ear and call out Kwasuga Sugela and you will have all the stories that you would want to tell.
And Mazantaba took the big shell and the necklace and went to the edge of the ocean bid farewell to the citadel.
And the family was waiting, and they went back.
And the whole village was waiting for this gift of stories.
And the next evening, After they had done their work for the day and the sun had gone to sleep.
That time of the night when it is too early to sleep but yet too late to do any meaningful work, Zenzele brought out a special stool and asked Mazandaba to sit on it.
And him and the children and all the neighbors made a big fire.
And they listened.
And Mazandaba took the big shell, put it to her ear, and called out, Kwasugasugela!
And that is the story of the first story.
Oh, thank you, Angori.
What a great story.
I'm going to try to remember how to say once upon a time in Zulu.
Quasukasugeila.
Quasukasugeila.
Can you say that?
Quasukasugeila.
I like hearing all the names of the animals in Zulu too, like Ndlovu for elephant.
I wonder why Hare couldn't remember any stories.
Do you think he couldn't sit still long enough to listen properly?
Not like you then.
Have you ever taken a big shell and put it to your ear and heard a whisper from the sea?
Try it if you can find a big shell.
The sound is quite magical.
And now.
It's time to say hello to some owlets who've recently joined our storytelling club.
So let's spread our wings and fly around the world with StoryOwl to meet them.
Hello to superfans Isla, who is almost five, and her little brother Rowan, who is three.
They love listening in the car and every night at bedtime.
Isla is very fond of scary stories and a current favourite of hers is The Three Aunts.
Their whole family likes listening to stories told by Daniel Morden.
Yes, I agree, he's a very good storyteller.
And let's fly now to the UK and go to Bridport in Dorset to say hello to Owlet's Greta, who is six, and Florence, who is four, and baby Rowan, who is one.
They especially like The Ghost of the Bloody Finger.
They first heard about Super Great Kids stories when they lived in Amsterdam and their friends told them about us.
So thanks to James and Marika and their three children Emma, Hannah and Ted, for telling their friends about us.
And let's head north now to Calgary in Canada to say hello to Amina who is 10 this month.
Amina finds it hard to pick a favourite because she just likes all of the stories.
Amina is half Russian and she's a fan of Baba Yaga, the Russian witch.
Me too, Amina, even though she's the scariest witch in the world.
I'm told that in Russian they call her Baba Yaga.
I wonder if that's what you call her.
And let's move south next to Seattle in Oregon to meet Owlette Oak, who is seven.
Oak's favourite story is A Nancy and the Hot Pepper Soup.
Ah, yes, that is such a fun one.
Do you sing along with the song?
It's rather catchy, isn't it?
The king likes the soup, the queen likes the soup and Nancy likes the soup, and Nancy likes the soup.
That story is in our new Super Great Story book, which is coming out this autumn.
And flying south to Portland in Oregon.
Now Let's greet Owlets Penelope, who's ten, and Sage, who's seven.
They listen every morning on their drive to school, and their favourite storytellers are Kate Corkery and Jason Buck.
They especially like Troll Ale and The Ghost of the Bloody Finger.
And we're off to sunny Texas now to say hello to Harper who is seven and Madison who is four.
Harper's favourite is the hairy toe and Madison's is the belly button monster.
Ah, so both of you are very brave and enjoy a good scary.
Hurrah!
And let's go south to Sydney in Australia now to say hello to Vivian, who is six, and Darcy, who is four, and two-year-old Sienna.
Their favourite story is the Native American tale How Raven Brought Light to the World.
And let's head to Perth in Western Australia.
Now to greet Owlet Theodore, who turns seven this weekend.
He listens to the stories when getting ready in the morning and last thing at night.
His favourite episodes are The Ghost of the Bloody Finger and the Native American story The Bird with Big Feet.
Theodore is moving from Australia to Sweden soon, where he was born.
He's also half American.
Wow.
Lucky you with all those cultures in your experience.
I hope the move goes well.
And flying to the market town of Abergavenny in Wales next to greet super fans Finn, who is eight, and Mabel, who is four.
Finn's favourite is The Ghost of the Bloody Finger and Mabel's favourite is The Wizard of Abergavenny.
They live in Abergavenny so were rather surprised when the Wizard of Abergavenny story popped up.
Apparently older brother Finn is going to vet the scary stories before Mabel listens.
That's a kind big brother thing to do Finn.
Finn is interested in Japanese folklore and mythical creatures.
His favourite one is Kappa and he thinks it would make a great story on Super Great Kids.
I'll look out for Kappa stories.
Thanks for the tip, Finn.
And let's buckle up for the journey down to Rotorua in New Zealand now to say hello to six-year-old Oscar and four-year-old Hugo.
Their favourite stories are Tatter Coats and, well, all of them really.
Yes, Nick Hennessy is another great storyteller.
And we're off to the west coast of the US, next to beautiful Santa Clara in California, to greet Owlet Veehan, who turns nine very soon.
Vihan loves the magical tree and the scary stories.
He also likes the belly button monster and the ghost of the bloody finger and Rumpelstiltskin.
And let's head up to Montreal now to greet superfan Una, who is six and has been an owlet for two years.
She's listened to every super great story multiple times and can recite some of them almost perfectly by heart.
Hurrah!
Well done you, Una.
Just think how many words you've learned by doing that.
Hang on a minute while I do another cartwheel.
That's better.
She's also sent us a lovely picture of the best nest story told by Wangari.
If you'd like to see it, it's on our Facebook page.
And last but certainly not least, let's fly back to Ealing in West London here in the UK to say hello to fans Anton, who is five, and Dominic, who is eight.
They listen to the stories every night before bed.
Their favourite stories are The Weeping Willow and Lap Child.
Great choices, boys.
Sheila Arnold and Jason Buck, two tip-top storytellers.
That's it for this week.
Welcome all of you to the club.
More next week.
Thanks very much for your support.
And our pick of the week picture goes to seven-year-old Poppy, who lives on the sunshine coast of Australia, who drew a striking picture of the cheeky cockerel.
I love all your details from the story, Poppy.
Your magnificent cockerel carrying the little purse in its beak, the well where the poor bird was thrown, the bull with the spiked horns and the little chick.
Great drawing, thank you.
If you'd like to send us a picture, send it to our website supergreatkidsstoriescom, or to story owl via meta.
We're in the process of creating an art gallery on our website too, so you'll soon have a new place to post your pictures.
Watch out for that.
And thanks to all of you who are subscribing to our podcast.
A tiny percentage of our listeners subscribe.
So we really appreciate those of you who feel you can.
It's very generous.
If you subscribe on Patreon, you get a choice of two tiers.
Three pounds a month less than four US dollars to get advert free and access to all the scary stories.
And if you pay for the next tier up, which is £6 that's about US8 you'll get advert free, plus over 50 bonus stories and all the Super Great Scary Stories.
Plus, you'll get access to our Super Great Kids Stories Express, which cuts to the chase and tells the story.
Great for listening to stories back to back.
If you subscribe on apple, it's six pounds a month and you get all of the perks.
Visit our website for more details at super great kids stories dot com.
That's it for now.
Remember to check out our book cover on our website, super great kids stories dot com, and take a sneaky peek at that video too.
We'd be delighted if you pre-ordered it.
Keep telling those stories and singing those songs and have a very happy week.
This podcast was produced by Kim Normanton and David Smith at Wardour Studios in fabulous Fitzrovia in London.
