The Apple Seed

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how actions lead to meaningful, and often fitting consequences. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:12) "Too Much Hair" by Donald Davis. A hilarious and relatable story about a young boy who secretly gives his little brother a haircut, only to face the consequences when things don’t go as planned. (12:43) "Snowball Bushes"...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about riddles, one of the oldest forms of entertainment. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:47) “The King and the Three Dolls” by Debs Newbold. A captivating tale of a riddle-loving queen challenged to discover the difference between three “identical” dolls. (14:18) “My Most Memorable Riddles” by Sam Payne. Sam shares unforgetta...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how sometimes less is more and when you have more, maybe it's time to give. (00:00) Intro by host, Sam Payne. (01:21) "The Fisherman and His Wife" by Antonio Sacre. A German fairytale that has been told many times in many ways, and here is Antonio Sacre's version. (09:21) "The Mall Food Court" by Sam Payne. A story about a time whe...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about music tastes over generational gaps. (00:00) Intro by host, Sam Payne. (01:04) "Mom and the Radio" by Bill Harley. A story and a song about kids that don't enjoy their parents old school music tastes. (12:10) "Charlie Brown the Musicals" by Sam Payne. A story about three musical renditions of the Charlie Brown stories. One with all...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about neighbors and how they can be a great influence our lives and the lives of our children. (00:00) Intro by host, Sam Payne. (1:30) "Corporal Smith" by Donald Davis. A story about a time in elementary school, when Donald interviewed the neighborhood highway patrolman and got a little first hand experience about what the job is like....

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about bridging the gap between different parts of ourselves and our lives. (0:00) Intro by host Sam Payne. (01:48) "How I Became a Bilingual Teacher" by Jasmin Cardenas. A story about when Jasmin was Story Bus Educator, meaning she drove around in what she calls a museum on wheels and visited elementary schools. At one particular school,...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about finding unexpected adventures. (00:00) Intro by host Sam Payne (01:30) "Lessons from East Berlin" by Bil Lepp. Bil's story about visiting East Berlin on a high school exchange program and being cornered by a huge guard. (13:50) "My Trip to Japan" by Sam Payne. A story about a trip to Japan where good guides led Sam through unfamili...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about rodents, and uncommonly heroic ones at that. These mice and this gerbil may have a lesson or two to teach you about the consequences of the choices we make. (00:00) Introduction by host, Sam Payne. (01:25) "Mice Make Peace" by Dovie Thomason. A story about the mice that live among Haudenosaunee. The mice live a peaceful life until...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the rules the we both grow up with and the ones we learn that guide us through life. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:24) "Opossum and Snake" by Lyn Ford. A story about a sneaky snake trying to trick a gullible possum into ignoring what his parents had taught him. (13:34) "My Code of Life" by Sam Payne. A story about gro...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers. Both of today's stories are based on classic tales such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Jack and the Beanstalk. Our storytellers have taken their own spin and fractured these classic tales to give us something new. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:45) "So What and Drop Dead" by Willy Clafin. This is told by Maynard Moose,...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the act of giving and the act of being given to in times of need. Those acts can be some of the best moments for reflection and growth. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:32) "Canned Beets and Peas" by Bil Lepp. A heartfelt story about how Bil first learned who the poor were and how his donations to his local canned food dr...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers. This weeks' stories features traditional and modern ballads, one of the world’s oldest storytelling forms, used for centuries to preserve epic events, big emotions, and pivotal moments in human history. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:26) "Barbara Allen" by Josh Goforth. A traditional ballad, "Barbara Allen," which is more t...

Today we bring you a special bonus episode featuring some of the National Youth Storytellers. (00:00) Sam's Intro (1:22) June Elyse Willingham tells a traditional folk tale, "Lazy Jack." (9:29) Tessa Taggart tells an original story based on one of her ancestors called "Tessa's Mostly True Story." (15:44) Ender Rasmussen shares an original folktale called "How Sparrow Earned Its Wings." (19:50) Ann...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how catastrophizing everyday problems can turn simple disagreements into lasting conflicts and how self-awareness can be the solution. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:14) "Bastianello" by Donna Washington. A humorous story in which a newly married couple and their in-laws become consumed by a problem that hasn’t yet occ...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers that explore healing from grief and trauma through storytelling, showing how stories can restore, connect, and bring meaning long after painful experiences. (00:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:38) "The Twice Saved Life" by Alton Takiyama-Chung. A powerful true story from history. Alton recounts the life of Solly Gaynor, a young J...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about practical jokes, misunderstandings, and mishaps that turn into lasting family memories. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:20) "Damien's Limp" by Geraldine Buckley. A funny and surprising childhood story about her jokester brother who loved to torment her, until one day he began limping and a doctor feared he might have pol...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about small acts, choices, and habits can make a big impact on individuals and communities. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:39) "Mzee Chomba" by Mara Menzies. A powerful folktale about an elderly man who tries to stop people from fighting, only to be ignored as the conflict escalates, illustrating how the absence of small acts...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the unexpected moments that arise when we begin new adventures, and the surprises that often come with trying something new. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:20) "Bear's Party" by Bill Harley. A playful and imaginative story about Bear, who plans a party on the night of a full moon, while his friends worry that no one wil...

Gather your family for heartwarming Christmas stories from great storytellers sharing memories, traditions, and moments that capture the magic of the holiday season. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (1:22) "The Time It Snowed" by Donald Davis. A memorable Christmas story from his father’s childhood involving pneumonia, a bear, and, of course, Santa Claus. (15:22) "Christmas Shopping with Dad...

In this special Christmas episode, we are celebrating the spirit of the season through stories of service, generosity, and light. The Appleseed is brought to you by BYUradio which is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each year The Church sponsors a worldwide initiative called Light the World, focused on spreading kindness and serving others during the holidays. For this...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about sisters whose courage, care, and example create life-changing moments. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:06) "Walking to School with my Sister" by Kevin Kling. A tender personal story about what he observed when his siblings walked him to and from school, revealing the power of sibling support and shared experiences. (09:1...

Enjoy another podcast from the Apple Seed team: The Christmas Jars Podcast. New York Times bestselling author Jason Wright shares a true story of an act of service that made a big difference for a family in real need. You can find to the full season of The Christmas Jars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts or at byuradio.org/christmas-jars. You can even watch the movie based on the Christmas Ja...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about some winter adventures, forbidden fun, and stretching of tales to preposterous proportions. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:21) "The Forbidden Souped-up Sled Ride" by Kim Weitkamp. A hilarious tall tale about the time her Uncle Norm fixed her broken sled by adding a jet-propulsion engine, resulting in an unexpected and u...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the moments in life that teach us courage and bravery, even in the face of risk or danger, and how those early acts of courage can benefit us throughout our lives. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (01:22) "Fire Bike" by Bil Lepp. A humorous and high-energy childhood story about a time when his friend Elmore set out to impress...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about children who try to do the right thing, even in difficult, awkward, or embarrassing situations. And how, as adults, acknowledging those efforts can mean the world to a child. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (1:14) "Teacher's Lounge" by Bill Harley. A story about how, as an elementary student, he and his classmate Emily broke...