The Apple Seed

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how actions, good and bad, receive consequences. (1:20) "Kumba am Nday" - Charlotte Blake Alston tells a story of two step sisters who trek into a dangerous forest, but only one of them receives a blessing. (18:19) Sam Payne tells a story about meeting an out-of-town visitor whom he thought would be yet another thing to deal with i...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about horses that went beyond the call of nature to help people need in need. (1:14) "Alazão the Horse that Saved 6 Lives" - Antonio Rocha tells the story of how a horse saved the life of a young girl bitten by a venomous snake. (15:07) Sam Payne tells a story about a horse encounter he had out walking with his dog Pete. (19:49) "Ranger...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about memories of summer days spent playing in the sun as well as the many good and not so good memories of growing up. (1:06) "High Dive" - Bill Harley sings a song about trying to impress his crush by conquering his fear of the high dive. (13:37) Sam Payne tells a story about riding a bus to the swimming pool every week on summer where...

Join us as Apple Seed listeners tell us some of their own stories - some of them inspired by The Apple Seed. (1:20) "Birthday Song" - Listener Erika Price tells a story about a crush of hers from high school who sang her a midnight serenade. (6:15) "A Yeti and a Boy" - Nine-year-old listener Norah Bauer tells a story about a young boy who befriends a yeti. (8:22) "Mentors" - Listener Shraddha Niga...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the many things that pressure us to make choice in life. Friends, family, culture and tradition all influence our choices every day. But which will we listen to? (1:33) "Different Doesn't Mean Bad, It Just Means Different" - Jasmin Cardenas tells the story of her first sleepover where she was able to introduce her friends to her cu...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the great Odysseys of life and the many challenges we hurtle to make our way back home. (1:48) "Jack and the One-Eyed Booger" - Tim Lowry tells a story of Jack's Odyssey to return to his lover after the war. (18:46) Sam Payne tells a story about his homemade graduation and the Odyssey poem that inspired him to embrace the adventure...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about holding onto hope in hard times, finding light in the darkest moments, and the small acts of courage that keep us moving forward. (0:54) "Quest" - Kim Weitkamp tells a personal story about meeting someone who she was impressed to comfort. (14:32) Sam Payne tells a story about finding his place in his kindergarten class. (20:47) "Ja...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how to pursue happiness. What's the secret? Our stories today have a few ideas about that. (1:20) "Happy Man Shirt" - Bill Harley tells a Scottish story about an unhappy king on a quest to find even one happy man in all his kingdom. When he finally does, he's surprised by what he finds. (15:11) Sam Payne tells a story about the dif...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the journeys from childhood to adulthood and the lessons we learn as we mature. (1:36) "Musa's Son" - Antonio Rocha tells a story about the son of a chief going through his rite of passage to become a man. (12:06) Sam Payne tells a story where he learned that failure is a rite of passage in and of itself. (23:24) "Chura & Marwe" -...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about caretaking, criminal tendencies, and creative license to be learned from old friends. (1:20) "Grandmother and Mrs. Fox" - Donald Davis tells a childhood story about the beauty in how we frame life--and its ending. (13:40) Sam Payne tells a story about when his young son had a mysterious illness that was eased by an elderly neighbor...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about how smarts can't be appreciated in the eyes of others until we've come to appreciate them in ourselves. (2:20) "Morgan and the Pot of Beans" - Donna Washington tells a story about one young man who, despite discouragement from every corner, had happy success with big brains and a bigger heart. (19:08) Sam Payne tells a story about...

No one likes a helping of humble pie, but these stories will help. you laugh you way through the humiliation. (1:08) "The Lion Prince" by Antonio Rocha tells a story about a little prospective lion king who needed to learn a thing or two about what it means to be in charge. (10:27) Sam Payne tells a story about his pride over a home repair that ended up backfiring in a most humble way. (14:50) "Am...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the potential every ambition has for flight, even when a gripe or two becomes part of the process. (2:31) "Baby Hawk Learns to Fly" - Bobby Norfolk tells the story of how Baby Hawk needs purpose, patience, confidence, and courage to help him grow up, but most of all, he needs a great big helping of "flappin' his wings." (14:06) Sam...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about the little souls whose abilities should never be estimated by size. (1:00) "Nyangara the Python" - Charlotte Blake Alston tells a story about the courage that can be found for another's sake, even in a child. (11:54) Sam Payne shares some thoughts about the generational wisdom that's blessed his life; both from those who came befor...

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, the Apple Seed brings you two ancient myths from Central America. (1:05) "The Hungry Goddess and the Five Suns" by Carolina Quiroga. An Aztec myth that tells the cycles of creation the earth and sun went through while the gods tried to get it right. (14:34) Sam tells us about how families can create creation myths or beliefs and how his mother stitched her beliefs...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about close encounters with death that end in equal parts wisdom and laughter. (1:19) "The Old Woman Who Cheated Death" - Debs Newbold tells a story about a woman much less powerful than death, but three times as clever. (17:10) Sam Payne tells a memory of some tricky folks he knows. How do they get away with it? (21:30) "Three Preachers...

Gather your family to listen to stories about how lessons can come from all kinds of mentors, but ultimately, it's our choice to learn them. (1:02) "Lessons from Three Girls" - Kevin Kling shares memories of three little girls (and one little boy) that reminded him that mentors can come in all ages. (8:24) Sam Payne tells a story about Important Lessons he learned from his Auntie Annie. (12:45) "W...

Gather your family to listen to stories about how fear came to be, how it speaks to us, and how we can manage it. (1:05) "How Fear Came into the World" - Mara Menzies" (16:40) Sam Payne tells a story about how sometimes, fear can be your friend. (21:15) How the Ocelot Got its Spots" / "El Ocelate" - Jasmin Cardenas Stories bring us together, and the stories on The Apple Seed will spark memories th...

Gather your family to listen to stories about the learning how to be your own boss and make your own decisions. (1:05) "You're Not the Boss of Me" - Bill Harley tells the story of a skunk with the will to combat every demand except the one with a "please". (10:45) Sam Payne talks about one of the first times he needed to be in charge of his own decisions. (14:56) "The Chocolate Cake Girl" - Charlo...

Gather your family to listen to stories about the grandparents and grand friends that keep up laughing and learning with their bucketfuls of stories. (00:57) "Blackberries" - Donald Davis tells the story of blackberry-picking season at his grandparents' house and the time he learned that the truth is as important as blackberry pie is irresistable. (13:43) Sam Payne tells a story about a very speci...

Gather your family to listen to stories about the friends to be found around us when we care enough to listen. (1:00) "Anne Margaret and Me" - Kim Weitkamp tells the story about the enviable girl next door who is not as perfect as she seems. (20:26) Sam Payne tells a story about the importance of some of his very first friends. (24:40) "Rabbit and Dog" - Lyn Ford tells the story of two ill-suited...

Gather your family to listen to stories about the most impactful voice we will ever hear--our own. ( 00:45) "The Hare and the Farmyard" - Debs Newbold tells a story about how, big and strong as friends may be, one's greatest hero is often oneself. (7:14) Sam Payne talks about how there comes a time when we all need to grow up and be our own superhero. (10:57) "The Steel Cane" - Sheila Arnold tells...

Gather your family to listen to stories about how when little guys meet the bad guys, the little ones are sure to win with a little bit of selflessness and big dose of wit. (1:10) "The Tiger, the Man, and the Mouse" - Donna Washington tells a tale about a hasty Brahmin, a hungry tiger, and a mouse who understands that cleverness can be all about asking the right question. (10:48) Sam Payne tells a...

BONUS: Forged in the Stars by Jay O'Callahan

Gather your family to listen to stories about how kindness is powerful in every size. (1:00) "Aunt Esther Learns to Drive" - Donald Davis shares stories about parking meters, cellar stairs, and test drives, each connected by the laughter and kindness that helps us share in life's little mishaps. (15:45) Sam Payne remembers his father's kindness when he drove a stick shift for the first time. (20:0...