The Apple Seed

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about peacemakers and reflections on forgiveness, reconciliation, and understanding. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (1:44) "It Takes Two" by Motoko. A deeply personal story about meeting a man who carries painful war stories connected to her culture, and her efforts to build a bridge of understanding and peace across historical w...

Gather your family for spooky stories from great storytellers featuring folklore, personal memories, and eerie tales perfect for the Halloween season. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (1:20) "Halloween" by Kevin Kling. A nostalgic Halloween memory about trick-or-treating in farm country during his youth. (8:13) "Halloween Birthday Stories" by Sam Payne. A personal story about his wife's birt...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about people who were deceived by appearances, hidden identities, and unexpected transformations. (0:00) Introduction by host Sam Payne. (1:20) "The Changeling" by Mara Menzies. A traditional folktale about a young couple with a new baby who suddenly changes one day. (16:02) "Being Authentic" by Sam Payne. Our host shares a story about l...

Starting Season 12, you can now WATCH The Apple Seed podcast with LIVE storytellers. Find the video podcast on Spotify, YouTube, or on the BYUradio App! Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers. Stories bring us together and the stories on The Apple Seed will spark memories that you can share with the people you love. The Apple Seed is a storytelling podcast by BYUradio and is...

Don't miss this special recording of Emmy-award winning David Holt and Josh Goforth sharing some of their favorite Appalachian tunes and stories. Recorded by the International Storytelling Center and used with their gracious permission. PLAYLIST: (2:12) The Clouds Gonna Roll Away. (4:31) The Cotton-eyed Joe. (8:35) The Drovers. (12:13) Jesus Said Go. (16:35) Darkness on the Delta. (23:40) The Magi...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about fathers who created lasting memories with their sons. (1:27) "Pinewood Derby" - Bil Lepp tells a story about his father who helped him build a pinewood derby car. (7:28) Sam Payne tells a story about sailing with his dad. (12:43) "Lightning in Church" - Kevin Kling tells a story about how he was struck by lightning just like his fa...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about cats and their humorous and heartwarming adventures. (1:11) "Cats and Dogs" - Charlotte Blake Alston tells a story about how cats and dogs began their rivalry. (10:04) Sam Payne tells a story about adopting an orphaned kitten. (16:16) "That Cat" - Lyn Ford tells a story about a cat who became an unexpected roommate in her new home....

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about unlikely heroes coming to the rescue. (1:32) "The Seven Kids" - Tim Lowry tells a story about a mother goat who saves her children from being eaten by a ravenous wolf. (7:30) Sam Payne tells a story about how his mother saved him from drowning. (12:10) "Straighten Up and Fly Right" - Bobby Norfolk tells a story about a monkey who p...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about young people becoming courageous heroes, yet silent protectors like ninjas. (1:26) "3 Ninjas" - Motoko tells a story about her ninja-loving son who saved a neighbor during a house fire. (17:07) Sam Payne remembers a young girl who made a simple difference in his life. (21:12) "13-year-old Olav, Freedom Fighter" - Pippa White tells...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about people finding their place in the world. (1:49) "Kite Fighting" - Antonio Rocha tells a story about finding connections between Indian and Brazilian cultures through "kite fighting". (15:55) Sam tells a story about his first time experiencing Shabbat in a traditional Israeli household. (21:12) "The Little Girl Made of Salt" - Debs...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about people trying to achieve their dreams only to learn that some dreams aren't all that they hoped for. (1:15) "Turtle Wants to Fly" - Lyn Ford tells a story about a turtle who wants to fly like the birds. (8:41) Sam tells a story about the responsibilities of a father, learning when to speak up and when to listen. (13:02) "Pedro's So...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about teenagers getting in and out of trouble during their high school adventures. (1:16) "Braswell the Bassoon Player" - Andy Offutt Irwin tells another one of his tall-tales about his high school friend in band practice. (17:30) Sam tells a story about his time in the junior high band room which taught him how to try new things. (21:56...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about classic fairytales with new unique twists. (1:30) "Uncle False's Rapunzel" - Paul Strickland tells the story of Rapunzel but with a trailer park twist. (14:12) Sam recalls the Bible story of Jacob and Esau and connects their story of reconciliation to his own relationship with his brother. (18:12) "Cinderella" - Ed Stivender tells...

Gather your family for great stories from great storytellers about school days and the many challenges that come from teachers, classmates, and growing up. (1:13)"Recess" - Kim Weitkamp tells a story where she comforts her bullied grandson by sharing a memory of her own school bully. (16:58) Sam tells a story about a friend of his who gave a struggling friend a haircut that meant more to that frie...

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...