by Ziyadliwa
Good, kind, beautiful Elizabeth is married to Ludwig of Thuringia. During a terrible famine, she shares food with the people from her and her husband’s store and granary. Husband forbids her to continue, she does so anyway and is caught… The bones of the...
by Ziyadliwa
Jack is angry when he hears that his mother is ill and that Death is in town to claim her, so he traps Death in a nutshell, with unexpected consequences. The bones of the story: A young man (Jack) has an ill mother. She tells him that her time is near and that soon...
by Ziyadliwa
A woman learns the inevitability of death. The bones of the story: Woman’s son dies, asks the Buddha to restore him, is told that this is possible if she can bring him one mustard see from a household that has never experienced death. Everyone has, and...
by Ziyadliwa
A tale with its origins in an Indian folktale that speaks about personal responsibility The bones of the story: Old man or woman is considered the wise person of the village Village children decide to test wisdom. To do this, the catch a bird, hide it in hands behind...
by Ziyadliwa
A tale that might be an old joke, but that may also be a Cuban folktale The bones of the story: Mouse family goes for a walk, gets accosted by a cat, and either mommy-mouse or daddy-mouse barks (like a dog) until the cat runs away. Moral: see why it’s helpful to...
by Ziyadliwa
A Zen tale that raises the question about the heavens and hells that we create for ourselves. The bones of the story: A samurai approached a master, and asked: “Is there really a paradise and a hell?” “Who are you?” inquired the master....
