This episode is a story from 1897 written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and is titled "A Case of Trespass." She was in her early twenty's when it was published. L.M. Montgomery went on to publish over 500 short stories and poems and is most famous for the Anne of Green Gables series.

If you liked this podcast, check out the episode some of my coworkers at the library put together on "Anne of Green Gables" on the podcast "The Book isn't Necessarily Better"

"A little whimsy, now and then, makes for good balance. Theoretically, you could find this type of humor anywhere, Bot only a topflight science-fictionist, we thought, could have written this story, in just this way..." ~Science Fiction Stories introduction to Philip K. Dick's "The Eyes Have It."

The short story in this episode  was published by the San Fransisco Examiner in 1890. The author is Ambrose Bierce and the story is titled “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge."

This episode covers two short stories that are titled "The Star and the Lily." Published nearly four decades apart, each story covers a unique cosmology as they unfold. One explains why we find water lilies where they are, the other explains why garden lilies bloom when they do.

This episode is myth from antiquity retold by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It comes from his “Wonder Book” and is titled “The Paradise of Children.” You may have heard of Pandora's box, this myth is where that idiom originates.

This tale is from a translation from Charles Perrault’s original French version of his 1697 book “Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals: more commonly known as Tales of Mother Goose and is titled “the Master Cat; or Puss in Boots.

For more about the podcasts visit nahansen.com

This Persian fairy tale comes from a book published in 1906 titled, The Cat and the Mouse:
A Book of Persian Fairy Tales.

This episode explores a tale from one of my real-life adventures. It's from a trip I took with my son to Mt. Wudang in China.

This is a story that was recorded by Albert D. Hesler from his interactions with the Yoruba people of Nigeria. It was collected in Helser's book titled, African Stories, published in 1930 and is titled “The Origin of Death.” 

This is an original adaptation of Nathan's based on the work of Xenophon. In book two chapter one of Memorabilia, Xenophon has a short excerpt regarding the choice of Hercules, it is this excerpt that has been adapted and expanded upon.

This episode explores the genre of Science Fiction. This story was found in the winter 1949 edition of the pulp science fiction magazine, Planet Stories. It was written by Alfred Coppel and is titled "Flight From Time."

Alfred Jose De Arana-Marini Coppel was an American author from Oakland California. After he served as a Fighter pilot during world war II, he started a prolific career as a writer. He went on to become one of the most prolific pulp authors of the 1950’s and 60s, pounding out short stories and novels across multiple genres. He topped the bestseller list with a suspense thriller titled “Thirty-Four East” in 1974.

This episode is a reading of a work by the Russian writer Anton P. Chekhov. I found this story in a publication titled, “Best Russian Short Stories” compiled by Thomas Seltzer in 1917. The contribution from Chekhov from this compilation is titled, “The Bet." I hope you enjoy!

This piece of Japanese folklore, recorded by Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, was originally published in 1871 in a book titled, “Tales of Old Japan.” The piece of folklore I’ll be reading from it is a fairy tale titled, “The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Blossom.” 

This piece wasn’t even on my radar until I read about it a week or two ago in George Saunders new book “A Swim in a Pond in the Rain,” even though it is from one of my favorite authors. It was published in 1925 and is titled, “Cat in the Rain” by Ernest Hemingway. 

Written by Edgar Allan Poe and published in 1846, The Cask of Amontillado is a particularly macabre representation of the darkest thoughts of humanity.

If you are looking for additional resources from the podcast, you can visit nahansen.com to find them.

Please enjoy this reading of Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis. Kafka's work wasn't recognized as influential until after his death, but now it has influenced many writers and film makers.

If you want to find out more about the readings on the Stories, Tales, Myths, and Legends podcast visit www.nahansen.com.

"A discerning critic once pointed out that Edgar Allen Poe possessed not so much a distinctive style as a distinctive manner. So startlingly original was his approach to the dark castles and haunted woodlands of his own somber creation that he transcended the literary by the sheer magic of his prose. Something of that same magic gleams in the darkly-tapestried little fantasy presented here, beneath Evelyn Smith's eerily enchanted wand." Fantastic Universe, September, 1955.

To see resources pertaining to the Stories, Tales, Myths, and Legends podcast visit www.nahansen.com

This week I'm taking a slight departure from our normal readings to bring you one of the most recognizable pieces of English poetry. Please enjoy this reading of Clement Clark Moore's, "A Visit From St. Nicholas."

Please enjoy this old Russian legend that I ran across in The Pearl Story Book published in 1919. I think that if you listen to it you may find some interesting parallels to other pop culture figures surrounding this time of year.

If you want to engage with discussion questions and find exercises associated with this story head over to nahansen.com for additional resources.

 This story is by the Danish author Hans Christian Anderson. His most recognizable work is perhaps “The Little Mermaid.” Anderson’s work laid the foundation for many children’s classics including The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and Winnie-the-pooh by A.A. Milne. This tale, titled “The Snowdrop” was published in 1866. I hope you enjoy.

If you liked listening to this story and want to see discussion questions and exercises related to it please visit nahansen.com.