| 1. |
Herschel in the Woods
A delightful blues bass line forms the backdrop for this humorous story of Herschel of Ostropol, the trickster. He is typical of cultural heroes who actually lived at one time about whom many stories are invented. |
| 2. |
Rock Soup
John lays down a honky-tonk riff while Jay spins a yarn from Georgia that has striking similarities to the popular children's book, Stone Soup. |
| 3. |
Testing the Stars
In this timeless mid-Eastern tale, the king of this story is assumed to be none other than Solomon himself. |
| 4. |
Big Foot Town *
In this tightly choreographed southern tale variation, John coaxes the wailin', talkin' blues out of his guitar, while Jay delivers the story in a low-slung, laid-back style reminiscent of Carl Sandburg. |
| 5. |
Moses Mendelssohn *
This touching story about Felix Mendelssohn's grandfather evokes the timelessness of love and hints at a divine plan for life mates, a popular thought in the 19th century. |
| 6. |
Tarantula
Jay first heard this urban legend (a variation of "The Spider in the Yucca" story which appears in Brunvand's 1986 collection, The Mexican Pet) over dinner with friends who understandably believed the tale was completely true. |
| 7. |
Enlightenment *
Jay heard this story years ago as part of a church sermon. Coming from Japan, it teaches a lesson of serenity and peace that is universal. |
| 8. |
The Soul as a Butterfly
This story from Great Britain lies comfortably between the sound of evening crickets and John's muted guitar, both matching the mellow, yet mysterious mood of the tale. |
| 9. |
Bullseye
The wisdom told in this Jewish folktale is basic to the sensibilities found in the rural settings of this country. The Chat-a-while Restaurant, by the way, is a café in Bath, New York. |
| 10. |
Grandpa and the Dog *
This touching personal story popped out one night as John and Jay were in the studio. This telling evokes the wisdom of the elders experienced by children in the presence of their grandparents. |
