READING: Academic Social Studies Aa Cultural Perspectives The History of Storytelling Long before humans learned to write down their stories, storytellers preserved cultural memories and passed them from generation to generation The ancient Greeks told tales of their gods and heroes. Some storytellers played along on stringed instruments similar to a modern harp. Two of the most famous stories were written down around 750 8.<, Have you heard! of the liad or the Odyssey? Then you've heard the famous Greek tales. In the 1800s, Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, traveled around Germany listening to old tales and writing them down—for the first time ever! Thank the Brothers Grimm if you have read fairy tales like "Hansel and Gretel" or "Snow White.” Have you heard the story of "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” or “Aladdin and the Lamp"? Then you are familiar with some of the tales in The Thousand and One Nights. These were first recorded in Arabic around 800, but the tales from Egypt, Persia, Arabia, and India are much older. Traditional storytelling continues today. In West Africa, storytellers called griots retell the histories of the families in their villages. Young griots rnemorize the tales of the older griots and then add modern stories insuring that the histories will live on. In the Appalachian Mountains of the United States, storytellers entertain and educate people with their tales of the early settlers. Keep listening—you may heer a storyteller one day! CEE ‘© The Continental Press, nc, DUPLICATING THIS MATERIAL IS ILLEGAL,READING: Academic Social Studies a Cultural Perspectives 4. From which oral storytelling tradition does the story of “Hansel and Gretel” come? ® the story comes from Egypt. The story comes from Germany. © The story comes from Greece. ©®) The story comes from Persia. ‘@ The Continental Press Inc DUPLICATING THIS MATERIAL IS ILLEGAL.READING: Academic Social Studies ea Cultural Perspectives 2. What are some of the tales from the Appalachian Mountains about? ® fairy tales Gods and heroes Thieves © The early settlers © 3. Which of the following was probably not a reason the storytellers told their tales? *® Toentertain To educate To preserve the culture © Toget a movie deal ® Gera ‘@ The Cortnental Press, Inc. DUPLICATING THIS MATERIAL IS ILLEGAL. (ErREADING: Academic Social Studies Cultural Perspectives 4, From reading the passage, what conclusion can you draw about the tradition of oral storytelling? ® Storytelling is important to many cultures. More people tell stories now than in ancient times. © The Greek people had the most interesting stories ®) Stories were more important to the Arabs than to other cultures. LU eee cior Sey \e ‘©The Continental Press nc. DUPLICATING THIS MATERIAL IS ILLEGAL.