Animated Tales of the World
(2001, Ages 6 and Up)
9/1/15
Now here is a show that I often had a hard time catching, mainly because of the fact that it was on HBO, and so it had highly unpredictable airtimes. Plus, I could only watch it on the living room TV, and even then, only when I was alone and had the TV to myself. When I did get the chance to watch, however, it was nothing short of a dream for me as a connoisseur of both animation and story-telling. Plus, you can imagine the ecstasy I felt when I finally found it on DVD.
Animated Tales of the World consists of thirty-nine fifteen-minute shorts in total: two of these would be featured together to make a half-hour long TV episode. As I said, while I didn’t see much of these on TV, I’m not entirely sure that many of these shorts were actually put on the air, as I realized after researching the show. It’s too bad really, because I think the sheer variety it offers means that it could appeal to just about anybody.
I expect that when most people (at least in North America) think of the old stories today, they often think about those of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson: "Cinderella", "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Ugly Duckling" and the like. Not that there is anything wrong with those stories; they are most certainly classics and they have a great deal to teach us, whether we are one or one hundred. But what I enjoy most about this series is that every episode features stories that are not as well known in this part of the world. And those that are essentially the same stories we’ve been told since infancy, or that at least have elements and tropes that we may be very familiar with, are presented in ways different enough to keep interest fresh for both younger and older viewers.
One example of this is the German tale, “The Enchanted Lion”, which contain story patterns seen in “Beauty and the Beast” and various tales featuring a maiden traveling for years in search of her lost true love. Here, a maiden is forced to live with a lion after her father steals one of his roses, but the lion later explains to her that he is a prince cursed by a witch to be a lion during the day, and also, later, to fly nonstop for seven years as a dove:
GRETTA: (With increasing anger.) Gentle as a dove one minute, but wild as a lion the next. How dare you refuse me! I curse you to spend the hours of daylight as a lion!
HANS: (Harshly.) Well, it sounds better than marrying you!
GRETTA: And I’ll give you a sound to remember! If you should ever hear that tune--
MINSTRAL: (Abruptly stops playing his violin and stares, mystified.)
GRETTA: Your favorite, again, then you will turn into a dove, flying round the earth for seven long years! (Grabs Hans by the face.) Unless, of course, you agree to marry me.
HANS: Never! (Suddenly cries out in pain; his snarl turns into a roar as he transforms into a lion.)
GRETTA: (Cackles with evil glee and disappears in a whirlwind.)
Another tale, “King Solomon and the Bee” from Israel, is a lot like “The Lion and the Mouse”. When a baby bee mistakes King Solomon’s nose for a flower and stings it, the king is rightly furious. The bee feels terrible and promises to make it up to King Solomon by helping him somehow. The king thinks this hilariously unlikely but releases the bee anyway. But then, when the Queen of Sheba presents Solomon with a challenge to test his legendary wisdom, the bee comes to his rescue when he gets stumped:
BEE: (Earnestly.) I promise the king, that if he will forgive me, one day I’ll pay him back. Yes, yes, one day, I will help you in return.
SOLOMON: (Bursts out laughing.) You! Ha, ha! You, pay me back! You, you miserable little creature! You help me? (To his human and animal servants.) Did you hear that? This insect is going to save King Solomon! (Laughs even harder before re-addressing the bee.) No one has ever made me laugh as much as you just did. And because of that, I forgive you. (Releasing the bee, who flies away.) Yes. Fly away, funny bee.
Those tales (and their respective places of origin for that matter) that I personally hadn’t heard of prior to watching Animated Tales of the World include “The Shoemaker’s Son” from Armenia (located in Western Asia), in which a clueless king keeps trying to learn why the titular character and his friends are always so happy despite being so poor, while the king’s royal gatherings are always boring and miserable:
(Aram and his friends laugh together as they enjoy their humble meal.)
KING: (Gruffly.) This banquet’s no good.
COUNCILOR: We have the best of everything.
KING: (Looking out the window and hearing the group’s merriment.) Not everything. They have something that we don’t have. Shut the window! (Furiously.) Find out their secret!
And in “The Manairons”, from Catalonia, Spain, a farmer foolishly gambles away what portions of his field he can’t plow within a day. But his resourceful daughter may (or may not) have found the solution in the Manairons, tiny, hyperactive bug-like creatures that cause uncontrolled mayhem if not given a task of any kind to channel their overloaded energy:
MANAIRONS: (Chanting simultaneously and single-mindedly.) What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say?
GRANDMOTHER: (In panic.) The manairons!
BETH: The what?
GRANDMOTHER: (As the annoying creatures mess up her hair and unravel her knitting.) The manairons! Oh, out!
BETH: (Flustered.) Manairons? What are they?
GRANDMOTHER: (In angry irritation.) Nitwits! Stop them, Beth, for goodness sake!
BETH: But, but how?
What’s especially unique about this show is its diverse animation. Here are just a few examples. “Omuninyan”, a Cinderella-esque tale from Namibia, a country in Southern Africa, is done in CGI with the characters looking as though they were modeled out of numerous coils of copper wire. The 2D style of “Raven Steals the Daylight”, which suggests that the reason why the sky now has the sun is thanks to Raven the trickster, is based on the totem-like art of its native Alaska, with its fluid curves, symmetrical shaping, and juxtaposing of bright and dark colors. “The Loch Ness Kelpie”—a Scottish story in which a boy battles the legendary water monster by stealing its magical bridle— has its backgrounds done in watercolors, while the human characters and most objects are solidly colored, almost completely unshaded and unseparated by dark lines except for on the faces for purposes of expression. And in “The Story of Flax”, a tale from Poland which describes how the material flax was accidently created by a greedy king, the animation is 2D but actually looks like stop-motion, as if construction paper cut-outs have been layered on top of one another, with the forming lines long, jagged, and very broad.
Music also serves as a teaching tool for young viewers in this series. Some episodes feature songs whose sounds and lyrics both enhance the plot and reflect the story’s respective culture. These include the American tall tale, “John Henry: Steel-Driving Man”, featuring the African-American hero who saved the jobs of the railroad workers by defeating a giant drill in a mining challenge:
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
Knock holes in the rock
Knock holes in the rock
Ya’ll women cook our beans
Ya’ll children bring us water
Ya’ll men lift your hammer, ya’ll
Oh, there’s work
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
I see a brand new world comin’ . . .
The Irish tale, “The Boy Who Had No Story”, in which an unwanted series of strange events befalls timid Rory after an old crone turns him away for being unable to recite a tale for her in exchange for shelter:
‘Twasn’t lemons, ‘twas locks!
‘Twasn’t cuckoos, ‘twas clocks!
‘Twasn’t salmon, ‘twas socks!
I came into a house
that wasn’t a house at all
Silent as a mouse,
woman against the wall
Terrible ugly crone,
wouldn’t let me alone
Asked me for a story
Said my name was Rory
Rory, Rory
What’s the story?
Come back and talk to me, boy!
Come back and talk to me
when you’ve a story to tell!
Wandrin’ in the night
I got a terrible fright
I bumped into a guard
travlin’ down the yard
Guard gave me a letter,
things were getting’ better
from the sheriff of Cork
to the mayor of Dublin
‘Twasn’t salmon, ‘twas socks
I was goin’ a-peddlin’
Rory, Rory
What’s the story?
The story from the Caribbean, “The Chief and the Carpenter”, about a crazy chief who forces his people to build a tower out of their furniture, houses, and trees, so that he can touch the moon and make himself famous:
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
The moon is shining brightly
The chief is trying to climb
The moon shines for all of us
Said the wise man Zanzin
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
And “The Magic Paintbrush” from China, in which a boy who wants to be a great artist is given an enchanted brush that can bring anything painted with it to life, and which he uses to outwit an evil emperor:
This magic brush,
a gift for me
A stroke of luck
Then the spirit warned,
“You must be wise,
use it carefully”
Even when it rains
and the thunders crash
or the cold wind blows,
I will practice every day,
honor what I know
Painting cranes that fly away
I’ll make a dragon come alive
I’ll draw a thousand silver boats
That sail a crimson tide
What will be especially beneficial to parents and teachers is the “Discussion Topics” feature included on the DVD of each episode. These are questions and suggestions for children to get them thinking about the story and its characters and plot. These topics are all specific to their respective story, but in general, they include but are not limited to:
- Compare/Contrast the two main characters (usually the protagonist and the villain).
- Sketch or list the sequence of events that lead up to the main accomplishment or the climax of the story.
- Describe how the protagonist uses trickery or other means to accomplish his/her goal.
- List the ways in which another character aids the protagonist.
- List other tales you’ve read or heard that also include similar themes to the one(s) seen in this story.
- Write a caption for a given image and describe how you would capture the emotion with just a brief statement.
- Explain the meaning behind, or describe the emotion of, a given image.
- Explain your reaction to an event from a given story.
- Answer a question using the given video clip for review.
There is also a “Teacher’s Guide” booklet included in each DVD case, with a list of basic definitions of multiple types of stories as well as suggested related projects and activities for teachers to try out with students.
If there was ever a TV show that provides a fantastic introduction on the rich diversity of world culture and art for children, media students, and story-lovers at large, Animated Tales of the World is it, opening viewers up to a realm of imagination in the context of real-life people, places, and history.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
EPISODE SONG:
“Once Upon a Time” – The Curellis
All other music and sound clips are from Animated Tales of the World (created by Cristopher Grace; production by Children’s Television Trust International; distributed Christmas Films and HBO)
OST SONG:
“Animated Tales of the World Opening Theme” (Extended)
EPISODES:
- “Germany: The Enchanted Lion”
- “Israel: King Solomon and the Bee”
- “Armenia: The Shoemaker’s Son”
- “Catalonia: The Manairons”
- “U.S.A.: John Henry: Steel-Driving Man”
- “Ireland: The Boy Who Had No Story”
- “Caribbean: The Chief and the Carpenter”
- “China: The Magic Paintbrush”
Listen to the episode here!
Animated Tales of the World on Wikipedia
Animated Tales of the World on IMBd
Animated Tales of the World on Common Sense Media
Animated Tales of the World on Tv Tropes
Buy Animated Tales of the World at the Library Video Company
Buy Animated Tales of the World on EBay
^^ Back to T.V. Shows, Web Series, and Other Narrative Programs
Animated Tales of the World consists of thirty-nine fifteen-minute shorts in total: two of these would be featured together to make a half-hour long TV episode. As I said, while I didn’t see much of these on TV, I’m not entirely sure that many of these shorts were actually put on the air, as I realized after researching the show. It’s too bad really, because I think the sheer variety it offers means that it could appeal to just about anybody.
I expect that when most people (at least in North America) think of the old stories today, they often think about those of the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson: "Cinderella", "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Ugly Duckling" and the like. Not that there is anything wrong with those stories; they are most certainly classics and they have a great deal to teach us, whether we are one or one hundred. But what I enjoy most about this series is that every episode features stories that are not as well known in this part of the world. And those that are essentially the same stories we’ve been told since infancy, or that at least have elements and tropes that we may be very familiar with, are presented in ways different enough to keep interest fresh for both younger and older viewers.
One example of this is the German tale, “The Enchanted Lion”, which contain story patterns seen in “Beauty and the Beast” and various tales featuring a maiden traveling for years in search of her lost true love. Here, a maiden is forced to live with a lion after her father steals one of his roses, but the lion later explains to her that he is a prince cursed by a witch to be a lion during the day, and also, later, to fly nonstop for seven years as a dove:
GRETTA: (With increasing anger.) Gentle as a dove one minute, but wild as a lion the next. How dare you refuse me! I curse you to spend the hours of daylight as a lion!
HANS: (Harshly.) Well, it sounds better than marrying you!
GRETTA: And I’ll give you a sound to remember! If you should ever hear that tune--
MINSTRAL: (Abruptly stops playing his violin and stares, mystified.)
GRETTA: Your favorite, again, then you will turn into a dove, flying round the earth for seven long years! (Grabs Hans by the face.) Unless, of course, you agree to marry me.
HANS: Never! (Suddenly cries out in pain; his snarl turns into a roar as he transforms into a lion.)
GRETTA: (Cackles with evil glee and disappears in a whirlwind.)
Another tale, “King Solomon and the Bee” from Israel, is a lot like “The Lion and the Mouse”. When a baby bee mistakes King Solomon’s nose for a flower and stings it, the king is rightly furious. The bee feels terrible and promises to make it up to King Solomon by helping him somehow. The king thinks this hilariously unlikely but releases the bee anyway. But then, when the Queen of Sheba presents Solomon with a challenge to test his legendary wisdom, the bee comes to his rescue when he gets stumped:
BEE: (Earnestly.) I promise the king, that if he will forgive me, one day I’ll pay him back. Yes, yes, one day, I will help you in return.
SOLOMON: (Bursts out laughing.) You! Ha, ha! You, pay me back! You, you miserable little creature! You help me? (To his human and animal servants.) Did you hear that? This insect is going to save King Solomon! (Laughs even harder before re-addressing the bee.) No one has ever made me laugh as much as you just did. And because of that, I forgive you. (Releasing the bee, who flies away.) Yes. Fly away, funny bee.
Those tales (and their respective places of origin for that matter) that I personally hadn’t heard of prior to watching Animated Tales of the World include “The Shoemaker’s Son” from Armenia (located in Western Asia), in which a clueless king keeps trying to learn why the titular character and his friends are always so happy despite being so poor, while the king’s royal gatherings are always boring and miserable:
(Aram and his friends laugh together as they enjoy their humble meal.)
KING: (Gruffly.) This banquet’s no good.
COUNCILOR: We have the best of everything.
KING: (Looking out the window and hearing the group’s merriment.) Not everything. They have something that we don’t have. Shut the window! (Furiously.) Find out their secret!
And in “The Manairons”, from Catalonia, Spain, a farmer foolishly gambles away what portions of his field he can’t plow within a day. But his resourceful daughter may (or may not) have found the solution in the Manairons, tiny, hyperactive bug-like creatures that cause uncontrolled mayhem if not given a task of any kind to channel their overloaded energy:
MANAIRONS: (Chanting simultaneously and single-mindedly.) What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say? What shall we do, what shall we say?
GRANDMOTHER: (In panic.) The manairons!
BETH: The what?
GRANDMOTHER: (As the annoying creatures mess up her hair and unravel her knitting.) The manairons! Oh, out!
BETH: (Flustered.) Manairons? What are they?
GRANDMOTHER: (In angry irritation.) Nitwits! Stop them, Beth, for goodness sake!
BETH: But, but how?
What’s especially unique about this show is its diverse animation. Here are just a few examples. “Omuninyan”, a Cinderella-esque tale from Namibia, a country in Southern Africa, is done in CGI with the characters looking as though they were modeled out of numerous coils of copper wire. The 2D style of “Raven Steals the Daylight”, which suggests that the reason why the sky now has the sun is thanks to Raven the trickster, is based on the totem-like art of its native Alaska, with its fluid curves, symmetrical shaping, and juxtaposing of bright and dark colors. “The Loch Ness Kelpie”—a Scottish story in which a boy battles the legendary water monster by stealing its magical bridle— has its backgrounds done in watercolors, while the human characters and most objects are solidly colored, almost completely unshaded and unseparated by dark lines except for on the faces for purposes of expression. And in “The Story of Flax”, a tale from Poland which describes how the material flax was accidently created by a greedy king, the animation is 2D but actually looks like stop-motion, as if construction paper cut-outs have been layered on top of one another, with the forming lines long, jagged, and very broad.
Music also serves as a teaching tool for young viewers in this series. Some episodes feature songs whose sounds and lyrics both enhance the plot and reflect the story’s respective culture. These include the American tall tale, “John Henry: Steel-Driving Man”, featuring the African-American hero who saved the jobs of the railroad workers by defeating a giant drill in a mining challenge:
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
Knock holes in the rock
Knock holes in the rock
Ya’ll women cook our beans
Ya’ll children bring us water
Ya’ll men lift your hammer, ya’ll
Oh, there’s work
Two hammers in my hand
Two hammers in my hand
I see a brand new world comin’ . . .
The Irish tale, “The Boy Who Had No Story”, in which an unwanted series of strange events befalls timid Rory after an old crone turns him away for being unable to recite a tale for her in exchange for shelter:
‘Twasn’t lemons, ‘twas locks!
‘Twasn’t cuckoos, ‘twas clocks!
‘Twasn’t salmon, ‘twas socks!
I came into a house
that wasn’t a house at all
Silent as a mouse,
woman against the wall
Terrible ugly crone,
wouldn’t let me alone
Asked me for a story
Said my name was Rory
Rory, Rory
What’s the story?
Come back and talk to me, boy!
Come back and talk to me
when you’ve a story to tell!
Wandrin’ in the night
I got a terrible fright
I bumped into a guard
travlin’ down the yard
Guard gave me a letter,
things were getting’ better
from the sheriff of Cork
to the mayor of Dublin
‘Twasn’t salmon, ‘twas socks
I was goin’ a-peddlin’
Rory, Rory
What’s the story?
The story from the Caribbean, “The Chief and the Carpenter”, about a crazy chief who forces his people to build a tower out of their furniture, houses, and trees, so that he can touch the moon and make himself famous:
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
The moon is shining brightly
The chief is trying to climb
The moon shines for all of us
Said the wise man Zanzin
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
The chief wants to touch the moon
The chief wants to touch it
And “The Magic Paintbrush” from China, in which a boy who wants to be a great artist is given an enchanted brush that can bring anything painted with it to life, and which he uses to outwit an evil emperor:
This magic brush,
a gift for me
A stroke of luck
Then the spirit warned,
“You must be wise,
use it carefully”
Even when it rains
and the thunders crash
or the cold wind blows,
I will practice every day,
honor what I know
Painting cranes that fly away
I’ll make a dragon come alive
I’ll draw a thousand silver boats
That sail a crimson tide
What will be especially beneficial to parents and teachers is the “Discussion Topics” feature included on the DVD of each episode. These are questions and suggestions for children to get them thinking about the story and its characters and plot. These topics are all specific to their respective story, but in general, they include but are not limited to:
- Compare/Contrast the two main characters (usually the protagonist and the villain).
- Sketch or list the sequence of events that lead up to the main accomplishment or the climax of the story.
- Describe how the protagonist uses trickery or other means to accomplish his/her goal.
- List the ways in which another character aids the protagonist.
- List other tales you’ve read or heard that also include similar themes to the one(s) seen in this story.
- Write a caption for a given image and describe how you would capture the emotion with just a brief statement.
- Explain the meaning behind, or describe the emotion of, a given image.
- Explain your reaction to an event from a given story.
- Answer a question using the given video clip for review.
There is also a “Teacher’s Guide” booklet included in each DVD case, with a list of basic definitions of multiple types of stories as well as suggested related projects and activities for teachers to try out with students.
If there was ever a TV show that provides a fantastic introduction on the rich diversity of world culture and art for children, media students, and story-lovers at large, Animated Tales of the World is it, opening viewers up to a realm of imagination in the context of real-life people, places, and history.
CREDITS:
All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” – Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
EPISODE SONG:
“Once Upon a Time” – The Curellis
All other music and sound clips are from Animated Tales of the World (created by Cristopher Grace; production by Children’s Television Trust International; distributed Christmas Films and HBO)
OST SONG:
“Animated Tales of the World Opening Theme” (Extended)
EPISODES:
- “Germany: The Enchanted Lion”
- “Israel: King Solomon and the Bee”
- “Armenia: The Shoemaker’s Son”
- “Catalonia: The Manairons”
- “U.S.A.: John Henry: Steel-Driving Man”
- “Ireland: The Boy Who Had No Story”
- “Caribbean: The Chief and the Carpenter”
- “China: The Magic Paintbrush”
Listen to the episode here!
Animated Tales of the World on Wikipedia
Animated Tales of the World on IMBd
Animated Tales of the World on Common Sense Media
Animated Tales of the World on Tv Tropes
Buy Animated Tales of the World at the Library Video Company
Buy Animated Tales of the World on EBay
^^ Back to T.V. Shows, Web Series, and Other Narrative Programs