Everybody loves stories – but why?

What’s the first image you think of when you hear the word ‘storytelling’? For most of us it’s a parent who’s reading a fairy tale to their little child. But there’s more to stories, of course. What about our favourite movies, the exciting thriller we’re reading right now, and that friend who’s so brilliant at telling jokes and anecdotes? All of these things are based on the same activity: telling stories!

But why do we tell stories? Just for fun? Well, here’s a story for you. Imagine the world thousands of years ago. A group of people are sitting around a fire in the cave where they’ve just finished eating a big meal together. One of them has an idea. He wants to get some berries to share with everybody.

His friend decides to join him. Off they go, out of the cave, down to the place where the best berries grow. Well, they don’t come back for a long time, and finally, the only one to return is the friend, who’s covered in blood and has a sad story to share. He tells the others that as soon as they went round the corner, not far from the cave, a tiger attacked them and killed his friend. The others are shocked, of course, but they’re also warned.

Are you getting the idea? Stories aren’t just about entertainment. Good stories make us feel strong emotions, and they do that by giving us something to think about. They often contain messages which might be useful for us in the future, like the caveman’s story.

We admire people whose magical storytelling skills hold our attention and our imagination. People have always respected storytellers, who have been important members of many societies. In the past, storytellers often travelled a lot. When they went to places far away, their stories travelled with them. When they returned home, they had new stories to share. In this way, everyone had a chance to learn about those remote places.

In cultures all over the world, important stories have been passed down from generation to generation. These stories come from previous generations, whose wisdom and knowledge they contain. They’re often about disasters, dramatic events such as fires, storms, thunder, lightning and floods. Every society has its own stories. Our stories have become part of our traditions and culture. Our stories are part of who we are.