That is a Gaelic phrase that means “How are you all today?”
Welcome to the first story to be broadcast on Bardcast podcasting network. If you are new to storytelling, then welcome and well met; and if you are used to telling or hearing a yarn then nothing I am about to say is new, but still welcome and well met. Storytelling is more than just someone standing up and telling a brief tale. Storytelling is an understanding between the storyteller and the audience; an ancient agreement that the yarn about to be told and heard may not be word for word what was last time spoken, and it doesn’t matter if the teller and audience are the same or different from telling to telling. The agreement states that the basic story may remain the same, but the many details may greatly differ from teller to teller, and telling to telling. The trail that the hero needs to travel may be a just a little bit longer, or the trials he needs to face may be just a little more difficult, or the stepmother may be just a little more wicked this time than the last time the story was told. It is an age old tradition that no matter how many times you may have heard the tale to come, it will not be confined to any bounds, nor will it be constrained to any social mores, and even though you may have heard it a dozen times, or a hundred, it may just surprise and amaze you in a way that will make you laugh, or cry, or groan; but you can never know what emotions it will bring. With that, I welcome you to join us weekly for a tale, some will be old and some new, that I hope will bring you some joy.
When I was first asked to tell stories for Bardcast I immediately knew which one I would start with, as this is my favourite medieval story of all time. Other stories are more exciting, or the hero is more daring, or the heroine is more comely, and these are all great stories too; but no matter how many stories I hear or learn, this story still calls to me as the most lovable story I tell. It involves a clever young man who lives with his mother, and finds a very interesting way to help the family to survive, and I hope you enjoy it.
So welcome to story time at Bardcast. Throw another log on the fire, refill your beverage, sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy, “Clever Jack”.