Story-Tell Lib

Under the maples outside a farmhouse in Greenhills, villagers gather to hear a thirteen-year-old girl tell stories. Elizabeth Rowena Marietta York, known locally as Story-tell Lib, lives with her aunt Jane and walks with a crutch. A visiting narrator records her fables and wonders how this quiet child finds words that comfort the people around her. Annie Trumbull Slosson combines a portrait of the young storyteller with the tales she shares in the speech of her mountain community.

Flowers, plants and a rock formation become subjects for thinking about hidden worth, grief and the way people respond to hardship. One flower feels ashamed because its beauty is enclosed; another tale begins with a man troubled by the disappointments of his life. The religious reflections and spoken rhythms give these short pieces their particular character. Readers interested in moral fables or the relationship between a storyteller and her listeners will find both in this small collection.