yucky topic like Jack’s decision to cultivate his smelly socks in Story 25, “Build on What You Are
Good At.”
Naughty or mischievous stories are the third. These are the things children do that they think
they should not do, or perceive would not be approved of by adults. Story 17, “What You Give Is
What You Get,” is that tale of two brothers who have been naughty by sampling Mom’s brandy; but
things go from bad to worse when they decide to cover up their guilt by urinating in the bottle—an
even naughtier action. To heighten the impact, one brother plays the responsible role while the other
takes the naughty role. In the end their actions turn back on them, unexpectedly. Story 70, “The Se-
crets of Success,” has the young-boy, parents-are-not-meant-to-know theme of seeing who can pee
the farthest from the top of a rock.
Fourth, the introduction of unexpected characters, events, themes, or outcomes can add humor
and impact. Who would expect that if you were lucky enough to find a magic lantern your genie
would be a grouch (Story 80)? That an object of immense terror might be just a stone falling in a
pond (Story 23)? Or that the moral taught by a greedy fly might be about controlling anger (Story
47)?
Fifth, I would encourage that you listen to the jokes and humor used by children, the ones they
bring home at the end of the day, or the ones you overhear them sharing with friends. Story 54,
“Things May Not Be What They Seem,” expands on a joke about a girl who became engaged in a
conversation in the school toilets only to find she had misinterpreted the events, unaware the other
girl was talking on a cell phone. In 101 Healing StoriesI devoted a whole story chapter to illustrating
the use of jokes and humorous stories as metaphors (Burns, 2001, pp. 200–213).
METAPHORS BUILT ON CROSS-CULTURAL TALESStory 4, “Feed What You Want To Grow,” has its origins in a Native North American tale. Story 16,
“The Importance of Accepting Compliments,” is based on a story I collected in East Africa. Story 68,
“Taking a Different View,” I originally heard as a Sufi tale about camels that I have adapted into a
250 Creating Your Own Healing Stories for Kids
EXERCISE 15.7 METAPHORS BUILT ON HUMOR
■ Collect funny kid stories. These can be found in books, schoolyard jokes, one-liners
sent around on e-mail, or funny things you observe kids doing.
■ Care needs to be taken so that the humor is constructive and appropriate. Avoid
humor that does not provide a means to the end, is culturally sensitive, or may be
down-putting.
■ Of the funny stories you have collected, which one or ones match the challenge faced
by your young client?
■ What steps does the character in your humorous story take that might be helpful for
your young listener to replicate?
■ Does the story offer a helpful and replicable solution?