Stories have always been a great way for people to connect. Throughout history, people have passed down stories from generation to generation. As we hear these stories passed down, it is interesting to hear how the stories evolve as they are told by different people.

For example, there is a story in my family that has been told for a long time now. It involves my great great grandfather in Greece. My Papou (grandpa) tells the story like this:

     A long time ago in Greece, our family name was Kanellis, and my great great grandfather was a great big hairy man. He was so hairy, that he looked like a bear, and his friends called him, ironically, Spanos. Spanos means 'clean shaven' or 'hairless'. He eventually got so used to the name that he changed it legally to Spanos, and now our family name is Spanos.

 

Papou tells the story truthfully, but it is not the same as when my Yaya (grandma) tells the same story. Yaya is a much better storyteller than Papou, so when Yaya tells the story, she explains everything in much greater detail. She describes the house that my great grandfather lived in, and the names of all his friends who joked with him. She even made sure to explain all the Greek to me. "Kanellis is a name for someone with cinnamon colored hair" she would say. Between the both of them, I learned the same story, but each of them told it in their own way. My Papou is a tough man of few words, and when he does speak, he speaks mostly Greek. While Yaya is a creative and gentle soul, who loves to entertain her grandchildren. Their versions of the story reflect their personalities and the way they connect with people. Do you have any examples of stories that are different when told by different people? Please share!