Here you can find the myths, legends, fables and folktales that make up the Collection. Over time, these stories will increase in number and cultures of origin; they will also be translated into different languages. Feel free to explore the Collection from the different access ways you can find below.
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Earth Stories

The Collection
To inspect and select stories which meet the educational purposes you are looking for, below you have different ways to access them: through the issues they deal with, by means of the principles and sections of the Earth Charter which each story is capable of illustrating, through the nations, cultures or spiritual traditions where they come from and, finally, by the themes they deal with and that they can illustrate in general terms.

Through the issues they deal with

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Abuse of natural resources Abuse of power Anthropocentrism-Ecocentrism Care Carelessness-negligence Conflict Conflict escalation Consciousness Corrpution Courage Death Diversity Education Extinction Family Famine Friendship Future generations Generosity Greed Ingratitude Interconnections and interdependencies Irresponsibility Love and compassion Migrants and refugees Mother Earth Mystery of being Nature analogies Nonviolence Participation Pollution Races Reduce Responsibility reuse and recycle Riches Social classes Social justice Solidarity Take action Teamwork War Woman Youth

Through The Earth Charter

PREAMBLE

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a) Beginning

b) Earth, Our Home

c) The Global Situation

d) The Challenges Ahead

e) Universal Responsibility

PRINCIPLES

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Section I: Respect and Care for the Community of Life:

Principle 1

Principle 2

Principle 3

Principle 4

PRINCIPLES

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Section II: Ecological Integrity:

Principle 5

Principle 6

Principle 7

Principle 8

PRINCIPLES

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Section III: Social and Economic Justice:

Principle 9

Principle 10

Principle 11

Principle 12

PRINCIPLES

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Section IV: Democracy, Non-violence and Peace:

Principle 13

Principle 14

Principle 15

Principle 16

Epilogue

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The Way Forward

Matthew Fox

‘One lesson we can learn from pre-industrial peoples is the power of storytelling. I am struck by how important storytelling is among tribal peoples, it forms the basis of their educational systems. The Celtic peoples … insisted that only the poets could be teachers. Why? I think it is because knowledge that is not passed through the heart is dangerous; it may lack wisdom; it may be a power trip; it may squelch life out of the learners. What if our educational systems were to insist that teachers be poets and storytellers and artists? What transformations would follow?’

Matthew Fox (1994), philosopher of the ecotheological movement
Lawrence Shapiro

‘Many people don’t realize the extent to which stories influence our behavior and even shape our culture. Think about how Bible stories teach the fundamentals of religion and rules of conduct. Think of the fables and parables that molded your values. Think of how stories about your national, cultural or family history have shaped your attitudes about yourself and others. Stories are particularly effective in influencing the way our children think and behave, because they like to hear and read them over and over again. This repetition, combined with your children’s imaginations and the inestimable power of your presence, makes stories one of the best ways to influence their thinking.’

Lawrence Shapiro (1998) How to Raise a Child With a High EQ: A Parents’ Guide to Emotional Intelligence. New York: HarperCollins, p. 90
Carl G. Jung

‘There is a thinking in primordial images, in symbols which are older than the historical man, which are inborn in him from the earliest times, eternally living, outlasting all generations, still make up the groundwork of the human psyche. It is only possible to live the fullest life when we are in harmony with these symbols; wisdom is a return to them.’

Carl G. Jung (1933), in Modern Man in Search of a Soul
Leslie Marmon Silko

‘I will tell you something about stories,’ he said. ‘They aren’t just entertainment. Don’t be fooled. They are all we have, you see. All we have to fight off illness and death. You don’t have anything if you don’t have stories.’

Leslie Marmon Silko (1977), Laguna Pueblo author. Ceremony. New York: Viking Press, p. 2

Through the Nations, Cultures and Traditions

You can also select stories from nations, cultures and traditions through the next interactive world map.

By the themes they deal with

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Community of Life
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Cooperation and Collaboration
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Care of Nature
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Democracy, Participation and Dialogue
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Ethics of Care
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Equality
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Interculturality
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Interdependencies and Systems Thinking
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Social and Economic Justice
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Respect for Life, Non-violence and Peace
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Universal Responsibility
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Solidarity and Simplicity of Life

Icons credits

Community of Life: Icons made by Icon Pond from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY

Cooperation and Collaboration: Icons made by Vectors Market from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY

Care of Nature: Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY

Democracy, Participation and Dialogue: Pixabay

Ethics of Care: Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY

Equality: Icons made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY

Interculturality: Vector de Personas creado por pikisuperstar – www.freepik.es

Interdependencies and Systems Thinking: Icons made by Smashicons from www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC 3.0 BY

Social and Economic Justice: Vector de Fondo creado por freepik – www.freepik.es

Respect for Life, Non-violence and Peace: Vectores Gratis vía https://es.vecteezy.com

Universal Responsibility: https://es.vecteezy.com

Solidarity and Simplicity of Life: Pixabay