Storyteller's 30th Annual "Legends and Lore of the Little People" at Pound Ridge Reservation

Sept. 9, 2010 - PRLog -- Do your children like fairies, elves, leprechauns, brownies and trolls?  Join master storyteller Jonathan Kruk, Saturday, October 2nd at 2pm for his 30th annual "Legends and Lore of the Little People" at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Cross River, NY. Bring children, aged four to ten, for a mile tour of leprechaun lairs, a fairy gate, troll bridge and perchance spy one of the fleeting "Pound Ridge Wood Elves." Guiding children along the way, Jonathan weaves fairy tales into the autumn landscape, enchanting children into seeing wonder in nature.
  The "Elf Walk" began thirty years, when the then nature museum curator Nick Shoumatoff, now known as He-Who-Stands-Firm, gave Kruk his first storytelling booking.  Kruk explains. "Actually, "He-Who"  knew I wanted to tell children stories and had studied the origins of fairy tales in college. So, he tailored this program for me.  I've done it every October since 1981!"
  The eccentric expert on ethno-botany, He-Who-Stands-Firm earned his Native name by establishing the Delaware Indian Resource Center at the museum.  Volunteers known as the "Pound Ridge Wood Elves"  started the tradition of using branches, bark, moss and flowers to construct the little people houses found on the tour in the wildflower garden.
  This anniversary year, current curator Jason Klein plans some more elaborate fairy effects.  "We'll have a flower fairy arch, and a troll bridge." Jonathan Kruk, warns. "The troll demands a belly button for his toll!"  Then Kruk winks.  "I know he'll happily let children across for an acorn."  Garbed in an outrageous mix of modern and medieval Kruk serves as scout, storyteller and pied piper. Walking the woods with Kruk, an old tree stump turns out to be a petrified Hobgoblin. Peculiar pumpkins perched in brambles, prompt a tale of head swapping Changelings. Kruk turns every part of the path into bit of elven lore.
  Generations of families have been coming for years to take the little people tour.  They never tire of Jonathan's tales.  There's one of a girl who frightened away her basement Brownie by making him clothes. The Lost Elves "find" things you misplace like keys, rings, toy and even hard drives! People love to hear about the local man who lost his leprechaun gold, but found his own fortune.  "And you can still see his fine fancy house down in Honey Hollow." Kruk points to some unseen mansion, but children seem to know where it is.  
  Jonathan Kruk seemed to know what he did not want to be growing up in nearby Katonah.  "A commuter of the 7:17 would never do for me!"  Kruk exclaimed.  "Back then, we saw the corporate world as a trap.  I wanted to follow my muse.  Storytelling lets me do two things I love, perform for children and teach."  Kruk graduated from John Jay, got a degree in English at Holy Cross College in Massachusetts, and earned a masters in education from New York University.  He worked as a shoe clerk, mason tender, and ran his own interior plant care business.  "I used to take care of Henry Kissinger's gardenia's and the ficus trees at ESPN.  I've got some earthy tales from those days!"
  Now, Kruk's career is storytelling.  Married to film maker Andrea Sadler, the couple live in a cottage in Cold Spring. He usually visits schools teaching through tales on the American Revolution, world cultures and the Middle Ages.  Nursery schools invite Jonathan the Storyteller to do finger fables, tales young children help tell with their hands. Kruk's most noted performance, however, follows the Pound Ridge Elf Walk. Historic Hudson Valley offers "Jonathan Kruk's Legend of Sleepy Hollow." This year, it  special performances will take place at the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, complete with atmospheric organ music by Jim Keyes.  Halloween is a whole season for this storyteller.  
  Named "Best Storyteller in the Hudson Valley" in 2008 by Hudson Valley Magazine, Jonathan also tell tales of local interest for fairs, scouts and historic sites. A folkloric figure himself, Kruk insists "every hill and hollow along the Hudson has a story to offer."  Visit http://www.jonathankruk.com for more information on this storyteller. Get directions and details on the 30th Annual Legends and Lore of the Little People at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation by calling 914. 864.7323.

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Entertains, enchants & educates through storytelling. Interactive theatrical performances Over 250 bookings annually, since 1990. Known for finger fables, story theater, Hudson River Lore,New York history, Medieval skits, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.