Send us a text In the second half of the Batt-Cave from Sweden where the days are long and full of light, Tanya, Pete and Batt-lamb share a story from Siberia about how hare brought light to a very dark world - a story for those experiencing the southern mid winter. Pete also shares a small refrain from a Swedish 70's classic all about summer and picking smöltron (wild strawberries) that was written by Mats Paulson. This song was taught to us by two Swedish women whom we met on our travels that ...
Jul 24, 2025•21 min
Send us a text Tanya, Pete and Batt-lamb continue on their world storytelling adventure and are joined in Sweden by Greger (and Lena) who are long time fans of the Batt- Cave. This story is musical remake of a traditional Swedish folktale about making your wishes come true. Greger's wish comes true on this podcast - he and Batt-lamb sing a duet 'Baa, baa vita lamb' - the swedish version of 'Baa, baa black sheep.' You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-...
Jul 17, 2025•33 min
Send us a text This episode was recorded in Sutri, Italy with the wonderful UK storyteller Xanthe Gresham - Knight. (Tanya and Xanthe were on their way to FEST - the Federation of European Storytellers Conference). Batt-lamb is thrilled to help Xanthe tell a story with a sheep in it, and three other animals who set out to seek a holy man to help with their coughs. Turns out that companionship is a cure all for many ailments. You can find out more about Xanthe's wonderful storytelling and other p...
Jun 26, 2025•26 min
Send us a text This is the second part of our podcast from Singapore with Singaporian storyteller Mindy Neo. Tanya shares the story of the Hindu elephant headed god Ganesha after a visit to a local Hindu temple in Joo Chiat, the 2nd oldest in Singapore. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator for children 0 - 8 years subscribe to ...
Jun 12, 2025•14 min
Send us a text Tanya, Pete and Batt- lamb are out in the world having an adventure and their first stop was Singapore where we met some of the local storytellers who are part of the Storytelling Association of Singapore . Mindy Neo is a member of the association and joined us to share a local story about the island Palau Ubin but not before we got into a bit of singing songs from Singapore and Waiheke respectively. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/stor...
Jun 05, 2025•17 min•Season 9Ep. 1
Send us a text This Taiwanese story tells why the mountain called Ban Pin Shan – the half faced mountain is the shape it is. It all starts with an old man who arrives selling delicious dumplings but the dumplings prove to be more than a yummy treat. As usual Tanya weaves her story magic (in a slightly forgetful way!) You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers...
May 22, 2025•18 min•Season 8Ep. 12
Send us a text In this big double bill episode, Tanya, with a lot of help from Batt Lamb (and Pete), tells a story that centres around the Japanese celebration, Setsubun - the Japanese bean throwing festival. In early February, in anticipation of Spring, people drive out bad luck and the oni (demons) associated with it, to welcome in the new. This version of the story comes from storyteller Cathy Spagnoli, who has now passed, and was told to her by a Japanese friend. Then in a similar vein comes...
May 08, 2025•28 min•Season 8Ep. 11
Send us a text This story is an adaptation of a Chinese story about Grandma Bear, who is not feeling well and has taken to her bed. All her friends: Fox, Pig and Uncle Frog come to help her and she share her dream of a healing rainbow. Then Tanya and Pete finish off by singing a lullaby in te reo Māori called 'Moe Moe Pēpē'. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt00...
Apr 17, 2025•12 min•Season 8Ep. 9
Send us a text In Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand we have just had the ANZAC day commemerations (25th April). In the spirit of peace we're sharing a story and a song all about 'building bridges' where two 'waring' brothers find help to reconcile their differences from an unlikely source. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator ...
Apr 03, 2025•15 min•Season 8Ep. 10
Send us a text Staying on the bridge theme, Tanya and Pete share the old English nursery rhyme, 'London Bridge in Falling down' with all it's verses, documenting the many different faces of this famous bridge. Then they tell the story of a Pedlar (poor seller of second hand things) who has a recurring dream that if he travels to London Bridge great riches will be his. A story about what happens when you are brave and crazy enough to follow your dreams!! You can find our audios and books to purch...
Apr 03, 2025•19 min•Season 8Ep. 8
Send us a text Join Tanya, Pete and Bat Lamb for stories and songs about rainbows. The story today is from the First Nations, Chumash people who are the original people of the Californian coastal area. It tells of a magical Rainbow bridge created by the earth goddess Hutash that once stretched between the island of Limuw/Santa Cruz (where the Chumash originated from) and mainland California. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live ...
Mar 27, 2025•17 min•Season 8Ep. 7
Send us a text Tonight Tanya and Pete tell a story from The Seneca Native American Nation. It's the story of how in the beginning there were no stories... until stories began to be told from an unusual source. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator for children 0 - 8 years subscribe to 'Batt on the Mat' - a monthly online, profes...
Mar 13, 2025•21 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Send us a text It's St David's Day and the Batt Cave are celebrating with a dragon story from Wales about a mean Ruler and a Father-less boy. Dragons will be involved for sure! Also Tanya is celebrating the release of her new book Seasonal storytelling, with a hat song from one of the many songs and stories in the book...Enjoy!! You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyaba...
Mar 06, 2025•23 min•Season 8Ep. 5
Send us a text Continuing the Snake theme it being the year of the snake... Tanya and Pete start off by introducing Samuel the Snake, and they sing a snake song with some rhyming questions. Then Tanya tells a cute story about a baby snake and a baby mouse who meet by surprise.... What will Happen?? You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an e...
Feb 20, 2025•29 min•Season 8Ep. 4
Send us a text It's the first Batt Cave of the New Year, in fact it's two New Year Celebrations... The Gregorian and the Chinese New Year as well. As it is the Chinese year of the Snake, Tanya and Pete share a story that has snakes in it from Korea about a man who has a sack full of stories but is reluctant to share them... I think the Stories have other ideas! You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling ...
Feb 11, 2025•26 min•Season 8Ep. 3
Send us a text It's New Year in the Batt Cave and Tanya, Pete and Batt lamb start off with a Thankyou song to remember all the things we are grateful for.... then members of the Batt Cave share what they are grateful for over the past year. Tanya then tells a lovely story about a king who decides to hold a competition to find the most beautiful sound there is.... there are many contenders..... You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the liv...
Jan 09, 2025•26 min•Season 8Ep. 2
Send us a text The festive stories continue. In Italy, January the 6th is when La Befana, the Christmas witch appears, Batt lamb has plenty of questions about La Befana and her meeting with the three wise men/Kings as they travelled over 'field and fountain, moor and mountain' through Italy, following the Christmas star. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/t...
Jan 02, 2025•15 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Send us a text With Christmas nearly upon us we in the Batt Cave bring you a New Zealand take on the Classic Gingerbread Man story... of course Bat-lamb manages to get a starring role! It's a rocking and rolling story to move along to. Then we finish off with a Christmas song we wrote last Christmas "Waiting for this day to begin". Merry Christmas!!! Tanya, Pete and Bat-Lamb You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave...
Dec 12, 2024•20 min•Season 7Ep. 10
Send us a text We're on the countdown to Christmas and Tanya, Batt Lamb and Pete start off the Batt Cave with presents of the imaginary kind - a fun musical game for everyone. Then Tanya tells a story about magic decorations on the Christmas tree that come to life when no one is looking. It's an upbeat musical story that the children will have fun dancing to that is featured in Tanya's new book for teachers/parents 'Seasonal Storytelling' which is available to pre order now. You can find our aud...
Dec 05, 2024•23 min•Season 7Ep. 9
Send us a text Fresh from the Batt Cave comes the fun story of Lulu who is visiting her Grandmother and is having difficulty getting to sleep... so Grandmother has some very interesting ideas to help her sleep. Batt Lamb plays a cameo role in the story! You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator for children 0 - 8 years subscribe to ...
Nov 14, 2024•24 min•Season 7Ep. 8
Send us a text Tanya and Pete, along with children on Waiheke, have just been celebrating the arrival of Migratory birds on our shores. These include the Bar-Tailed Godwit/Kuaka which has made the loooong journey from western Alaska to New Zealand for a summer holiday and the Shining Cuckoo called the Pīpīwharauroa, which has flown from Indonesia/Bismarck Archipelago to have it's young. Like all cuckoos the Pīpīwharauroa lays it's egg in another birds nest (Grey Warbler/Riroriro). So to celebrat...
Oct 31, 2024•15 min•Season 7Ep. 7
Send us a text Tanya and Pete have been celebrating Mad Hatters Day at a friends Birthday party, and decided to tell the Popular Indian story about a hat seller and his meeting with a group of very mischievous monkeys. They brought along a selection of colourful hats ... and a song to go with the story too. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you...
Oct 24, 2024•14 min•Season 7Ep. 6
Send us a text Here it is.. the second and final part of the Firebird story: a Wonder tale from Russia ....Enjoy!! You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator for children 0 - 8 years subscribe to 'Batt on the Mat' - a monthly online, professional development storytelling and arts programme https://imagined-worlds.net/batt-on-the-mat ...
Oct 17, 2024•21 min•Season 7Ep. 5
Send us a text This week in the Bat Cave Tanya , Pete and Bat lamb present part 1 of a Russian story about an Old man who discovers a magical feather. He has a great friend in his horse and together they face many challenges the Tsar (who is not a very nice bloke!) puts to them. Be sure to tune in next week for the exciting conclusion to this Wonder Tale!! You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club ...
Oct 10, 2024•27 min•Season 7Ep. 4
Send us a text Tanya bought some felt butterflies in Australia and got inspired to sing this butterfly song and tell the story of the magical transformation butterflies undergo. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator for children 0 - 8 years subscribe to 'Batt on the Mat' - a monthly online, professional development storytelling ...
Sep 26, 2024•13 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Send us a text On the teams epic recent trip to Australia Tanya and Pete were invited to Mintara in South Australia to tell stories for a grown up audience on the theme of community and the links we all share with those around us. This was one of the stories told... a well known traditional story called Soup from a stone, about a traveller who comes to a town and proceeds to cook soup with a stone... the locals are very intrigued! You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined...
Sep 19, 2024•16 min•Season 7Ep. 2
Send us a text Tanya, Pete and Batt lamb have just got back from a month touring and performing in Australia. They start off with a spring song to celebrate spring arriving here in New Zealand, and then tell an old English story about a girl Beth who stays up one night and meets a Faery. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator for...
Sep 12, 2024•24 min•Season 7Ep. 1
Send us a text It's the middle of winter in New Zealand and it's the best time to plants trees... Tanya and Pete have just planted thirty plus trees and wanted to celebrate the wonder of trees in the Batt Cave this week. They start off with a song about trees in the garden, then they sing a traditional English tune used to Wassail (Celebrate) the apple trees that comes from the West Country in England where Peter grew up.. Finally they tell a story from Estonia about a man Called Mikku who sets ...
Aug 01, 2024•26 min•Season 6Ep. 19
Send us a text Tanya and Pete share more Matariki songs about some of the stars in the Matariki Cluster and then tell a very poignant story from the Māori tradition about Tāwhirimātea, the God of te hau/ the wind and how Matariki came to be in the sky. You can find our audios and books to purchase at https://imagined-worlds.net/story-shop Or join the live monthly Batt Cave storytelling club at https://ko-fi.com/tanyabatt0027/tiers Or if you are an educator for children 0 - 8 years subscribe to '...
Jul 11, 2024•19 min•Season 6Ep. 18
Send us a text Mānawatia a Matariki. In the Batt cave today we are celebrating Matariki, the Māori new year. We start by sharing a fantastic Matariki waiata by our friends Loopy Tunes in Ōtautahi/Christchurch. The star cluster, Matariki is important to many different cultures all over the world and has many names. In English it's called the Pleiades, in Japan Subaru and in China Mao. We share a story from the Wurundjeri people of south eastern Australia, who call the cluster, Karatgurk, after se...
Jul 04, 2024•27 min•Season 6Ep. 17
