Something Understood - 10/10/2010

This week's programme celebrates the effectiveness of fables and asks why they are still considered such powerful teaching tools. Most of the major faiths use stories to illustrate morals, philosophy or ideas. Mark asks why is this perceived as such a good way of making religious or ethical points and how stories have become such a staple of great preaching for thousands of years. He looks for the type of the great fable or parable and finds some teaching stories that have a lasting effect on the way we behave and why. The programme draws on readings from The Bible, the Panchatantra and the novelists Javier Marios, George Orwell and Rabih Alahmeddine as well as poetry by Whitman and Herbert. Music includes works by Mahler, Alfven and the Soweto String Quartet. Producer: Frank Stirling A Unique production for BBC Radio 4.