World Storytelling Day 2026 – Light in the Dark

World Storytelling Day is the global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. On World Storytelling Day, as many people as possible tell and listen to stories in as many languages and at as many places as possible, during the same day and night. It originally started in Sweden around 1991-92  as “All Storytellers Day” and then gradually expanded to different parts of the world. Every year, there is a theme on which stories are shared. This year, the theme for WSD is “Light in the Dark”.

While this theme could be interpreted in different ways both literally as well metaphorically, here is one story that I would like to share with you all today. Let me know how this light speaks to you?

This is a Gond folktale that I had read in the book, “THE NIGHT LIFE OF TREES”

It was a rainy evening. The cowherd was looking for his lost cow along the edge of the forest. There was the little calf with him who was crying for his mother. The evening grew darker yet there was no sign of the cow anywhere.

Together they searched everywhere. They went in to the forest calling out for the cow. But Alas! They lost their way too!

Night began to fall and dark clouds gathered in the sky. Now the cowherd was getting very anxious and he was almost in tears too!

Just then, there flew by a firefly by that side. He stopped and enquired. He felt pity on them and said,

“Follow me. I think I can lead you to what you seek”

And so the two walked through the dark forest, led by the lone blinking light. Shortly after , the cowherd saw a strange vision ahead of him. It was a Sembar tree, shining like a jewel. One every leaf, every branch, sat a firefly, And under the tree, bathing under the glow was the lost cow.

To this day, Gonds believe that good spirits live in the Sembar Tree and to this day, cowherd and firefly are friends. And if you happen to be lost in the forest, you should find your way to the protecting Sembar, glowing like gold in the night.

So, what is your light in the dark story, for today?