Back in the 70s on WNYC, New York's public radio station.

You can tune in on Saturday mornings and here, Diane Wilkstein.

Diane Wittell, Folktales, myths, legends, these ancient stories she'd collect from various traditions around the world.

The show was called Stories from Many Lands.

They really were stories from all over the world.

So Estonian stories, African stories, Jewish folk tales, fairy tales.

Mostly it was her alone, but sometimes it was her with musicians.

This is Diane's daughter, the poet and writer, Rachel Zucker.

It was a really kind of formative part of my childhood to get to go with her to the studio,

a studio very similar to the one that we're in now, and listen to her record.

Good morning. I'm Diane Wilkstein.

This morning I'd like to tell you three American folk tales.

The first story we'd like to start with is called The Elephant Who Like to Smash Small Cars.

So she told stories which is different than reading them, schools, libraries for adults, for children,

all over the country, all over the world.

You sing it with us.

Smashing cars, smashing cars, how I love to smash small cars.

That was a deeply important part of her life.

She started doing that before I was born, and then when she became a mother, I became part of that.

Rachel was born in 1971, and her mom's radio show lasted until 1980.

And for most of her childhood, Rachel would come along to these tapings.

She'd sit on the floor, sometimes drawing, and watch her mom perform.

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