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Folk Tale Helps Relieve Entrance Exam “Worry” for 8th Grade Students - Pictures
January 2012

“Folks say if you’re troubled or worried… and if you rub the stone gently, like this… the worry goes away.” So begins the story of The Worry Stone, an ancient folktale passed down from each generation of Chumash Indian to the next, exemplifying the connection between experiences in the past joining an unfolding future.

8th grade students listened to the folk tale read by the principal, Mrs. Mary Stokes, on the eve of their high school entrance exam. Nervous and excited about the upcoming day, they took some time out to listen to how the worry stone has come to be believed to have special calming effects and its holder fortunate. Each student was given a worry stone at the end of the story and individually wished well on their upcoming exam.