Contacts
Info
The Wonder Clock
Four & Twenty Marvelous Tales, being one for each hour of the day. Written & illustrated by Howard Pyle with verses by Katherine Pyle.
Four & Twenty Marvelous Tales, being one for each hour of the day. Written & illustrated by Howard Pyle with verses by Katherine Pyle.
Episodes & Posts
Episodes
Posts
Transcribed
29 AUG 2026 · Story by: Gail Nobles
Podcast cover by: Gail Nobles
Have you ever believed something simply because it sounded too good to be true?
That is the lesson I took from The Wonder Clock, Chapter 13, “Master Jacob.”
Master Jacob was able to fool three men because they were looking for something they wanted to believe. He had two goats that looked alike. The men saw one goat appear to do something extraordinary, but they didn’t realize Master Jacob had simply switched it with the other goat.
They believed the goat had a special power, and they paid him for it.
But their trouble didn’t stop there. Their curiosity and greed eventually led all three men into Master Jacob’s trap.
The story may be old, but the lesson is still familiar today.
Sometimes people can be fooled because they want something so badly that they stop questioning what they see or hear. And sometimes greed can cause people to make decisions they would normally recognize as foolish.
“Master Jacob” reminds us to slow down, look carefully, and think for ourselves.
Because sometimes what looks like a miracle is simply a trick—and sometimes the biggest trap is the one our own desires lead us into.
I’m Gail Nobles. Thank you for listening to The Wonder Clock. Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
29 AUG 2026 · Photo credit: Public Domain
Usage: Public Domain Mark 1.0
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
LibriVox recording of The Wonder Clock by Howard Pyle.
http://librivox.org/
Once upon a time there was a man whose name was just Master Jacob and nothing more.
All that Master Jacob had in the world was a good fat pig, two black goats, a wife, and a merry temper—which was more than many a better man than he had, for the matter of that.
“See, now,” says Master Jacob, “I will drive the fat pig to the market to-morrow; who knows but that I might strike a bit of a sale.”
“Do,” says Master Jacob’s wife, for she was of the good sort, and always nodded when he said “yes,” as the saying goes.
Now there were three rogues in the town over the hill, who lived in plenty; one was the priest, one was the provost, and one was the master mayor; and which was the greatest rogue of the three it would be a hard matter to tell, but perhaps it was the priest.... Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
15 OCT 2025 · Photo: Pexels.com
Story by: Gail Nobles
Hello, I’m Gail Nobles. I hope you’re enjoying the Wonder Clock. In today’s story spotlight, "The Step-Mother," a tale from Howard Pyle's "The Wonder Clock." This story isn’t just a fairy tale. It reflects real-life themes that many of us can relate to, especially when it comes to family dynamics and the journey of finding one’s identity.
First off, let’s talk about **familial relationships**. The tale features a wicked stepmother, who has jealousy and cruelty. This story shines a light on the complicated feelings that can arise in stepfamilies. In reality, many people deal with similar issues, like favoritism or competition among siblings. Blended families can navigate some pretty tricky waters just like the characters in our stories.
Next, we see the theme of **perseverance through adversity**. The queen’s transformation into a white dove represents how she loses her identity and faces tough challenges. In real life, many individuals feel trapped by their situations or by the actions of others, just like the queen. But, just as she ultimately strives to reclaim her true self, many people also find ways to rise above their challenges and rediscover who they really are.
So, "The Step-Mother" serves as a powerful metaphor for the struggles within families and the enduring fight for personal identity, reminding us that these themes aren’t just for storybooks—they’re part of our everyday lives. Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
12 JUN 2025 · Photo credit: Public Domain
Usage: Public Domain Mark 1.0
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
LibriVox recording of The Wonder Clock by Howard Pyle.
http://librivox.org/
Once upon a time there was a man who was well off in the world so far as good things were concerned; but all the flesh and blood that belonged to him was a daughter, for his wife was dead, and he lived alone..... Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
17 JAN 2025 · Keyboardist: Gail Nobles
Story by: Gail Nobles
Photo: https://www.flickr.com/people/47723023@N02 from Green Bay, USA
Usage: Wikipedia https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Actor: Let us weave a tale of music and dreams, just like the enchanting stories of old. Imagine, if you will, a time not so far away, where the air was filled with the vibrant sounds of a band called Culture Club. They were a lively group formed in England in 1981. known for their colorful outfits and catchy tunes that made everyone sing. And now, here’s Gail Nobles to tell you all about it.
Gail: Good evening! We’re going to go take a break from the Wonder Clock tale and take some time for music. Let’s go back to the days of Culture Club.
Among their many songs, "Time (Clock of the Heart)". This beautiful melody was like a gentle breeze, assuring us that time is precious. Released as a special song, it followed their earlier hit, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," which had already captivated the hearts of many.
When "Time (Clock of the Heart)" graced the airwaves, it quickly climbed to a magnificent second place on the grand Billboard Hot 100 chart in America, a place where the most beloved songs gathered.
The song reminds us of the importance of time—how it flows like a river and how we must cherish each moment. Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
24 OCT 2024 · Photo credit: Public Domain
Usage: Public Domain Mark 1.0
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
LibriVox recording of The Wonder Clock by Howard Pyle.
http://librivox.org/
Once upon a time there was a king who was the wisest in all of the world. So wise was he that no one had ever befooled him, which is a rare thing, I can tell you. Now, this king had a daughter who was as pretty as a ripe apple, so that there was no end to the number of the lads who came asking to marry her. Every day there were two or three of them dawdling around the house, so that at last the old king grew tired of having them always about.... Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
5 OCT 2024 · Story and art by: Gail Nobles
Character Barnabas By: Gail Nobles
Voice by: Gail Nobles
Hello, I’m Barnabas. Welcome back. I’m afraid my reading student has left me. He has a lot of fears. The journey of Wonderland scares him walking through the door of The Wonder Clock, and spinning away hour after hour from chapter to chapter, looking into every character’s life, and being held by Father Time. Well, it’s a good thing he did go.
I’m about to go into the next chapter. Chapter 11 “How boots befooled the King”. Boots uses his intelligence to outsmart a king who was the wisest in in all of the world. So so wise that no one had ever befooled him. So if you’re around, if you’re with me, sit back and listen to the tale. Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
23 MAR 2024 · Photo credit: Public Domain
Usage: Public Domain Mark 1.0
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
LibriVox recording of The Wonder Clock by Howard Pyle.
http://librivox.org/
This is the way that this story begins:Once upon a time there was a rich brother and a poor brother, and the one lived across the street from the other.The rich brother had all of the world’s gear that was good for him and more besides; as for the poor brother, why, he had hardly enough to keep soul and body together, yet he was contented with his lot, and contentment did not sit back of the stove in the rich brother’s house; wherefore in this the rich brother had less than the poor brother..... Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
5 FEB 2024 · Cover Art by: Gail Nobles
Voice actor: Gail Nobles
Well I hope you have enjoyed the story The White Bird. Coming up next is a story title How the Good Gifts Were Used by Two. It's a story about a rich brother and a poor brother. They lived across the street from each other. You'll learn how the rich brother had less than the poor brother.
There were Saints in their days visiting. You'll learn about two saints: Saint Nicholas and Saint Christopher. They were travelers traveling to the town where the two brothers lived. It's a very interesting story. Well it's 10 o'clock. It's time to turn the page now to chapter 10: How the Good Gifts Were Used by Two. Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
Transcribed
24 AUG 2023 · Photo credit: Public Domain
Usage: Public Domain Mark 1.0
https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
LibriVox recording of The Wonder Clock by Howard Pyle.
http://librivox.org/
Once there was a king, who, as time went on, found himself waxing old in years and feeble in body, so he began to think of giving up the cares of government and of taking his ease for as much of life as was left him. But here was the trouble: there were three princes, and each one of them was just as clever as the other two, so that the old king could not tell which to choose as the right one to sit in his place. He thought and thought and thought, until at last he plucked an apple off of his thinking-tree, as folks say. All three of the princes should go out into the world, and whichever of them should fetch back an apple from the Tree of Happiness should rule over all of the kingdom. And I speak the truth when I say that the apple was cheap enough even at that price. .... Wonderclock Tales by Howard Pyle
The Wonder Clock
Four & Twenty Marvelous Tales, being one for each hour of the day. Written & illustrated by Howard Pyle with verses by Katherine Pyle.
Four & Twenty Marvelous Tales, being one for each hour of the day. Written & illustrated by Howard Pyle with verses by Katherine Pyle.
Information
| Author | Gail L. Nobles |
| Organization | Gail L. Nobles |
| Categories | Society & Culture |
| Website | - |
| nobles123@live.com |
Copyright 2026 - Spreaker Inc. an iHeartMedia Company
