Stories for Robots

Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Part 2

Griffin Schwed — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 06:00:00 -0400

The rest of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, adapted from the original in Antoine Galland's One Thousand and One Nights (1710s) and told to two robots who have strong opinions about evil facial hair. A funny storytelling podcast for kids 5 to 11 and their grown-ups.

Aladdin wins the princess, then loses her, the lamp and an entire palace to the sorcerer, who whisks them halfway across the world. Spark demands respect for the overlooked ring genie. Vector would like to know whether murder is customary in human culture.

New here? Start with Part 1.

Read along, and see what's different in the original: https://storiesforrobots.com/episodes/aladdin

If your family is enjoying the show, take 90 seconds to give us a 5-star rating and a nice comment on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps other families find us.

Stories for Robots is a funny storytelling podcast for kids 5 to 11 and the grown-ups listening with them. Join Griffin as he tells the original versions of classic stories to Spark and Vector, two robots who have read the entire internet but still don't understand humans. New episodes every Thursday.

Learn more about the show and join the email list: https://storiesforrobots.com

Grown-ups: if the show makes your family laugh, you can support it at https://ko-fi.com/storiesforrobots

Written, narrated and produced by Griffin Schwed. Spark and Vector are performed by Griffin, and their voices are transformed with AI voice technology. The show's music is made with AI tools.

Questions or robot fan mail: hello@storiesforrobots.com

Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Part 1

Griffin Schwed — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, adapted from the original in Antoine Galland's One Thousand and One Nights (1710s) and told to two robots hearing it for the first time. A funny storytelling podcast for kids 5 to 11 and their grown-ups.

In Part 1, a lazy kid named Aladdin meets a stranger with a thin mustache, a soul patch and a very suspicious claim to be his long-lost uncle. Soon Aladdin is trapped underground with a magic ring, a dusty old lamp, and pants full of treasure. Vector eventually works out that the uncle is lying. Spark insists Aladdin and his friends are playing toilet tag.

Part 2 comes out next Thursday.

Read along, and see what's different in the original: https://storiesforrobots.com/episodes/aladdin

If it made your family laugh, tell one other family about it. That's how kids' shows grow.

Learn more about the show and join the email list: https://storiesforrobots.com

Grown-ups: if the show makes your family laugh, you can support it at https://ko-fi.com/storiesforrobots

Written, narrated and produced by Griffin Schwed. Spark and Vector are performed by Griffin, and their voices are transformed with AI voice technology. The show's music is made with AI tools.

Questions or robot fan mail: hello@storiesforrobots.com

Cinderella

Griffin Schwed — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:02:00 -0400

Cinderella, adapted from the Brothers Grimm's original, Aschenputtel, and told to two robots hearing it for the first time. A funny storytelling podcast for kids 5 to 11 and their grown-ups.

No fairy godmother and no pumpkin coach. Instead there's a hazel tree on her mother's grave, a magic bird the robots name Marge, a ball three nights in a row, and stepsisters who will do almost anything to make a golden slipper fit. Spark wants to know where Cinderella's dad is. Vector calculates the tears.

Read along, and see what's different in the original: https://storiesforrobots.com/episodes/cinderella

If it made your family laugh, tell one other family about it. That's how kids' shows grow.

Learn more about the show and join the email list: https://storiesforrobots.com

Grown-ups: if the show makes your family laugh, you can support it at https://ko-fi.com/storiesforrobots

Written, narrated and produced by Griffin Schwed. Spark and Vector are performed by Griffin, and their voices are transformed with AI voice technology. The show's music is made with AI tools.

Questions or robot fan mail: hello@storiesforrobots.com

The Little Mermaid, Part 2

Griffin Schwed — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:01:00 -0400

The ending of The Little Mermaid, adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 original and told to two robots who are not ready for it. A funny storytelling podcast for kids 5 to 11 and their grown-ups.

The little mermaid has legs at last, but every step feels like walking on knives, she can't say a word, and the prince keeps calling her his "foundling." Spark is outraged. Vector thinks sleeping on a pillow outside the prince's door sounds comfortable and practical.

First time listening? Start with Part 1.

Read along, and see what's different in the original: https://storiesforrobots.com/episodes/the-little-mermaid

If your family enjoyed it, hit Follow so new episodes show up on their own.

Learn more about the show and join the email list: https://storiesforrobots.com

Grown-ups: if the show makes your family laugh, you can support it at https://ko-fi.com/storiesforrobots

Written, narrated and produced by Griffin Schwed. Spark and Vector are performed by Griffin, and their voices are transformed with AI voice technology. The show's music is made with AI tools.

Questions or robot fan mail: hello@storiesforrobots.com

The Little Mermaid, Part 1

Griffin Schwed — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 06:00:00 -0400

The Little Mermaid, adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's 1837 original and told to two robots hearing it for the first time. A funny storytelling podcast for kids 5 to 11 and their grown-ups.

In Part 1, the youngest mermaid princess finally turns fifteen, swims to the surface, and saves a prince from a shipwreck. Then she makes a very big decision. Vector insists on doing his own underwater sound effects, and suggests putting the half-drowned prince in an enormous bowl of rice.

Part 2 is out now too.

Read along, and see what's different in the original: https://storiesforrobots.com/episodes/the-little-mermaid

If your family enjoyed it, hit Follow so new episodes show up on their own.

Learn more about the show and join the email list: https://storiesforrobots.com

Grown-ups: if the show makes your family laugh, you can support it at https://ko-fi.com/storiesforrobots

Written, narrated and produced by Griffin Schwed. Spark and Vector are performed by Griffin, and their voices are transformed with AI voice technology. The show's music is made with AI tools.

Questions or robot fan mail: hello@storiesforrobots.com

Introducing Stories for Robots

Griffin Schwed — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:26:19 -0400

Spark and Vector are robots. Silly robots. Sure, they’ve read the whole internet, but humans are still so confusing. Like, what are hot dogs and…why? And what’s up with wearing pants? To find out, they’re learning the old-fashioned way: with stories. Join them as they hear some of humanity’s most timeless tales with plenty of laughs and surprisingly insightful questions along the way.

We all grew up with the same classic animated movies: The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Cinderella… you know the ones. In Season One of Stories for Robots, you’ll hear those same stories. But also totally not.

Every week, I tell my two robot pals, Spark and Vector, the original stories that inspired the movie classics. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You probably won’t hurl. But you will be shocked at how wildly different, slightly weird, and utterly enchanting these stories are.

Written, narrated and produced by Griffin Schwed. Spark and Vector are performed by Griffin, and their voices are transformed with AI voice technology. The show's music is made with AI tools.