Cornish traditional oral storyteller 'Campfire Sam' Crosby joined Asher Packman on the Warrior Within podcast for The Fifth Direction in March, 2025. In their wide-ranging conversation, Sam shared his journey into storytelling and the deepening of his work with mythology, elderhood and personal transformation. His path was shaped by personal crisis, nature connection and encounters with mythic traditions, particularly through the influence of Martin Shaw and Danny Deardorff. Raised on Tolkien’s stories but lacking a deeper mythic or spiritual grounding in his youth, Sam initially pursued theatre but struggled with self-consciousness. A profound shift occurred after the birth of his first son, which led him to deepen his connection with nature. This period of transformation introduced him to mythic storytelling, and he now shares stories through Recalling Fire, working in various settings to facilitate reflection and dialogue. Sam and Asher explored the idea that elderhood is not merely a function of age but an intentional process of becoming more authentically oneself. Young people, in turn, have a role in "blessing" elders, fostering mutual empowerment. They discussed the necessity of intergenerational healing, particularly in addressing cycles of emotional repression, and how nature itself serves as an elder, offering wisdom and presence. For Sam, stories provide a means of seeing ourselves more clearly without direct confrontation. He emphasised that myths are not about historical accuracy but rather deeper truths that resonate across time. His work with Arthurian legends continues to reveal personal insights as well as reflections on societal imbalances. Myth creates a shared language that allows for meaningful exchanges across generations. A major turning point in Sam’s life was the birth of his first son, who was born with a disability. This experience challenged his fears and opened his heart in unexpected ways. Learning to balance his role as a father to both his children, he recognised that transformation had always been possible—his son simply provided the opportunity to step into it. Sam’s approach to storytelling emphasises “cross-pollination” between the story and participants’ lived experiences. He is particularly interested in the pauses, the moments where collective meaning-making happens, rather than simply telling stories in a linear fashion. He sees storytelling as an alchemical process, one that allows for deep transformation through shared experience. Sam joins our Story Circle at The Fifth Direction over five weeks beginning Tuesday, March 11, as he carries the sprawling, shapeshifting story of King Arthur, following a loose trail left behind by Mallory: injecting Mabinogion, Geoffrey, Chretien, modern reworks including Mary Stewart, his own experiences in wild Cornwall and a flicker of his own imaginings. Event details at thefifthdirection.com/events/arthur. Find out more about Sam at samuelcrosby.com and on social media as @campfiresam. Join The Fifth Direction by visiting thefifthdirection.com.
