Stories are not meant to stay in the past. In many ways, they take on a life of their own, captivating the hearts and minds of generations, even after the original audience or even the author have long passed. They are told and retold, adapted and reimagined by each successive generation. This doesn’t always happen without bumps along the way, but that is what a good story can do.

The Lord of the Rings was originally written as a book for one generation and adapted as a series of films for another. Both were acclaimed masterpieces in their own right. And now, with the new Amazon series, “The Rings of Power,” the world of Middle Earth continues to capture the imaginations of a new audience. All of this came from the mind of one man, but countless others have, in some ways, carried on his work.

In this episode, we’re joined by Doni and Robert, hosts of Mixed Take, another podcast in the World Outspoken network. Together, we ask: Why is narrative and retelling old stories in a new way so important? What is more important, being faithful to the story or reinterpreting it for a contemporary audience? Or is that even a dichotomy that should exist? All that and more on this edition of the podcast.