History Main / LetMeTellYouAStory

* ''Film/StarWars Episode III: Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': "Ever hear ''The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise''?"

Alice and Bob are having a conversation. Alice wants to make a point, but to tell Bob straightforwardly wouldn't have the impact she wants to make. So she decides to tell him a story. The story at first seems somewhat random and unrelated to the matter at hand. However, once the story is finished, it becomes clear that there is a moral behind it. If Bob still seems confused about the story's relevance, Alice may spell it out for him. Or she may just leave him guessing.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': Mr. Krabs' story to [=SpongeBob=] about spending a dollar on a soda to persuade [=SpongeBob=] to let his seahorse go.

** In "Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie" Homer has forbidden Bart from seeing the movie and tries to tell him a similar story from his childhood.
--->'''Homer''': You know, when I was a boy, I really wanted a catcher's mitt, but my dad wouldn't get it for me. So I held my breath until I passed out and banged my head on the coffee table. The doctor thought I might have brain damage.
--->'''Bart''': Dad, what's the point of this story?
--->'''Homer''': I like stories.

* In ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'', [[KidAppealCharacter Lewa]] does this to [[TheStoic Kopaka]] and [[TheQuietOne Onua]]. He explains his plan by telling them the story of the three [[{{Hobbits}} Matoran]], the [[BigCreepyCrawlies Rama swarm]], and the[[FantasticFruitsAndVegetables basket of Bula berries]]. Cue Kopaka getting [[NotSoStoic more and more annoyed]] at Lewa ''[[CasualDangerDialogue because they're in the middle of a battle]]''.

-->'''Thirden:''' Your mother specifically forbid me from telling this story, and she's ''scary!'' ... So instead, I am going to tell you a ''completely unrelated'' story about a frightening monster that threatened our people-- and you, in turn, are going to learn all about the wonderful world of ''subtext''.

The musical version of this is MoralityBallad. See also AndThatLittleGirlWasMe.

* In ''Film/{{Conspiracy}}'', Dr. Kritzinger relates a story to Reinhard Heydrich as a warning to what he is trying to accomplish at the conference (the extermination of the Jewish people), which Heydrich later relates in turn to Müller and Eichmann at the end. It concerns a boyhood friend of Kritzinger, who [[OedipusComplex hated his abusive father fiercely but was devoted to his loving mother]]. When his mother died some years later, the man tried to cry as her casket was lowered into the grave, but wasn't able to. When his father died at a much older age, the man couldn't control his tears. The moral of the story is that being consumed by hatred for something will mean that once that thing is gone, the hater's life will be nothing but a hollow shell anymore.

* Silent Bob's TitleDrop speech in ''Film/ChasingAmy'' about his relationship with a girl named Amy qualifies as this.
* The 1993 ''[[Film/TheThreeMusketeers1993 The Three Musketeers]]'' film: "Love? Let me tell you about love."
* In ''Film/{{Conspiracy}}'', Dr. Kritzinger relates a story to Reinhard Heydrich as a warning to what he is trying to accomplish at the conference (the extermination of the Jewish people), which Heydrich later relates in turn to Müller and Eichmann at the end. It concerns a boyhood friend of Kritzinger, who [[OedipusComplex hated his abusive father fiercely but was devoted to his loving mother]]. When his mother died some years later, the man tried to cry as her casket was lowered into the grave, but wasn't able to. When his father died at a much older age, the man couldn't control his tears. The moral of the story is that being consumed by hatred for something will mean that once that thing is gone, the hater's life will be nothing but a hollow shell anymore.
* In ''Film/{{Targets}}'', [[Creator/BorisKarloff Orlock]] gives a nice recitation of the story "An Appointment In Samarra."
* Film/{{Lincoln}} tells numerous stories throughout the movie. When Edwin Stanton realizes that Lincoln is going to start another one, [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere he storms out]].
* ''Film/{{Serpico}}''. When Serpico expresses his anger that he's regarded with suspicion because he's the only detective in their division who isn't corrupt, his girlfriend tells him a story of a WickedWitch who poisoned a well and drove everyone mad, except for the king who hadn't drunk from the well. So the townspeople decide to kill the king because he is 'insane', until the king too drinks for the well and goes crazy too. "And the next day there was much rejoicing as the king had regained his sanity."
-->'''Serpico:''' I think you're trying to tell me something.
* Bacon in ''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' tell the guys the story of Smithy Robinson, a old geezer beaten to death with a "15-inch black rubber cock" as a warning tale of what happens to the people that don't pay [[AxCrazy Hatchet Harry]] what they owe him.
* ''Film/StarWars Episode III: Film/RevengeOfTheSith'': "Ever hear ''The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise''?"
* In ''Film/{{Deewaar}}'', Vijay relates the fable of ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Goose_That_Laid_the_Golden_Eggs The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs]]'' to Samant when the latter suggests killing Vijay to get a BallisticDiscount.
* In ''Disney/BrotherBear'', Kenai does this with Koda in order to break it to him that [[spoiler: he killed his mother]].
-->'''Kenai:''' Y-Y-You know that story you told me last night?
-->'''Koda:''' Yeah.
-->'''Kenai:''' Well, I-I have a story to tell you.
-->'''Koda:''' Really? What's it about?
-->'''Kenai:''' Well, it's kind of about a man. And kind of about a bear. But... Mostly, it's about a monster. A monster who did something so bad...

-->'''Drummond:''' And that's how I feel about that demonstration I saw tonight, Matt; all glitter and glamor. You say you're giving the people hope, I think you're ''stealing'' their hope. As long as the prerequisite for that shining paradise is ignorance, bigotry and hate, I say to Hell with it!

* ''Series/TheWestWing'': In the first episode, a group of Christian pols complain to President Bartlett about an insult Josh made to a political opponent, quoting the Bible while doing so. In response, Bartlett tells of how his 12-year-old granddaughter was recently threatened by a Christian fringe group for her pro-choice views, before saying them that they'll get nothing from him until they denounce the extremists within their ranks.

* Bacon in ''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' tell the guys the story of Smithy Robinson, a old geezer beaten to death with a "15-inch black rubber cock" as a warning tale of what happens to the people that don't pay [[AxCrazy Hatchet Harry]] what they own him.

** In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E8AHearthsWarmingTail A Hearth's Warming Tail]]", Twilight uses this approach to encourage Starlight to overcome her CrappyHolidays attitude toward Equestria's [[YouMeanXmas major gift-giving holiday]].

-->-- '''[[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker Joker]]''', ''Film/TheDarkKnight''

* In ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', Bruce Wayne is trying to figure out SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker's motivations. Alfred tells him [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHCdKb5UWc this story]]:

** [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker The Joker]] offers [[MultipleChoicePast parables]] as death notices, alluding to morals but amounting to executions as punishments for garnering his attention.

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* In ''Film/{{Conspiracy}}'', Dr. Kritzinger relates a story to Reinhard Heydrich as a warning to what he is trying to accomplish at the conference (the extermination of the Jewish people), which Heydrich later relates in turn to Müller and Eichmann at the end. It concerns a boyhood friend of Kritzinger, who [[OedipusComplex hated his abusive father fiercely but was devoted to his loving mother]]. When his mother died some years later, the man tried to cry as her casket was lowered into the grave, but wasn’t able to. When his father died at a much older age, the man couldn't control his tears. The moral of the story is that being consumed by hatred for something will mean that once that thing is gone, the hater's life will be nothing but a hollow shell anymore.

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* Happens a lot in ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire''.

--->'''Margaret:''' Well… the first year he came, we all of us, the girls in that place, we thought it magical. The second year, we laughed behind our hands at the odd man and his tatters, and the third year we didn't even go, because "The Mountains of Mourne" was all that little rooster could ever do.

--->'''Margaret:''' [[TakeThat That maybe your cunny… isn't quite the draw you think it is.]]

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* Bacon in 'Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels' tell the guys the story of Smithy Robinson, a old geezer beaten to death with a "15-inch black rubber cock" as a warning tale of what happens to the people that don't pay [[AxCrazy Hatchet Harry]] what they own him.

--> ''"Do you wanna know how I got these scars?"''

-> ''"Now, this is a story all about how''
-> ''My life got flipped, turned upside down''
-> ''And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there''
-> ''I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air!"''
-->-- Theme song of ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir''

* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire: