169-1001 Nights: A Bottle of Djinn
A story from the famous Middle Eastern collection of folklore entitled 1001 Nights where, three friends go on a road trip to get so many bottles full of evil genies. There's no such thing as too many side quests when their travels lead them to the legendary City of Brass, one of the greatest cities in the world...one that shut itself off from the world years ago. The creature is a little guy w...
41m Jan 15, 2020
41m
168-Robin Hood: Team of Rivals
How to win friends and influence people and also get beat up a lot in the 12th century. We've talked about Robin's origins, but who are all these other guys? Today we learn some outlaw recruiting strategies (mainly just getting whacked in the ribs with a stick and giving piggyback rides) and meet all the other important members of Robin's crew. The creature is just a pleasant and fashionable c...
39m Jan 08, 2020
39m
167-Nutcracker: Cracked
This week, it is the insane original story behind the popular holiday ballet. In this story for children, we'll get some contradictory lessons for the kids. Getting into a van with a stranger offering candy? Bad. Getting into a silver carriage with a man offering a whole magical world full of candy? Awesome (not really - seriously, kids don't do that). In a podcast full of problematic and wild...
46m Dec 24, 2019
46m
166-Grimm Brothers: The Dark Forest
Two (originally children's) tales that underscore the shocking brutality of the world in which these stories were told. The first one is that of three roommates: a sausage, a bird, and a mouse, who decide to mix things up for once. The second is the Robber Bridegroom, a story where a woman has to marry a man who horrifies her...and the lengths she'll go to in order to get out of it. The creatu...
38m Dec 18, 2019
38m
165-Greek Myths: A Tangled Web
The story of a weaving contest between a goddess and a woman challenging the cruelty and tyranny of the Olympians leads us into three more stories: Pandora's box; the great flood of the ancient Greek world; and the love story of Idas and Marpessa, two people who saw the gods taking whatever and whoever they wanted, and said "no." The creature this week is the rolling calf. It's neither rolling...
41m Dec 11, 2019
41m
Supplemental: Lady White Snake Conclusion
A short supplemental that finishes the story of Lady White Snake...because there wasn't enough story left for a full episode. There's still a full Myths and Legends episode coming out on Wednesday! The Myths and Legends store: http://www.mythpodcast.com/store Music: "Louver" by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership (https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership) S...
11m Dec 09, 2019
11m
164B-Lady White Snake: Enlighten Me
Xu Xian is dead. He discovered the truth about his wife and he died. I mean, yeah, he's dead...but he's also unwittingly married to a 1700 year old magical demon snake on a redemption arc, so...you know...something might happen. Seriously, though, this is a packed episode. There are magical (if not wholly unexpected) resurrections, crustacean armies, Doctor Strange ripoffs, and that's just in t...
32m Dec 04, 2019
32m
164A-Chinese Legends: Here I Go Again
The legend of the White Snake is one of the four great folktales of China. Today, we start that with an act of kindness, demons lurking in the places we can’t look, and a (misguided?) monk hoping to bring justice. When the creature this week has time off, it prefers crashing funerals and projectile vomiting on strangers. Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership (https://www.m...
35m Nov 27, 2019
35m
163-Hansel and Gretel: Crumble
There's a surprising amount to the story of Hansel and Gretel. There's your average fairy tale weirdness, like load-bearing cake and aquatic duck Uber, but there's an unexpected humanity in the story that I think is overlooked. I hope you like it. The creature is punyaiama, from India, and she's the reason you can't get drunk in your own home. -- "Re:Joyce" by Podington Bear "Running on Empty"...
35m Nov 20, 2019
35m
162-47 Ronin: Wanderers
The story of the 47 Ronin is a historical tale where a powerful daimyo is shamed and killed by a greedy official…the only issue? The victim had dozens of loyal samurai, and they’re not about to forget what happened to the man they served. The creature is Pricolici, from Romania, a were-dog that is anything but man’s best friend. --  “Bell Solo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Cicle Vascule” by Blue Do...
38m Nov 13, 2019
38m
161-Japanese folklore: Karma
Two stories from Japanese folklore today dealing with the consequences of our actions. The first has a woman chasing a dumpling across her floor…and into a mysterious, far-away land. The second is what happens when a horrible tragedy brings two people together…only to have their fates tear them apart. The creature is the Peluda, a vicious turtle dragon (not Bowser, though) who’s mad about not ...
33m Nov 06, 2019
33m
160-Halloween Special: Lurking
There's something in the forest in 16th century Scotland. It's been there for years. Anyone who sees it doesn't live to tell about it, and it moves seamlessly between land and sea, leaving nothing but body parts in its wake. With a body count in the thousands, it's a legendary historical horror story that's supposedly true. The creature is a goblin spider. It's a goblin who's also a spider...o...
37m Oct 30, 2019
37m
159-Rip Van Winkle: Bad Dad
The story of Rip Van Winkle is more than just a guy taking a long, alcohol-induced nap. It's a story about a changing time and a man struggling to keep up. It's a story about lost love and and a second chance. It's a story about one of the most insufferable fictional protagonists that you didn't know you hated: Rip Van Winkle. The creature is the Polong, from Malaysian folklore, the little one...
32m Oct 23, 2019
32m
158-Agamemnon: Fate Proceeds
This week, we’re back on the boat to the Trojan War where Agamemnon has a problem. I mean, he always has a lot of problems, but this one involves a bunch of warriors with nothing to do but wait for the winds to pick up, and they're not going to pick up until Agamemnon does what needs to be done. The creature this week is pollo maligno, the evil chicken. He's honestly perfect for this segment. ...
32m Oct 16, 2019
32m
157-Jack the Giant Killer: Giant Problems
Jack the giant killer is back, and he’s less Jack the giant killer than Jack the let’s-just-sit-here-and-let-the-giants-die-from-their-own-unforced-errors guy. That’s way less catchy, though. The creature (pixui) is a constipated robber with daddy issues. -- Music: “Popism” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Gall” by Podington Bear “Mello D” by Podington Bear “Flatlands 4th” by Blue Dot Sessions “Two...
34m Oct 09, 2019
34m
156-Italian Folklore: Clever Girl
Two stories, one from Italy, one from England. In the one from italy, Costanza is born which would usually be pretty great...except her parents are already in retirement and have given everything away to her older sisters, so she sets out on her own in the wild medieval world. The second story is Molly Whuppie, whose parents have left her and her two sisters in the forest to die. Then things ge...
38m Oct 02, 2019
38m
155-Fairy Tales: The Pearl
Two stories of terrible parents. One decides to get rich by strapping a gemstone to an infant's head, and the other let her son do whatever he wanted until the day came when she needed him to do one little thing: babysit a chicken. It did not go well. The creature is the phooka, from Ireland, and it will fly you to the moon...but not in the charming Sinatra way, but in the literal way where yo...
39m Sep 25, 2019
39m
154B-Viking Legends: The Army of the Dead
Hrolf Kraki must avenge his father by confronting his step-father...and brother-in-law. Don't worry, though, the weirdness of last week gets ironed out when we enter more familiar territory for the Viking legends. Our wonderful one-eyed wanderer makes an appearance, kings battle kings, and berserkers battle trolls, draugr, other berserkers, random bystanders, and, well, just about everyone. Th...
36m Sep 18, 2019
36m
154A-Viking Legends: Family Business
We’re back in the Norse Sagas with witches, trolls, Norns, magic, elves, and this one-eyed wanderer who definitely isn’t named Odin but have you heard about how awesome Odin is? No? We’ll he’s happy to tell you. This is the saga of Hrolf Kraki and his twelve legendary berserkers. The creature is the reason you should actually follow that strange creature into the dark forest (free all-you-can-...
38m Sep 11, 2019
38m
153-Odysseus: The Angry One
A boy is born, fated to be one who brings strife. Two sons seek to outrun a family curse. A wife is spared the grisly fates of her husband and son...only if she will marry the one who committed the atrocities. A daughter is saved from certain death...by judgy ducks. These are the stories of the names that would go down in legend: Odysseus, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Clytemnestra, and Penelope, and th...
38m Sep 04, 2019
38m
152-King Arthur: When in Rome
Things are going well for King Arthur for once. He’s in complete control over the island of Great Britain, he’s got a bunch of awesome knights, and dragon attacks are down. What could go wrong? King Arthur should know to never ever ask that question, because twelve men from the definitely not defunct and/or fictional Roman Empire are here to show him exactly what can go wrong. The creature thi...
32m Aug 28, 2019
32m
151B-Faust: The Bad Place
Faust decides that if he's going to have these powers, he's really going to enjoy them so, in no particular order, he gives himself: A Doctor Strange cloak Telekinesis A demon common law wife and baby A get-out-of-debt plan that involves humorously tearing off his own limbs And grapes. In the winter. Crazy, right?   Seriously, though, we take the somewhat more grounded story of last week...and ...
38m Aug 21, 2019
38m
151A-Faust: A Man of Wealth and Taste
The story of Faust and his infamous deal is one that has survived for hundreds of years. Beginning as whispers in Germany in the 1500s, it grew to plays and, most famously, a play by the German writer Goethe, largely considered to be one of the greatest works of German literature. The story has been done and redone, and the phase Faustian bargain is still in use to this day. In today's episode...
32m Aug 14, 2019
32m
150B-European Epics: Where the Shadows Lie
From the end of the world to the underworld and Armageddon itself, Kalevipoeg does way too many things. The creature will throw acres of caustic feces in your direction. Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership (https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership)
33m Aug 07, 2019
33m
150A-European Epics: King Me
From the Estonian epic, the Kalevipoeg, comes the story of, well, Kalevipoeg, the son of a giant who battles sorcerers who are trying to get with his mom and throws rocks the size of Volkswagens to win the kingship, all while trying to carve out a place in the world for his people and his homeland. The creature this week is an annoying piggyback ride from a stranger in the dark forest and why ...
29m Jul 31, 2019
29m
149-Japanese Fairy Tales: Son of a Peach
Why you absolutely should take the biggest peach you can find in the supermarket and sing to it. It might just hatch a baby! Unfortunately your fairy tale baby will do what fairy tale babies do: grow up and hear that call to adventure, going out to seek their fortune, taking no more than a plucky attitude and an angry dog to battle the evils of the world. The creature this time is Batman...if ...
39m Jul 17, 2019
39m
148B-Monkey King: Leaps and Bounds
The monkey king has done it all: he was immortal, he had allied with all the mythological creatures he could find, and he controlled an army 40,000 strong...but heaven didn't care about any of that. They were coming for him, whether or not it was legal, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. The creature this week is a big, angry, hairy unicorn with a...weird surprise. -- Music: “Ci...
38m Jul 10, 2019
38m
148A-Monkey King: Good Little Monkey
Sun Wukong, the (Handsome) Monkey King, is both an actual monkey and an actual king…and presumably handsome according to whatever standard that is judged. One of the most famous anti-heroes of Chinese literature, we start his story, and the story of the extremely famous “Journey to the West” at the beginning, with the story of the monkey’s rock mom on the Flower-Fruit mountain. The creature th...
36m Jul 03, 2019
36m
147B-Antigone: Authority
A dark story gets darker as Antigone battles an authoritarian state in the form of her uncle Creon. -- All music by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership (https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership)
31m Jun 26, 2019
31m
147A-Oedipus: Team Spear It
When we last left the Oedipus family, they all found out they were more related than they ever thought possible. It's somehow about to get even worse. -- Music: "An Unknown Visitor" by Blue Dot Sessions "Daisy" by Chad Crouch "Lilac" by Chad Crouch "Seafoam" by Chad Crouch "Trailrunner" by Blue Dot Sessions "Dasher" by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership (...
36m Jun 19, 2019
36m
146-Scandinavian Folklore: Twinning
The story of Tatterhood is unlike any I've ever read on the podcast, and it's so excellent. The problem? I can't really say much without ruining the story. So check it out, you won't be disappointed. The creature is the tomcod, a catfish that's actually a catfish. It's a lot more off-putting than you'd think.  -- "Wavy Glass” by Podington Bear “Fantasy and Denouement” by Podington Bear “Go to ...
34m Jun 12, 2019
34m
145-Achilles: The Age of Heroes
We're back on the road to the Trojan War, with the story of Achilles. Starting from when his father interrupted the ritual to make him immortal, we'll follow him as he goes to that epic Greek daycare run by Chiron and watch as his mother tries to keep him away from the war that is beginning to consume the Greek world. -- Music: "Clouds at the Gap" by Blue Dot Sessions "Adventure" by Podington B...
41m Jun 05, 2019
41m
144-Viking Legends: The Old Gods and the New
King Olaf has a new guest...named Guest. Guest has a story, an impossible story of gods, giants, and heroes from a time long past. If it's true, it could change everything King Olaf thought he knew about himself, his people, and his history. If it's not true, well, at least it's still a good story. -- Music: "Campfire Rounds" by Blue Dot Sessions "Watercool Quiet" by Blue Dot Sessions "At All E...
35m May 29, 2019
35m
143-Japanese Folktales: Crabby
The story this week is the reason you don’t make enemies with a decapod who’s friends with a bee, a pile of dung, a mortar and a chestnut. The other is the reason why you should buy a waterbottle for your next hike, or you might just need to be carried out of the woods. The creature this week is why you don’t want to mispronounce anything ever because it might lead to you being cursed for etern...
38m May 22, 2019
38m
142B-Rome: Politics
Romulus and Remus are finally striking out on their own, and what could go wrong with two seventeen year olds starting their own city when they are accompanied by a band of outlaws and they have too many weapons and not enough leadership experience and no one taught them how to share? Everything? Did you say everything? Because everything going wrong is the exact right answer. The creature this...
36m May 15, 2019
36m
142A-Rome: Glory
If you're remotely familiar with the legendary history of Rome, you might know about two babies suckling a she-wolf....and that's about it. Really, though it's a story of intrigue and murder, betrayal and redemption, and, yes, a loving wolf mom with her two demigod babies. -- Sponsor: Check out https://amazon.com/legends to get two months of Kindle Unlimited (access to over a million e-books an...
31m May 08, 2019
31m
141C-Robin Hood: On Brand
When we left off last week, Robin Hood was stabbed in the side by an assassin who deceived him, and he was bleeding out all while his camp was being swarmed by the Sheriff of Nottingham's men, his friends being driven off, captured, or killed. It's not looking good. The creature this week is the only one who could resist those sinful apple slices...and it gets rewarded by being set on fire. -- ...
37m May 01, 2019
37m
141B-Robin Hood: The Hunted
This week, it’s a continuation of our Robin Hood tale, and this time, the Sheriff of Nottingham is on his final nerve. With his reputation on the line, failure is not an option…despite his unimpressive past peppered with exactly that. Then, on Creature of the Week, it’s the Merman in all his glory. And this time, you have options. Except, nobody said those options had to be great. -- Sponsors: ...
34m Apr 24, 2019
34m
141A-Robin Hood: Merry
Robin Hood is a name that has echoed through the ages as a noble outlaw - one who takes from the rich and gives to the poor and who, with his bow and arrow and merry men, makes the powerful, cruel leaders answer for their treatment of the downtrodden. He wasn’t always that symbol. In his earliest tellings, Robin Hood is a much different outlaw. He’s a cutthroat who lives on the edges of the soc...
35m Apr 17, 2019
35m
140-La Llorona: No Way Out
If you hear her weeping, it might already be too late. A life fraught with loss and betrayal creates a tragic and dangerous being that's trapped between life and death, salvation and destruction. She's crying out on the edge of madness for those she's lost, and she might be coming for the ones you care about most. This week, it's a deep dive into the stories behind La Llorona, the weeping woman...
32m Apr 10, 2019
32m
139B-Irish Legends: Evitable
Where we left off, Cú Chulainn was getting dung smeared in his face by a stronger, magical king. None of that matters, because Cú Chulainn won. Of course he did. He's Cú Chulainn. Today's story picks up years later. As it turns out, killing people indiscriminately for all of your adult life (and pretty much all of your childhood) has consequences. Today, we'll learn what those are. The creature...
39m Apr 03, 2019
39m
139A-Irish Legends: The Hound
Swan hunting, demon horde fighting, and marriage counseling: we’re back in the stories of Cú Chulainn, the hound of Ulster, after he won the war. He’s at a party, celebrating, but then his wife hints that she’d like one small thing, and that snowballs into him going to battle in fairy land against Senach the Spectral, shadow king. Really, though, if you’re a legendary hero, pretty much any todo...
34m Mar 27, 2019
34m
138-Knights of the Round Table: Carl
Gawain, Kay, and Bishop Baldwin are road tripping, but it's starting to rain. Kay won't camp out in the rain, so that only leaves one option: Carl's house. The knights are in for one of the strangest nights of their life. The creature this week is the mantindane, from Kenya, maybe an evil poison monkey...or an alien trying to create a race of alien-human hybrids. -- Sponsors: Pet Cemetery comes...
31m Mar 20, 2019
31m
137-Italian folklore: Tailor-made
Young Dionigi is an apprentice to the master tailor, Maestro Lattantio. It’s a good job and, frankly, the best one he could get. The problem? He wants a better one. He wants to be a wizard. His boss wants him to get back to work. The mamlambo is the reason why you don’t want to date the guy you grew in a jar. -- Sponsors: Go to SimpliSafe.com/LEGENDS to check out an awesome home security system...
32m Mar 13, 2019
32m
136-Pecos Bill: To the Moon and Back
It’s the long awaited, frequently requested return of Pecos Bill, and we’ll see the aftermath of the incident with the twister, watch him pitch the devil as an investor in his new startup, and fall in love...all while thinking that he’s secretly a coyote. The creature is Mama Dlo, from Trinidad and Tobago, and she will love you and leave you (at the bottom of the river, for you to slowly and pa...
36m Mar 06, 2019
36m
135C-Tristan and Isolde: Homecoming
The jig is up, the news is out, they finally found Tristan and Isolde. They were renegades who had it made, but they were caught red-handed...mainly because of the blood...when Tristan and Isolde fell into the dwarf's trap and attempted a late night tryst. The executioners are already building their pyre, and they will be thrown atop it in the morning. The creature is a horse with gross little ...
49m Feb 27, 2019
49m
135B-Tristan and Isolde: Secrets
Tristan and Isolde have a problem: they can't get enough of each other. After they inadvertently drank the love potion, they couldn't control their love...and it is looming like a snare, one that will destroy them and everything they love if they let it. The creature is the loup garou, from Caribbean folklore and it's the reason to carry around a keyhole with you and collect your dog's eye boog...
36m Feb 20, 2019
36m
135A-Tristan and Isolde: Matchmaker
I don't want to spoil anything for someone who doesn't know this story, but this three-parter has everything: sneering villains, valiant heroes, monster fights, love, loss, betrayal, and someone shoving dragon tongues down their pants despite that not remotely being the best way to transport dragon tongues. It's the long-requested original story of Tristan and Isolde. The creature is just a hun...
35m Feb 13, 2019
35m
134-Grimm: Thirsty
For once, the king is dead and the queen is alive, and she's going to make sure her daughter avoids the dangers that many princesses have to face. Or, she tries. The creature is a balding, adorable werewolf with a love of fuzzy slippers. Sponsors: Robinhood: The simple, straightforward way to start investing without commission fees straight from your smartphone. Go to http://myths.robinhood.com...
36m Feb 06, 2019
36m
133-Filipino folklore: Monkey Business
This week, it's a fable from the Philippines with a monkey, a turtle, and Game of Thrones level violence and retribution when something is stolen (don't worry, though. We don't get graphic with it). The creature of the week is (yet another) reason why you want to kiss that dragon on the mouth. I don't make the rules, I am just confused and bewildered by them. -- Sponsor: Simplisafe! Make your N...
32m Jan 23, 2019
32m