132B-Trojan War: Some Foolish Thing
This is the episode. This is the episode where Helen of Sparta becomes Helen of Troy, and an event happens that launches 1000 ships toward the city in the east. This is where it all begins. The creature of the week has a dorky smile and a retainer and will absolutely eat you. -- Sponsors: Check out season two of Siren on Freeform, Thursday January 24th at 8pm. Squarespace is the best way to mak...
35m Jan 16, 2019
35m
132A-Trojan War: The Wars to Come
In this prelude to the Trojan War, we learn the origin of the most famous Greek hero, and maybe the most reviled Trojan prince. Also, you shouldn't let Hera plan your wedding because a bitter decade-long war might break out because of it, and if you invite Poseidon, you're going to get an immortal horse as a gift to your wedding so, you know, invite Poseidon. The creature this week is the Lady ...
34m Jan 09, 2019
34m
131B-Greek Mythology: All in the Family
Last week, Hera hid that she was pregnant. This week, we learn who the father isn’t, and see the births of two more important figures from Greek mythology. Also, if you’re going for the whole totalitarian dictator thing, make sure you don’t take your wine naps right next to all the people that hate you. Just saying. The creature this week is the pipe fox. A fun little fox friend who will learn ...
36m Jan 02, 2019
36m
131A-Greek Mythology: Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal
The origin stories of the Olympians. The creatures this week are the Yule Lads, their mom, stepdad, and murderous cat. -- Sponsors: Check out Bird Box on Netflix! Casper: Ready for a good night of sleep for once? All you have to do is go to http://casper.com/legends and use the offer code LEGENDS and your next favorite mattress will be delivered to your door. -- Music: “Rainday” by Blue Dot Ses...
35m Dec 26, 2018
35m
130C-Jungle Book: An Old War
Mowgli is hiding among the humans to stay safe from Shere Khan after burning and shaming the tiger at the showdown at Council Rock. The problem? The tiger knows where Mowgli is, and he is coming for the man cub. The Myths and Legends store: https://shop.bardic.fm -- Sponsors: Check out the best podcasts of 2018 on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/genre/podcasts-page -- Music: “Where it all hap...
33m Dec 19, 2018
33m
130B-Jungle Book: The Strength of the Pack
We catch up with Mowgli after he’s been tossed in a pit of cobras while his friends fight countless vicious monkeys outside. We’ll also see what Shere Khan has been up to for the past seven years…and what his plan is to finally get his claws into Mowgli. The creatures are sentient umbrellas, because who hasn’t looked at an umbrella and thought, “yeah, I’d like this to be a hairy man leg with a ...
30m Dec 12, 2018
30m
130A-Jungle Book: Welcome to the Jungle
A boy is lost. A tiger hunts. The wolf pack takes on a new cub. The story of the Jungle Book begins -- Sponsors: Audible! Audible is my favorite way to listen to audiobooks. Go to http://www.audible.com/myths or text MYTHS to 500-500 to start your free 30-day trial and get a free audiobook. Omaha Steaks are a great gift for anyone on your list. For a limited time, you can get 74% off the Omaha ...
34m Dec 05, 2018
34m
129B-Persian mythology: Champions
Rostam embarks on his quest to free his king, taken captive in the land of the demons, where he'll not only have to free his stupid, stupid ruler and end the war, but embark on seven labors which will include: letting his horse do a lot of the heavy lifting, a dragon fight, a new friend, and tossing a demon's head like a bride throws a bouquet. The creatures this week are the kakamora, from Pol...
35m Nov 28, 2018
35m
129A-Persian Mythology: The Mammoth that Rides
The story of Rostam from the Shahnameh, an important book in Iranian Mythology. It starts out in a weird place, with a strange little Benjamin Button-type baby being raised by a mythological peacock dog, and only gets stranger, but it explores themes of loyalty, fealty, and power, even if a leader is not deserving. The creature this week is the Jackalope, from Wyoming, and you can only hunt th...
33m Nov 21, 2018
33m
128-Irish folklore: Give Him the Finger
A fairy tale from Ireland with a genre savvy queen who has one request for her husband: don't let his surely evil next wife get anywhere near her three sons. Of course, things don't really go as planned. The creature this week is hook girl! Don't bug hook girl, or hook girl will bug you...and by "bug you" I mean "tear you to tiny pieces." -- Music: "Building the Sled" by Blue Dot Sessions "Fla...
40m Nov 14, 2018
40m
127-Finnish Mythology: The Boy who Lived
A story from the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, about revenge, letting go, and moving on. Also why you shouldn't mess with babies that can whisper threats at three months old and survive way more things than you could. -- Music: "Alphabet Soup" by Podington Bear "Thin Passage" by Blue Dot Sessions "Readers do you Read?" by Chris Zabriskie "Vik Fenceta Lan" by Blue Dot Sessions "Another Ve...
39m Nov 07, 2018
39m
126-Wendigo: Hunger
On our annual Halloween episode, it's stories of a monstrous creature who stalks the north woods...and how they might be sitting right next to you. The creature is a vampire that's super scary...only it can't actually walk...and moreso bounces everywhere...and hates messy rooms. -- Music: "Traffic" by Kai Engel "Somnolence" by Kai Engel "Delirium" by Kai Engel "Nothing (Bonus Track)" by Kai En...
31m Oct 31, 2018
31m
125-Norse Mythology: Bound
We're back in Norse Mythology. It's set before Ragnarok (obviously), and it's a story we never got to of Freyja, Odin, Loki, and four dwarves. Freyja makes a lot of new friends, and Loki gets completely out of control at a party and tells all the Aesir exactly what he thinks of them. The creature of the week is the invunche, a very sad, hairy, contorted baby -- Music: "Catching Feathers" by K...
36m Oct 24, 2018
36m
124-Greek Mythology: The Fall
Theseus has had a long and storied life, but now he faces his greatest challenge: after you've accomplished everything you set out to do and your name will live on for generations, what comes next? The creature is the, impundulu environmentally-conscience bird who only uses alternative fuels for its tiny plane. Unfortunately, the alternative fuel is human blood. --- Theseus episodes: 17A: htt...
42m Oct 17, 2018
42m
123-Dark Tower: Directions
A game turns dark as a child disappears. Her brothers must follow her into a land that's like a mirror image of our own to get her back from the king who lives in the dark tower. Oh and also Merlin is barely any help at all. The creature this time is the ilomba, from Zambia, and it's a terrible reason to collect your fingernail clippings. -- The Stephen King Quote: https://blogs.loc.gov/catbir...
32m Oct 10, 2018
32m
122-Indian Folklore: Let it Be
A king fighting against fate. A young man surviving the impossible. A hermit reading the future from his toilet. This week, it's the long road to becoming who you were always meant to be. -- Music: "Raven" by Chad Crouch "CGI Snake" by Chris Zabriskie "We Always Thought the Future would be Kind of Fun" by Chris Zabriskie "Nuthatch" by Blue Dot Sessions "Petaluma" by Blue Dot Sessions "Releasing...
32m Oct 03, 2018
32m
121-Grimm Brothers: King of the Mountain
A man loses everything except for his children and his field, but it's while he's in that field with his children that he receives a visit from a mythological creature...and makes a deal that will change all of their lives forever. The creature of the week is a mythpodcat! She just loves to dance! And set you on fire! -- Music: "Red-winged Blackbird" by Chad Crouch "Clear and Present" by Ketsa...
35m Sep 26, 2018
35m
120B-Holy Grail: Beyond the Sea
Seven people have been informed that they will be pivotal in the quest for the greatest holy object that has ever existed: the Holy Grail. First, they have to get it to England. That, of course, will involve angelic post-it notes, ships with ejector seats, attacking giants, and, the most unbelievable thing of all (to some of our characters): multi-colored wood. We'll see how the Grail comes to ...
36m Sep 19, 2018
36m
120A-Holy Grail: Only the Penitent Man Will Pass
The Holy Grail: The greatest legendary item of all time and the focal point of the Arthurian legends. This is its origin. Beginning as the humble cup of a crucified savior, the Grail will take on legendary status. We'll see how it moved from Jerusalem to a far-flung province on the edge of the world, and we'll meet the people tasked with protecting it, whose great, great, great, great grandchil...
33m Sep 12, 2018
33m
119-Sleeping Beauty: Rude Awakening
It's the first written version of Sleeping Beauty, put down to paper in the 1600s by the Neapolitan writer Giambattista Basile. And it's horrifying. The creature is elephant rat. It's an elephant whose also a rat sometimes. No big deal. Now move along and let him murder in peace. -- Music: "Running on Empty" by Podington Bear "Sylvestor" by Blue Dot Sessions "Midday" by Blue Dot Sessions "Bl...
34m Sep 05, 2018
34m
118-Jewish Folklore: The Eyrie
The king is annoyed. All of these people want to make him work. It's just...not fair. Sure, they're starving and about to riot in the streets, but actually showing up to work is really going to cut into his sitting around time. Unfortunately, he might not have a choice. The people are getting angry, and that leads to a journey west, farther than anyone in his kingdom has ever gone, to unearth a...
35m Aug 29, 2018
35m
117-Romanian Folklore: What did it Cost?
This week, it's the fairy tale "Youth without Age and Life without Death", from Romania, a tale of love, loss, impossible quests, and acheiving your dreams. Also, why you shouldn't make idle promises to a kid that's just an hour old. It might end with them playing dominos with your horses and taking half of your kingdom's worth of gold. The creature this week is the hili, from Lesotho, Africa....
39m Aug 22, 2018
39m
116B-Mexican Legends: Outlaw Country
Joaquin is out of control. He is riding through town, doubling the rewards on his own wanted posters. He has cowed or killed anyone who has tried to stop him, and he thinks he is untouchable. He's not wrong, either. The only people who know his face are either very trusted or very dead. Still, the more he pushes, the more the state of California pushes back, until one man is finally commissione...
36m Aug 15, 2018
36m
116A-Mexican Legends: Alta California
It's 1850. The gold rush in the wild west, and Joaquin Murrieta seeks a better life in the US state of California, only recently taken from Mexico in the Mexican-American War. He tries to play by the rules and live by the laws, but everything keeps getting taken from him over and over again. Tired of living underfoot in a land that used to be his homeland, Joaquin decides to stand up and take h...
41m Aug 08, 2018
41m
115-Chinese Folklore: Another Brick in the Wall
The story of Meng Jiangnu and the Great Wall is one of the four great folktales of China. It's the story of love, tyranny, and standing up for what is right, no matter the cost. If you like your evil creatures without any way to defeat them whatsoever, then this week's creature might be for you. -- The book by Wilt Idema: https://bardic.link/Pieuc -- Music: "Mindset" by Ketsa "Calming Storms...
42m Aug 01, 2018
42m
114B-Indian Stories: Heavy
The world has been quiet for centuries, but everyone knows that they will return. The demon kings. An ancient evil destined to be reborn a third and final time. Then, one day, a child is born. The parents rejoice, but only for a moment. There is something different about the child, and there are rumors that the monster has been reborn once again and, after his battle with the one destined to fi...
37m Jul 25, 2018
37m
114A-Indian Stories: Calamity
Three lifetimes, two guardians, one objective: get back home. In our long overdue first foray into stories from India, it's the story of Jaya and Vijaya, the gatekeepers to Vishnu's celestial abode and the fateful decision they made one day that would change everything. It's the story of a demon that, reborn across generations and millennia, battles heroes that are born for the fight. The crea...
35m Jul 18, 2018
35m
113-Armenian folklore: Occupational Hazard
The prince is having a bad day...because the prince is having a great day. His life is just too easy. Too awesome. He is suffering from too much luxury. It's definitely not because he's into a girl who doesn't like him back. Nope. Not at all. Ok, it totally is. But don't tell his mom. The creature this week is a homicidal sea monster baby, because sure. --- Support the show: https://www.myth...
41m Jul 11, 2018
41m
112C-Pinocchio: Whale Jail
It's the end for Pinocchio. We left him last week the lead suspect in a murder investigation (no, I'm not joking), and we'll catch up to him on the beach, facing the authorities as he stands over the body with the murder weapon in hand. Also a lot of other stuff happens. Like, way too much stuff, like deep-fried puppets, snail butlers, and sleazy millionaires. And that's just in the first half ...
45m Jun 27, 2018
45m
112B-Pinocchio: Nosey
I wouldn't really call Pinocchio ill-fated. That implies that it's undeserved, and it's definitely not. The little guy lies like it's a second language. Regardless, a lot happens to our little buddy in this episode, starting with him coming back from the dead. The creature this week is the Hai Ho Shang, a vicious merman from Chinese mythology who absolutely has some opinions on your dancing. ...
36m Jun 20, 2018
36m
112A-Pinocchio: No Strings Attached
Prison. Assassins. Marionette dance parties. The original story of Pinocchio has it all. Of course, you know of Pinocchio and Geppetto, but did you know that Geppetto, in order to get the wood to make Pinocchio, had to chew on an old man's wig? Or that the original story had a shockingly brutal end, even for an 1800s children's tale? Check it out. This story is wild. The creature this time is ...
41m Jun 13, 2018
41m
111-Thumbelina: Sweet Summer Child
Thumbelina's life is already difficult. She lives in early modern Denmark and is no bigger than her mom's thumb. Oh, and also, everyone wants to marry her. And by everyone, I mean everyone. Frog moms want her to marry their sons and, somehow, the story gets stranger from there. In true Hans Christian Andersen fashion, this fairy tale for children about a girl being born from a flower and trying...
38m Jun 06, 2018
38m
110-Viking Myths: Alone
Odin. Jotunheim. Shin Tinder. We're (basically) back in Norse mythology with the legendary story of Hadingus, a Viking king that hates being king. We'll visit nearly half of the worlds in Norse mythology as we follow a spectacularly bad ancient Norse hero. The creature this time is a way to get superpowers...if you ever wanted to be a bitter, stinky, homicidal muppet. -- "Orange Juicier" by P...
42m May 30, 2018
42m
109-Athens: Home
The city of Athens is one of the most famous of the ancient world and its royal family was plagued with, well, weirdness. Between the dragon kings and the bird people, you either had to be sure to trust no one, or to never go anywhere ever because the wind or even the dawn could be out to get you. The creature of the week is a fairy cow by the name of Fuwch Gyfeiliorn which I have the good sen...
53m May 23, 2018
53m
108-Tom Thumb: Thumbs Up
Tom Thumb is the story of a guy named Tom...who is as big as his dad's thumb. A practical joke by a wizard, Tom went on to become Sir Thomas Thumb, the greatest knight in the realm, but not before becoming indigestion for a giant, a raven's canker sore, and exploring all the thrilling intricacies of a cow's digestive system. The creature this week is a fish that's more manly than I'll ever be....
34m May 16, 2018
34m
107B-Golem: To Dust You Shall Return
It's quiet. Too quiet. It has been years since the last blood libel and the Jewish community in Prague is starting to relax. Then, the Maharal receives a sign from God a few days before Passover, letting him know that the danger is far from over. On the creature of the week, if you can't take the heat, get out of the desert. Or stay in the desert and be like the Funeral Mountain Terrashot. S ...
33m May 09, 2018
33m
Bonus-U.S. Folklore: Gaslighting
As a way to say thank for voting for Myths and Legends for the Webbys (and for being the reason why we won!), we wanted to share an additional story this week. It's from the southern United States, and it was originally an episode on the Myths and Legends member feed. It's a story of two wives in a stupidity arms race over who has the worse husband. The creature is the reason why the owl is suc...
9m May 05, 2018
9m
107A-Golem: Guardian
In 16th century Prague, a people are under attack. Accused of an unspeakable crime they didn't commit, they have no recourse: even the rulers of the city have turned against them. They can't find justice, so they have to make justice - a silent guardian to watch over their community, one to keep the wolves at bay. But is he too late to help guard the innocents against the sinister machinations ...
34m May 02, 2018
34m
106C-African Legends: Who Tells Your Story
The king returns to his homeland after nearly a decade of exile. An evil sorcerer king is at the apex of his power. Owls deliver insults and dating is difficult no matter who you are. The epic story of Sundiata, the first emperor of Mali, concludes. The creature of the week is the grey man of Ben MacDhui, a...grey man. Who lives on the mountain of Ben MacDhui. And also he's naked because why n...
32m Apr 25, 2018
32m
106B-African Legends: Bad Move
A new shadow rises to the north of Mali and an evil sorcerer king (and connoisseur of severed heads) will rise, but not before Djata, Sogolon, and others are forced into exile by the ruthless queen mother. It's part 2 of the story of Sundiata: an epic of old Mali. The creature this week is a good-guy African dragon who, in a refreshing twist, is the victim of all of his interactions with human...
32m Apr 18, 2018
32m
106A-African Legends: Long Live the King
The epic of Sundiata, the founder of the Mali empire, has everything - magical old women, evil magician kings, nice magician kings, and helpful buffaloes. The first part is like Mean Girls...if Mean Girls was set in 12th century Africa. But really, it's a fantastic tale of love, loss, and perseverance and I hope you like it. The creature today has a surprise for you! It's her mule legs! Also s...
34m Apr 11, 2018
34m
105B-Reynard: Ferocious Mr. Fox
Reynard, having received a pardon from the Lion who was a King, is up to his old tricks. Like, immediately. He bit the head off the rabbit that was accompanying him on a holy pilgrimmage before he even left the kingdom. Of course, the ground is shrinking beneath Reynard, and it won't be long before the fox who needs to deceive to survive runs into the king's justice and the king will only fall ...
33m Apr 04, 2018
33m
105A-Reynard: Fox on the Run
Despite cute talking animals, the world in the stories of Reynard the fox is a rough place. The fox might not be the biggest or toughest animal in the kingdom, but he is the smartest. Once he gets talking, run, because there's no way you're going to come out the other end in one piece. The creature this week is an angry muddy ghost dad. -- Music: "Bad Cut" by Podington Bear "LA" by Podington...
36m Mar 28, 2018
36m
104-Egyptian Mythology: The First Avenger
Horus's uncle Set murdered his father, and because his mother was shrewd, he gained the throne and the murderer was exiled to the South. There was just one problem: Set wasn't going to go quietly. He vowed on the day he left to kill Horus, feast on his flesh, and reclaim the throne for himself. The boy Pharoah, Horus, watched Set and his followers go, and knew he had to be ready. The war was co...
33m Mar 21, 2018
33m
103-Middle Eastern Folklore: Shipshape
A story about a king and his garden...that somehow turns into a story with genies, witches, boats full of male models, guys getting boiled alive, angry kitties, and secret agent mice. It's the story of the bronze ring, as collected by Scottish writer Andrew Lang. The creature this time just wants to pop on by your hut for a beer and maybe turn you into an undying goblin. Because he likes you s...
31m Mar 14, 2018
31m
102-Charlemagne: Honor Among Thieves
Charlemagne is the Holy Roman Emperor, and as a Holy Roman Emperor in a legend, it's not surprising that he'd get a command directly from God. What is surprising, however, is that the command is less than holy. The angry, bitter bird people on the creature of the week will be the death of chairs as we know them. --- "Little Strut Surprise" by Podington Bear "K2" by Podington Bear "Gentle Mari...
30m Mar 07, 2018
30m
101-Fairy Tales: Three Dog Night
What do you do if an obvious witch stops you on the road and asks a favor? Keep walking, right? Well, for the first time in possibly the entirety of this podcast, here's an example of someone speaking to an evil-looking witch in the dark forest and it actually working out. It's the story of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Tinderbox". Our second story is from Vietnam, and a poor family, a smart c...
32m Feb 28, 2018
32m
100B-Knights of the Round Table: Family Reunion
Things get weird this week. The knights continue their quests through the Country of Strange Adventure, and the side-quests becomes the main quest as the knights get involved with: Bad breakups Vengeance Dragons eating dogs eating stags Death choirs Elderly women looking for a good time Church decorations Way too much more Also, were you wondering what happened to Arthur's incestuous offspring,...
49m Feb 21, 2018
49m
100A-Knights of the Round Table: Buddy System
Yvain and Gawain are just two best friends taking a fun trip together. Nevermind that they've been exiled from Camelot forever, making it a mandatory best friends vacation. It sparks the beginning of a yearlong quest filled with morbid church decorations, dragon diets consisting solely of puppies, and sad, creepy knights. Basically your standard Arthurian legend. The creature of the week is a ...
32m Feb 14, 2018
32m
99-William Tell: One Shot
The story of William Tell is so much more than an arrow and an apple. It's the story of a reluctant hero, a tyrannical ruler, and why you shouldn't let your prisoners drive the vehicle you're using to take them to prison. The creature this week is the cockatrice, and if you see a frog keeping eggs warm, that is just a completely normal and ok thing that won't end up destroying you and everyone...
32m Feb 07, 2018
32m