Myths And Legends

King Pwyell just wants to go hunting in the dark forest alone. What's the worst that can happen? Huh? Forced to live for a year away from his people at the demand of an otherworldly king? Yeah, ok, that's kind of bad.  It's the first branch of the Mabinogion, the original source for a few of the stories we've told on this podcast, like the very first story from this podcast, that of Yvain and the lady of the fountain. We're finally diving into this amazing work of Welsh folklore and over the next two weeks we'll be covering the first two branches. -- Music: “A quirky cue” by Jermaine Stegall “Serious Situation” by Bruce Zimmerman “Elephants on Parade” by Podington Bear “Aim is True” Podington Bear “Minor Islands” by Podington Bear “Boardwalk” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

The story from Azorean folklore about a sorcerer who turned his life around. He became a priest, helped his people flee, and then faced a choice when his old life came hunting for him. The creature is a dirty dish towel named the Shirouneri. Like most towels it's actively trying to show you just how much it hates you. Show post (and disclaimer): https://www.mythpodcast.com/14203/180-azorean-folklore-power/  --  Music: "The Theatrical Poster for Poltergeist III" by Chris Zabriskie “03. Prelude No. 3” by Chris Zabriskie "49th Street Galleria" by Chris Zabriskie “Vik Fence Haflak” by Blue Dot Sessions “Undercover Vampire Policeman” by Chris Zabriskie "There's probably no time" by Chris Zabriskie Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

A classic quest from Slavic legend with princesses, dragons, wizards, dragons fighting wizards, and princesses fighting wizards fighting dragons. The creature is Shamir, the little craftsman who is up for employee of the millennium. -- Post: https://www.mythpodcast.com/14197/179-slavic-legends-grateful-dead/  --  Music: "Solemn Oath" by Podington Bear "Setting Out on a Quest" by Bobby Cole "The French Theatre of Doom" by Bobby Cole “Big Feelings” by Podington Bear "Storm Passing" by Podington Bear "Pounded Piano" by Podington Bear “Winter Walk” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

An episode about the Tanuki, the notorious raccoon-dog trickster from Japan with giant...well...you'll see. The creature is the Tote Road Shagamaw, and a ManBearMoose who is really good at headstands. Like, it can walk a quarter mile doing a headstand. Show post, with all those pictures (and the disclaimer): https://www.mythpodcast.com/14180/178-tanuki-changes/ --  Music: “Lina my Queen” by Blue Dot Sessions “Detailing” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Callow” by Blue Dot Sessions “Fermin Canyon” by Blue Dot Sessions “Tillis County” by Blue Dot Sessions “True Blue Sky” by Blue Dot Sessions “Slimheart” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

The Greeks finally find a way into Troy and while, yes, it's exactly the way you think they get in, there are so many ridiculous side quests on the way, including a cameo from one of Greek myth's most famous hero. The creature is nice unicorn who will play music for you and definitely won't eat you the moment your guard is down. Want more? We did two member episodes with about four additional stories about the Trojan War. Check them out here: https://www.mythpodcast.com/member-episode-list/ (scroll down the bottom to become a member if you want) Disclaimer: https://www.mythpodcast.com/14169/177d-trojan-war-horsin-around/  --  Music: “Moving Emotional Piano hero track” by Daniel Bordovsky “Escaping forever” by Michael Vignola “Scallat” by Blue Dot Sessions “Foreign” by Marshall Usinger “The Journey” by Adrian Berengue “Holding On” by Keith Anthony Holden “We are nowhere” by Sander Kalmeijer "The Temperature of the Air on the Bow of the Kaleetan" by Chris Zabriskie Support the show: https://www.mythpod

Achilles is back and it's god vs. god, Greek vs. Trojan, Achilles vs. Hector in the most epic battle of the Trojan War. The creature this week, the Seto taishō, will absolutely come after you with a sharpened spoon. His weakness? Light kicks. Episode post: https://www.mythpodcast.com/14155/177c-trojan-war-when-i-am-gone/ -- Music: “Watercool Quiet” by Blue Dot Sessions “Thunder Comes” by Will Van De Crommert “Gilroy Solo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Feel the Tension” by Bobby Cole “Order of Entrance” by Blue Dot Sessions “War Action Orchestra” by Denis Kotenko “Battle on the Beach” by Bobby Cole “Lady Lupine” by Blue Dot Sessions “Broken” by Michael Vignola “Places” by Michael Vignola Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The episode starts with Menelaus sparking the biggest battle of the war so far and ends with an even bigger battle. A lot happens as the Trojan War, with the absence of Achilles, takes its darkest turn yet. The creature is Amabie! A mermaid with great hair who just wants to help you out. Episode post (with Amabie links): https://www.mythpodcast.com/14149/177b-trojan-war-storm-of-spears/  --  Music: "Paper Boat" by Podington Bear "Secret Pocketbook" by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

“Sing, O muse, of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans.” We're here. The culmination of a dozen episodes and twice as many stories has led to this. Achilles. Helen. Agamemnon. Menelaus. Hector. Odysseus. There's a reason these names are still with us after thousands of years. This is the story of the Trojan War. The creature is pretty much the opposite of an epic, brutal war. It's the not-epic, not-intimidating little Tofu boy! The episode post with the listening list: https://www.mythpodcast.com/14142/177a-trojan-war-rage/ --  Music: “Darkened Treeline” by Blue Dot Sessions “Throughput” by Blue Dot Sessions “Roadside Bunkhouse” by Blue Dot Sessions “Illa Villardo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Only Lara” by Blue Dot Sessions “Pedalrider” by Blue Dot Sessions “Late Night Reading” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Three stories this week from the Danish fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen about people that are matchless. The first is the tale of the emperor and his new clothes, where an emperor who needs a new coat every hour gets an offer he can't refuse.  The second is about a boy who wants to marry the daughter of a monarch and all the cool gadgets and racially insensitive cosplaying he'll do to win her hand, and the third is the story of the little match girl. That one literally has matches in it. I still do puns.  The creature is the scariest couch potato in the world. If the seas have couches. I mean, they probably have lots of couches with how much trash we throw into them. Ok, I'm sad now.  The post on mythpodcast.com: https://www.mythpodcast.com/14116/176-the-emperors-new-clothes-matchless/  --  Music: “Symphony No. 1: II. Truth” by Steve Combs “Thom York (At Home)” by Podington Bear “Symphony No. 1: IV. Hope” by Steve Combs “Delican’t” by Podington Bear “Twosome” by Podington Bear “Introduction to Pa

Thor’s daughter is getting married to a dwarf, and Thor is the last person to find out about it. Also he punted a dwarf onto a burning ship for fun at his brother’s funeral, so things might get awkward. The creature is the Segbin, and it’s a smelly goat that bites. Don’t worry though, it doesn’t want to eat you. It wants to kill you, but it doesn’t want to eat you. The The post on mythpodcast.com with all the names: https://www.mythpodcast.com/14036/175-thor-surprises/ —  Music: “An Unknown Visitor” by Blue Dot Sessions “Baroque” by Blue Dot Sessions “Blood Petal” by Blue Dot Sessions “Slow Toe” by Blue Dot Sessions “Thread of Clouds” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

The story of Sir Isumbras, a knight from the high Middle Ages, includes talking birds, epic battles, unicorns, and a quest for redemption where the redemption includes the knight's participation in the crusades...  The creature is the sealah (pronounced SHE-la), a genie that just wants to go out dancing and get dinner...and by that it means it wants you to dance for it before turning you into its dinner.  --  Music: "Four and Fourteen" by Blue Dot Sessions "In the Box" by Blue Dot Sessions "San Diego Sunday" by Blue Dot Sessions "Stack Me Up" by Blue Dot Sessions "Vela Vela" by Blue Dot Sessions  --  Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Fortune favors the bold. Or people willing to put up with a decade of junk. Or the best liars. On this episode, there are two stories: one from Tunisia, and the other from Italy, about people who take their fate into their own hands to varying, oftentimes disastrous results.  The creature is a sad sea goat who just wants to be with all of his other sad sea goats but, because the Greek gods are the Greek gods, he’s doomed to a life of tragedy. Sorry, sad sea goat.  —  Music:  “Blur and Coalesce” by Podington Bear “Cake” by Podington Bear “Senseless” by Podington Bear “Sorrento” by Podington Bear “Trickledown” by Podington Bear “Fantasy and Denoument” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

The story of the master thief, from Norwegian folklore, which will have you wondering what the difference is between a master thief and someone who exploits the laziness and ignorance of strangers in incredibly basic ways for their own gain. Also, being a good parent apparently means abandoning your kid in the forest?  The creature this week is the skolopendra, and it…might just be real.  —  Music: “Chainlink Melody” by Podington Bear “Shines Through Trees” by Podington Bear “Kitty in the Window” by Podington Bear “Pinky” by Blue Dot Sessions “Samara” by Podington Bear “Talltell” by Blue Dot Sessions “Seashore” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Three stories of love from India. The first is what happens when a prostitute and a thief try to build a life together.  The second is what happens when a barber gets to ask a king for anything.  The third is about a man who saves a mouse...and what happens when that mouse wants to get married.  The creature is the man of your dreams...if your dreams happen to include a man who is a snake-wolf-dragon.   --  Music: “Flutterbee” by Podington Bear “Wavy Glass” by Podington Bear “Blossoming” by Podington Bear “Boardwalk” by Podington Bear “Chrysalis” by Podington Bear “Outmoded Waltz” by Podington Bear “Scaffoldings” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

This week, we continue the story of Grettir. Last week he was driven by an intense, mysterious tendency toward self-destruction. This week, he’ll still have that…but he’s been cursed by a draugr to always be unlucky. And it shows. A lot. He’ll start this week’s episode on his way home to start a new life and he’ll end it…we’ll, you’ll see.  The creature is the Turban snail demon, and it’s why, if you see a snail demon dancing exotically on the water, you should not stop to say hello.  —  Music: “Third in Line” by Blue Dot Sessions “Veins of Silver” by Blue Dot Session “Holo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Scalloped” by Blue Dot Sessions “Midday” by Blue Dot Sessions “Gilroy Solo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Ballast” by Blue Dot Sessions “Four Point Path” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

This week, we’re back in the Icelandic sagas with the story of Grettir the strong, who, whether it’s by berserkers crashing his Christmas party, bears stealing his clothes, or his own obscene insult poetry, just can’t catch a break.  Speaking of breaks, you should really break up if you find yourself dating the creature this week.  --  Music: “Stack me up” by Blue Dot Sessions “Lakkalia” by Blue Dot Sessions “Cach” by Blue Dot Sessions “Lubby” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

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 with red hair who hates being farted on. The Myths and Legends store: http://www.mythpodcast.com/store  --  Music: “Surface Tension 3” by Podington Bear “Stucco Grey” by Blue Dot Sessions “Neon Drip” by Blue Dot Sessions “Surface Tension 1” by Podington Bear “No Solace” by Podington Bear “Placticity” by Blue Dot Sessions “Warbled Reflection” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

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 coat who will not so pleasantly remove the skin and muscle and everything from your bones.  --  Music: “The Bus at Dawn” by Blue Dot Sessions “Blue Blanket” by Poddington Bear “Scallat” by Blue Dot Sessions "Moodswing” by Podington Bear “Shapeshifters” by Podington Bear “Pinky” by Blue Dot Sessions “Lover’s Hollow” by Blue Dot Sessions “Indian Paintbrush” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

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 wildly different original tellings of popular adaptations, this might be the most different and most problematic.  The creature this week is a haggard old woman who travels from town to town letting kids know if they're on the naughty list...using her knife and a bag full of garbage. --  Music: "Hard Won" by Podington Bear "Dowl" by Podington Bear "March on Gumdrop Field" by Blue Dot Sessions "Plum King" by Blue Dot Sessions "Caprese" by Blue Dot Sessions "Curious Case" by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

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 creature is the Roperite, a vengeful, narcissistic bird who just can't get over the Roadrunner's good luck.  --  Music: “Ice Pack” by Podington Bear “Our Only Uplift” by Blue Dot Sessions “Deadly Recitation” by Blue Dot Sessions “Pelliu” by Blue Dot Sessions “Parasol” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership