Gilgamesh and his new best friend are heading out on an adventure to fight a firebreathing giant named "Hugeness the Terrible." Also there's a giant deadly bull fight, talk of zombies, some tiny shoes, and light hand-holding. If those things don't make you want to listen to this episode I can't think of anything else that would. [...]
The Epic of Gilgamesh is amazing. It is quite possibly the oldest epic we have, and though it only exists in fragments, it tells a surprisingly human story. There are questions of life and death, such as what it all means and why are we here? It delves into the issues of what it means to [...]
The story of a dragon slayer from South Africa has, of course, dragons, but it also has giant towers, underwater villages, and a frog who is just trying to have a nice dinner with his family without all the insults, thank you very much. The creature this week is the world-famous Leprechaun. You should definitely not [...]
Two love stories from Greek mythology...because those go so well. The first is the story of Narcissus and Echo, which was doomed from the moment one jumped out of the bushes at the other for a non-consensual hug. The second story is of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus takes the (non-death) early retirement option from his heroics [...]
I don't want to give away too much, but this is about an elderly old woman who lives alone with her cat. Also, she consumes an unhealthy amount of cabbage soup. The creature is hairy and naked (no surprises there), but you don't get to be horrified by this because one look will kill you. Sorry.
Three stories of Loki, the infamous trickster from Norse mythology. Most of his hijinks are light-hearted, and end with him getting his comeuppance, but it comes in the form of being a bridesmaid at Thor's wedding or (as in this episode) an extremely uncomfortable game of tug-of-war. What happens when a trick gets taken too far? [...]
Dracula Dracula isn't a creature from myths, legends, or folklore. The fictional vampire is a product of Bram Stoker. The name, though, stretches back centuries to a prince who ruled the kingdom called Wallachia, which borders the land with which he's most famously associated: Transylvania. We'll be talking all about the pseudo-legendary exploits of the real bloody [...]
The unexpected story of a fool, an epic quest, and a flying ship. Also, why you should respect your elders, especially if they want to give you a lot of free bread and vodka. The creature is the Lake Worth Monster, from Texas in the US. It is either a monstrous man-goat-fish...or a teenager who likes ice [...]
The original stories of Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White, despite their Disney adaptations and being fairy tales largely told to children, are incredibly violent and gruesome. They have murder, kidnapping, and, of course, hot dance moves. Bluebeard is, unsurprisingly, a man with a beard that is blue. What is surprising is what you'll find [...]
A story from Mexican folklore, about a woman who loses (almost) everything and completely changes her life. She lives for years with mercenaries, pirates, and finally, has a confrontation that changes everything. The creature is a sad, wet, misogynistic chicken. "Thread of Clouds", "Corner Aisle", "Brass Buttons", "Blood Petal" and "A Certain Lightness", all by Blue [...]