111-Thumbelina: Sweet Summer Child
A fairy tale for children about a girl being born from a flower and trying to find love manages to contain kidnapping, death threats, crushing nihilism, and sleazy moles.
101-Fairy Tales: Three Dog Night
Stories of money problems from Denmark and Vietnam
70-Ugly Duckling: Fowl Play
The surprisingly brutal original story of the ugly duckling
60C-Beowulf: Unknowable but Certain
There has been a menace sleeping in Beowulf's homeland since he was born. It has lived for centuries, and it is strong and dangerous, while Beowulf has lived for only eighty years, and is weakening. Yet, their paths draw them inexorably toward one another in a battle that will live on in legend, [...]
60B-Beowulf: The Depths
It's round two for everyone's favorite (only?) Geatish hero, as he bravely takes on...his former adversary's mother. Really, it's way more interesting than it sounds. Also she's not Angelina Jolie, but a terrifying, demonic swamp hag. The creature this week is so cute you won't even mind that it watches you sleep. [...]
60A-Beowulf: I’m Kind of a Big Deal
You know the story of Beowulf. I don't need to do this. But really, there's mead. There's Grendel. There are mead-fueled fights with Grendel. It's just a fun, (kind of) light re-telling of the classic story, minus all the yelling, Angelina Jolie, and eye explosions of the 2007 movie. The creature this week [...]
9-Dogs and Wolves: Generations (Fenrir, The Black Dog, Dog King of Denmark, Gelert)
Instead of one long story, this week I'm telling four stories about canines from folklore from all around the world. We'll go back to the Norse gods and goddesses where Loki will make more poor choices. Then I'll talk about the legend of the black dog of the UK and Ireland. There's the weird and hilarious [...]