I'm Jason Weiser, and this is a podcast where I re-tell stories from myths, legends, and folklore from all around the world. I try to get as close to the original stories as possible while still keeping it interesting.
This has been a weekly show since April of 2015, so there are quite a few episodes at this point. You can start at the beginning and work your way up to the present. However, I started this podcast recording in my car and hammering out scripts on my lunch breaks, so the production value and storytelling content...varies...in the beginning. The episodes below are the ones I would recommend to a new listener with absolutely no knowledge of this podcast. After that, I'll list all the original Disney stories I've done, and then we'll dive right on all the series (King Arthur, Greek mythology, etc) and the best places to start for those.
My Top Five
These are my five favorite stand-alone episodes that require absolutely no background. Between the five, they are funny, sad, epic, and thrilling. If you were just going to any episodes on this podcast, please give these a shot. You can even listen right here - there's a player underneath the show art.
Thor and Loki: Whosoever Holds this Hammer
The time Thor lost his hammer...and all the weird stuff he had to do to get it back. Also, the origin of terrible poetry
Beauty and the Beast: Prisoners
The original Beauty and the Beast story has, of course, monkey butlers with parrots strapped to their heads...so they can talk to you. I'm not joking at all. It's amazing.
Latin American Folklore: Unbreakable
The story of Crystal the Wise, a young woman from Chile who you very much do not want to mess with.
The Saga of Arrow-Odd, Part 1
The story of the extraordinary life of a legendary Viking
The Saga of Arrow-Odd, Part 2
Arrow-Odd and his nemesis, Ogmund, battle across the world...and across the centuries.
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Disney Stories
The (bizarre and surprisingly violent) original stories behind many popular Disney movies.
Aladdin
Episode 2A: The Magician's Nephew
Episode 2B: A Whole New World of Problems
Mulan
The Little Mermaid
Episode 7: Cry with the Saints
Frozen
Rapunzel
Beauty and the Beast
Pocahontas
Episode 36A: The Empire Business
Episode 36B: Between Two Streams
Snow White
Pinocchio
Series
Do you like longer stories? Do you like getting invested in characters and plots and seeing them through to completion? These are the best places for you to start.
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
Prequel: The Holy Grail
The Beginning: Uther Pendragon, Merlin, and Vortigern
Episode 6A: The Once and Really Only that One Time King
The Next Chapter: Young King Arthur
King Arthur and His Knights
Greek Mythology
In the Beginning
Hercules
Theseus, Daedalus, and the Labyrinth (not the David Bowie one).
Episode 17A: It's Dangerous to Go Alone
Episode 17B: A Portrait of the Artificer as a Young Man
Episode 17C: I Volunteer as Tribute
Later Theseus:
Jason and the Argonauts
The Trojan War
Prelude to the War
Episode 59: The Violence of Our Ancestors
Episode 132A: The Wars to Come
Episode 132B: Some Foolish Thing
Episode 145: The Age of Heroes
The Actual War
The Greek Gods
Olympians
Episode 131A: Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal
Episode 131B: All in the Family
Arachne and Athena
Midas
Oedipus (wrecks his entire life)
Norse Mythology
The Vikings
Stories that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien, with magic rings, dragon fights, and way too much revenge.
The Saga of the Volsungs: Stories that inspired Tolkien
Episode 3A: The Norse and the Furious, Bredi's Drift
Episode 3B: All that Hate's Gonna Burn You Up
Episode 3C: Renewed Shall be Blade that was Broken
Ragnar Loðbrok
Want to hear more? You can subscribe for free to get the show every week.