Myths and Legends

History Podcasts

Jason Weiser tells stories from myths, legends, and folklore that have shaped cultures throughout history. Some, like the stories of Aladdin, King Arthur, and Hercules are stories you think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories you might not have heard, but really should. All the stories are sourced from world folklore, but retold for modern ears. These are stories of wizards, knights, Vikings, dragons, princesses, and kings from the time when the world beyond the map was a dangerous and wonderful place.

Jason Weiser tells stories from myths, legends, and folklore that have shaped cultures throughout history. Some, like the stories of Aladdin, King Arthur, and Hercules are stories you think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories you might not have heard, but really should. All the stories are sourced from world folklore, but retold for modern ears. These are stories of wizards, knights, Vikings, dragons, princesses, and kings from the time when the world beyond the map was a dangerous and wonderful place.

Location:

Genres:

History Podcasts

Storytelling Podcasts

History

Storytelling

Description:

Twitter:

@mythpodcast

Language:

English

Website:

http://www.mythpodcast.com/

Email:

jason@mythpodcast.com

Episodes

297-Monkey King: Up in Smoke

11/29/2022

We're back in the story of the Monkey King as he and the crew continues their journey to the west. Xanzang, the monk, of course gets captured again, but this time, it's by the son of an old friend of Monkey's from back in his pillaging days! He figures things should go well. Because, of course, there is nothing children love more than being bossed around. The creature is the L'esak, and it's why you shouldn't eat that delicious road bread, no matter how good it looks. -- Myths and Legends...

Duration:00:47:42

296B-Roman/Greek myths: Should I Bray or Should I Go?

11/22/2022

Lucius has been turned into a donkey after using the wrong body lotion. Then, he was kidnapped by bandits. Things are about to get a whole lot worse for Lucius. The creature is the Korori (虎狼狸), who offers a new way to feel better after you get sick. -- Links! Shop: https://shop.bardic.fm Disclaimer: https://myths.link/296b Source one for creature of the week: https://yokai.com/korouri/ Source two for creature of the week:...

Duration:00:49:42

296A-Greek Myths: To Bewitch or Not to Bewitch

11/15/2022

Lucius’s lifelong dream, as of ten minutes ago, is learning how to do sorcery. Luckily, he’s not only in a city crawling with witches who are slicing bits off people’s faces to do their magic and bringing wineskins to life, but his hostess is a sorceress herself, and all he has to do is catch her in the act. The creature is the Lizard Man, lover of sinking his claws into cars…and his teeth into some Filet-o-Fish sandwiches. — Disclaimer: https://myths.link/296 Scoundrel:...

Duration:00:45:53

295-1001 Nights: What's in the Box?

11/8/2022

The story of a merchant gets lost ducking out early from a funeral and who ends up sleeping in a graveyard…and that’s somehow the least scary thing that happens to him that year. The creature is the Sirin, and they’ll only sing for you if you’re super happy and harmonious. So, kind of never. — Disclaimer: https://myths.link/295 Membership: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership Come say hi on Mastodon if that's your thing: https://mastodon.social/@myths — Sponsors: Best Fiends:...

Duration:00:48:30

294-West African Folklore: Spirited Away

11/1/2022

The story of Moremi Ajasoro from modern-day Nigeria has love, loss, and, of course, evil forest monsters. The creature is the Van Meter Visitor, a dinosaur that was apparently stinking up the Old West. -- The newspaper article for the creature and the disclaimer: https://myths.link/294 Lost in Panama: https://myths.link/panama -- Sponsors: Simplisafe: Get 40% off your order when you visit https://simplisafe.com/legends today! Bombas: Get 20% off your first purchase when you go to...

Duration:00:43:26

293-Hans Christian Andersen: The Little Things

10/25/2022

Two stories, two small things making enormous problems. We have "The Princess and the Pea" and "The Red Shoes". For two stories about young women learning and growing, they contain kind of a lot of dismemberment. The creature is Striga! And she's the reason to put on that extra loaf of garlic bread and leave pig bones all over church. -- Disclaimer: https://myths.link/293 Fictional! https://www.fictional.fm/subscribe. New episode comes out Thursday 10/27 -- Sponsors: Helix Sleep: Get...

Duration:00:44:15

292-Germanic Legends: Dwarf Fortress

10/18/2022

Magic swords, Viking legends, dwarves, ice queens, and enchanted rose gardens, this story of Dietrich of Bern and the Dwarf King Laurin has a bit of everything. The creature this week is the Samodivi, the reason why you should be going out to the club each night. -- Scoundrel! New episode of Scoundrel out about Black Bart, the Gentleman Outlaw. Check it out at https://myths.link/scoundrel -- Sponsors SimpliSafe: Get 40% off your order at http://SimpliSafe.com/LEGENDS Shopify: Sign up...

Duration:00:56:32

291-Japanese Folklore: The Monsters

10/11/2022

Three stories of monsters from Japan. We have a tanuki, the monsters that lurk in the civilized places, and monsters that might be under your home right now. The creature is a decapitated man who loves hugs. -- Scoundrel! https://myths.link/scoundrel -- Sponsors: Indeed: Start hiring now at http://Indeed.com/LEGENDS SimpliSafe: Get a free indoor security camera plus 20% off with Interactive Monitoring at http://SimpliSafe.com/LEGENDS Best Fiends: Download for free from the App Store...

Duration:00:50:39

290-Indian Folklore: Hiss and Make Up

10/4/2022

A story from Kashmir folklore about love, marriage, and murder. Kind of a lot of all those things, actually. The creature is a Jaculus, the snake that will kill you with kindness. And its sharp javelin head. -- New Scoundrel out today! https://myths.link/scoundrel Pickle Bath Salt: https://myths.link/picklebathsalt -- Sponsors: Bombas: Get 20% off your first purchase at http://Bombas.com/legends Faherty: Get 15% off with code MYTHS at http://FahertyBrand.com/myths Support the...

Duration:00:41:40

289-Viking Sagas: Half the Man

9/27/2022

The story of Half's Heroes, from the Icelandic Sagas. If you don't like being burned alive...and also do absolutely nothing to avoid the completely avoidable fate of being burned alive...can you even call yourself a man? The creature this week is the Ubigabi (姥ヶ火), the flaming head that's barreling toward you in the night. -- Sponsors: Best Fiends: Connect with us on Best Fiends with Friend Code: 2829841 Shopify: Sign up for a FREE trial at http://shopify.com/legends (all...

Duration:00:43:06

288-Viking Sagas: The Pillage People

9/21/2022

The Saga of Half and His Heroes from Icelandic folklore starts with Odin spitting in a family's ale and only gets stranger from there. The creatures are the Ellyllon, the flower glove wearing, grocery-store-visting, fungus eaters. -- Links! Scoundrel! https://myths.link/scoundrel That comic book villain podcast we have: https://www.nextpod.com/botw The shocking potato thing: https://myths.link/potato -- Sponsors: Bombas: Get 20% off your first purchase at...

GOOD CULT IS AVAILABLE NOW!

9/14/2022

Good Cult is an investigative podcast about the dark corners of the New Age self-help movements and the American counterculture. In season one, host River Donaghey will explore his family's group therapy cult to unpack the strange history of the Human Potential Movement, and try to understand how a violent self-help seminar in the 1980s evolved into a global phenomenon, which would capture his own family decades later. Apple Podcasts:...

Duration:00:08:17

287-Korean Legends: Sob Story

9/13/2022

This week, it's the story of Stupid Ondal and the Princess Pyeonggang, where we see that it's Pyeonggang's birthday, and she can cry if she wants to. Oh, it's the next birthday, and she's still crying? Wait, three years down the road, and she hasn't stopped. Should someone find out what's wrong? The king just wants to threaten her with marriage to a guy he sees as terrible? Yeah, this should end well. The creature is Lazy Laurence. He guards apple orchards. And also doesn't mind a little...

Duration:00:44:19

286-Japanese folklore: Cat Dad

9/6/2022

Tokutarō is not going to be tricked by fox monsters. He's just not. Also, a dad has a big problem with the new pet cat. Two stories from Japan about things not being what they seem (or things being exactly what they seem). -- New Scoundrel out this week! Some of the most famous paintings in the world are now publicly visible only because a woman tried to have her own son murdered! https://myths.link/scoundrel That disclaimer: https://myths.link/286 -- Sponsor: June's Journey! Check...

Duration:00:44:40

285-Romanian Folklore: Grin and Bear It

8/30/2022

The story of Harap Alb (Povestea lui Harap Alb) from Romanian folklore has it all. Like, it really does try to jam as many fairy tale tropes in as possible, but it actually works. It's a fun story with a little bit of everything. Oh, and talking lettuce. The creature is the Iwana bōzu (岩魚坊主) a priest who loves fish and has a seeeeecrettttt. -- Sponsors: Indeed: Visit http://indeed.com/legends to start hiring now! Best Fiends: Check it out on the App Store or Google...

Duration:00:46:34

284-Grimm: To the Point

8/23/2022

I mean, if you style your beard to a point so that it looks like an enormous bird's beak, you can't really fault an insult comedy pro princess for taking some shots at it. It's "King Thrushbeard" by the Grimm brothers. The creature is a giant whose career path involves working for kings, hermits, and, oh yeah, the devil. -- Get your links. Hot and fresh. Scoundrel. Learn how two sisters in the 1800s were inadvertently responsible for John Edwards and Miss Cleo....

283B-Indian Folklore: To the Victor

8/16/2022

We see if Victor can come out on top using the power of stories…for murder? The creature is a tiny fish with fingers and teeth! — Disclaimer/mermaid: https://myths.link/283b Membership: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership — Sponsors Shipstation: Free 60-day trial at http://ShipStation.com, click on the microphone at the top of the page and type in MYTHS Indeed: $75 sponsored job credit to upgrade your job post at http://Indeed.com/LEGENDS Best Fiends: Friend us with code...

Duration:00:48:22

283A-Indian Folklore: King of the Jungle

8/10/2022

What happens when a lion and his prey become best friends? Or when a monkey starts messing around on a worksite? Or a weaver pretends to be a god to woo a princess? The Panchatantra happens. An eclectic, free-flowing anthology of short, funny, sometimes brutal stories that are meant to teach people wisdom...but might all be part of a long-con to gain control of a kingdom. The creature is the Nasnas, and he is very bad at hide and seek. And will also melt your flesh. -- Links! An English...

Duration:00:41:18

282-Gawain: All Knight Long

8/3/2022

King Arthur and his best knight, Sir Gawain, have to answer the age-old question: what do women want? Oh, and if King Arthur doesn't find the definitive answer within a year, he'll be executed. Hijinks ensue. The creature is Nalusa Falaya, an evil porcupine who will turn you into an unwitting sleeper agent against your own family. -- The Salt Shooter: https://myths.link/saltshooter The membership: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership -- Sponsors: Bombas! Get 20% off your first...

Duration:00:38:56

281-Grimm: Beyond the Grave

7/26/2022

Two stories from the Grimm brothers with people going beyond death. On the first, it's a prince and princess who find love...after they swear a terrible and toxic oath to one another. On the second, if your guest sees ghost children in your house, maybe you should listen to them? The creature is the Leyak, a witch who likes munching on some human entrails and turning into a monkey with golden teeth. -- Scoundrel: If someone offers you a miracle tonic that's literally just heavily...

Duration:00:43:34