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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:

NY

Description:

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.

Twitter:

@mythpodcast

Language:

English

Episodes

229-Monkey King: Forbidden Fruit

6/16/2021
We're back in the story of the Monkey King and the Journey to the West. After picking up Sandy, the sand monster and final member of their party, the guys haven't seen a soul for two months. All that will change with a mysterious stop in the forest. The creature is the Wilser dragon, where the only thing more dangerous than fighting it...is killing it. -- Sponsors: Simplisafe: http://simplisafe.com/legends for a free security camera and a 60-day, risk-free trial. Check out Best Fiends on the...

Duration:00:51:48

THE OPPORTUNIST SEASON TWO IS AVAILABLE NOW!

6/15/2021
Robert Courtney was an upstanding Kansas City pharmacist and family man who was deeply devoted to his church. Courtney owned and operated two pharmacies and was perceived as an innovative businessman. His wealth was apparent to people in Kansas City in the 90’s— he lived in a $700,000 home and collected sports cars. It all came crashing down in 2001 when an oncologist discovered that Courtney had been diluting chemotherapy medications. She tipped off the FBI and the Courtney investigation...

Duration:00:06:58

228-Italian Folklore: Full Circle

6/8/2021
Two stories from the Italian writer Giovanni Francesco Straparola, who earns the title of one of the earliest fairy tale writers, putting tales down to paper in the 1500s. On the first, you'll learn that you can't con an honest man...and that you really shouldn't, because the honest man three con men do trick out of a mule comes back for vengeance...and beats the con men at their own game. On the second story, three men are proudly lazy and make a bet to see who can be the laziest scoundrel....

Duration:00:46:05

227-Greek/Roman Mythology: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Olympus

6/1/2021
Two stories from Greek/Roman mythology this week with the (not remotely) love story of Apollo and Daphne as well as the tale of Pyramus and Thisbe, where we'll see that a wall can bring people together as well as keep them apart. The creature is the Bakru, from Suriname, a mythological creature in the form of a child that stopped on the way to becoming a real boy and you can also hire him to burn down someone's house on Fiverr. -- Sponsors: Warby Parker: Try five pairs of glasses at home for...

Duration:00:40:21

226-European Folklore: Failing Upward

5/25/2021
This week, it's the story of Fortunatus, the man who, bet you could never guess from his name, was given an inexhaustible fortune, and how things kind of went off the rails for him and his kids. The creature is Babi, from Egyptian mythology, who's as dedicated to your love life as he is to cracking you open like a coconut and feasting on your innards. -- Sponsors: Simplisafe: http://simplisafe.com/legends for a free security camera and a 60-day, risk-free trial. June's Journey: Download it...

Duration:00:51:03

225-Egyptian Folklore: Kitchen Nightmare

5/18/2021
The Egyptian folktale of a young woman who's not messing around. After fleeing her home, she only sees one way to live free: become a monster that haunts the wild. The creature is what happens when a jaguar and a human have a happy marriage...and a very unhappy mother-in-law. -- Sponsors: Check out Best Fiends on the App Store or Google Play by going to http://bestfiends.com Daily Harvest: Go to http://dailyharvest.com and use the promo code MYTHS to get $25 off your first box! Bombas: Go to...

Duration:00:41:20

224-African Folklore: It's the Great Pumpkin, Kiali

5/11/2021
This week, it's a story from Africa (more specifically the Nilamba people in northern Tanzania) about a hunt for a murderer that goes off the rails very quickly with talking animals...and giant, sad pumpkins. The creature this week is a dancing horse. A big chunky ballerina boy who wants to give you a high five at 2100 RPM. -- Acorn TV: Try Acorn TV free for 30 days at http://acorn.tv and use our promo code, LEGENDS! Simplisafe: Go to http://simplisafe.com/legends for a 60-day risk-free...

Duration:00:36:48

223B-Samurai Legends: Dinner Party

5/4/2021
There's a killer on the loose in Kyoto. Young women are disappearing from the streets, never to be heard from again. Minamoto no Raikō, the legendary samurai, knows that it isn't merely a serial killer, but the demons. After he and other samurai like him drove the demons away, the began amassing in the far-off, desolate regions of Japan, but now they have a new leader: Shuten Doji, the drunken demon, a creature as smart as he is deadly. Raikō knows he can't face these oni alone, so he puts...

Duration:00:54:32

223A-Samurai Legends: The Devil went down to Kyoto

4/27/2021
Three connected stories of samurai from medieval Japan. On the first, Kintaro, a buff eight-year-old, discovers his destiny. On the second, Watanabe no Tsuna, a samurai warrior in his prime fights a demon that's been terrorizing a gate in Kyoto, and on the third he's recruited by Minamoto no Raiko to follow a magical floating skull to a dilapidated haunted house. All these lead into next week, when the heroes will come together to fight the greatest demon in Japan's history: Shuten-dōji. The...

Duration:00:44:40

222B-Norse Legends: It Takes a Pillage

4/21/2021
A packed episode with Thor, Odin, mythological dwarves, sword arms, and Valhalla, all ending up with a beautiful double wedding...which ends somehow worse than the last time we visited a giant wedding on this podcast. We're finishing up the saga of Egil and Asmund. The creature this time is little mucus boy, and if you're a villain, you don't want to get caught monologuing around this sticky, moist little hero. -- Sponsors: Acorn TV: Try Acorn TV free for 30 days by going to http://acorn.tv...

Duration:00:48:58

222A-Norse Legends: The Land of the Ice and Snow

4/13/2021
We’re back in the nine worlds of Norse myth where two Viking blood brothers are looking for princesses that have been kidnapped by legendary monsters. Their journey will take them beyond their world of Midgard, to Jotunheim, to see the ravages Thor has brought. The creature this time is a kitty! Who wants to make a kitty-human hybrid for...reasons? The post (disclaimer, and a detailed summary of the nine worlds): https://myths.link/222a The store: https://myths.link/store The membership:...

Duration:00:44:29

221-Chinese/Scottish folklore: The Great Beyond

4/6/2021
This week, there are two stories about death and what comes next, from China and Scotland. On the first, a lonely fisherman meets an odd man down by the river with a strange plan for his life. On the second, a stablehand helps out two strangers who stop by his tavern for the night...and discovers a terrifying secret. The creature is an epic hero with oiled pecs who is doing his best to keep everyone in the world alive. The cat that I tried to put in a harness (he hated it):...

Duration:00:40:11

220B-Odyssey: Lonely Island

3/30/2021
We're back in the Odyssey where Menelaus comes home, Telemachus leaves it, and Odysseus? Odysseus has been stuck in the same place for seven long years. The creatures this week are the Agogwe, tiny hairy naked people who are really cool until they aren't. Disclaimer: https://myths.link/220b Thanos swimsuit: https://myths.link/thanos Store: https://myths.link/store Membership: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership -- Sponsors: Talkspace: Go to http://talkspace.com and use the code MYTHS for...

Duration:00:45:31

220A-Odyssey: The Castaways

3/23/2021
Three men grappling with the legacy, or curse, of their fathers. Menelaus loses everything and finds a life, but will his past come hunting for him? Telemachus lives each day in the shadow of the absence of his father, pushing back at the inevitable. Orestes knows what he must do to avenge his father, even if it means prolonging his family’s curse. The creature is a tiny elephant who might just eat your brain? Membership: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership Store: https://myths.link/store...

Duration:00:39:48

219-Italian folklore: Unhand Me

3/16/2021
A story from the Pentamerone with a title so spoiler-y that I can't even say it here, but it's a fun, mildly horrifying tale of a relationship that just doesn't work out. And is also really gross. The creatures this week are the little devil and angel on your shoulder, except one of them is a burly wildman and the other is a snake with a human head. Store: https://myths.link/store Membership: https://www/mythpodcast.com/membership Post: https://myths.link/219 THE REDWALL COOKBOOK:...

Duration:00:34:35

218-Monkey King: Enter Sandman

3/9/2021
We resume our journey to the west right where we left off: the Tang monk has been kidnapped by demons, and it's up to Sun Wukong and Pigsy to save him...if they aren't too busy making tiny monkey babies out of Sun Wukong's fur, crying, and talking to fantasically bearded men to save him. The creature this time is a monster skunk that isn't farting everyone to death! It's actually kind of way worse! Stephen the frog (soap): https://myths.link/stephen The store: https://myths.link/store The...

Duration:00:37:32

217-Mabinogion: Bringing Home the Bacon

3/2/2021
We’re back in the Mabinogion, where we’ll learn about the perils of bacon - and it’s not the cholesterol, but the magical wizard war that the first pigs ever brought to the world. Then, we’ll see why you shouldn’t lie to a wizard and how to be safe stepping out of the bath and onto your pet goat - just make sure no one is throwing spears at you. The creature this week is a hatchet headed prankster! Who wants to headbutt you! Disclaimer: https://myths.link/217 Store: https://myths.link/store...

Duration:00:38:58

216-Baba Yaga: Which Witch?

2/23/2021
Two stories from Russia. On the first, we catch up with the famous witch, Baba Yaga, as we follow yet another young person who has been sent on an errand/to be eaten at the evil witch's walking hut. The second one is about a dragon slayer, Dobrynya, as he makes a wrong turn down in the city and keeps falling in love with a woman who wants nothing at all to do with him. The creature is a tiny little old man with long hair who cries like a baby! And eats people! The membership:...

Duration:00:36:21

215-Scandinavian Legends: Madness

2/16/2021
The story that inspired Shakespeare's Hamlet, the tale of Amleth, the prince of Denmark. A ton of death, some cryptic non-riddles, and copious amounts of poop smearing serve as the starting point for one of the greatest works in the English language. The creature this week is a sad little bird from Hebrew folklore who just can't catch a break. Store: https://myths.link/store Membership: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership Episode post: https://myths.link/215 -- Sponsors: Bombas: Give a...

Duration:00:40:28

THE OPPORTUNIST IS AVAILABLE NOW

2/16/2021
The Opportunist tells true stories of regular people who turn sinister simply by being opportunistic. How does an everyday person turn into a thief, a cult leader, or a scammer? Instead of portraying criminals as distinctly “other,” we explore our similarities and reveal the dark potential lurking inside of all of us. The Opportunist will launch with an episodic series on Sherry Shriner, a midwest mom and life-long church goer turned internet cult leader. The series follows Sherry as she...

Duration:00:07:59

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