Myths and Legends

This podcast explores three stories from Indian folklore involving love and marriage. Topics include a prostitute and thief building a life together, a barber's encounter with a king, and a man saving a mouse that wants to get married. The creature of your dreams is also discussed, a snake-wolf-dragon. So much love and adventure in this episode!

This week, we continue the story of Grettir. Last week he was driven by an intense, mysterious tendency toward self-destruction. This week, he’ll still have that…but he’s been cursed by a draugr to always be unlucky. And it shows. A lot. He’ll start this week’s episode on his way home to start a new life and he’ll end it…we’ll, you’ll see.  The creature is the Turban snail demon, and it’s why, if you see a snail demon dancing exotically on the water, you should not stop to say hello.  —  Music: “Third in Line” by Blue Dot Sessions “Veins of Silver” by Blue Dot Session “Holo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Scalloped” by Blue Dot Sessions “Midday” by Blue Dot Sessions “Gilroy Solo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Ballast” by Blue Dot Sessions “Four Point Path” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

This week, we’re back in the Icelandic sagas with the story of Grettir the strong, who, whether it’s by berserkers crashing his Christmas party, bears stealing his clothes, or his own obscene insult poetry, just can’t catch a break.  Speaking of breaks, you should really break up if you find yourself dating the creature this week.  --  Music: “Stack me up” by Blue Dot Sessions “Lakkalia” by Blue Dot Sessions “Cach” by Blue Dot Sessions “Lubby” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

A story from the famous Middle Eastern collection of folklore entitled 1001 Nights where, three friends go on a road trip to get so many bottles full of evil genies. There's no such thing as too many side quests when their travels lead them to the legendary City of Brass, one of the greatest cities in the world...one that shut itself off from the world years ago.  The creature is a little guy with red hair who hates being farted on. The Myths and Legends store: http://www.mythpodcast.com/store  --  Music: “Surface Tension 3” by Podington Bear “Stucco Grey” by Blue Dot Sessions “Neon Drip” by Blue Dot Sessions “Surface Tension 1” by Podington Bear “No Solace” by Podington Bear “Placticity” by Blue Dot Sessions “Warbled Reflection” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

How to win friends and influence people and also get beat up a lot in the 12th century. We've talked about Robin's origins, but who are all these other guys? Today we learn some outlaw recruiting strategies (mainly just getting whacked in the ribs with a stick and giving piggyback rides) and meet all the other important members of Robin's crew.  The creature is just a pleasant and fashionable coat who will not so pleasantly remove the skin and muscle and everything from your bones.  --  Music: “The Bus at Dawn” by Blue Dot Sessions “Blue Blanket” by Poddington Bear “Scallat” by Blue Dot Sessions "Moodswing” by Podington Bear “Shapeshifters” by Podington Bear “Pinky” by Blue Dot Sessions “Lover’s Hollow” by Blue Dot Sessions “Indian Paintbrush” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

This week, it is the insane original story behind the popular holiday ballet. In this story for children, we'll get some contradictory lessons for the kids. Getting into a van with a stranger offering candy? Bad. Getting into a silver carriage with a man offering a whole magical world full of candy? Awesome (not really - seriously, kids don't do that).  In a podcast full of problematic and wildly different original tellings of popular adaptations, this might be the most different and most problematic.  The creature this week is a haggard old woman who travels from town to town letting kids know if they're on the naughty list...using her knife and a bag full of garbage. --  Music: "Hard Won" by Podington Bear "Dowl" by Podington Bear "March on Gumdrop Field" by Blue Dot Sessions "Plum King" by Blue Dot Sessions "Caprese" by Blue Dot Sessions "Curious Case" by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Two (originally children's) tales that underscore the shocking brutality of the world in which these stories were told. The first one is that of three roommates: a sausage, a bird, and a mouse, who decide to mix things up for once. The second is the Robber Bridegroom, a story where a woman has to marry a man who horrifies her...and the lengths she'll go to in order to get out of it.  The creature is the Roperite, a vengeful, narcissistic bird who just can't get over the Roadrunner's good luck.  --  Music: “Ice Pack” by Podington Bear “Our Only Uplift” by Blue Dot Sessions “Deadly Recitation” by Blue Dot Sessions “Pelliu” by Blue Dot Sessions “Parasol” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

The story of a weaving contest between a goddess and a woman challenging the cruelty and tyranny of the Olympians leads us into three more stories: Pandora's box; the great flood of the ancient Greek world; and the love story of Idas and Marpessa, two people who saw the gods taking whatever and whoever they wanted, and said "no."  The creature this week is the rolling calf. It's neither rolling nor a calf. Discuss.  --  Music: “Dense” by Podington Bear “At Our Best Alone” by Blue Dot Sessions “Constellation” by Podington Bear “Matamoscas” by Blue Dot Sessions “Little Black Cloud” by Podington Bear “Four and Fourteen” by Blue Dot Sessions “Broken Branch” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

A short supplemental that finishes the story of Lady White Snake...because there wasn't enough story left for a full episode. There's still a full Myths and Legends episode coming out on Wednesday! The Myths and Legends store: http://www.mythpodcast.com/store Music: "Louver" by Blue Dot SessionsSupport the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xu Xian is dead. He discovered the truth about his wife and he died. I mean, yeah, he's dead...but he's also unwittingly married to a 1700 year old magical demon snake on a redemption arc, so...you know...something might happen. Seriously, though, this is a packed episode. There are magical (if not wholly unexpected) resurrections, crustacean armies, Doctor Strange ripoffs, and that's just in the first half.  The creature this time is the suppon no yūrei, and probably a good idea to give up eating turtle altogether.  --  Music: “Throughput” by Blue Dot Sessions “Storm Passing” by Podington Bear “Threshold” by Podington Bear “John Stockton Slow Drag” by Chris Zabriskie “Undercover Vampire Policeman” by Chris Zabriskie Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership