Myths and Legends

Jack the giant killer is back, and he’s less Jack the giant killer than Jack the let’s-just-sit-here-and-let-the-giants-die-from-their-own-unforced-errors guy. That’s way less catchy, though.  The creature (pixui) is a constipated robber with daddy issues.  --  Music: “Popism” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Gall” by Podington Bear “Mello D” by Podington Bear “Flatlands 4th” by Blue Dot Sessions “Twosome” by Podington Bear “Scallat” by Podington Bear “Rope Swing” by Podington Bear “Indian Paintbrush” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Two stories, one from Italy, one from England. In the one from italy, Costanza is born which would usually be pretty great...except her parents are already in retirement and have given everything away to her older sisters, so she sets out on her own in the wild medieval world. The second story is Molly Whuppie, whose parents have left her and her two sisters in the forest to die. Then things get worse. The creature this week is hoop snake, a snake that's a hoop and also really confused as to why you're diving through it. -- Music: “Climbing the Mountain” by Podington Bear “Airliner” by Podington Bear “In the Box” by Blue Dot Sessions “Lakkalia” by Blue Dot Sessions “Ice pack” by Podington Bear “So it goes” by Podington Bear “Hardboil” by Blue Dot Sessions “Box Canyon” by Podington Bear -- Hoop Snake story: https://web.archive.org/web/20060629012039/http://www.naturalhistorymag.com/editors_pick/1925_01-02_pick.html Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Two stories of terrible parents. One decides to get rich by strapping a gemstone to an infant's head, and the other let her son do whatever he wanted until the day came when she needed him to do one little thing: babysit a chicken. It did not go well.  The creature is the phooka, from Ireland, and it will fly you to the moon...but not in the charming Sinatra way, but in the literal way where you suffocate.  --  Music: “Wonder Happens” by Podington Bear “Order of Entrance” by Blue Dot Sessions “Highride” by Blue Dot Sessions “Pives and Flarinet” by Podington Bear “Minor Islands” by Podington Bear “Blue Blanket” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Hrolf Kraki must avenge his father by confronting his step-father...and brother-in-law. Don't worry, though, the weirdness of last week gets ironed out when we enter more familiar territory for the Viking legends. Our wonderful one-eyed wanderer makes an appearance, kings battle kings, and berserkers battle trolls, draugr, other berserkers, random bystanders, and, well, just about everyone. The creature this week is Penny Dragon, a dragon that will leave you pennies and maybe also burn down your home. -- Sponsors: Simplisafe home security is my absolute favorite. They're easy to set up, no hidden fees, and for just $15/month you can protect just about everything in your home. Check them out at https://simplisafe.com/legends and you'll get free shipping and a 60-day risk-free trial. Test prep for standardized tests doesn't have to be stressful, boring, or expensive. Visit https://magoosh.com and enter the code MYTHS for a 15% off discount. -- Music: “Lost Shoe” by Blue Dot Sessions “I Recall” by Blue Dot Sessions “Smooth Actor” by Podington Bear “Delta” by Podington Bear “Illustrated Novel” by Podington Bear “Calla Lily” by Podington Bear “Slow Rollout” by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

We’re back in the Norse Sagas with witches, trolls, Norns, magic, elves, and this one-eyed wanderer who definitely isn’t named Odin but have you heard about how awesome Odin is? No? We’ll he’s happy to tell you. This is the saga of Hrolf Kraki and his twelve legendary berserkers.  The creature is the reason you should actually follow that strange creature into the dark forest (free all-you-can-eat shrimp!)  —  Music: “Keo Keo” by Blue Dot Sessions “Convoy Lines” by Blue Dot Sessions “Degradation” by Podington Bear “Den” by Podington Bear “Senseless” by Podington Bear “Relinquish” by Podington Bear “The Things We Save” by Podington Bear Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

A boy is born, fated to be one who brings strife. Two sons seek to outrun a family curse. A wife is spared the grisly fates of her husband and son...only if she will marry the one who committed the atrocities. A daughter is saved from certain death...by judgy ducks. These are the stories of the names that would go down in legend: Odysseus, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Clytemnestra, and Penelope, and their lives before the event that would make them all famous: the Trojan War.  The creature this week is a dragon who is living his best life in Ireland.  --  Music: "Lakkalia" by Blue Dot Sessions "Last Lights" by Blue Dot Sessions "Hedgeliner" by Blue Dot Sessions "Children by the Creek" by Chad Crouch "Barefoot" by Chad Crouch "Song Sparrow Serenade" by Chad Crouch "Headwaters" by Chad Crouch Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Things are going well for King Arthur for once. He’s in complete control over the island of Great Britain, he’s got a bunch of awesome knights, and dragon attacks are down. What could go wrong? King Arthur should know to never ever ask that question, because twelve men from the definitely not defunct and/or fictional Roman Empire are here to show him exactly what can go wrong.  The creature this time is orphan bird, because when you can turn a bird that abandons her children into an religious allegory, why not?  —  Music: “Drifting” by Chad Crouch “Daybreak” by Chad Crouch “Order of Entrance” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Snowgarden” by Blue Dot Sessions “Three Stories” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Bluff Trail (Instrumental)” by Chad Crouch Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

Faust decides that if he's going to have these powers, he's really going to enjoy them so, in no particular order, he gives himself: A Doctor Strange cloak Telekinesis A demon common law wife and baby A get-out-of-debt plan that involves humorously tearing off his own limbs And grapes. In the winter. Crazy, right?   Seriously, though, we take the somewhat more grounded story of last week...and then completely go off the rails while Faust (and the writer of the chapbook...mostly the writer of the chapbook) imagines all the things he can do with powers from the devil, and then does them.  The creature this week is the ophies pteretos, and you might feel bad for them...if they weren't angry flying snakes. - --  Music: "Ghost Byzantine" by Blue Dot Sessions "Hardboil" by Blue Dot Sessions "Ballad of the Blackbirds" by Chad Crouch "Pacing" by Chad Crouch "Small Hours" by Chad Crouch "Undying" by Blue Dot Sessions Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

The story of Faust and his infamous deal is one that has survived for hundreds of years. Beginning as whispers in Germany in the 1500s, it grew to plays and, most famously, a play by the German writer Goethe, largely considered to be one of the greatest works of German literature.  The story has been done and redone, and the phase Faustian bargain is still in use to this day. In today's episode, we're getting back to the very beginning - to the legends behind the masterpieces, and the story of a doctor who just wanted every question answered and desire granted. Was that too much to ask? If you don't mind trading your soul, apparently it's not too much to ask.  The creature this week is the onocentaur...a sad donkey centaur that needs to put down whatever he's carrying in order to run like a weird little bug.  --  Music: "Cover Letter" by Blue Dot Sessions "The 49th Street Galleria" by Chris Zabriskie Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership

From the end of the world to the underworld and Armageddon itself, Kalevipoeg does way too many things.  The creature will throw acres of caustic feces in your direction.  Support the show: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership