House of Legends: World Myths & Legends

Our guest this week is Nana Tomova, host of The Story Apothecary Podcast. Nana is a storyteller, poet, photographer, as well as a mental health specialist and pharmacist, who draws deep inspiration from nature. We discussed her work and Nana told the Bulgarian story, Salt Is The Dearest. I hope you enjoy the conversation and the story. If you’d like to skip straight to the story, you can use the c...

This week’s guest is Lisa Schneidau. Based in Dartmoor in England’s west country, Lisa is a storyteller, author and environmentalist. She is the author of the bestselling book, Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland and the forthcoming Woodland Folk Tales of Britain & Ireland. Lisa has a beautiful and mesmerising voice and I’m sure you’re going to love listening to her story.  For those o...

For our 50th episode (!) we feature one of the world's finest oral storytellers, Kamini Ramachandran.  Note: There is some background humming noise from a ceiling fan during the story, which was recorded in Singapore, where it's very hot... don't worry, you'll tune it out. Kamini is a pioneer in the global storytelling movement. She is the creative producer of Storyfest Singapo...

Our guest this week is Sharon Blackie. Sharon is an award-winning writer and internationally recognised teacher whose work sits at the interface of psychology, mythology and ecology. She is the author of If Women Rose Rooted, This Enchanted Life, Foxfire, Wolfskin and The Long Delirious Burning Blue. Find Sharon online at www.sharonblackie.net Support House of Legends on Patreon at: https://www.pa...

This week we feature a fantastic Welsh storyteller and teacher, Angharad Wynne. You can learn more about Angaharad's work with pilgrimages at Dreaming the Land: https://www.dreamingtheland.com The Dadeni Mystery School: https://www.dadeni.org And Cae Mabon: https://www.caemabon.co.uk Support House of Legends on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Get my books, Scottish Myths &a...

This week’s story is The Shepherd’s Dream from Ireland. Event link for Wd 13th May:  https://www.facebook.com/events/950184208666216/?event_time_id=1121022501582385 To join, click the following Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/652120818   Support House of Legends on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Get my books, Scottish Myths & Legends and The Bone Flute, at Amazon UK: https://w...

A bonus episode featuring a story from my new book, Scottish Myths & Legends. Get the book at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scottish-Myths-Legends-Celtic-Retold/dp/1838040315/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Scottish-Myths-Legends-Celtic-Retold-ebook/dp/B087YVX1D5/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=scottish+myths&qid=1588592116&...

The story of Nancy May, told by Irish storyteller Maria Gillen. Keep up to date with Maria at  https://twitter.com/mgillen?lang=en https://www.facebook.com/SeedsOfStory/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqOZ1JXCzLw4JSMN8teN0hQ Support House of Legends on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Get my book, The Bone Flute, at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bone-Flute-Tears-Stars/dp/...

The final part in a four part mini-series. This story comes from J.F Campbell's 'Popular Tales of the West Highlands'. You can get a copy of the ebook here very cheaply: https://www.amazon.co.uk/POPULAR-TALES-WEST-HIGHLANDS-Four-ebook/dp/B01HFH71A2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=289ZLDM4YI78H&keywords=popular+tales+of+the+west+highlands&qid=1584472914&sprefix=popular+tales+of+%2Caps%2C...

The third part in a four part mini-series. This story comes from J.F Campbell's 'Popular Tales of the West Highlands'. You can get a copy of the ebook here very cheaply: https://www.amazon.co.uk/POPULAR-TALES-WEST-HIGHLANDS-Four-ebook/dp/B01HFH71A2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=289ZLDM4YI78H&keywords=popular+tales+of+the+west+highlands&qid=1584472914&sprefix=popular+tales+of+%2Caps%2C...

The second part in a four part mini-series. This story comes from J.F Campbell's 'Popular Tales of the West Highlands'. You can get a copy of the ebook here very cheaply: https://www.amazon.co.uk/POPULAR-TALES-WEST-HIGHLANDS-Four-ebook/dp/B01HFH71A2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=289ZLDM4YI78H&keywords=popular+tales+of+the+west+highlands&qid=1584472914&sprefix=popular+tales+of+%2Caps%2...

The first part in a four part mini-series. This story comes from J.F Campbell's 'Popular Tales of the West Highlands'. You can get a copy of the ebook here very cheaply: https://www.amazon.co.uk/POPULAR-TALES-WEST-HIGHLANDS-Four-ebook/dp/B01HFH71A2/ref=sr_1_7?crid=289ZLDM4YI78H&keywords=popular+tales+of+the+west+highlands&qid=1584472914&sprefix=popular+tales+of+%2Caps%2C...

We’re back! I took a break from the podcast over the last couple as I’ve been grieving a loved one whom I lost recently. I’m glad to be back now, and with a very special guest: Sian Esther Powell, the host of the Celtic Myths & Legends Podcast. Sian and I chat about her podcast and what makes Celtic lore unique before diving into the folklore of Cornwall. Follow Sian’s podcast on twitter: http...

The tale of Tam O' Shanter, written in 1790 by Scotland's national bard, Robert Burns.  Check out my new Youtube channel and see me performing the poem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c3oR_SVILY&t=4s Support House of Legends on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Get my book, The Bone Flute, at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bone-Flute-Tears-Stars/dp/1709378727/...

Today I speak to David Novak, one of the world's most talented storytellers. Described as ‘the brothers Grimm meet Carl Jung and Monty Python’, and as ‘the most eclectic storyteller on the scene today’,  David Novak is acknowledged as a master of the art of storytelling. A veteran of the US National Storytelling Festival, he has been a keynote speaker for the Sydney International Storytelling...

This week we meet one of the world's finest storytellers, Mara Menzies, and hear a story from her show Blood & Gold. Find Mara at: https://www.marathestoryteller.com https://business.facebook.com/MaratheStoryteller/ https://www.instagram.com/marastoryteller/?hl=en https://twitter.com/marastoryteller?lang=en Support House of Legends on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Get...

This week's story comes from the pygmy people of the Congo. I heard it told by Joseph Campbell in an interview he gave with Bill Moyers. You can watch a clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F7Wwew8X4Y Support House of Legends on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Get my book, The Bone Flute, at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bone-Flute-Tears-Stars/dp/1709378727/ref...

In this episode I interview Noah Tetzner, the host of The History of Vikings Podcast. Noah gives an overview of the Norse cosmology and then we discuss the source texts and different aspects of the subject in more depth.  Sources episodes are a new feature for House of Legends, in which we delve deeper into mythology and folklore as opposed to hearing stories. Let me know if you'd like to hea...

In this episode I talk to Danica Boyce, the host of Fair Folk, an outstanding folklore podcast.  Clarification from Danica: The version of the Cruel Mother that she sings is by Shirley Collins, an English singer; the song is English/Scottish but the lines about the afterlives are from The Maid and the Palmer, a ballad collected from an Irish traveller. Check out Fair Folk Podcast at: https://podca...

This week's story is from Scotland. It's a tale of the kelpie, one of our most famous and fascinating otherworld creatures. I heard it from Ian Stephen, a storyteller from the Isle of Lewis, and have been telling it a lot in performance recently. Support House of Legends with a Patreon pledge at: https://www.patreon.com/danielallison You can get my book, The Bone Flute, described as &apo...

It's time for snowy stories! We kick off the season of wintry tales with a perennial favourite of mine, The Snow Maiden. This is a Russian folk tale collected by Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev, which was later made into a play and opera, and lingers in that classic Christmas film, The Snowman. You can support House of Legends by getting a copy of my book, The Bone Flute, which reviewers are...

We remain in Orkney for a tale which introduces us to the strange beings known in Orkney as the finfolk.  You can learn more about the finfolk n Tom Muir's excellent Orkney Folk Tales. Get it in the UK at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Orkney-Folk-Tales-United-Kingdom/dp/075249905X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=orkney+folk+tales&qid=1574719255&sr=8-2 Get my novel The Bone Flute, set in Prehistoric O...

A special episode featuring a reading from my new novel, The Bone Flute, set in Iron Age Orkney and drawing on Scottish and Orcadian mythology. The Bone Flute is available now from Amazon; follow the link below: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B081P2TRR6?pf_rd_p=3730611c-1654-405c-a45c-eec586a43cc7&pf_rd_r=7FNG5BJBGJ9F5AAHQ6RR Music by Kate Young. If these stories speak to you, you're...

We kick off our mini-series of Orcadian stories with The Mermaid Bride. You can find this story in two books by Orcadian storyteller Tom Muir. The first is The Mermaid Bride and the other is Orkney Folk Tales. I highly recommend both. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tom-Muir/e/B0034QAO6C?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1573505319&sr=8-1 Tom recently helped develop the Orkney Folklore Trail app - read a...

I sit down to talk with world-renowned storyteller Jan Blake, who came to perform at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2019. Jan shares some of her journey as a storyteller and reflects on the art. Find out more about Jan at: https://www.janblakestories.co.uk Music by Kate Young. If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deeper into myth with me. Start with my fr...