House of Legends: World Myths & Legends

Another bonus episode from the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2019. This time I sit down for a chat with Robert Seven Crows Bourdon, a storyteller from Quebec of Akadian and Mi'kmag descent, who has delighted audiences here with his warmth, generosity and talent. You can follow Robert on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Robert-Seven-Crows-Bourdon-120079868174154/ And listen...

In this bonus episode from the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2019 I talk to Giovanna Conforto. Giovanna is the creative director of the Italian Storytelling Centre and performs and teaches throughout the world. Learn more at: http://www.italianstorytellingcenter.it/en/about-italian-storytelling-center/italian-storytelling-center-team/ Music by Kate Young. If these stories speak to y...

Another episode from the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2019, this time with Canadian storyteller Michael Williams, who tells us about his experience using storytelling as a peace facilitator in the Middle East, and shares the tale of The Two Warriors. Learn more about Michael at https://www.michaelwilliamsstorycoaching.com Follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michaelwill...

A bonus episode recorded during the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, featuring Cree elder and cultural leaderJoseph Naytowhow. Learn more about Joseph at: www.josephnaytowhow.com And learn more about the Scottish International Storytelling Festival at: https://www.sisf.org.uk Music by Kate Young. If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deeper into myth with me. S...

Our guest this week is Liz Weir, a veteran storyteller from Northern Ireland who is known throughout the world and has received an MBE for her work.    Learn more about Liz at:    www.lizweir.org    Visit her festival, The Glens Storytelling Festival:    www.goastories.org    Join the House of Legends Club at:    www.houseoflegends.me/landing-page    Music courtesy of Kate Young, one of Scotland&a...

A pre-Halloween special! This week we have a Haitian voodoo story. Not for children A good introduction to voodoo: https://www.ranker.com/list/history-and-stories-from-haitian-zombie-voodoo-mythology/christopher-myers A great in-depth episode of the Mythology Podcast on voodoo: https://history-podcasts.com/the-mythology-podcast Join the House of Legends Club at www.houseoflegends.me/landing-page M...

This is an Inuit story which I first told in 2010, from a retelling by New York-based storyteller Laura Simms. You can read about this story and its use by the Healing Story Alliance here: https://healingstory.org/raven-and-the-whale/ Join the House of Legends Club at www.houseoflegends.me/landing-page Music courtesy of Kate Young. If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deep...

By popular demand... it's time to go a-viking! This is one of the most popular Norse tales. It comes from the Prose Edda, the main source of Norse Mythology, recorded by Snorri Sturluson in Iceland in the 13th Century. Recommended texts for getting started with Norse stories: The Penguin Book of Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland (my favourite) Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman Myths of the N...

This week our guest is leading international storyteller Daniel Morden. I saw Daniel perform at Beyond the Border in Wales and was enraptured by his storytelling. Daniel works with Hugh Luton to tell the Iliad and the Odyssey, and they were awarded the 2006 Classical Association prize for 'the most significant contribution to the public understanding of the classics'. Daniel has conceive...

This week we have the story of Vasalisa the Beautiful, the most famous Russian folk-tale. The story was collected by Alexander Afanasyev for his Russian Folk-Tales collections, which were published between 1855-1863. It was made into a film by the same name, and has featured in the Hellboy cartoon as well as  various short stories. Most recently, Sophie Anderson used the story as the basis for her...

House of Legends is back! Our guest this week is Michael Harvey. Michael Harvey is an internationally performing storyteller and a recipient of the prestigious Creative Wales award. Recently he has worked with production company Adverse Camber on Dreaming The Night Field, a piece based on the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogion, which toured Australia earlier this year. Michael was kind enough to shar...

The story comes from the Isle of Skye in Scotland, and the version I based my telling on is called 'The Dark Doctor' in 'Celtic Sea Stories' by George Macpherson. I've made a few little tweaks but the story is essentially the same. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends    Get...

This episode was recorded at Storyfest Singapore in June 2019, where I was fortunate enough to see a group of young storytellers perform. The group had been mentored by festival organiser and legendary storyteller Kamini Ramachandran, and it was such a pleasure for me to see young people taking up the art of storytelling and doing so with passion, grace and skill.  Charlotte was part of that group...

A European folk-tale that feels absolutely universal.  In some versions, there is an axe in the soup, instead of stones. No source for this - I've only ever heard it orally. Try telling it yourself - its a very simple story to get started with! Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends    Get my FREE...

A Brazilian tale from storyteller Ana Maria Lines. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends    Get my FREE ebook Silverborn at: https://www.houseoflegends.me/landing-page Study with me at the Roundhouse Storytelling School and get a FREE pack of stories to tell: https://www.roundhouseschool.com Learn abo...

An episode from the Tain Bo Cauilgne, The Cattle Raid of Cooley, the great epic of Irish & Celtic oral literature. A great translation of the Tain is: The Tain by Ciaran Carson I've been so inspired by this stunning reimagining of the Cuchulainn tales - it is heartbreaking how little attention this book has received: Cuchulainn & The Crow Queen by Bernard Kelly Both are essentials for...

A tale from the legendary Scottish Traveller storyteller, Duncan Williamson. I heard this on an audio recording of Duncan. The same story can be found in: 'The Coming of the Unicorn' by Duncan Williamson, edited by Linda Williamson Learn more about Duncan in the two volume biography written by his friend and student David Campbell,  'A Traveller in Two Worlds' by David Campbell...

A story from the island of Skye, on Scotland's west coast. It can be found in my book, Scottish Myths & Legends . Skye also plays a part in the Cuchulainn legends, when Cuchulainn comes to the island to study at the warrior school belonging to Scathach.  If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deeper into myth with me. Start with my free full-colour Celtic Mythology...

Our first guest on House of Legends is Martina Pisciali, a young storyteller from Italy whom I was fortunate enough to work with at Storyfest in Singapore.  Martina is a regular performer at Raccontaminuastoria, the International Storytelling Festival of Rome, as well as at international festivals in Sharjah and Bolzano. She is the apprentice of the highly-regarded storytellers Paola Balbi and Dav...

A classic Russian tale, taken from Men and The Water of Life by Michael Meade. Dedicated to Mon, Head Trainer at Diamond Muay Thai, Koh Phangan. Learn more about Michael's amazing work as a storyteller, teacher and community leader here . If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deeper into myth with me. Start with my free full-colour Celtic Mythology Handbook, available...

A literary, pseudo-folk tale by the Japanese author Haruki Murakami, featured in his novel IQ84. If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deeper into myth with me. Start with my free full-colour Celtic Mythology Handbook, available here . You'll get access to regular mythic writings from me. Or you can start with one of my books . Each one is a full immersion in Celtic Dr...

This story is taken from: 'The Creative Fire: Myths & Stories on the Cycles of Creativity' by Clarissa Pinkola Estes Estes is best known for her seminal work 'Women Who Run With The Wolves'. If you enjoy this podcast, you will enjoy this book! If you've already read it, do give her audiobooks a try. They're full of great material and her voice is incredibly rich....

I heard this story from Ian Stephen, a storyteller, author and poet from the Isle of Lewis. Learn more about Ian's work here . If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deeper into myth with me. Start with my free full-colour Celtic Mythology Handbook, available here . You'll get access to regular mythic writings from me. Or you can start with one of my books . Each o...

The classic Celtic legend of Ossian and Niamh, in which the son of Fionn Mac Cumhaill travels to Tír Na nÓg, Land of the Ever Young. If these stories speak to you, you're welcome to journey deeper into myth with me. Start with my free full-colour Celtic Mythology Handbook, available here . You'll get access to regular mythic writings from me. Or you can start with one of my books . Each...

In this episode we visit Siberia for the story of Seventy Languages.  This story was taken from ‘Singing Story, Healing Drum’ by Kira Van Deusen. Other recommended volumes by the author are ‘Raven and The Rock’ and ‘The Flying Tiger’. Learn more about Siberian spiritual traditions in the seminal text, ‘Shamanism; Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy’ by Mircea Eliade. A wonderful album of Siberian music...