Myths and Legends

On his quest to help princess Ingigerd, Hrolf has become enslaved by the wily William, a con man who wants to be a prince. This episode, they'll come face-to-face with ghost kings, giant walruses, mythological dwarves, and the evil wizard that took down an entire kingdom. The creature is Biron (びろ～ん)! He's a little gross and weird! -- Biron:  https://yokai.com/biron/ Disclaimer: https://myths....

This week, it's the Saga of Göngu-Hrolf, from Icelandic folklore. It starts with a king getting one, solitary, five-foot-long, apparently super attractive hair wrapped in a scarf...and only gets better from there. There are evil wizards belching (yes, belching) fire and poison, somber Vikings getting conned, and a deadly honeypot zombie trap for any heroes who might try to be heroes. It's a fun on...

The hero twins will rise... ...and then fall. The underworld calls, and the monsters of their past comes back to haunt them.  The creature is the Obda, from Mari folklore. Yet another hairy naked man who lives in the forest. Who want to tickle you.   Membership : https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership Alligator (warning, skinned alligator) : https://myths.link/alligator   * * *  Sponsor:  Canva :...

In the beginning, the gods apparently had an undo button. And angry tortilla griddles that took out the first humans. Today, it's the beginning of the beginning in the Popol Vuh. We'll meet a macaw who thinks he's the son, a metal band lineup of underworld beings, and see the birth of the hero twins, who are destined to go up against the batman*  *not that batman  The creature is the Snallygaster,...

Can you beat fate? Subramanya has learned something terrible about two people who are practically siblings to him. Can he use his deep wisdom to beat the life that's laid out before them? The creature is maneki-neko, the waving cat, and we'll see how cats can be very lucky...if they can be bothered to help you in the first place. -- Links! Disclaimer: https://myths.link/319 Source: https://myths.l...

Hephaestus has his day Who is the smith god of Olympus? Why is he married to Aphrodite, and why can't he catch a break? This week, it's all about Hephaestus and his journey of self discovery where he (hopefully) doesn't fall off a mountain. Again. The creature is the Sea Hare. It's a hare that lives in the sea and also is relentlessly vicious. * * * Links That disclaimer: https://myths.link/318 Me...

We're back in the story of the Monkey King, and monkey finds a noble new calling: freeing enslaved monks. Does this noble calling include the ignoble murdering of his enemies and/or tricking them into drinking his urine? Yes. Yes it does.  The creature is the Stcemqestcint, the stinky naked man watching you in the forest.   * * * Extended cut and other membership stuff: https://www.mythpodcast.com...

What happens when you see something you can't live without? A thing you desire so strongly that you can't stop thinking about it. Do you give up everything to try to get it?  Maybe? But if what you're willing to give up is your child and the thing you desire is fruit from the garden...maybe rethink your priorities. It's the story of "The White Cat" by Madame d'Aulnoy, and in addition to questionab...

A story from Korean folklore about friendship, kindness, moving on, and why magicians are terrible actors.  The creature is the Silver Lake Serpent, and it's not actually in Silver Lake, near Perry, NY, but hanging out in a nearby hotel.   Links :  Allll the stuff about the Silver Lake Serpent: https://myths.link/315 Want ridiculous villains? Because this is how you get ridiculous villains: https:...

The story from Greek mythology of how Hermes became an Olympian by killing a turtle and eating some barbecue. The creatures are the heikegani (平家蟹), that angry crab that might just be a deceased samurai who has waited at the bottom of the sea for centuries...to snap at your toes a little. Best of the Worst! https://villains.lol Everything becomes a crab: https://myths.link/crabs The show post w...

We wrap of the stories of the dervishes (and the mysterious visitors to the party who are DEFINITELY NOT the caliph and Jafar) and then the hostess and her sisters find the tables have turned...because, yes of course, they have been threatening the life of their ruler, but more because...why were they beating those dogs and weeping??  The creature is Napf-Hans! A German version of the butter cat w...

A party no one can speak of under threat of death. Genie fights, wizard battles, and grocery shopping. Yes, we're back in One Thousand and One Nights.  The creature is haakapainizi, a folksy grasshopper! Who is also a cannibal!  The membership! https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership   The Best of the Worst! https://villains.lol/listen   Tiny Lobster Hands! https://myths.link/lobsterhands   * * * S...

A Norwegian tale about why you should pay your employees a living wage (or at least not beat them and try to have them executed), or else you could end up in a never-ending dance party.  The creature is why you should avoid home improvement projects like the plague...because you could be literally plagued with wood and earth imps.  Membership! Want ad-free and bonus episodes? Check out Myths and L...

A Ronin (a masterless samurai) goes on a quest to find a stolen sword and restore the honor of his family's name, but, when it comes to pushing the limits of what is right in order to see his mission through, how far is too far?  The creature is Rübezahl, a turnip counter, and we'll see why you shouldn't trust people who love vegetables.  Best of the Worst! https://villains.lol/listen/   The discl...

The story of Sigrgarthr and the Maiden King, from Icelandic folklore has Viking male models, ruthless princesses, people shoving metal down their pants to make unbeatable weapons, dragons, trolls, witches, and monsters. There's a lot going on this week.  The creature this week is the Pope Lick Monster, who shows that the most dangerous thing of all is our own superstition. And also being hit by tr...

This week, there are three stories of people bargaining: with the devil, with that angry lady who owns too many cats, and with...rocks, and we'll see that the person you need...might be the one you least suspect.  The creature this week is a forest creature who won't lope lazily past your out-of-focus camera...because he'll fly past. He's Batsquatch!  Show post and Batsquatch article: https://myth...

Stories of tricksters from the folklore of the Hopi, Northern Pueblo, and Algonquin people. Coyote makes an enemy when he steals Fox's best friend...and eats him. We meet Rabbit Boy and learn how to get a free ride from your worst enemy. Then, we see how that guy who keeps trying to bite your tail off...might not be your friend? -- Membership: https://www.mythpodcast.com/membership Assorted insect...

The story of why, no matter how good of an idea it sounds like after a few drinks, you shouldn't steal church bells and drop them into a nearby pond. You might awaken an ancient evil. Because of course you will. This is the tale of the Knucker. The creature this week is Bunny Man! He throws axes at cars! -- The post with the disclaimer and pictures and all that: https://myths.link/307 Crayfish: ht...

Two stories from Latin America folklore about people (and animals?) getting payback. The first is a story about why you shouldn't bite strangers. The second is about a man who can make the dead rise...but for a small fee will make sure that they stop. The creature is the magician's monster from Castle Frankenstein, a living lesson of why you shouldn't brag about your elixir of life and then die a...

The story of the Bird of Sorrow, from Turkish folklore, has love, loss, gratitude, people messing up coffeehouses, genie girlfriends, and elaborate pranks involving not being able to take off your pants. It's a big week. The creature is the neugle, a handsome little horse that gives Lil' Sebastian a run for his money. -- Music: "Among the Reeds" by Podington Bear "Caprese" by Blue Dot Sessions "Ch...

Two stories from Celtic folklore of the things that lurk among us: witches that live in our home town, trolls that hold dance parties on the frozen wastes, and tiny, 1000-year-old fairy creatures who are buying drinks after work. The creature this week is the Giant of Smeeth, who would really like you to watch your language, please. ***Slight correction*** I mention that it is 9th century Scotland...

Two stories from Japan about samurai (and wannabe samurai) following their dreams. Too bad it takes fights with giant creatures and a little bit of murder to do so. The creature this time is ao nyōbō, and she doesn't want you to stop by her beautiful, horribly dilapidated mansion. -- Creature page: https://yokai.com/aonyoubou/ Fart spray: https://myths.link/ohfarts Membership: https://www.mythpodc...

This week, we learn where you shouldn't kiss a rabbit (it's exactly where you think), and how a dance party can save a city. The creature is B.O.B., the Beast of Blattenboro, and he's here to do two things: exsanguinate dogs and scare people...and there is a lot of dog blood to suck and people to scare, so it's going to be around for a while. -- Links! Links here! Get your links! Creepy baby hand...

The story of a family and the monsters that hunt them. The twist? These are monsters that they might know better than they realize. The creature is snow snake! It's a snake that lives in the snow, and if you're thinking, "that's ridiculous, snakes are cold blooded!" Well, while you were thinking about that it bit you and you died. Congrats. -- Links! Reuter's fact-check on Snow Snakes (2021): http...

An abbot spends Christmas surrounded by outlaws in the dark forest, so he can listen to mysterious, otherworldly music. A farm has a fun Christmas tradition where employees end up dead on Christmas morning. It must be the holidays in Swedish and Icelandic folklore. The creature is draugr of the sea, Norse sea zombies, who are going to get in the way of your holiday mead run. -- Like ad-free and bo...