Spill the Mead

Oh my love is like a red, red rose… And Rabbie’s life was a tale of struggle, shame, redemption, and national recognition. And alcohol, don’t forget that very crucial component. Let’s look back at the life of Scotland’s National Poet, Rabbie Burns: a hard-drinking, fast-living, tenant-farming, tax-collecting rebel with the heart of a poet and some fierce national pride. Learn with us why Rabbie is...

Hey listener, who would win that fight? Listen to this cryptic episode to find out! And then listen some more for an EPIC twist. This episode just goes to show us all the power of gossip and propaganda, Vive la France! PLEASE leave us a 5 star review wherever you listen to your podcasts! It’s a couple seconds to do, and a HUGE difference for us! ️️️️Join our Patreon for extra WEEKLY content! https...

WELCOME TO 2025, HONEYBEES! We are SO on theme for Folktales today, we have two for you, both about New Years Day! 1.) Bad Little Goblin's New Year: no this one is not about Gabby, and don't fall for it if she asks you. No no, this story is about a little nuisance who goes from choking baby birds for fun, to pranking with a purpose. The character arc here is REAL. CHHHSSSSHHHHHHHH!!! (that was the...

Ned Kelly = Chaotic Good. If you're a 1800's Australian police officer, maybe go ahead and avoid this episode, as we come for your incompetence pretty hard... but we promise you it's nowhere NEAR as hard as Ned comes for the Ausie po-po and squattocracy as a whole. In this thrilling conclusion, we talk about the horse stealing ring, the birth of the "Kelly Gang", the politest heists in human histo...

Let's go to Australia in the late 1800's, shall we? It's a ruthless world of livestock stealing, prison sentences, and bushrangers. And it's where we find the hero of our story: Ned Kelly. In this pro-Ned telling of his life, we begin at... well, the beginning. We set the scene of Ned's life by looking at where his parents came from, and the general struggles of life in Australia at the time. More...

Well, well... here's two folktales that both very much deal with animals for you, sweet HoneyBees. Story 1.) Hans the Hedgehog. With a name like that... what can go wrong? Well for starters, TW for child abuse because of the Grimm's of it all, but other than that, this one really can't be predicted (though that did NOT stop us from trying!) Only main takeaway from this one is this: what size were...

Well HoneyBees, you officially have all of the same information we do, so it's time to decide: who is your Robin? In this episode, the legend himself, and real-life-actual-English-person, Chris Riley straight up gives us a list of names containing real-life people who could potentially be Robin Hood. Is it 1. Robert Hood, the tenant farmer, who in the beginning seemed so farfetched until the BOMB...

While we all know the tale of the Yeoman archer who defied Prince John, did he actually exist? From Sherwood Forest to Robin Hood’s Bay, the North of England is full of claims to his story but with so many places claiming Robin as their own, how can we be sure who the real ‘man in tights’ was? The earliest mentions appear in 1377 but the details don’t always match the legend. Did he rob the rich t...

Ok, Folktales XXX delivereth unto us some of the best gd folktales we’ve heard this season! • Story 1: Little Saddle S|ut Yes. This is the name of this story. Here it is AS PROMISED! This Greek version of Cinderella is unlike ANY Cinderella story you’ve ever heard, we promise. From murder, a little dash of cannibalism, an unobservant male love interest, and absent parents (for the most part) this...

Hey HoneyBees, quick question: have you ever found a rock in nature and you just HAVE to take it home with you? Yep, us too. This is a story about repeated stone snatching throughout the past 1500 years. And not just any stone, THE STONE OF DESTINY. Are you ready for this one? It’s a wild ride. Listen to find out the incredible history of the coronation stone, a cultural icon whose origins are roo...

Alright HoneyBees, prepare 2 vessels of beer (no we will NOT elaborate on that) and get ready for this ghostly episode! Did you know that there is an ancient Babylonian tablet laying out step-by-step instructions on how to exorcise a ghost?! You're about to learn all about it! The tablet included a 5 step process on how to get a ghost out of your home and on to where they belong, and just wait unt...

Well... we promise spooky folktales, and good lord do we deliver. Proceed with caution, honeybees! Story 1: The Baba Yaga: VOICE ACTING ALERT! Gabby shows UP for you with the voices in this episode. You'll hear her voice various humans with varying intentions, as well as at least 2 animals... and a door? The Baba Yaga is a witch-type character in Slavic folklore who likes to eat her nieces, not pa...

Lonely Orphan Girl, Snark Queen | Nellie Bly In this episode, you'll get to know Pinky-Pie Nellie Bly – a BOSS BITCH investigative journalist, kicking ass and taking names all over the world. Listen in terror with us as we discuss Nellie's stay in a Victorian-Era mental asylum. Marvel at her record-breaking circumnavigation of the globe. Wonder at her ability to PACK LIGHT (understatement of the y...

Minda ya business, this is New Orleans baby. In this highly anticipated episode, we get some POV action and take you to 1800's New Orleans to visit Marie Laveau in her home. While we learn about this absolutely incredible woman, we also get a survey of the atmosphere of New Orleans at this time, learn the actual ins and outs of the religion of Vodou, and explore Congo Square. The legends and truth...

Who ordered 3 piping hot folktales?!?! Tale 1: The Leopard Woman - First of all, "specist" IS a word... so. There's that. In this episode, a man clammers up a tree, which is SO embarrassing, but on the flip side, his wife can do a pretty cool party trick. Tale 2: The Three Billy Goats Gruff - Did you guys know this was Viking tale?!? Please brace yourselves for the absolute professional voice acti...

“From the devil they came, to the devil they will go.” – St. Bernard of Clairvaux As far as origin stories go, we'd say the Counts of Anjou have arguably the best (sorry Batman). From a lower Nobel family in 10th century France to a 300 year long dynasty in England, the Angevin Counts were notorious for their tempers, red hair and military prowess, so where did it all come from? The legend has the...

Ding-dong, class is IN SESSION! In this episode, Madi takes us on a little survey on the cryptic and mysterious origins of these staples to the occult. We look at where the oldest tarot deck came from, and the MASHcore games played with them. We learn that tea leaf reading is called "tasseomancy" and we love that almost as much as the Victorians did. THEN we dive into the REALLY FREAKING FASCINATI...

It's the first folktales episode of season 3, and Gabby comes in HARD with an origin story of the Nez Perce tribe. In this story, we meet a coyote who tests the suction power of a monster's mighty maw under the direct supervision of his arms dealer fox friend, Then Madi wraps it up with a story from the Māori culture that features an oozing (or shooting depending on the day) love triangle with a p...

In Coco’s first episode, we spill the tea on history’s hottest MILF, Nefertiti. We’ll talk about the beauty rituals of an iconic queen, what it’s like to move from a lush and thriving metropolis to a harsh and barren desert and speculate on the secret identity of the mysterious Pharaoh Smenkhare. Then, we explore the cringe that is young love, in a Fresh Cup submitted by a 13-year-old stuck in a l...

In this season opener, we give you the hottest gossip on Diogenes the Cynic, and his everloving audacity. We take a look at his balls-out-approach to "living his brand" (pun ABSOLUTELY intended), his bitter date-induced rivalry with another famous philosopher, and his brutal comeback to Alexander the Great-- or should we say Alexander the LAAAMME after Diogenes philosophizes him in the face. You c...

An ending no one could have predicted. In this episode we pick up with Catherine preparing for the fight of her life to defend, not only the sanctity of her marriage, but to protect her adoptive country from the "Scandal of Christendom". We see this Tudor tragedy unfold through her eyes in this dramatic and harrowing conclusion to the incredible life of Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England. Book...

Her time has arrived... our girl Catherine is FINALLY queen of England! But at a price. Her husband is the infamous Henry VIII. But not to worry honeybees! Believe it or not, they had a lovely marriage... for a while. In this episode, we talk about the happy years, and where it all went wrong... Book used for this episode: Catherine of Aragon Henry's Spanish Queen by Giles Tremlett

You knew it was coming, the question that has been asked since 1501, what happened in that bedroom the night Catherine of Aragon and Arthur Tudor were married? We speculate on that before moving forward in Catherine’s journey towards becoming the Queen of England. Join our Patreon for extra content! You can purchase Spill the Mead merchandise here Music is composed by Nicholas Leigh nicholasleighm...

She has arrived. We are in England, and Catherine of Aragon has arrived to fulfill her destiny to become Queen of England. In this second part, we will paint the picture of the first meeting with the King of England, her procession into London, and the wedding. Don’t get too comfy, this is the last happy episode of the series. Enjoy. Join our Patreon for extra content! You can purchase Spill the M...

Alright, here we go. It’s time to begin our series on the POWERHOUSE that is Catherine of Aragon. Yes, she was the first (and longest) wife of Henry VIII, but she was so much more than that. And in the beginning of it all, she was the Infanta. In this first episode, we look at her childhood, and all it took to get her Spanish feet on English soil. Be ready to fall in love with this woman. Join our...