Myths and Legends

433: Spanish folklore: Doña of the Dead

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

⛰️When the unthinkable happens, Doña must become something she doesn't even recognize to bring justiceBut, once she travels so far from herself,...

432: Japanese folklore: Sword it Out

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

🍜Samurai Pirates, Stabby Sumo Wrestlers, and Punchable OniAre the consequences of Jiuyemon's actions. We all make mistakes. Too many of the samur...

431: Turkish folklore: These Dreams

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

✨Cobbler Ahmet just wants to fix shoes✨But his wife wants those sweet, sweet bath reservations, so it looks like he's going to go be the Chief As...

430: Finnish folklore: Worn Out

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

✏️Osmo is a pretty solid sketch artist✏️He’s not drawing a criminal, though. He’s drawing his sister, whose only crime is stealing the pr...

429: Slavic folklore: The Devilkin Made Me Do It

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

👞Goria the shoemaker has a bad boss👞 Is his boss the devil? Literally...well, no. Is the devil that Goria meets in a bar actually better than hi...

428: Monkey King: The Pride

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

🐺Inside each of us there are two wolves. They are named 'Shifty' and 'Freaky'.🐺 Which one wins? Well it doesn't matter because they're both demo...

427: Norse Legends: Wither or Not

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

🧙‍♀️So, you think your stepmom might be a sorceress🧙‍♀️ Common problem. Well, common for fairy tales, at least. But, have you though...

426: 1001 Nights: Djinning Up Some Trouble

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

🧞‍♂️Trying to meet the love of your life? Maybe ask for help from two genies trying to kill each other.🧞‍♂️ Even if you're not tryin...

425: Flemish legends: A Night Out

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🧌We've all been there.🧌 You spend a night out with friends, hanging out in the dark forest, crashing an ogre party and making dog friends. The o...

424: Irish legends: Out of Time

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🦌Oh, deer.🦌 No, really, the love of your life might just be a deer...or, well, a human in the form of a deer. Just ask your two cousins who are ...

423: Japanese folkore: The Illusionists

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

👹Something is lurking in the forest temple👹 While the country outside is rocked by the changes in the world, a village grapples with the idea th...

422: Scottish folklore: Witchful Thinking

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🧙‍♂️So you've decided to steal from a witch or wizard🧙‍♀️ Are you sure about that? If you are, you might want to think about what yo...

421: Viking Legends: Famous

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🔥All the Viking warriors' hearts burn with love for Nítíða🔥 And also the rest of them is on fire as well because that's what happens when you...

420: Korean Grim Reaper: Saja Boys

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

⚰️It's Halloween⚰️ What do you do when death comes for you? Well, the characters in today's stories have a lot of ideas, and they're surprisin...

419: Slavic folklore: Bad Heir Day

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🪉Ivan fights wizards and monsters and Baba Yaga with a music streaming subscription🪉 What do you get when your daughters have been kidnapped by ...

418: French stories: Our Son, Ourson, the Bear

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🐻Ourson is a Beary Good Guy🐻 Sorry, I couldn't resist, but he is actually a good guy. He isn't a bear though. He just looks like one to people w...

417: Guy of Warwick: Don't Be That Guy

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🛡️This Guy?🛡️ This guy is Guy of Warwick, and he's your guy. But only if you need someone to be the best guy in the world at fighting and ki...

416: Hans Christian Andersen: Humbugs

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🪲They're not so different🪲 One is the king of the world, and the other is a beetle. One wants to fight God, the other wants to wear golden horse...

415: Aesop's Fables: Bray it Ain't So

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🫏One little rent-a-donkey, one big journey🫏 Actually he's a full-grown rental donkey but the journey is a big one because, when you're a poorly ...

414: Monkey King: Ham-bushed

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🐷Sun Wukong is a bad friend🐷 But, to be fair, he never said he and Pigsy were friends...because you don't send your friends to dinner parties wh...

413: European folklore: Justice

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🔔Ring the bell for justice🔔 Want justice? Ring the bell. Doesn't matter if you're a horse or a snake or a merchant or a peasant but if you're on...

412: Indian folklore: Dicey

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🎲Losing your kingdom in a game of dice🎲 The story of Nala and Damayanti is a tale of love, loss, and losing everything but your underwear becaus...

411: Celtic folklore: The Wake

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

⛵️Get lost at sea with Maelduin⛵️ All Maelduin wants to do is avenge his father's murder...with more murder. He should have listened to that w...

410: Japanese folklore: Provincial

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

⛩️Stories from the Japanese countryside⛩️ Five interconnected stories of purpose, meaning, justice, talking animals, the boss falling off a cl...

409: Reynard: Nasty, Brutish, and Short

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🦊 Reynard the fox hates meetings, too 🦊 Especially because at most of the meetings he's invited to, people usually try to kill and eat him. Toda...

408: Knights of the Round Table: Hither and Thither

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🏰When a knight says he'll be right back, he means it Unless he dies. Or gets captured. Or just forgets about it, prompting his son to come looking ...

407: West African folklore: Wiser

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🍼Have a budding tyrant? You need a snarky talking baby🍼 Yenga Naa is wiser than the chief. How do you know? Well, he named himself that...the m...

406: Slavic folklore: Udder Nonsense

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🐄Baba Yaga, Dragons, Giant Talking Pigs🐄 We'll see what happens when a king who wants one son gets more than he bargained for: three sons, with ...

405: European legends: Ale to the King

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🍺Meet Cambrinus, things aren't going so well for him🍺 He's a peasant kid with a job that's going nowhere, a crush who doesn't love him back, and...

404: Monkey King: Not Found

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🤑 The Monkey King and friends are making money and staying in fancy hotels🤑 What is this that you heard about them being monks? What? No. That's...

403: Norse sagas: Wormtongue

26 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

⚔️The plight of the Viking celebrity poet⚔️ Friends become enemies, enemies become friends, and none of what you actually say matters all that...

402: Japanese folklore: Misconceptions

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🐸Love means never having to say I'm sorry (I poisoned you)"🐸 ...or something like that. This Valentine's Day there are three love stories from J...

401: Chinese Zodiac: Rat Race

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

🐀It's Race Day🐀 Today, we tell the story of how the animals in the Chinese Zodiac got their years: a race that's terrible for all involved. 😈...

400: Celtic folklore: The Baddies

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

👸 Our princess is in another castle! 👸 Two stories from Ireland where it's unclear who the villain is...and how it might just be among the peopl...

399: Canadian folklore: Wild Night

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🎉At a bad New Year's party?🎉 It has to be better than little Joe and Baptiste's New Years, in the frigid Canadian wilderness. But they're going ...

398: Nordic Christmas: In the Bleak Mid-winter

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🌲Trolls, zombies, and evil housecats🌲 It must be Christmas in the Nordic countries. Today, a young officer is stuck in the city after being in a...

397: Monkey King: King of Hearts

11 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🐵Monkey and Co. are really hoping this city is different🐵 I mean, it has to be, right? Not every city can be full of monsters...can it? We're ba...

396: Greek Myths: Hades, Too

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

💀Hades is taking the long way home💀 After dropping Persephone off in the world of the humans, Hades makes the long walk back down to his palace ...

395: Breton folklore: Darkest Knight

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🏰 Why maybe you should pass on dating that person with the dad who murders everyone trying to date them 🏰 The tale of Degarré is a story of kni...

394: Danish folklore: Heartless

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🧙‍♂️How a Scientist Becomes a Wizard🧙‍♂️ Two stories from Denmark about people dealing with their neighbors in very different ways. ...

393: 1001 Nights: Let it Be(ak) (part 2 of 2)

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

📝A Cavern Full of Snakes is apparently a Great Classroom📝 Hasib is still stuck in the room with the Queen of Serpents and twelve thousand snakes...

392: 1001 Nights: The Unthinkable (part 1 of 2)

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🐍Hasib wants to avoid a freak library accident🐍 So he will avoid learning anything. Ever. This week, it's the story of Hasib and the Queen of Se...

391: Japanese Horror: Handsome Bad Man

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

👹If you can't be with the one you love...👹 Love the one you're with? What? No. Kill everyone in your way until you get what you want. This week:...

390: Hans Christian Andersen: Swan Song

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🦢 Let them eat sand 🦢 A story from Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen about a witch who wants to take over the kingdom and the twelve kids wh...

389: Korean folklore: Star-crossed

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

🖤 The story of why you don't menace crows. Even if the people you're doing it to try to mess with are extremely annoying and lovey-dovey. Or, if yo...

388: Finnish folklore: Uh oh, Better Get Mikko!

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of King Mighty Mikko, a young man who isn't a king or mighty, but he is Mikko, and maybe that's all he needs. Oh...and a very clever fox con...

387: Slavic Folklore: Kind of Forgot About Vengeance (part 2 of 2)

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The conclusion of the story of Bova, where last episode we saw him ride out to battle alone against an army...but now he faces more danger delivering ...

386: Slavic Folklore: Really, Really, Ridiculously Good-looking (part 1 of 2)

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Bova, a hero from Slavic folklore, the beautiful beautiful man who is on a lifelong quest for vengeance. Against his mom. The creature i...

385: Aesop's Fables: On the Farm

18 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More fables from Aesop about life on the farm and how, if someone stops by wearing your friend's skin...they might not be all that trustworthy. The c...

384: Turkish folklore: The Silent Princess

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of the silent princess and the prince who definitely has been cursed by that strange woman in the street. He totally hasn't just psyched him...

383: Monkey King: Food Fight (part 2 of 2)

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, is dead. For real. He was eaten by a lion and is gone for good because we can all trust Pigsy because he's so honest and ...

382: Sun Wukong: A Good Death (part 1 of 2)

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in the story of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King and the Journey to the West, where Monkey goes undercover as a demon and defeats a whole army w...

381: Japanese folklore: Lend Me Your Ears

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories from Japan about the stories we tell one another. On the first, it's a not-so-famous musician who gets a massive new audience for the lege...

380: British Legends: I Loathe that for You

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of the laidly worm is all about the costs and benefits of kissing dragons on the mouth. The creature is Topielec, and it might just make or...

379: Norse Sagas: Forsaken (part 2 of 2)

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We finish up the story of Bard with that of his son, Gest, which includes bloody Christmas parties, fun new games for you and your friends will try* a...

378: Norse Sagas: Snowfell (part 1 of 2)

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The first part of the story of Bard, a medieval Icelandic dad who goes full Batman. The creature is Stallo. It's made of turf and magic, but it takes...

377: 1001 Nights: Science and Geometry

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A story from "One Thousand and One Nights" about three wondrous gifts: a clock, a security system, and a fake horse that can fly. Bet you can't guess ...

376: Danish folklore: Sweet Pea

10 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Three stories from Denmark about learning from your mistakes. Or not learning, and donating six full bags of gold to the local thieves. The creature ...

375: Monkey King: The Eyes Have It

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in the story of the Monkey King and the Journey to the West where maybe this monastery is different and not haunted and infested with monst...

374: European Fairy Tales: Mermaider (part 2 of 2)

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Undine the water elemental has a soul. And an evil uncle. And a friend who is in love with her husband. And about a thousand family members who want t...

373: European Fairy Tales: The Elements (part 1 of 2)

19 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Undine, by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué, is a direct precursor to Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" and comes inspired by t...

372: Greek Myths: Things as they Are

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Demeter from Greek mythology is one of finding her place in the world. A world run by her terrible siblings, but it's ok. She's her own p...

371: Flemish folklore: Stuck

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories from Flanders (the region of Belgium, not Homer Simpson's annoyingly nice neighbor) about people who are stuck. One is a married couple wh...

370: Aesop's Fables: State of Nature

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's fable time on Myths and Legends...despite fables being neither myths nor legends... They're fun, though, and you might just learn some of the wis...

369: Japanese folklore: Pilgrims

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories from Japan. On the first, a former samurai's wife is up to something and he's going to figure out what. On the second, we'll see that kind...

368: Indian Fairy Tales: Eye Love You

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When your seven spouses all have the same dream on the same night and ask you not to do the thing they dreamt would lead to problems for all of you......

367: Irish folklore: Daft Monk

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The madcap story of what happens when a monk decides he doesn't want to be a monk anymore. He wants to make way more money...as a poet. Also, why it ...

366: Monkey King: Roadblock

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Back in the Journey to the West and Monkey has a fan club, the Tang Monk teaches an impromptu class, and Pigsy finds his calling: sitting and eating. ...

365: Korean folklore: Goblin

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories of goblins (도깨비) from Korean folklore and how, if they stop by, you'll want to have drinks on hand because it might just save your l...

364: English folklore: Of Mice and Men...and Frogs...and Birds

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When your parents get you three tiny men in a golden box as a going away present. The creature is the Neugle, who will drown you but feel super bad a...

363: Slavic Folklore: One High Five Man

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Yaroslav is one of growing up and figuring out who you are...so you can stop accidentally killing people with your deadly high-fives. Th...

362: Chinese folklore: Broken

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories from Chinese folklore about broken things. A broken pot, a broken future, and how things can come together to heal. And why you shouldn't ...

361: English folklore: In a Pickle (jar)

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories from English folklore about perspective, and how you can't get something for nothing, but you can absolutely get nothing for something. T...

360: Leprechauns: Lucky

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The saga of Fergus mac Léti is, apparently, the first time leprechauns make their appearance in folklore. It's also the first time leprechauns try to...

359: Celtic Folklore: A Berry Good Day...for Murder?

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Munachar and Manachar are two friends out for a fun day of berry picking, but when one commits the only unforgivable sin of hogging all the berries, t...

358: Monkey King: Winded

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Back in the Journey to the West where Monkey and the gang are actually having an easy time of it and WHY IS IT SO HOT? The creature is Muirbech who i...

357: Icelandic Folklore: Dog Days

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A lost prince, a magic TARDIS barrel, and a talking dog take us to Jötunheim and back in the story of Prince Ring from Icelandic folklore. The creat...

356: 1001 Nights: Nifty Fifty

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A story from 1001 Nights about how to get rid of that annoying babysitter and what to do if your husbands keep getting killed (the answer is, apparent...

355: Greek/Roman myth: There's Something About Ares

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The stories of the creation from Roman/Greek mythology, the first werewolf, and Pygmalion, and also some Ares stuff because this is his week I guess. ...

354: Japanese folklore: Cursed

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories about finding people who like you for you. Not because you wear a rice bowl on your head. Or because you spend way too much time looking i...

353: Irish folklore: Beggars Belief

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of a storyteller who can't think of a story to tell, and how a stranger solves that problem by getting him fired and taking him on wacky adv...

352: French folklore: The Darling Formerly Known as Prince

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do you ensure your children grow up to be good people? You work with a fairy to design jewelry that stabs them, of course! The creature this week...

351: Dragons: Alternate History

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A mother and son are surviving at the end of the world, while monsters prowl the wasteland all around. And now, one of them wants to leave. The creat...

350: Korean folklore: Ghosts and Goblins

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Three(ish) stories from the Korean peninsula about ghosts and goblins. Kind of. Some are actual ghosts and goblins (도깨비). Some are the ghosts of...

349: Monkey King: My Own Worst Enemy

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're back in the stories of the Monkey King on the Journey to the West and we'll see that not everyone who is mean to you is a demon. They might be a...

348: World Folklore: Untitled Goose Episode

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Two myths and a lie! Two stories this week are tales from world folklore. One is a tale created by us for this episode. Check out the poll in our Inst...

347: Viking Legends: Fool Me Once

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Ketil Trout is about growing up and learning to be your own person. It's a coming-of-age tale with giant fights, dragon slaying, and outl...

346: Athena: Friends in Need

06 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tales of everyone's favorite Olympian in charge of warfare, wisdom (& crafts!): Athena. Well, everyone's favorite except for anyone who has been l...

345: Welsh legends: Fetch Quest

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Culhwch and Olwen is that of a thousand quests and why it's probably ok to name your baby after the place they were born...but maybe not ...

344: Armenian folklore: Giants, Giants Everywhere

22 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Mirza, from Armenian folklore, and why it pays to be a heavy sleeper. Also, if you find your incredibly angry, stinky uncle chained up in...

343: British Legends: Mr. Nice Knight

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A knight learns that generosity for those in need is good. Generosity to the point where you're in a worse spot than those you're helping? Maybe it's ...

342: Japanese folklore: Lord Long Legs

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lord Long Legs is a spider daimyo with ruthless mantis samurai. Sazaye has an impenetrable shell that will always keep him safe. An eel grilling coupl...

341: Greek Mythology: The Huntress

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when you mix chastity, violence, and absolutely zero private baths? The history of the Olympian Artemis...and a whole lot of problems. T...

340: Halloween: The Night that the Skeletons Came to Life

25 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A Halloween story about the specter bridegroom. A bridegroom. Who's also a specter...and the bride who's actually really ok with that. The creature i...

339: Norse Legends, Part 2: Fjord of the Rings

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Frithiof and Ingeborg is rife with evil trolls, good trolls, sea witches, land witches, and how to move on when the tragedy of the past h...

338: Norse Legends, Part 1: Mr. Viking, the Viking

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Viking is a Viking. His dad was either not very creative when it came to naming him, or had a very specific plan for his life. In his story we meet ev...

337: Greek Mythology: The Oracle

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For the god of healing, Apollo sure does a lot of the exact opposite. Born to a mother on the run from a giant snake, Apollo's life only gets more cha...

336: Monkey King: The Golden Cicada Bachelor

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Xuanzang, the monk leading the Monkey King, Pigsy, and Sandy on their journey to the west doesn't want to get married. The city full of women who want...

335: Indian folklore: Got Your Nose

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Two stories from Indian folklore where we learn that you should always know your exact weight in mangos...because it might help you outrun those eight...

334: Arabian folklore, part 2: The Enemy of my Enemy is my Enemy

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Fatima is a long one with many twists and turns. There are genies, evil wizards, massive battles, and a world-wide trek to make sure evil...