Tales From The Enchanted Forest

The Women of the Trojan War III

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Travellers, we've covered most of the major players coming into the Trojan War and now it is time for the Iliad itself! That's right, the prologue and...

House of Troy and Atreus: The Trojan War II

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Last episode we dove into the beginnings of the Trojan War- namely centred around Helen of Sparta and her legendary, divine beauty that changed the wo...

House of Sparta: The Trojan War Part One

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Trojan War is the last great clash of the Greek heroes and it was all due to one face that launched a thousand ships- or was it? Join Fox and spec...

Thor Vs Utgard-Loki: The Norse Olympics

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

With the 2026 Winter Olympics in full swing, let's take you on a journey to the Norse Olympics in the Land of the Giants! Thor and Loki make their way...

Heer and Ranjha: Punjabi Folklore

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered where the "Heer and Ranjha" verse in Bachna Ae Haseeno's “Jogi Mahi” come from? Or who the Ranjha from the movie Sheershah's hit s...

King Frost and the Snow Maiden: A Russian Folktale

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Based on the snow conditions, it looks like King Frost has passed by, so why not tell a story to keep him at bay? For the first episode in the new yea...

Tales from the Box Office: The Swan Princess

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to say farewell to another year and as everyone settles into the internight days before the real start of 2026, we have a light hearted epis...

The Ghost Deacon of Myrká: Icelandic Christmas Story

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's only 8 days until Christmas which means its time for a Christmas ghost story! Join us as we tell the harrowing tale of the The Deacon of Dark Riv...

When Tawhaki Met the SkyFairy

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's almost like When Harry Met Sally, except Tawhaki literally climbs through the sky to get his girl. Straight from Edith Howes’ 1913 book titled,...

Wizards and Witches at Pengersick Castle: Cornish Tale II

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to part two of our wild haunted ride at Pengersick Castle in Cornwall! Last time we left off with pirates and revenge and this time we'll...

Murder and Magic at Pengersick Castle: Cornish Tale I

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Strange things are afoot at Pengersick Castle in Cornwall and they include (but are not limited to) murder, vengeful spirits, pirates, enchanters, wit...

Jikininki: The Japanese Flesh Eater

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A monk comes across an odd priest and an even odder town. You see, on the first night after a death, the entire village empties out for fear of the fl...

Katabasis: Orpheus and Eurydice

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

R.F Kuang's Katabasis has reignited the discourse around journeying into the underworld as a storytelling device. We've covered many stories in the pa...

Katcha And The Devil: A Czech Folk Tale

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes when you find the Shadow-Daddy of your dreams, you won't care that you're dancing with the Devil. Instead, you'll hold him tight until he ne...

Firemakers: An Australian Tale

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What one single creation probably changed the course of human evolution? If you're thinking tools then you're close but we're thinking FIRE! If you're...

The Salty Goose Girl: A Grimm Tale

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Combining the stories of the "Goose Girl" and "Love like Salt," we have the tale of the Goose Girl at the Well from the Brothers Grimm! The moral less...

Tales From The Box Office: K-Pop Demon Hunters

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to our special "Box Office" episodes where we look at the folklore behind the fiction. Today we deep dive into the mythology and monsters...

Who's That Animal: Fables and Tales

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you love playing "Who's that Pokemon" then this is the fable game for you! Join Fox as she tries to guess the animals in each tale Sparrow has coll...

The Princess-Knight and the Princess: A Romanian Tale II

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This story is adapted from Petre Inspirescu's "Ileana Simziana" or "liane of the Golden Tresses" and is the final part of the story so be sure to che...

The Princess who would be a Prince: A Romanian Tale I

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When the ailing ruler of the last nation to stand tall against a conquering nation finally surrenders, only one thing stands in the way of his people'...

The Betrothed of Destiny: An Armenian Adventure

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Prince of the West runs off for seven years to win the hand of the Princess of the East, but when things go sideways, she has to rely on her own s...

The May Queen: The Welsh Mabinogion

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It is May which means a whole host of things from Bealtaine to the emergence of the Oak King and Holly King, the Green Man, Persephone, the May Queen ...

How the Tiger Got its Stripes: Brazilian Folktale

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we head back to Brazil and our animal folktales straight from Fairy Tales from Brazil: how and why tales from Brazilian folk-lore by folkloris...

Saemund the Wise: An Icelandic Wizard

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today we have three tales of Sæmund: The Wise Priest-Wizard of the North! Saemunder/Saemund, an Icelandic folk hero, attended the Black Magic school ...

The Fairy Tree of Dooros: An Irish Fairy Tale

26 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The consequences of accidentally partying too hard after a hurling-match are too much to handle for one little fairy and his fairy tree. Edmund Leamy'...

Persian Pumpkin Tales

12 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

March is in full swing as the long preparations towards Nowruz (the Persian New Year) begin! To celebrate spring and all things pickled, we have two s...

Andersen's Snow Queen: Part Two

27 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Finish the story of the Snow Queen with us as we continue Gerda's journey to save Kai with the help of a chatty crow (and his sweetheart), another cou...

Andersen's Snow Queen: Part One

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With the Groundhog proclaiming an extension to winter, why not go back to one of the most timeless tales of frost and shivers- Hans Christian Andersen...

The Great Race: Chinese Zodiac

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Lunar New Year / Spring Festival to all those celebrating! Join Fox and Sparrow as we share the the tale of the Nian, the Jade Emperor's Great R...

The Snow Maiden: A Russian Faerie Tale

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Spring and Father Frost had a lovely daughter who could never love, but what happens when she yearns to? Aleksandr Ostrovsky's folk play "The Snow Ma...

Lord Alaric's Lady: English Midsummer Tale

18 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With Midwinter a few days away and the reign of the Holly King coming to an end, we turn to a Midsummer Tale to help warm us up during these cold mont...

Puss In Boots

04 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Shrek is full of fairy tale references and none are as cute as the character of Puss in Boots! Join us as we tell the tale of the oldest version of th...

Inanna and the Descent

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last time, Inanna, the Sumerian Goddess of war, love and sexuality stole the Mes, fought against Gilgamesh and lost while getting her brother-in-law k...

Inanna and The Sumerian Epic

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Inanna, the Sumerian Goddess of war, love and sexuality is used to getting her way, but when she's rejected by Gilgamesh, her fury knows no bounds. Sc...

The Pirate Ghost: Gombi Island

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

They say strange things happen in the Bayous of Louisiana. Hauntings, ghosts, mysterious disappearances and pirates. That's right, pirates! It's time ...

The Curse of the Corn: A Scottish Tale

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Travel with us to the Isle of Mull today as we share the story of the two sisters and a curse! Sibling rivalry maybe goes a bit too far in this reveng...

The Cobbler's Son and the Serpent: Uzbekistan

25 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing with our Campfire Tales, we have a hauntingly heroic tale from Uzbekistan! A haunted wood in Bukhara that no one dares step foot into, a po...

Murder Maggot: Campfire Tales

11 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There's a slight chill in the air which means its time for falling leaves and tales of horror! Before there were True Crime Podcasts, there was just a...

The Hammer Heist: Norse Tale

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Heists are all fun and games until somebody gets caught. Or was the person getting caught part of the REAL plan? And what happens if you're stealing f...

The Sky Bridge of Birds: A Korean Tale

26 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's a little bit too early to be celebrating the Chinese Qixi Festival or the Korean Chilseok, but the Japanese Tanabata festival is just around the ...

Long Meg and the Summer Solstice: A Cumbrian Tale

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Meg just wants to manage her coven of daughters in her quiet Cumbrian village, but when the solstice falls on the day before Lord's Day, she knows the...

Tales of Japanese Yōkai with Thersa Matsuura

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about Japanese Yōkai and Thersa Matsuura's new book "The Encyclopedia of Japanese Folklore." We chat about moving to a complet...

Yokai, Yocat: Japanese Folktales

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is sponsored by cats! Join Fox and Sparrow as we delve into the wonderful world of Japanese Yokai, particularly the Bakeneko and the Neko...

Horse Hooves: Mexican Folktales

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox on a solo trip down to Mexico with three fun regional folktales! From the Endless Story to Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet, these delightful st...

Mullah Nasruddin: The Wise Fool

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week Fox & Sparrow laugh out loud as they retell a series of very short stories starring Mullah Nasruddin. His stories come from all over, bu...

How The Rabbit Lost Its Tail: Brazilian Folktale

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hoppy Easter Travellers! In this week's solo episode, Sparrow explores a rabbit-centric Brazilian folktale from Elsie Spicer Eells's 1917 book, Fairy ...

Fatima & the Crow: A Persian Tale

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Spring has finally arrived in the Enchanted Forest, but it's also the Persian New Year, Nowruz! In honour of this celebration, Fox and Sparrow explore...

The Cleaning Pooka of Kildare: Irish Folktale

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In honour of St Patrick's Day, Fox and Sparrow look at an Irish folktale from the county of Kildare. In this quaint county, there is a grand manor wit...

The Apothecary and the Mermaid: An African-American Tale

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Storms, doctors of dead things, a damp mob and a miserable mermaid make this a mermaid story straight from the heart and soul of South Carolina’s li...

The Crystal Casket: Italian Snow White

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fox & Sparrow are back together for a new year with a new wild tale to tell! This Italian tale is like Snow White if it was made by Studio Ghibli....

The Eagle, The Whale, and The Dumb Brothers

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sparrow soars solo this week to Greenland for a wild tale about brothers and what happens when they make some pretty big decisions for their sisters. ...

The Butterfly’s Wedding: Highland Tales

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox for the first story of the year where we'll dive into a story gifted by a friend. Enjoy a short, weird tale that takes us over rivers, over f...

The Little Girl and the Whirlwinds: Bulgarian Tale

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year! Join Fox and Sparrow for the final story of the year, a whirlwind of a tale from the enchanted forests of Bulgaria! Can a little orpha...

Festive Folklore Figures

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The winter holidays are fast approaching and to celebrate, Fox & Sparrow are teaming up with a special guest Julia, aka Kuzco! Together they will ...

The Tale of the Boneless Jellyfish: Japanese Fairy Tale

29 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder why a jellyfish looks the way it does? Well, wonder no more! Fox and Sparrow retell a Japanese fairy tale that explains the appearance of ...

Running Deer and the Wampus Mask

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

November is when the dark creeps up on us and nightmare creatures run rampant in the night! So, snuggle in as Fox and Sparrow dig deep to find the tal...

How the Moon Was Made: New Zealand

01 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Catch up with Fox and Sparrow as they talk about Animal Crossing, cozy games, and Dungeons and Dragons! The story for today comes from Edith Howes. Tw...

Beware of Auntie Tiger: Taiwanese Tale

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With Halloween fast approaching, Fox and Sparrow bravely explore the spookier part of the Enchanted Forest. This Taiwanese tale features two sisters w...

Nigerian Animal Tales

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox and Sparrow as we share two Nigerian Animal Tales and contemplate the existence of animal tales in a bleak future of extinct mammals! Will El...

The Flower Queen’s Daughter

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cosy up with Fox and Sparrow as we travel to Romania/Ukraine to bring you the Bukovinian fairy tale of the Fairy Queen's Daughter! It's like the Perse...

Andersen’s Princess And The Pea

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Fox and Sparrow toss and turn over this small tale. Is it just a fun silly little story? Or is there more below the surface of Hans Christi...

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox and Sparrow as they Dance the Night into Barbieland and examine the Grimm story behind Barbie in the Twelve Dancing Princesses. For our Five ...

Rainbow Serpent: Indigenous Australian Tale

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox's solo episode on the Rainbow Serpent, a Dreamtime Creature from Aboriginal Australian Stories. The Rainbow Serpent is a creation creature fr...

Mermaid of the Magdalenes: Canadian Folklore

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Sparrow as she dives into this fishy tale of man's greed, a great Lobster's power, and the sardines' tragic fate. This week's story comes from Pr...

We’re Going on a Boar Hunt: Atalanta

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox's solo episode on the entire tangled web of the Caledonian Boar Hunt! From Atalanta and Meleager to Jason and Heracles, all of our favourite ...

Death’s Messengers: A Grimm Tale

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if you could know when Death was coming for you? Would you want to know? And would you even be able to recognize the signs? Join Sparrow as she e...

I Lava You: An Aztec Love Story

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox as she explores the Nahua story of Princess Iztaccíhuatl and her star-crossed lover, Popocatépetl. This story from Mexico explains how the ...

The Young Man Who Would Have His Eyes Opened: Estonia

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We all love to find answers and understand the world around us. But when does that curiosity stop making us happy and start becoming an obsession with...

The Poor Prince: An Afghan Fairy-Tale

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox's solo episode on an Afghan Fairy-tale featuring a Poor Prince and his two idle brothers. After their father's death, the youngest brother mu...

Princess Aubergine: Punjabi Princess

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our tale today is “Baingan Bádsháhzádi” meaning the Aubergine Princess or Princess Aubergine. It is a Punjabi tale but variants can be found al...

The Glass Mountain: A Polish Fairy Tale

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A beautiful princess, golden apples, dragons, golden knights and more make up this stunning tale from Poland: Join Fox & Sparrow as they explore the o...

Starboy and the Sun Dance: A Native American Tale

05 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Enjoy this solo episode with your host, Fox, as I bring you a tale from the Blackfoot Native Americans of the Canadian Plains. Feather Woman, Morning ...

Aicha: North African Demon Slayer

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Northern African tale of Aicha, the demon slayer, comes from modern-day Algeria and Morocco. Aicha is brave, beautiful, smart, capable and sometim...

Billy Duffy and the Devil: An Irish Tale

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

St. Patrick's Day is full of revelry fun and gathering around to hear silly stories so we have the perfect one for you! It's time to dance with the De...

Siya and Maadi: Betrothed and Beheaded

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, there were two people in love named Siya and Maadi. But tragedy strikes when Siya is chosen to be a sacrifice to a seven-headed serp...

Daughter Of The Sword: South African Tale

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Has anything ever been over-promised to you? Only to find yourself thoroughly disappointed when it falls short? The Daughter of the Sword does, and sh...

Spiteful Stories: Korean Folktale

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to a Footnotes with Fox solo episode! To celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year, we are heading to Korea for the tale of the 'Story Bag!' What ...

The Cottager and His Cat: Icelandic Tale

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy New Year Travellers! Sparrow starts off the year with the purr-fect fairy tale featuring a classic nameless protagonist as he runs away from his...

Holly King and the Oak King: Celtic, Wiccan and Modern

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Oak King will rise again. During Midwinter, he will emerge to fight his brother, the Holly King, and the cycle of the seasons will resume. Join us...

Why the Sea Is Salt: A Norse Holiday Story

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Asbjörnsen and Moe give us an unusual holiday story this year with the story of "The Quern that Stands and Grinds at the Bottom of the Sea" translate...

Chang’e and Hou Yi: To The Moon And Back

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are covering the Chinese story of Chang'e, the Lady on the Moon, and her husband, Hou Yi, the famed archer! This legend is also one of the or...

The Mermaid Wife & Other Selkie Stories

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Selkie is a magical creature that can shed its seal skin to become human! The downside is that human men have a habit of blackmailing Selkie women...

Modern Villains

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Join Fox and Sparrow for a spooky breakdown of some of the best non-horror villains out there! Get in the Halloween spirit with Azula, Morgoth, Darth ...

Modern Heroes

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

To close off our series on ancient heroes, we present a glimpse at some modern ones! From Frodo, Jon Snow, Spiderman, Luke Skywalker, Aang and Katniss...

Sparrow Shorts: Aesop’s Fables

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sparrow flies solo in a special mini-episode! Join her as she explores three of Aesop's Fables and tries her absolute best to discern the real lesson ...

Beowulf and his Monsters

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Beowulf and his monsters is one of the most popular topics from early European literature! Vikings, monsters, angry mothers and dragons r...

Saint George: House of the Dragon Slayer

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

"By George! I think they've got it!" The famous legend of "Saint George and the Dragon" is as iconic to the English as Jack and the Beanstalk and a Ch...

BONUS: Shahnameh Five Fantastic Finds

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After listening to the Shahnameh trilogy, make sure to drop in and listen to our Five Fantastic Finds! Today we cover Zal's "protagonist" hair, Daddy ...

Fatal Lions: The Tragedy of Rostam & Sohrab

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our final episode on the Shahnameh, we dive into the tragedy of Rostam and his son, Sohrab. Family, loyalty, and death highlight the main themes of...

Horsin’ Around: Shahnameh’s Rostam

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Often likened to the great Greek Heroes, Rostam quickly turns from a mammoth baby to a warrior and hero. To prove himself as the child of prophecy, he...

Lord of the Wings: Shahnameh’s Zal

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Shahnameh is an epic chronology of Kings and Heroes, none greater than the line of Nariman which descends through the generations. Join us as we e...

Tales From The Podcast: One Year Anniversary

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fox & Sparrow celebrate the podcast's first Anniversary in this special bonus episode! Join your animal companions as they reflect on the past year an...

Star Wars: Fairy Tale or Fantasy?

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Long Time Ago, in an Enchanted Forest Far Far Away, Sparrow uses her Jedi mind trick to hijack this episode! In honour of Star Wars Day, she will ma...

Mitten Mischief: Ukrainian Folktale

30 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fox and Sparrow explore the Ukrainian animal tale of the 'Mitten,' popularized by children's authors like Jan Brett! Stick around for our five fantast...

Beauty & Pockface: A Lin-Lan Cinderella

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lin Lan brings you the "Three Wishes," one of the earliest Cinderella retellings with no ordinary twists! Beauty and her stepsister Pockface can't see...

The Doomed Prince: An Egyptian Tale

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes you are fated to die and you stay away from your 'fate,' however, that becomes impossible when your fate includes a dog! Join us as we trans...

Luck O’ The Leprechaun: An Irish Folktale

16 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Top of the mornin' to ya! Joseph Jacobs' collected works include folklore right from the source and we scoured the Irish Folklore Commission for more ...

East of The Sun, West of The Moon (Part 2)

02 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Three helpful crones, golden apples, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and Norse mythology are all discussed as we continue our story from last week! Unnam...

East of The Sun, West of The Moon (Part 1)

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes finding a groom can be unbearable, but other times, the beast comes knocking! Curses, magic castles, Beauty and the Beast, and Thor all feat...

Welcome Back To The Enchanted Forest

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fox & Sparrow are back in the Enchanted Forest! And they are bringing along with them more fantastic fairy tales, legends, myths and much much more! ...