Folklore Episodes

In our first solo Halloween-themed episode of the year, Lizzie discusses Yamauba, a frightening old woman spirit from Japanese folklore. We talk about the different stories surrounding her, as well as what she as a folk character can say about …

In today's episode Lizzie once again delights Zoe's inner Russian and Decemberists nerd with the rusalka, a water spirit from Slavic folklore. We discuss the dualistic nature of the rusalka myth, the many different stories associated with rusalki, and the …

In today's episode, we discuss Santa Muerte, the folk saint and personification of death in Mexico. We discuss different ways of viewing death, her association with the LGBT community, and the way her worship exemplifies the Catholic church's stigma against …

In today's episode we discuss La Siguanaba, a frightening, horse-headed spirit found in folklore all throughout Central America. We explore the many, many different iterations of her story, talk at length about the symbolism of horses, and delve into colonial …

In today's episode we discuss the Gwich'in story of Ch'idzigyaak and Sa', as told in the book Two Old Women by Velma Wallis. We discuss oral tradition, forgiveness in a story, and the importance of recognizing a story as not …

In today's episode, we celebrate the Christmas season by talking about Frau Perchta from German folklore! We discuss the frightening nature of many Germanic folktales, survival during winter, and the ways that traditions and beliefs get passed down from generation …

In today's episode, we talk about the Bell Witch from Southern United States folklore, a spirit that haunted a family in Tennessee in the 19th century. We discuss horror as a way to talk about abuse, the demonization of independent …

In today's giant of an episode, we delve into the classic tale of Bluebeard's Bride. We cover three different versions of the story, including La Barbe Bleue from France, Knight Goldbeard from Switzerland, and Zerendac and Abu Freywar from Palestine. …

In today's episode, we discuss La Llorona, a spirit from Mexican folklore. We discuss the prevalence of female ghosts wearing white across world folklore, the varied interpretations of folktales, and the merits of modern retellings.

In today's episode we discuss La Difunta Correa, the beloved Argentinian folk saint. We discuss misogynistic Christian narratives, our perspectives on mythology, and parallels to the Virgin Mary. This episode has a trigger wa...

In today's episode we expose Zoe as a The Decemberists nerd as we discuss the Crane Wife, a tragic and fascinating figure from Japanese folklore. We talk about the animal-wife tale type, the messages about healthy and unhealt...

In today's episode, we discuss the pontianak, a frightening female vampire from Southeast Asian folklore. We discuss the meaning of civilization vs. nature in monster stories, the symbolism of female vampires, and why we love...

Today's episode features our very first guest star as we learn about the heroine of ATU tale type 510A, most commonly known as Cinderella. We roast the Grimm brothers, fangirl over Baba Yaga, and ponder how so many different ...

In today's episode, we talk about the Brazilian siren known as Iara. We discuss the powers of the moon, whether immortality is a blessing or a curse, and the mythological influences on names. For more information about today'...

In our fourteenth episode, we discuss Aisha Qandisha; a female djinn from Moroccan folklore. We discuss the powerful, possibly historical background of the legend as well as the healing power of reclaiming terrifying female f...