Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
The Brazen Head: Medieval Prophecy Machine or Tall Tale?
The brazen head is a legendary automaton capable of answering any question you ask of it. Was it a real fortune telling machine, or a tall medieval t…
6 years, 9 months ago
John Dee: The Magician and the Devil in Manchester
John Dee is a fascinating Elizabethan figure linked with the occult. But did this magician really conjure the devil while living in Manchester? Find …
6 years, 9 months ago
Daemonologie: Or, How A King Whipped Up a Witch Craze
King James I wrote *Daemonologie* as his manifesto about witches. But how influential was it? And what impact did it have on 17th century witch hunts…
6 years, 9 months ago
Witches' Familiars: The Good, the Bad, and the Weird
Many think of cats or toads when they think of witches' familiars. But what else acted as familiars? And what did they actually do? Find out about th…
6 years, 9 months ago
What were the three types of water nymph in ancient Greece?
The naiads, nereids and oceanids were all water nymphs in ancient Greek mythology. But who were they and what made them different from each other? We…
6 years, 10 months ago
Why do people confuse sirens with mermaids?
Many think sirens were beautiful creatures who sang to lure sailors to their death. But why do images show them with fish tails when they were bird w…
6 years, 10 months ago
Are the mermaids of folklore as vicious as the legends suggest?
People believe mermaids are either sweet sea-dwelling souls who dream of dry land, or vicious monsters who lure sailors to their deaths. Which is mor…
6 years, 10 months ago
Are selkies as dangerous as mermaids and sirens?
Selkies appear in the folklore of Ireland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland. But are they as dangerous as mermaids or sirens? Find out in thi…
6 years, 10 months ago
Thomas The Rhymer and His Predilection For Prediction
Thomas the Rhymer pops up in British folklore as a 13th-century prophet. How did he get the gift of prediction and how did he link to fairies? Find o…
6 years, 11 months ago
How To Make A Fairy Friendly Garden Using Folklore
If you're not deterred by the dark tales of the fey folk, what trees or flowers should you plant to create a fairy friendly garden? And what kind of …
6 years, 11 months ago