Podcast Episodes

Ghastly Saint Stories

Episode 23

Our collection of ghastly stories of saints highlights notions of extreme self-mortification as a spiritual practice along with a preoccupation with …

7 years ago

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The Devil's Due, Musicians and Marksmen

Episode 22

In this episode we look at legends of musicians and marksmen said to have made Faustian deals with the Devil.

We begin with The Phantom of the Opera,…

7 years, 1 month ago

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A Deal with the Devil

Episode 21

The legend of Faust is the archetypal deal with the Devil. This episode looks at the figure as represented in folklore, local legends, plays, puppet …

7 years, 2 months ago

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The Undead Come Courting

Episode 20

Vampire mythology first appears in the West in works as early Romantic authors meld themes from folk ballads of resurrected lovers with Balkan folklo…

7 years, 2 months ago

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Worm Songs and Beastly Sucklers

Episode 19

This episode examines the Lambton Worm, a dragon legend that inspired works by Bram Stoker and Ken Russel as well as well as the curious role of milk…

7 years, 2 months ago

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Wild Men, Furry Saints, and Burning Dancers

Episode 18

This time round we look at the medieval myth of the Wild Man, its connection to seasonal folk traditions, peculiar influence on Church teachings, and…

7 years, 3 months ago

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Christmas Ghosts

Episode 17

Traditionally Christmas was a time for ghost stories, and tonight we’re doing our part to bring back the custom.  A bit of history on supernatural st…

7 years, 4 months ago

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The Haunted Season

Episode 16

Historically, Christmastime in Central Europe was a season haunted by otherworldly spirits, werewolves, ghostly huntsmen, and wandering hordes of los…

7 years, 4 months ago

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Saint, Devil, Sugar-bread and Whip

Episode 15

The Krampus and St. Nicholas represent a folkloric duality embodying a mode of childrearing the Germans call “sugar-bread and whip” — in English, “ca…

7 years, 4 months ago

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Singing Bones and Scrumptious Children

Episode 14

This episode looks at some particularly gruesome fairy tales and folk ballads telling of murderers convicted of their crime through magical intervent…

7 years, 5 months ago

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