The Folklore Podcast

We meet musician and composer Freya Waley-Cohen to talk about her work and the ways in which folklore and the occult have inspired her music. In particular, we look at 'Spell Book', a dramatic song cycle which sets spell-poems from Rebecca Tamas' book WITCH to original music.You can visit Freya on the web and learn more about her work at https://www.freyawaleycohen.com/To support the work of the Folklore Podcast on Patreon and access extra content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

There can be few people who don't have at least a passing awareness of the legend of the lost continent of Atlantis. But probably a significantly smaller number don't know much about Lemuria, another alleged land mass which sunk to the depths and which has since been seized upon by occultists to posit theories about our ancestral past.In this episode of the Folklore Podcast we sort the aquatic wheat from the chaff with special guest Justin McHenry whose latest book provides an in-depth look at the stories of Lemuria.You can visit Justin's website at https://www.justinjmchenry.com/To support The Folklore Podcast and help us to keep going into our 10th season, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In this episode of the podcast, we explore the use of folklore as an inspiration for the creation of music, with award-winning musician, composer and songwriter Kate Young.At the time of release, Kate has just released her much-anticipated debut album, Umbelliferæ (pronounced ‘um-bell-ifer-aye’), a captivating record inspired by plantlore and the ancient medicinal uses of wildflowers from the British Isles. Drawing from world traditions, chamber music, and indie/pop influences with a stunning song-led string quintet collection, each track is a unique journey through soundscapes inspired by specific plants, which Kate has woven together with stories and melodies that capture the essence of their characteristics and historical uses. You can find out more about Kate and her music, and get a copy of her album, from her website at https://kateyoungmusic.com/Support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon to help us to keep producing the content you enjoy. You can join as a free listener and access our storytelling podcast there, or from a small amount each month access our back catalogue of bonus materials. Visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast to sign up.

Folk tales have been important to us for centuries, but in the grand span of their existence we only started writing them down relatively recently. In this episode of the Folklore Podcast, we are joined by Scottish storyteller Allison Galbraith, who is one of those who not only tells in person, but also commits stories to print.Amongst these is the tale Zombie Cow, which she performs as part of this episode and which we couldn't resist using as an episode title.This episode is a rich investigation into the art of storytelling, the written word and much more.Visit Allison's website at www.voiceandstory.comSupport the Folklore Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In one of our occasional Folklore in the Field episodes, recorded live at events, Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman is joined by Bronte Schiltz for a discussion of representations of the ghost on television.This interview was recorded at the UK Ghost Story Festival 2024 at the Museum of Making in Derby, UK.To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

A quick interruption to your lives with some news about the podcast!

In another of our occasional series looking at the work of American storytellers, we meet the award winning Laura Packer. Based in Minnesota, Laura has over 25 years of storytelling experience and was recently inducted into the United States National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence - a select group of storytellers determined by their peers to be standard bearers of the art, and masters at the craft. You can find Laura online at https://laurapacker.com/Please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast where you can join our Patreon support page for free or pay a small amount each month to help our work.

To coincide with his new book 'Zoinks - The Spooky Folklore Behind Scooby-Doo' going to pre-order, Folklore Podcast creator Mark Norman presents a special episode looking at the way that folklore and the paranormal are represented in Scooby-Doo through the lens of Shaggy and Scooby's favourite thing - food.To pre-order a copy of Zoinks and receive an exclusive set of collector's cards with your order, please visit https://auk.direct/product/zoinks/To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon and receive extra content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In terms of folklore, ghostly encounters are not about the proof of existence of the supernatural so much as they are about the meaning of the experience to the individual. Folklore is about examining the story, the meaning that it has for the witness, and the way in which that narrative is both transmitted and recorded.We discuss the recording process of ghostly encounters, the 'writing of ghosts' with our guest Amelia Cotter, who has dome precisely this across different genres, including non fiction, fiction and poetry. Amelia is in conversation with correspondent Tracy Nicholas.Visit Amelia online at www.ameliacotter.comTo support the work of the Folklore Podcast and to help us to keep making content, please visit our Patreon pages at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

An episode of 'Folklore in the Field' presenting interviews and discussions recorded live at events we attend.This episode features a roundtable discussion on the topic of folklore and magical practice, recorded in association with Crossed Crow Books.Folklore Podcast creator Mark Norman hosts guests:Blake and Wycke Malliway - owners of Crossed Crow Books and Malliway Bros occult shopJac D Hawkins - author of Elemental SpiritsAlbert Bjorn Shiell - author of Icelandic Plant MagicThis discussion was recorded in Reading, UK in March 2024.Support the Folklore Podcast in producing more free folklore content by visiting our Patreon Page

Wherever we might be in the world, we find that folklore will always take on very specific regional variations: any area will have both its own unique stories and versions of other tales which have been shaped by local knowledge or events.In the UK, where the country is divided into counties, records vary very much from place to place. The country of Lincolnshire has some fascinating folklore and yet, historically, it has been quite overlooked in terms of collecting and recording these stories.A new project, based at Nottingham Trent University, seeks to redress the perceived imbalance. On this episode of the podcast, creator and host Mark Norman is joined by Dr Anna Milon and Dr Rory Waterman to discuss the folklore of Lincolnshire and The Lincolnshire Folk Tales Project.You can visit the project website at https://lincolnshirefolktalesproject.com/To support The Folklore Podcast and help us to keep going, as well as getting access to extra member content, please consider joining our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In this episode of the Folklore Podcast we explore the psychology of trauma and its intersection with alleged paranormal phenomena, with guests Bill and Jaci Kousoulas.For some, paranormal occurrences can be a precursor to later trauma, either on a personal level or on a larger scale. For others, trauma may act as a catalyst from paranormal events and they find after suffering a personal loss or other tragedy that they become susceptible to what we might term supernatural happenings. But what is the psychology between this intersection of trauma and the paranormal? We explore the answer to this question with particular focus on the tragedy of the Point Pleasant Bridge collapse and its connection to the Mothman sightings.To support The Folklore Podcast and access extra content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The image of the fox appears in many cultures as a trickster figure, but in Asian folklore there are some subtle differences. The Chinese fox is a symbol of intelligence, and has the ability to shapeshift for example.Exploring the folklore of the Asian countries, with particular reference to foxes, in this episode creator and host of the podcast Mark Norman is joined by New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo. Yangsze's novel 'The Ghost Bride' was serisalised and broadcast as a Netflix original series and her latest work 'The Fox Wife' draws on the Asin fox folklore that we explore.Find Yangsze online at https://yschoo.com/To support The Folklore Podcast in all of its work and access additional content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In the field of Gothic literature, from the Penny Dreadful and Chapbook through the Penny Bloods and novels. whether it a classic like Bronte or something less well known, there are many ways in which the female characters may as monstrous.We explore the landscape of 'mad', murderous and shape-shifting women with Gothic scholar Dr Nicole C. Dittmer, author of 'Monstrous Women and Ecofeminism in the Victorian Gothic'.After listening to this episode, seek out Story 4 of 'Stories from the Hearth', our storytelling show, in your podcast feed for a reading of 'The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains' narrated by Nicole.To support our work creating free folklore-related content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

We welcome writer and folklore graduate Liza Frank to the Folklore Podcast for an episode looking at the many different ways in which you might be able to combine a bit of folklore into your daily life.In conversation with Mark Norman, creator and host of The Folklore Podcast, Liza looks at divination, calendar customs, food folklore and lots more ideas which came out of the Everyday Lore Project which she ran for a year through lockdown. Liza also discusses how this material then went on to form the basis of her book Everyday Folklore. Visit Liza's website at www.liza-frank.comTo support the Folklore Podcast and its work creating and producing accessible folklore content for everyone, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Nick Medina's debut novel from 2023, 'Sisters of the Lost Nation', describes the hunt for answers as a Native girl searches for information about women who have been mysteriously disappearing from her tribe's reservation. As she searches for clues, she learns more about the myths and stories of her people and how they may offer help.In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, we chat with Nick about various aspects of Native American folklore, his inspirations for this particular plot from the real world and other aspects of indigenous culture.Visit Nick's website at www.nickmedina.netExplore the Folklore Podcast website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com or sign up to the Patreon page to offer support at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Folklorist Mark Norman, the creator and host of The Folklore Podcast, returns to write and present an individual episode of the show.Spurred on by the recent viral sharing of the Chicago Rat Hole, Mark takes a look at the history of this simulacrum as well as other folk art and belief associated with our roads from flacking to the Virgin Mary, and from holes in the ground to manholes in space. Maybe.To support The Folklore Podcast and help us to keep writing and creating free folklore content, please consider signing up to our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast or making a one-off donation on our website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

Aisling is the Irish for dream or vision, and it may take the form of a vision poem. The genre was developed as a part of the wider Irish language poetry field at the end of the 17th century, going into the 18th. More broadly, aisling is a vision which is said to connect the seer strongly with the landscape and identity of Ireland and its sacred sites.Our guest today, author Jeremy Schewe is considered to be connected in exactly this way. In 2017, Jeremy completed 21 years of study in Celtic alchemy and traditional ecological knowledge and he now helps other people with their own similar paths of discovery. He is a certified herbalist and record keeper of traditional Celtic ecological lore.In the episode of the podcast, Jeremy talks about his connections to sacred Ireland, his new book Aisling, and his wider views of landscape, identity and place.Visit Jeremy's website at https://www.inchantedjourneys.com/Find Jeremy's book at www.crossedcrowbooks.comSupport the work of The Folklore Podcast at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Season 9 of The Folklore Podcast kicks off with another examination of folklore writing for a younger audience.Special guest on this first episode of a new season, Louie Stowell, discusses Norse Mythology, gods, writing folklore for children and much more as we examine her ongoing book series "Loki - A Bad God's Guide".There's also a chance to hear an extract from the first audiobook in the series, painting a picture of what a Norse God might be like in the body of a mortal 11-year-old child.You can visit Louie's website at www.louiestowell.comSupport the work of The Folklore Podcast in bringing free access to the world's experts in folklore by joining our Patreon page for extra content at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcastAudiobook extract: Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good © 2022 Louie Stowell. ℗ 2022 W. F. Howes Ltd. Used with permission of the publisher.

The Folklore Podcast Christmas Special for 2023.In an interview recorded live at the science fiction and fantasy convention Armadacon, we chat with Pat and Jan Harkin, the husband and wife team responsible for rediscovering all of the Terry Pratchett short stories published together for the first time in the new anthology 'A Stroke of the Pen'.The episode closes with a reading of one of these stories, 'How it all Began' by actor David Tennant.To support The Folklore Podcast on Patreon and help us to keep producing content for the next season, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

We welcome award-winning children's author Sophie Anderson back onto the podcast to celebrate the launch of her latest book, 'The Snow Girl'.Sophie researches and works closely with Slavic and Russian folk stories, using them as inspiration for her own stories. We talk about this rich vein of lore as well as her thoughts on using folklore more generally in fiction writing. There's also a chance to hear an extract from the audiobook version of 'The Snow Girl', courtesy of Usborne Books.To support the work of The Folklore Podcast in bringing many hours of free folklore content to the public,please visit our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast or make a small donation via our website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

A short trailer for our new storytelling podcast, 'Stories from the Hearth', where you - the Folklore Podcast listeners - narrate old folk and fairy tales.Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts by searching for 'Stories from the Hearth (A Folklore Podcast Production)

It seems strange that there have been very few quality studies undertaken of female ghosts in America. On this episode of the podcast, we meet two researchers who have happily redressed this balance in their book 'A Haunted History of Invisible Women', Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes.The episode also features a preview of a track from the new album Solstice Wyrd, performed by Lunatraktors.Support the work of The Folklore Podcast on our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In a crossover episode, The Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman is joined by Eleanor Conlon and Martin Vaux, the creators and presenters of The Three Ravens podcast.Between them, the trio have an in-depth discussion of all things folklore and folk tale, and Eleanor and Martin present their version of the story The Two Sisters.Visit www.threeravenspodcast.com to find out all about Eleanor and Martin, or listen to their podcastSupport The Folklore Podcast in what we do and access extra content at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

We explore the concept of the elements - Earth, Air, Fire and Water - with our guest, author and Wiccan practitioner and teacher Deborah Lipp. Her book on the subject, The Way of Four, was updated this year and republished in a new edition by Crossed Crow Books.Deborah discusses not only the ritualistic importance of the elements, but also how they can be and are integrated into our daily lives. Science may have renamed them, but their attributes and importance remain the same in the modern world.Find Deborah online at www.deborahlipp.comCrossed Crow Books are at www.crossedcrowbooks.comSupport the work of The Folklore Podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In one of our occasional 'In Conversation' episodes, where we have no set theme but just chat with a fascinating guest from the world of folklore, we welcome Rev Peter Laws.Peter is the host of three of his own podcasts, an expert on 'Uncanny' with Danny Robins and the author of a number of books, including non-fiction title 'The Frighteners' which explores our interests with anything morbid.We cover ghosts, monsters, horror films and the significance to Peter of black rabbits. To find out more about Peter, please visit www.peterlaws.co.ukTo support our work on Patreon to keep The Folklore Podcast running, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

We get the rare opportunity to host an actual urban legend, as we welcome the mysterious Chuck Tingle onto The Folklore Podcast.In an interview which we think we surprise many, Chuck discusses his new mainstream horror writing, deconstructs the horror genre ... and maybe separates out some of the fact and fiction in his own work and life. You'll have to be the judge of that.Chuck is, undoubtedly, the embodiment of living folklore. If you thought you knew what his work was about, think again.You can help to continue to support the work of The Folklore Podcast as we head towards our ninth season with a small donation on our website, or by joining our Patreon page where you can access bonus content.

Rebels come in many flavours. Cultures around the world have their own examples of rebellious characters embedded within their folk tales. Some help others, some help themselves. Some you would love to meet, others you would do well to avoid.But what exactly is the meaning behind our rebellious folk characters? What purpose do their stories hold and what do they tell us about ourselves?Joining Mark Norman, creator and host of The Folklore Podcast, to discuss the role of the rebel in world folklore is returning guest Icy Sedgwick. Icy is a blogger and writer, the host of Fabulous Folklore podcast and the author of 'Rebel Folklore', published recently by Dorling Kindersley.To find out more about all of Icy's work, visit her website at www.icysedgwick.comYou can support The Folklore Podcast on Patreon for as little as the price of a bar of chocolate each month, and help us to keep creating folklore content for the future. Please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast where you can sign up and access bonus content and other rewards too.

Tolkein, Pratchett, Gaiman ... there have been many great writers who use folklore to underpin their narratives.In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, author, musician and poet Ceallaigh MacCath-Moran joins us to discuss the creative application of folklore in writing. Ceallaigh is the creator of the newsletter, dispatch and podcast 'Folklore and Fiction' which examines folklore scholarship aimed at storytellers and writers. Learn more on Ceallaigh's website at https://csmaccath.com/folkloreandfictionTo support The Folklore Podcast and our portfolio of folklore work and content, please visit our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast where you can also access extra content.

In this second of three bonus mini episodes recorded live at the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research 40th anniversary conference in Sheffield, Perry Carpenter (Digital Folklore Podcast) and Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman chat about the folklore, creatures and beliefs of Iceland and Sweden with our two international guests.To support the work of The Folklore Podcast in continuing to produce episodes of the podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

It is now 50 years since the infamous horror film 'The Exorcist' made its way into cinemas, creating a rapid reputation which would go on to see it become a cult classic in the genre as well as spawning a raft of other franchise material which was not foreseen or intended.The recent death of the movie's director William Friedkin has brought to the forefront once more the important legacy which 'The Exorcist' has created. It is far more than simply a horror classic. It is a part of our social history, providing a cultural commentary on the world.In terms of folklore, it is based on a series of events which actually happened (whatever they may have been) and as well as drawing on these it shines a light on the often dangerous world of exorcism today.Film historian, broadcaster and author Nat Segaloff joins us to discuss 'The Exorcist' and it role in our society.

On the anniversary of his birth, we delve into the life of the cult American pop culture 'psychic' with a knack for failing to make accurate predictions, The Amazing Criswell. Leading us on this journey is Edwin Lee Canfield, who has spent the last two decades researching Criswell's life and interviewing those who knew him.Find more about Edwin's book on Criswell here.To buy a copy of The Vampire's Tomb Mystery, mentioned at the end of this episode, please visit this link.To support The Folklore Podcast on Patreon and help us to keep producing content into the future, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

We explore the ways in which folklore can sit behind some of the everyday rituals that we perform at home with guest Alise Marie, author of 'The Beauty Witch's Secrets'. Following a pagan path in her work, Alise explores the ways in which plants, in conjunction with traditional beliefs about the cycle of the seasons, can be used in the field of health and beauty.You can visit Alise Marie's website at www.thebeautywitch.comTo support the Folklore Podcast in continuing to create freely accessed folklore content, please consider joining our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Literary correspondent Hilary Wilson chats with Genevieve Cogman, author of the 'Invisible Library' series, about the first book in a new trilogy. 'Scarlet' is a new take on the story of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the French Revolution, this time with added vampires!Learn more about Genevieve on her website at http://www.grcogman.com/If you enjoy the free folklore content that we create and want to do more to help, please visit our support pages at www.thefolklorepodcast.com/support where you can learn more about things that you can do to support us.

In a new occasional strand of The Folklore Podcast, 'Folklore in the Field', we will be presenting interviews and other items of folklore interest which we have captured on location.This episode, recorded at the 40th anniversary conference of the International Society for Contemporary Legend Research at Sheffield Hallam University, features Mark Norman (host of The Folklore Podcast) and Perry Carpenter (co-host of Digital Folklore Podcast) in conversation with Dr Diane Rodgers of the Centre for Contemporary Legend Research Group.If you enjoy this episode, please consider supporting the Folklore Podcast to help us to keep making content. You can join our Patreon community where you can get exclusive extra content, or just make a small one-off donation. Please visit www.thefolklorepodcast.com/support to do either of these.

We shine a spotlight on some of the folklore and tales of importance in African culture. Guiding us on this path is Helen Nde, writer, artist and the curator of Mythological Africans. She is in conversation with Tracy Nicholas, as part of our occasional series on storytelling and storytellers.Visit Helen's website at https://www.mythologicalafricans.com/To help us to continue producing free content on The Folklore Podcast, and to access a catalogue of exclusive bonus content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The day that Rowena Murray was born, two-hundred-and-fifty starlings dropped dead out of the sky. Or so her mother says. Ever since, she has been marked by Death. First came the visions; then her boyfriend died suddenly. Now Death has taken her father, too.Salvation, Rowena is told, lies to the North: in Culcrith, where her grandmother can save her from the curse...We meet author Nadia Attia who discusses her debut novel 'Verge' and the folklore behind its story.To support The Folklore Podcast with a small monthly donation and receive bonus content and other benefits, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In this last of three interviews recorded live at the UK Ghost Story Festival in Derby, podcast host Mark Norman chats with author Lauren McMenemy, who was also one of the people helping with the organisation of the festival itself. The pair discuss ghosts, recommendations for spooky fiction and the time that Lauren spent living in the bizarre serial killer capital of Australia!To support the work of the Folklore Podcast and help us to keep producing more folklore content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Following on from our last episode looking at execution ballads, we stick with the subject of the folklore of death. This time, we focus our attention on England in the 19th century. Discussing the topic with podcast host Mark Norman is author and researcher Claire Cock-Starkey whose PHD research covers this subject.To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon and access extra content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

On her website, Execution Ballads, Dr Una McIlvenna writes:"Across Europe, from the sixteenth century until the early twentieth century, the news of the deeds of criminals and their subsequent executions was delivered via song, often printed on cheap, single-sheet broadsides or small, book-like pamphlets, as well as passed on orally or via manuscript. Songs were usually set to a familiar tune (often indicated at the top of the pamphlet), which allowed anyone to easily sing along. They were sold in busy streets and marketplaces by street singers, who usually sang the contents of the pamphlet in order to promote their wares."In the episode of the podcast, Una discusses, and sometimes sings extracts of, execution ballads spanning four centuries of our history. Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of historic execution and torture. Listener discretion is advised.To support our work with folklore and to help us to keep producing content, please visit our Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Odyssey Theatre is Ottowa's premiere professional theatre company, specialising in the old tradition of masked performance. So what happened when the world when into lockdown and theatre became, for a while, a think of the past?In the case of Odyssey, it became an opportunity to branch out into audio drama with 'The Other Path' - a magical podcast which reimagines traditional folk tales in a new and immersive modern setting.In this episode we meet Laurie Steven (creator and director) and writers Marty Chan and Daniel Peretti to explore the process of developing these modern twists on some classic tales.To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon for as little as £1 a month and help us to keep producing free content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcastLinks to guest biogs and more information can be found on the episode page for this episode on the Folklore Podcast website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

The Folklore Podcast presents a recording of a panel discussion hosted at Maidstone Museum on the subject of the Kentish tradition of Hoodening and the Hooden hobby horse. This panel was presented as part of a museum exhibition entitled "Animal Guising and the Kentish Hooden Horse" which runs until June 2023. The recording was provided for broadcast by Maidstone Museum.The discussion panel is chaired by Professor Ronald Hutton and features Dr Geoff Doel (lecturer in medieval and traditional culture), George Frampton (author of 'Discordant Comicals') and Ben Jones (St Nicholas-at-Wade Hoodeners).Music featured in this episode is performed by Mary Foxley.To support the Folklore Podcast and the Folklore Library and Archive in its work preserving folklore for the future, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

We explore the figure of the Slavic forest witch Baba Yaga in this episode of The Folklore Podcast, through the lens of a new women in horror anthology called 'Into the Forest'. Amongst the 23 stories and poems in the book are ones written by a New York Times bestselling author, a number of Bram Stoker Award nominees, and our guest Catherine McCarthy - a Welsh author of dark fiction.Catherine chats with film studies lecturer Jenny Barrett about her background and inspirations, and her take on Baba Yaga.Into the Forest is published by Blackspot Books. You can find Catherine on Twitter here.To help us to keep producing this podcast, as well as supporting our non profit work through the Folklore Library and Archive, please consider joining our Patreon page for extra content.

We welcome Dr Amy Jeffs back to The Folklore Podcast. After the much-lauded success of her first book, 'Storyland' we chat about Amy's new book 'Wild', published by Quercus, which examines tales from Early Medieval Britain. In the book, Amy provides new tellings of some of the stories of the period, once again giving her expert analysis on the material.Visit Amy's website at https://www.amyjeffshistoria.com/ or follow her on Twitter @amy_historiaClosing music in this episode is 'Callanish - Sacred Moon', performed by Car Dia. Find them on the web at www.pagansongs.comIf you find The Folklore Podcast of value to you, please consider supporting us with a small donation via our website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com or join our Patreon page for extra content and support our work there.

In another interview recorded live at the 2023 UK Ghost Story Festival at the Museum of Making in Derby, Folklore Podcast host Mark Norman chats with Norwegian author Camilla Bruce about the folklore of her country, ghosts, witches and the inspiration for her writing.Visit Camilla's website at www.camillabruce.comTo support the Folklore Podcast and the Folklore Library and Archive in its work preserving folklore materials for the future, and to access bonus material, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In the next in our occasional series of episodes looking at American storytellers, theatre and film correspondent Tracy Nicholas meets teller Rachel Ann Harding.To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcastRachel Ann's website links:http://rachelannharding.com/https://storystorypodcast.com/https://www.storieswithspirit.co/https://www.facebook.com/storieswithspirit/

A Folklore Podcast Bonus Feature.Recorded live at the UK Ghost Story Festival 2023 at the Museum of Making in Derby, host Mark Norman chats with screenwriter and novelist Stephen Volk.To support the work of the Folklore Podcast and the Folklore Library and Archive is preserving folklore for the future, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The idea of the trickster is a strong archetype in mythology and folklore in different cultures around the world. Whether a deity, a human or something more anthropomorphic, the trickster uses their intellect to create confusion, subvert rules or simply, to play tricks.Of course, the trickster is not just confined to mythology. Where folklore crosses into popular culture, we can still find the trickster looming large from older texts such as Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream with Puck at the centre, to Looney Tunes’s Bugs Bunny.On this episode of the podcast, special guest Dr. Shepherd Siegel, author of two books on the theme of the trickster, discusses the subject with literary correspondent Hilary Wilson.To support the work of the Folklore Podcast and the Folklore Library and Archive, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

We shine a spotlight on an often overlooked and misunderstood part of the English folk dance tradition as we welcome special guest Lucy Wright to discuss Girls' Carnival Morris tradition. One of the most spectacular forms of English folk dance, Carnival Morris emerged and remains primarily in the North West of England and is one of the few competitive folk dance forms.In what is a truly important episode covering history, tradition, inclusion, gendering and diversity, Lucy provides an in-depth look into an area in which she is one of the world's very few researchers.To support the work of the Folklore Podcast and the Folklore Library and Archive is preserving material such as this for the future, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast or go to our website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com and make a small one-off donation.

Guest interviewer, writer Beth O'Brien (the founder of Disabled Tales) meets with author Catherine Bloor to discuss her novel 'Soul of a Raven', a genre-defying mix of magic, folklore and mystery set across generations and steeped in real-world history and lore.This is a Folklore Podcast Book Club episode.To support the work of The Folklore Podcast and access extra exclusive content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast