The Folklore Podcast

Released during National Storytelling Week 2020, this episode of The Folklore Podcast features guest interviewer Joana Varanda in discussion with British storytelling legend, and the first Storyteller Laureate Taffy Thomas MBE about his life and work. Taffy is the patron of the Society for Storytelling, has received the English Folk Dance and Song Society Gold Badge Award and his repertoire of around 300 stories, collected mostly by the traditional oral methods, makes him the most well known and respected of all English storytellers.

We present a recording of a performance by Bulgarian/English storytelling group 'A Spell in Time', recorded live in 2013 at the Folklore Society's Beasts in Legend and Tradition conference at Paignton Zoo. Storyteller Moni Sheehan and musician Ivor Davies discuss the Bulgarian dragon known as the Zmey. The episode is closed by special musical guest Polly Preacher. Folklore Podcast Patreon: www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast A Spell in Time: https://www.spellintime.co.uk/ Polly Preacher: https://pollypreacher.bandcamp.com/

Season 5 of The Folklore Podcast kicks off with a special extended episode. Host Mark Norman is joined by author Morgan Daimler to discuss their book 'A New Dictionary of Fairies' which builds on the research done by eminent folklorist Katharine Briggs, focusing on fairies in the Celtic and Western European traditions. Support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon: www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast Visit Morgan's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MorganDaimler Featured music guest, Chalk Horse Music: www.chalkhorsemusic.com

This special bonus episode of the Folklore Podcast, presented while the show is dark during December, gives listeners the chance to hear a talk on the folklore-rich Sherlock Holmes story "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by two very well-respected presenters. Recorded at the Gothic Horror festival Hell Tor in November 2019, screenwriter Stephen Volk (Ghostwatch, Gothic) and actor and film historian Jonathan Rigby (English Gothic, American Gothic) discuss the development of the story of The Hound by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, look at some of the local stories which informed it, and talk through some of the film and TV adaptations of the story over the years. To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Compared to the amount of folklore surrounding death customs and beliefs, there is little discussion about the beginning of our timelines - the traditions relating to pregnancy and birth. Redressing the balance, on this episode of The Folklore Podcast host Mark Norman is joined by Jemma Nicholls, a doula who has recently begun developing workshops looking specifically at these traditions and customs. Jemma has been researching these areas for some time, leading to the putting together of her new workshop entitled Charms and Childbirth. Website: www.thefolklorepodcast.com Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast Twitter: www.twitter.com/folklorepod

The rugged coastlines of the county of Cornwall, on the south-western tip of the UK, are etched with stories. Here you’ll find tales of powerful mermaids, spiteful witches, crafty smugglers and woeful ghosts. Up on the moors are mischievous creatures, huge giants and elusive beasts. Joining the creator of The Folklore Podcast Mark Norman on this episode of the podcast is Cornish folklore writer Anna Chorlton. Through her new book, Cornish Folk Tales of Place, Anna retells collected tales of North and East Cornwall. These stories were recorded through a community project called Mazed Tales, which can be found on the internet at www.mazedtales.org. Anna discusses the project, her writing and folklore collecting in Cornwall historically, and more.

Russian hereditary witch,occultist and witchcraft scholar Natasha Helvin joins podcast host Mark Norman to discuss the beliefs, traditions and practices associated with witchcraft in the Slavic tradition. In what ways is this similar to other traditional witchcraft practices and how does it differ? To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The Girl Who Speaks Bear is Sophie Anderson's second book based around traditional Russian folk tales. Despite having only been published for a short time, she has already been shortlisted for a whole raft of awards - the Carnegie Medal, Children's Fiction Book of the Year, the Waterstones prize and many more. On this episode of the podcast, host Mark Norman talks to Sophie about Russian folklore, why it is important to her and how she uses it in her writing as a storytelling mechanism. To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon to keep the show ad-free, and enjoy extra content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In 1977, a set of three childrens books were published which would go on to become a cult classic. Among the most borrowed (and probably most stolen) from school libraries across the country, these three titles made up the Usborne Mysteries of the Unknown series. Individually, they were the Worlds of the Unknown that looked at Ghosts, Monsters and UFOs. Recently, an internet petition and campaign ran to bring back the most loved of these three titles, Ghosts. In this episode of the podcast, host Mark Norman discusses the importance of this book with Usborne staff member Anna Howorth (who launched the campaign to bring the book back) and director of the animated film 'Borley Rectory', Ashley Thorpe. To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon and help keep all episodes ad-free, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Belief in magic and particularly the power of witchcraft was once a deep and enduring presence in popular culture; people created and concealed many objects to protect themselves from harmful magic. Brian Hoggard's book, Magical House Protection examines the principal forms of protection in Britain and beyond from the fourteenth century to the present day. Witch-bottles, dried cats, horse skulls, written charms, protection marks and concealed shoes were all used widely as methods of repelling, diverting or trapping negative energies. Many of these practices and symbols can be found around the globe, demonstrating the universal nature of efforts by people to protect themselves from witchcraft.In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, Brian discusses at length both the contents of the book and his extensive research project which has accumulated over 2,000 examples since it started in 1999.

1686, Iceland. A wild, isolated landscape that can swallow a man without so much as a volcanic gasp, where superstitious Icelanders are haunted by all-too-recent memories of witch trials. Such is the setting for the novel "The Glass Woman", written by the special guest on this episode of The Folklore Podcast, Caroline Lea. The book is variously described as 'rich in superstition and mystery' and 'both chilling and beguiling'. Caroline joins podcast creator and host Mark Norman to discuss her research into the folklore and superstition of historic Iceland, how she came to weave it into her novel, and more general thoughts on landscape and tradition. Help to keep The Folklore Podcast freely available by supporting us on Patreon with a small monthly donation at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The country of Iceland is both bleak and beautiful in equal measure, and is also home to some of the darker aspects of folklore and belief. In this first of two episodes of the podcast looking at Icelandic Lore through the lens of popular authors, host Mark Norman is joined by bestselling Icelandic crime novelist Yrsa Sigurdardottir. Yrsa has lived in Iceland her whole life and has woven many aspects of its folklore into her award-winning crime novels. She discusses her memories of folklore as a child and those stories which resonate today. To support The Folklore Podcast and access extra content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In this episode of the podcast, host Mark Norman is joined by comedian and author Jem Roberts to discuss his new book, 'Tales of Britain'. A number of years in the compiling and producing, Tales of Britain takes 77 well known and more obscure folk tales from around the country and retells them for the 21st century, along with a unique travel guide which allows the reader to visit the locations in which they were set. To support the Folklore Podcast and access extra content, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The second of two interviews examining themes of witchcraft. Following on from the last episode of Cunning Folk, in this episode of the podcast Mark Norman is joined by Marion Gibson, Professor of Renaissance and Magical Literatures at the University of Exeter. Marion discusses her latest book, 'Rediscovering Renaissance Witchcraft' and the unique degree course on magic and witchcraft that she teaches at the University. To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

PhD researcher Tabitha Stanmore joins the Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman, and historian Tracey Norman, to discuss her research into the role of the service magician in history. Spanning the years from c. 1350 to c. 1650, Tabitha researches how magic was practiced and by whom, whether this changed over the period, and how magical practice was affected by perspectives on gender. She also explores the extent to which magic was tolerated at different social strata, from the employment of village cunning folk to magic's use at the English royal court. To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The landscape that surrounds us is rich in folklore connected with the plants and flowers that dwell within it. Some of these are old and connect with the world of fairy. Some are more modern and relate to invasive species. All are fascinating. In this episode of the Folklore Podcast, storyteller and environmentalist Lisa Schneidau discusses the research which went into her book "Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland" and tells some of the stories related to our plant-based beliefs. To support the Folklore Podcast please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In this episode, Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman takes a look at some of the old (and a few of the modern) customs and traditions associated with Valentine's Day. From the medieval period, by way of early house visiting traditions and love divination, the episode explores many of the UK practices before travelling around the world to look at a selection of other ways that Valentine's is celebrated

Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman is joined in this episode by folklore blogger and film academic Icy Sedgwick to discuss the genre of horror and supernatural in film. The discussion explores the research being undertaken by Icy as part of her PhD on the representation of hauntings on the movie screen and particularly looks at the tropes we find in folkloric accounts of ghosts. Do these translate to the portrayal of the ghost in film, and do the films themselves create their own folklore and mythos which works its way back into our own cultures? To keep the Folklore Podcast running and providing free content each month, please consider a small monthly donation at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

To kick off Season 4 of The Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman examines traditional New Year customs and celebrations around the world, noting the many similarities in different cultures as well as the unique aspects found from place to place. To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, and keep the show running, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The Krampus has become a big folkloric figure at Christmas time in recent years. But less discussed and of equal interest are the female figures of the Perchten from the alpine regions. On this, the final episode of Season 3 of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman redresses the balance in an interview with alpine folklore expert Al Ridenour, the creator of the Bone and Sickle podcast. To support the Folklore Podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In the first of two episodes of the podcast examining festive folklore for December, Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman looks at the history and origins of the Mummers Play and other Yuletide folk plays and traditions. Contesting the broad opinion that they plays 'are just pagan' the episode traces similarities and differences through other performances such as the pantomime and the Commedia Dell'arte before examining other similar practices such as the Mummering house visits of Newfoundland and the Irish Wrenboys. This episode also contains recordings of performances made in the field. Support the continuing free episodes of the podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Prejudices against people because of the colour of their skin are unacceptable. And yet, it is often socially accepted to make fun of people because of the colour of their hair. Why should this be any different? And is there any evidence to back up the beliefs? In this episode Mark Norman, the creator of The Folklore Podcast, discusses the beliefs, superstitions and folklore attached to those sporting red hair. To support the continued ad-free production of the podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

As beautifully performed and presented as it was, there is far more to the concept of the 'genie' than Disney's manic blue singing version in Aladdin. The genie is the Westernised version of the Jinn, the supernatural being from Islamic and Arabian mythology and lore. On this episode of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman and researcher Tracey Norman are joined by Dedra Stevenson, an author from the UAE who draws on a lot of this folklore in her fiction writing. Dedra explains exactly what the Jinn are, and how they are a very real part of Muslim beliefs. Support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon for extra content and rewards at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

The lullaby as a song type is found in cultures all over the world. Whilst the familiar interpretation is as a gentle song to lull a child to a restful sleep, in this episode podcast creator and host Mark Norman offers some alternative readings where the lyrics and back-story are somewhat darker and more likely to induce nightmares. The episode also features a guest talk from Armenian folklore researcher and lecturer Hasmik Matikyan on the lullaby as a form of work song, drawn from her own cultural experiences and interviews.

The mythology of the Norse peoples is a rich and varied one, but little is found in the archaeological record to tell us much for certain. Some things we speculate about, others we get from primary sources. But what are these sources?In this episode of the podcast, Noah Tetzner from the "History of Vikings" podcast gives a basic introduction to the area of Norse mythology, discussing the mythic landscape and beliefs from the Scandinavian regions.

A guest lecture from the great British folklorist Jeremy Harte who examines the character of the miller in folklore. Recorded live at the Folklore Society Conference at the Museum of English Rural Life in 2018. Access all episodes of the podcast for free at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

This episode features two guest speakers, recorded live at the flagship conference of The Folklore Society in 2018, held at the Museum of English Rural Life in Reading and examining aspects of rural life and folklore from around the world. Rosalind Kerven presents "Spinners, Servants and Midwives: Women at Work in British and Irish Folk Narratives" and Jo HIckey-Hall speaks on fairy lore in her paper "Wilt gie us the lend of thy plough and tackle?: Fairies at Work". Full details of the guests and other episodes of the podcast can be found at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

This guest talk was recorded at the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic's Ritual Magic conference in May 2018. William Dawson Bellhouse (1814-1870) was many things - magician, surgeon and galvanist to name but three. His personal magical workbook, the survival of which is uncommon among 19th century cunning folk, is now in the collection of the New York Public Library. The book provides a window into Bellhouse's methods, derived from both popular tradition and printed works including the Heptameron and the works of Agrippa. Its contents provide us with insights into the spiritual toolkit of a practitioner of ritual magic working at the time.

This episode of the Folklore Podcast is the first featuring expert presentations from the Hidden Charms 2 conference in Salisbury - a conference organised by Brian Hoggard of the Apotropaios website with John Billingsley and Jeremy Harte. The conference featured a day of talks on protection magic, charms, concealed apotropaic objects and similar themes. In this talk, "Witch Bottles - Findings from the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic" - collections researcher and museum manager Dr Peter Hewitt discusses some of the bottles held at the museum, and argues that we may use folklore to help to decode the meanings that these bottles have for us in the modern world. Dr Hewitt suggests that their uses were far more varied than just as protective devices. To access a transcript of this episode, join the Folklore Podcast Patreon page at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In the winter of 1855, after a heavy fall of snow, residents across a large area of the county of Devon, in the South West of the UK, awoke to find a mysterious trail of prints in the snow. Looking like an hoof, the single-file line of prints allegedly covered a distance of some 100 miles, ignoring obstructions in their path and continuing over high walls hayricks and even the roofs of houses. No satisfactory explanation has ever been given for the event, which became known as the Great Devon Mystery. Although the case has been widely reported, interestingly it is not the only time that this has happened. Very similar lines of marks have been found in different parts of the world over the last 175 years or so. It's just that the other cases are much more obscure. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman compares and contrasts cases from 1840 through to 2009.

In this episode of the Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman is joined by guest Dr Claudia Schwabe, assistant professor of German at Utah State University. Amongst other things, Claudia teaches classes on fairy tales and in this interview she discusses the content of her forthcoming book "Craving Supernatural Creatures" which examines German fairy tale creatures through the lens of American Pop Culture.

Of all the objects in your house, the mirror probably has more superstitions attached to it than any other. It may be used for divination. It may be a portal to another dimension. And woe betide you if it should fall off the wall and break. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, folklorist Mark Norman - the creator and host of the podcast - looks at the mirror through history and in various cultures to explore some of the more obscure folklore attached to it. Research assistance provided by Tracey Norman. Support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon to earn more content and rewards at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

This episode presents a recorded folklore talk from the archives of the podcast creator and host, Mark Norman. Alien Big Cats was recorded in September 2013 at the Folklore Society conference 'Beasts in Legend and Tradition'. The talk, presented by writer and folklorist Steve Patterson, examines the zoological phenomenon of out of place cats in the landscape. Whilst there is plenty of evidence to suggest that big cats do live in the British landscape, Steve discusses the ways in which these cases feed into the folklore narrative of the creatures before moving on to discuss the image of the cat in mythology. To access bonus content and support the running of the Folklore Podcast, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

There is no doubt that modern day ghost hunting is a big deal. From television programming to participatory events, the search for evidence of ghosts is more prevalent than ever. But how does folklore have a role to play in paranormal investigation? Benjamin Radford is editor of Sceptical Inquirer science magazine, a critical investigator and author or co-author of over 20 books and many hundreds of articles. In the episode of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman discusses Ben's book 'Investigating Ghosts' and looks together they look at the important place for folklore in the field of ghost investigation.

Many fairy tales have their roots in a much darker past, but these origins are watered down to make the tales more wholesome or moral. But did the story of Hansel and Gretel really stem from a case of entrepreneurial intrigue and murder in 17th century Germany? And did the Grimm Brothers know more than they were letting on it their version of the story? Why do the illustrations in their book look so similar to modern day locations? In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman examines a case to which their is certainly more than it seems at first glance. To support the Folklore Podcast and earn rewards, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

There is a piece of artwork which has been around for many years and has a long and involved narrative surrounding it. It may be found in thousands of homes in differing prints and is usually known as The Crying Boy. This image has a wonderful and fascinating urban legend attached to it - a legend which has been tracked and analysed for many years by Dr David Clarke, the guest on this episode of The Folklore Podcast. Is The Crying Boy really cursed? Find out its history in this episode.

The case of Gef, the alleged talking mongoose, which may or may not have been a poltergeist, or a ghost, or a hoax, or any one of a number of things, took place over a period of around 8 years on a remote farm in the Isle of Man in the 1930s. It was investigated by Harry Price, Nandor Fodor and other researchers, but there was never a definite conclusion as to what was going on. On this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman talks to Christopher Josiffe, the author of the award winning book on Gef, published in 2017, and the result of 7 years of research by Chris into the subject.

The skills of weaving, spinning and knitting were vital to clothe and keep warm members of every class, race, religion or social group from the poorest to the richest. And so, we find wool, yarn and thread and the working of those materials rooted very deeply in the folklore of countries around the globe. In this episode, Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman discusses the folklore associated with wool, thread, spinning and associated crafts, through folk and fairy tales, customs and more. Support the Folklore Podcast at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast and receive bonus content and rewards.

This episode of the Folklore Podcast examines the broad themes of witchcraft and the supernatural, but focuses down to look at how they were portrayed in the early modern period; specifically, how witches were represented on the 17th century musical stage. Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman is joined by special guest and musicologist Shauna Caffrey who discusses her unusual research into the role of witches in the opera. To find out more about Shauna and her work, please visit the guests page on our website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com

In the second part of this two-part examination of vampire from lore from around the world, Folklore Podcast creator and host Mark Norman moves on to discuss ways of ensuring that the recently deceased do not rise again as vampires and, if these measures fail, what differing methods are available to destroy a creature. What are the differences between pinning and staking? Which wood should you use for your stake? Why were some bodies buried with farm implements? To access the entire back catalogue of the Folklore Podcast for free, purchase episode supplements or other folklore products or learn more about the guests on the podcast, please visit www.thefolklorepodcast.com To support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon, get extra content and rewards and ensure the continuing development of the show, please visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Many of the folk tales that inspire us, teach us or just intrigue us have been passed down through many generations. In some cases we can find a root for the story. In most, we cannot. But they draw on the knowledge, the beliefs and the imaginations of our ancestors. Many of the stories that we have today, both the well-loved tales and the more obscure lore, survive because of the practices and skills of the storyteller. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman is joined by classically trained actor and professional storyteller Jon Buckeridge, of Parable Arts, to discuss the synergies between folklore and storytelling. Visit the Folklore Podcast website at www.thefolklorepodcast.com Earn rewards by supporting the podcast on Patreon at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast Learn more about Jon and his work at www.parablearts.co.uk

Most people are familiar with the story of 'Count Dracula' and have more than a good general knowledge of the typical vampire tropes of stage and screen; the fangs, the pale skin, the blood sucking. But to truly understand the motif of the vampire in culture, we need to look across the world at all of our cultures and this is where the folklorists approach is so valuable. In the first of this special two-part examination of the vampire, podcast creator and host Mark Norman examines the origins and emergence of the idea of the vampire across races, religions and cultures through the folklore record. Part two next month will examine death lore and protection symbolism. An e-magazine supplement for this episode and the back catalogue are available at www.thefolklorepodcast.com To support The Folklore Podcast, pleas visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

Through the early to mid part of the 20th century there were a number of characters, often women, who would travel their parts of the world collecting folk songs, stories and superstitions and recording them for the future. These people are often forgotten in modern times, but without them we would not have the archives and knowledge of our folkloric past that we do now. In this episode of the Folklore Podcast, host Mark Norman talks to Cindy Campbell-Stone, Vice-president of the Helen Creighton Folklore Society about Canada's 'First Lady of Folklore' and offers a chance to hear some of Helen's original field recording audio as well as modern renditions of songs and stories that she collected. You can learn more about Helen and the Society at www.helencreighton.org

Returning from its month off for the summer, the Folklore Podcast takes to the water with an episode on the folklore of the mermaid. From Cornish folk tales to Slavic undead, from TV mockumentaries to outright hoaxes and all points in between, podcast creator and host Mark Norman offers a look at the nice, and not so nice aspects of the mer-creature, both male and female. The Folklore Podcast will always be free to listen to, but to help secure the long term success of the show please consider joining our Patreon page where you can get transcripts and bonus content in recognition of your help. Visit www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

WITCH - Preserving Tradition and Folklore through Theatre. The special guest on this episode of The Folklore Podcast is Historian and Author Tracey Norman. Tracey is discussing her acclaimed play WITCH, which takes as its premise actual events from witch trial documents and depositions from the early modern period and maps them onto three fictitious characters. This serves to give a voice to those people from our past who were denied one at the time, telling an important story. Tracey talks about her research, the play and the other projects which are coming out of this important work. Follow the project at www.traceynormanswitch.com

Animal totems as symbols in folk rituals are common and go back probably further than any of us can track. By far the most prolific of these is the hobby horse. Often associated with calendar customs as well as an accompanying figure for many Morris dance sides, there are a number of common varieties of hobby horse and they are found in customs around the world. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman examines the motif of the hobby horse as well as telling a little about a very unusual one that he is currently preserving.

A deviation from the normal format of the podcast for this edition by way of a change. In this episode, host Mark Norman introduces a reading of a fiction story which he wrote using themes from his research into Black Dog apparitions, and local tradition and folklore from his area of the world. In this podcast, the story is read by Sam Burns. "The Padding Horror" is a Lovecraftian style short story which was originally written for an anthology of similar tales put together by authors voluntarily to raise money for the mental health charity MIND. An ebook of the original anthology can be purchased by donating any amount to the charity. To do this, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/secretinvasion

Before naturally occurring events were understand by humans, they needed stories in order to explain them, much in the same way as we have seen with physical conditions such as the Old Hag phenomenon which we examined earlier in this season. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, creator and host Mark Norman looks at the eclipse in folklore, both solar and lunar, and relates some of the mythological and traditional tales associated with these events, as well as some obscure lore on what you should and should not do while an eclipse takes place. For the episode supplement for this episode, the Folklore Shop and more information, please visit www.thefolklorepodcast.com

Many people believe that the Chupacabra - the mysterious 'goatsucker' of New Mexico - is a folkloric creature of some age. Yet its origin cannot be traced earlier than 1995 and even then it has been reported in two very distinct forms. In this episode of The Folklore Podcast, our special guest is Benjamin Radford, author of the definite book on the lore of the creature, "Tracking the Chupacabra". In one of the most in-depth interviews given on the subject, Ben takes us through his 5-year long investigation into the Chupacabra, and explains how he believes he has solved the mystery of where it came from, and how its folklore will continue to disseminate.

Creator and host of the Folklore Podcast, Mark Norman, examines the lore and practices of those who follow a Traditional pathway of Folk Magic: the Cunning Man, the Wise Woman, the pellar and the wayside witch. This episode examines to what extent the role and the techniques of the Traditional Witch have changed over the last 200 years and how similar the folk magic beliefs are in more modern times.