Tales From The Enchanted Forest
Join Fox and Sparrow as we journey around the world to share Fairy Tales, Folktales, Fables, Myths and Legends. We strive to dig deep into the origins, variants, tropes and modern day adaptations of well-known and unknown tales. Join us on Wednesdays, every fortnight. Detailed show notes on our website: www.talesfromtheenchantedforest.com
Episodes
It's time to say farewell to another year and as everyone settles into the internight days before the real start of 2026, we have a light hearted episode today on the Swan Princess movie! By now, you must be sick of Christmas classics and hallmark shows full of snow and Santa, so join Fox and Sparrow for a look back on one of Sparrow's favourite tales based on the ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
It's only 8 days until Christmas which means its time for a Christmas ghost story! Join us as we tell the harrowing tale of the The Deacon of Dark River also known as The Deacon of Myrká. Unlike Scrooge, this Christmas ghost had an unfortunate death and wanted to drag his poor lover down into hell with him. Spooky festive cheer to all those who celebrate and those who don't! This story comes to us from Jón Árnason's translated vers...
It's almost like When Harry Met Sally, except Tawhaki literally climbs through the sky to get his girl. Straight from Edith Howes’ 1913 book titled, Maoriland Fairy Tales, we bring you a fairy story from New Zealand all about how having great upper body strength and carpentry skills can win you magic and love.
Show notes can be found on our website at: www.talesfromtheenchantedforest.com
You can also find us on:
Welcome back to part two of our wild haunted ride at Pengersick Castle in Cornwall! Last time we left off with pirates and revenge and this time we'll pick up with Lord-Enchanter Pengersec and the Witch of Fraddam! He's less of a boy wizard and more of a reclusive-locked-up-in-his-tower-summoning-spirits type of wizard, but still makes for a great legend!
We are continuing using Robert Hunt’s Popular Romances of the West of Englan...
Strange things are afoot at Pengersick Castle in Cornwall and they include (but are not limited to) murder, vengeful spirits, pirates, enchanters, witches, love potions, civil war and generational trauma! That's right, we are going to dive deep into the stories of Lord Pengersec using Robert Hunt’s Popular Romances of the West of England which tells three stories based on ‘How Pengerswick became a Sorcerer,""The Lord of Pengerswick...
A monk comes across an odd priest and an even odder town. You see, on the first night after a death, the entire village empties out for fear of the flesh eater. Curious, the Monk chooses to stay and that night, he beholds a frightening sound...then a frightening shape...then- what happens next? Well, you'll have to listen or read the 1998 book, Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things, by Lafcadio Hearn to find out more!
R.F Kuang's Katabasis has reignited the discourse around journeying into the underworld as a storytelling device. We've covered many stories in the past with the theme of Katabasis (namely Inanna and Persephone), so why not deep dive into the various versions of Orpheus' myth especially with Supergiant Games' Hades II coming out! Join us as we trace Orpheus and Eurydice's story from Pindar to Virgil and Ovid all the way to Supernat...
Sometimes when you find the Shadow-Daddy of your dreams, you won't care that you're dancing with the Devil. Instead, you'll hold him tight until he needs to find a way to get rid of you! Join Fox and Sparrow as they share a tale that frightens even the devil himself! It is the tale of Katcha and the Devil by Czech writer Božena Němcová from her collection Národní báchorky a powěsti (Folk Stories and Legends) with English translatio...
What one single creation probably changed the course of human evolution? If you're thinking tools then you're close but we're thinking FIRE! If you're looking for a tutorial on how to make a fire in Australia then this is not the episode for you! However, if you are searching for a tale on how Bootoolgah, the crane, and Goonur, the kangaroo rat, created fire and then hid it away from everyone else- then you're in the right place!
...
Combining the stories of the "Goose Girl" and "Love like Salt," we have the tale of the Goose Girl at the Well from the Brothers Grimm! The moral lessons of this tale?
1. Sometimes helping a wild old lady do a meaningless task that feels like torture is worth the hassle.
2. Telling your father you love him like salt can lead to immediate exile...who knew Kings could be so salty?
Show notes can be found on our website at: www.tales...
Welcome back to our special "Box Office" episodes where we look at the folklore behind the fiction. Today we deep dive into the mythology and monsters behind "K-Pop Demon Hunters" using interviews from co-directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans.
We might not be covering tales of your idols, but we're still golden because we'll be discussing demon-hunting Shamans, the tale of Princess Bari, Jeoseung saja, Dokkaebi and Gwishin.
If you love playing "Who's that Pokemon" then this is the fable game for you! Join Fox as she tries to guess the animals in each tale Sparrow has collected! Sometimes with a furry clue and sometimes without- Sparrow shares 6 short tales from all around the world including tricksters and revenge!
Show notes can be found on our website at: www.talesfromtheenchantedforest.com
You can also find us on:
This story is adapted from Petre Inspirescu's "Ileana Simziana" or "liane of the Golden Tresses" and is the final part of the story so be sure to check out part one: "The Princess who would be a Prince."
Last episode the young Princess set off on her quest to save her Empire and her family by pretending to be a Prince. After passing her father's tests and proving her courage, she arrives at the palace and quickly becomes entangled...
When the ailing ruler of the last nation to stand tall against a conquering nation finally surrenders, only one thing stands in the way of his people's peace- the Empire demands a prince as a hostage. Having only daughters, he tests their courage until his youngest proves her valour, courage and strength. So, she sets off to become the Princess who would be a Prince. This story is adapted from Petre Inspirescu. This is part one, so...
The Prince of the West runs off for seven years to win the hand of the Princess of the East, but when things go sideways, she has to rely on her own skills and wit to survive! Joining her are 40 beautiful maidens as they don disguises, blades and even crowns to survive. The Betrothed of Destiny comes from The Golden Maiden and other folk tales and fairy stories told in Armenia by A.G. Seklemian (1898).
It is May which means a whole host of things from Bealtaine to the emergence of the Oak King and Holly King, the Green Man, Persephone, the May Queen and other figures associated with rebirth and fertility. So, in honour of these celebrations and folk figures, we turn to the Welsh Mabinogion, a collection of stories from the 12th-13th centuries. Our first story is the abduction of Creiddylad and our second is the creation of the fl...
Today we head back to Brazil and our animal folktales straight from Fairy Tales from Brazil: how and why tales from Brazilian folk-lore by folklorist Elsie Spicer Eells. This explanatory tale takes us to a capitalist Tiger and his just punishment for exploiting his sole worker- the rabbit.
Show notes can be found on our website at: www.talesfromtheenchantedforest.com
You can also find us on:
Today we have three tales of Sæmund: The Wise Priest-Wizard of the North! Saemunder/Saemund, an Icelandic folk hero, attended the Black Magic school run by the devil himself. We look at how his tales may have been canonized from their original oral traditions. These tales are "Saemund at the Black School," "The Magic Whistle," and "Saemund on his Deathbed" which all come from “Scandinavian Folktales,” edited and translated by Jacqu...
The consequences of accidentally partying too hard after a hurling-match are too much to handle for one little fairy and his fairy tree. Edmund Leamy's Irish Fairy Tale includes the shortest exile known to storytelling, a helpful ogre, ugly princesses and helpful animal companions. Truly a tale for the bingo cards.
Show notes can be found on our website at: www.talesfromtheenchantedforest.com
You can also find us on:
- Bluesky ...
March is in full swing as the long preparations towards Nowruz (the Persian New Year) begin! To celebrate spring and all things pickled, we have two stories today- "The Pumpkin Child" and "The Rolling Pumpkin" from Iranian folklore traditions. Whether you want to listen to a Cinderella-esque fairy tale or the misadventures of an old woman, we have something for you!
Show notes can be found on our website at: www.talesfromtheenchan...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.
"SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!