The Feral Folklorist

Blue bottle trees aren’t just porch decorations—they’re spirit traps. In this episode, we dig into the Southern and African origins of this folk magic tradition, where glass bottles are used to confuse, trap, or drive off wandering spirits. You’ll learn how this practice came over from the Congo, how it changed in the American South, and why blue is the color most often used to keep bad energy away. We’ll talk about how bottle tree...

Mirrors are supposed to show us the truth—but in folk magic, they do a whole lot more. In this episode, we’re heading to Louisiana’s most famously haunted home to unravel the legends behind the Myrtles Plantation and the mirror said to trap spirits inside its frame. We’ll walk the line between history and haunting, breaking down the folklore of Chloe, the footsteps that stop on the seventeenth stair, and the strange echoes of grief...

For as long as there have been hearths, the kitchen has been more than a place to cook—it’s been the heart of household magic and the first line of defense against what doesn’t belong. In this episode, we delve into the world of culinary omens, protective recipes, and everyday tools imbued with meaning. From bread that rises—or refuses to—to iron pots hung for protection, from salt lines to spoon falls that predict a visitor, we’ll...

For generations, sharp tools have done more than carve wood or cut rope—they’ve drawn boundaries, ended spiritual ties, and held protection in place. In this episode, we’re digging into the world of ritual knives, iron nails, and other edged tools used in folk magic across cultures. From black-handled conjure blades to coffin nails pulled from grave dirt, we’ll break down how these objects are used to bind, banish, protect, and sev...

For centuries, people have whispered about the signs that death is coming—a knock at the window, a bird tapping on glass, a shadow in the shape of someone still breathing. From eerie sounds to black dogs and flying birds, this episode pulls back the veil on the chilling world of death omens: where they come from, how they’ve shaped family customs, and why they still creep into our dreams. We’ll trace the folklore, unpack the magica...

Robert Johnson didn’t invent the story of making a deal with the Devil at the crossroads—but he sure made it sing. In this debut episode, we dig into the Southern folklore that shaped the myth, the deeper meaning behind crossroads in folk magic, and how these stories get tangled up with race, power, and fear. From Hoodoo conjure work to Delta blues to long-forgotten tales of midnight bargains, this episode pulls back the curtain on...

In 1897, a young woman died under mysterious circumstances in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Her death might’ve gone unnoticed—until her mother claimed she returned from the grave with a shocking truth. This isn’t just a ghost story—it’s a legal case where spectral testimony helped convict a killer. We walk through the legend, the court records, and the folk beliefs that gave voice to the dead. This episode explores justice, gri...

For centuries, people buried glass bottles under thresholds and hearths, stuffed with hair, nails, pins, and other nasty bits—desperate measures to trap evil or send it crawling back where it came from. In this episode, we dig into the history and folklore of witch bottles: where they come from, why they work, and how they show up in both archaeology and modern magic. You’ll also learn how to make (or safely dismantle) one yourself...

The Feral Folklorist is a podcast about the eerie, the enchanted, and the stories we’ve been whispering for generations. From haunted objects to weather witches, buried charms to crossroads deals—it’s where folklore meets real history and a little bit of dirt-under-the-nails magic.

The show launches June 30, 2025 with a three-episode drop, followed by new episodes every other Monday. If you’re into old superstitions, dark corners of...