(Sort of) The Story
Two best friends tell each other stories they heard and read that week (and also, you are here!)
Episodes
Hello and welcome to a monstrously themed episode! Today we are discussing werewolves and wendigos, and finally getting some much-needed insight into the Alabama White Thang from the Monster Ladies, Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler. Enjoy!
Janey’s Sources - The Wendigo
- LOCATION: Minnesota, USA
- “Monsters of the Midwest” by Jessica Freeburg and Natalie Fowler
- “ZHAUWUNO-GEEZHIGO-GAUBOW...
Hello and welcome! This week, Janey is going to tell us a shorty-baby-cutie story about a woman who doesn't know how to bargain, and Max is going to tell us a VERY terrible story that has a small moral at the end! Good luck!
Janey’s Sources - The Sunchild
- LOCATION: Greece
- Andrew Lang’s The Grey Fairy Book
- Full Free story
- “Letiko, La Fille du Soleil” by Caputo Nato &nb...
Hello and welcome! This week Max is going to tell us a story that may or may not explain something we may or may not need to know (and also there's a water horse, and we know how much Janey loves that.) ALSO Janey is going to tell us about a perfect princess (and the horrible family she's attached to). Enjoy!
Janey’s Sources - The Toy Princess
- LOCATION: England
- Folk & Fairy Tales, edited by Martin Hallett...
Hello and welcome! It's another sleep-deprived/low-oxygen episode, so you're welcome (or we're sorry?) This week, Janey is going to tell us about a DEFINITELY 100% straight king with ZERO things to examine in his own life, and Max is going to tell us a fever dream! Enjoy!
Janey’s Sources - Fanta-Ghíro the Beautiful
- LOCATION: Italy
- "Italian Folktales" retold and edited by Italo Calvino
Max’s S...
Hello! This week we're celebrating spring's triumphant return with Max's story about what can only be described as "some sort of lake yeti" discovering the convenience of Lyft, and Janey's tale of a King in desperate need of an HR department.
Enjoy!
Janey’s Sources - The Useless Wagoner
- LOCATION: Hungary
- “Fairy Tales of Eastern Europe”, collected and retold by Neil Philip, Illustrated by Larr...
Cowabunga, everybody! This week, Janey is going to tell us about a disloyal knight with a surprising secret, and Max is going to tell us an alien invasion story that teaches us all a powerful lesson (don't trust a man just because he says he's a doctor...) Enjoy!
Janey's Sources: Bradamante
- LOCATION: France
- Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Susan Guevara.
- @Dwa...
Hello and happy spoooOOOOookyy March! This week, we're bringing out our scariest Irish tales to impress Andi and Feliz, the hosts of the "You Two Scare Me" podcast! First, Max is going to break the glass ceiling of headless horsePEOPLE, and then Janey's going to remind us all of the most important rule of horror: children. are. scary.
We hope you enjoy!
Sources:
- Check out theYou Two Scare Me Podcast!
- Lis...
Hello and welcome to another episode! This week Janey is going to tell us about a man who will go to great lengths to get his boss laid, and Max is going to tell us about an old man's fears! Enjoy!
Janey’s Sources - The Tibetan Envoy
- LOCATION: Tibet
- “The Spring of Butterflies and Other Chinese Folk Tales”, translated by He Liyi, edited by Neil Philp
- “Story of Songtsan Gambo and Princess...
Hello and welcome to yet another week of life! This week, Max is going to tell us the dangers of letting a good story languish on the shelf, and Janey is going to tell us about some real sillies. We hope you enjoy this shorty-baby-cutie episode!
Janey’s Sources - The Three Sillies
- LOCATION: England
- “Favorite Folktales from Around the World” edited by Jane Yolen
Max’s Sources...
Hello and happy Thursday! This week, Max is going to tell us a story about a salty sea-scrub whose wife deserves better, and Janey is going to tell us about a Rasputin-baby who can never die! (No one said these episode descriptions had to be helpful. Janey just gets to write whatever she wants in here! Watch this-- Pie 'a la mode' is stupid thing to call it, since "a la mode" doesn't mean "add ice cream", it just me...
Hello everyone! This week we're catching ya'll up on some life stuff and saying goodbye to an old friend. Then Max is going to tell us a horror story about an eye-catching beauty in the woods, and Janey is going to teach us all the proper comeback to someone telling you you're "too much".
We hope you enjoy!
Janey’s Sources - The Little Girl with a Big Voice
- LOCATION: South Africa
- “Tales of the Nigh...
HELLO! Today we have an amazing guest, the Cosbrarian herself-- LIZ GOTAUCO! Liz is the creator behind the series "F*cked Up Fairytales with Liz", and the author of the hilarious book inspired by the series!
This week Max and Janey tell stories from her book, and she tells us a story about vengeful fairies and the danger of telling bad jokes (yes, we take this personally.)
We hope you enjoy!
BUY THE BOOK: "F*cked...
Hello and welcome to our LAST episode of 2025! On this episode, Max is going to tell us a story about a girl who can see the important things (like what kind of belt you're wearing), and Janey is going to tell us why Rapunzel should have been a man.
We hope you've had a wonderful year, and that 2026 only goes up!
Janey’s Sources - The Three Fates
- LOCATION: Egypt
- “Fairy Tales of the Orient&rdq...
Hello, you dirty birds! On this very special "69" episode, we're doing a deep dive into historical love letters from two very specific historical men. First, Napoleon Bonaparte is going to teach us the meaning of "anxious attachment style", and then Max is going to read us James Joyce's love letters that are not for the faint of fart (ehem...heart...)
A million kisses!
J and M
Janey's Sources - Historical Love Le...
Hello and welcome back! This week Max is going to tell us about how wicked smart people from New Hampshire are, and Janey is going to tell us a very cathartic story that comes with the disclaimer "I swear I like my job". Sorry about our terrible accents! Enjoy!
Janey's Sources - Mmadipetsane
- LOCATION: Lesotho, South Africa
- “Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales”
- Full story (page 3) &nb...
This week, Janey is going to bring us the final story in The Arabian Nights, about a man who just hates this baby... and Max is going to tell us that classic story of a nameless child finding God wandering around in the woods. Wonder what'll happen!
For those of you who are in the half of the world that's moving into winter, we hope you stay warm and cozy!
Janey's Sources - The Story of Codadad and His Brothers
<...Hello and happy Halloween (eve)! Today Janey is going to scare you with a tale about the oldest, wrinkliest woman in the world, and Max is going to tell us why romance books are going to get us all killed. Enjoy!
Janey's Sources - Treasure
- LOCATION: Chatsworth, Georgia, USA
- “Spooky Georgia: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other Local Lore”, retold by S.E. Schlosser, illustrated by Paul G. Ho...
Hello and welcome to another episode! This week, Janey is going to teach us a valuable lesson about the importance of writing complex characters, and Max is going to re-tell a cozy little comic! May your October be spooky and bright!
Janey's Sources - “W.S.” by L.P. Hartley
- LOCATION: England
- “Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories”
- L.P. Hartley’s wiki
Max's Sources -...
Hello and welcome to the shocking conclusion of this the 2025 Off Topic Season. This week, Max is closing us out with the truly baffling list of all the reasons why Nicholas Cage had to make those insane movies between 2009-2015. (Also Janey is REAL mouthy, so if you disagree, be sure to write in!)
Buckle up, babes! Janey's going to tell us about the most insane assassination you may have never heard of! Let us know if you followed this story when it happened, because Janey's never stopped thinking about it.
Sources:
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