The Lady and the Lion
A folk story where the gal saves the day, including fighting a Dragon, flying a Griffin and utilizing some very special chickens...really.
Dark and Twisty Tales: folk stories and fairy tales for the unafraid.
Step into the shadows of the forest with Dark and Twisty Tales: folk stories and fairy tales for the unafraid. Hosted by Julia Norton, this bi-monthly podcast unearths the lesser-known, grisly, and unnerving narratives from global folklore. This isn't a collection of sanitized bedtime stories; it's an exploration of the original, often chilling tales that have whispered through generations. Each episode delves into the moral complexities, psychological terrors, and stark lessons embedded in these ancient stories, examining how their archetypes-the ogres, the tricksters, the wicked stepmothers-still resonate in our modern lives. Listening to this podcast feels like discovering a forgotten, leather-bound book in a dusty attic, full of songs and stories that are as compelling as they are cautionary. Julia’s curation and presentation treat these tales with the gravity and artistry they deserve, creating an immersive audio experience for those who appreciate the darker roots of storytelling. The podcast serves as a reminder that folklore was never just for children; it was a tool for navigating a frightening world, and these dark and twisty tales continue to offer strange wisdom for the challenges we face today.
Episodes
King Thrushbeard - and other name calling.
A mean spirit and a quick tongue are a tricky combination, you may just find yourself married to the first beggar that comes along...that old chestnut.
Jorinda & Joringel - A folk tale about caged birds, magic flowers & an old witch
I am very excited to say that this is episode number 10 of Dark and Twisty Tales, I really hope you've been enjoying them. If you'd like to support my efforts, please rate and review at itunes and share with all your fri…
Iron Hans - A folk story with added hair!
Apparently this was the story that inspired Robert Bly to start the Iron John movement back in the 90's. Now, however you might feel about hairy men lost in the woods this story is very weird...indeed.
Hansel and Gretel - A Fairy Tale about being lost in the woods.
Ok, so if you build a house made of gingerbread and sugar in the middle of the woods in an attempt to lure children to be baked in the oven so you can eat them...you better hope you don't meet Gretel!
The Girl With No Hands - A an 80% extra dark fairy tale.
Feeling broke and exhausted...I know, make a deal with the devil, what could possibly go wrong? There are so many versions of this story, which is weird because it's so horrible. But is has some really poetic images too…
Faithful Johannes
or Trusty John. In some variants, a king on his deathbed orders his servant, Trusty John, not to let his son see a certain room, which holds a portrait of a princess. In all variants, when the new king comes to power, he…
The Elves and the Shoemaker
The Elves and the Shoemaker" is an often copied and re-made 1806 story about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves. The original story is the first of three fairy tales, contained as entry 39 in the G…
The Donkey Cabbage
A friend recently gave me Philip Pullman's 'Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm', I can't recommend it highly enough. This story is from there. He says "As quite often in Grimm, we have two separate story types sewn toge…
Catskin
Catskin is an English fairy tale collected by Joseph Jacobs, in More English Fairy Tales.[1] Marian Roalfe Cox, in her pioneering study of Cinderella, identified as one of the basic types, the Unnatural Father, contrasti…
