Tamlane

Tamlane

Author: Julia Norton February 14, 2021 Duration: 9:27

Childhood sweethearts Tamlane and Janet were all set until he 'disappeared' before their wedding day. He was off with the fairies (that's what you get for riding your horse 'widershins' around the hill), but it's OK, because she rescues him, by knocking him off his horse and holding on really tight while he changes into lots of things, then she chucks him in a pond. Perfect love story on so many levels. 

The actual Scottish story is as deep and dark and twisty as you like with green kirtles being lifted and babies born of fairy fathers etc, but this version is the one from Joseph Jacobs 'English Fairy Tales', so apologies to all my Scottish friends. 

As usual I improvised the melody over the verse, in this instance it was the Elfin Queen singing.  If you want to listen to a classic rendition of this story in song, have a listen to Fairport Convention's  Tam Lin. 


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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Dark and Twisty Tales: folk stories and fairy tales for the unafraid.
Podcast Episodes
The Adventures of Chanticleer and Partlet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:55
Chanticleer a canny rooster and his wife Partlet, have adventures, that usually involve nuts, carts, deceit, slavery, violence, cannibalism and death. I also have no idea what Mr. Korbes did to deserve that. Do you?
The Raven [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:06
Welcome to the first episode of Season Three! Mom, needs a nap, hero can't stop snacking and a bewitched Princess can't stop spinning around and around her glass mountain... hmmm sound familiar?
The Frog King [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:44
Less frog kissing and more frog splatting really and then at the end a weirdly obsessed servant has been to the blacksmiths...
Hans My Hedgehog [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:22
Come on, who can resist a story about a half boy, half hedgehog, who rides a cockerel and plays the bagpipes? Credit must be given to my husband, son and his friend for providing pig noises in this episode and to 'FreeSo…
The Musicians of Bremen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:22
A not very dark or twisty episode this week, but a favorite of mine since childhood. The darkness I suppose lies in the fact that all these animals were going to get starved, drowned or decapitated because they had been…
The Singing Bone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:12
Like the earlier story I read Binnorie from the British Isles, this story also has a magical singing bone involved which identifies it's killer. Who could it be I wonder? I improvised a little tune for the poem in the st…
The Stars In The Sky [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:56
When a little girl is just not satisfied unless she has the stars in the sky to play with...what could possibly go wrong?
My Own Self [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:06
Playing with fairies and fires...hmm that sounds like a plan. From Joseph Jacobs 'English Fairy Tales' The song at the end is called 'Fairy Frolic' from my album 'Lullaby Island' which you can download on amazon or itune…
The Emperor's New Clothes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:45
Who are you going to believe? Me, or your own lyin' eyes?
Sweetheart Roland - how sweet exactly? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:11
This Grimm's tale again has little to recommend it from a feminist standpoint, so I won't. However I think it's my third story in a row where I get to use my beheading sound effect and the first time I've added a dash of…