Scheherazade: The Woman Who Outsmarted a King with 1,001 Stories (Storytelling)

Scheherazade: The Woman Who Outsmarted a King with 1,001 Stories (Storytelling)

Author: Fabric of Folklore August 21, 2026 Duration: 8:32
Scheherazade: The Woman Who Outsmarted a King with 1,001 Stories After a series of executions left his kingdom in terror, King Shahryar took a new bride each night — and had her killed by morning. Scheherazade volunteered anyway, armed with nothing but her wit and an endless supply of stories. Each night she left her tale unfinished at dawn, forcing the king to spare her one more day to hear the ending. This is the real story behind One Thousand and One Nights — how storytelling itself became...

Fabric of Folklore examines the threads of story and tradition that are woven into the human experience. This podcast isn't simply a collection of retold tales, though you will encounter strange, mystical, and macabre narratives from around the world. Instead, each episode pulls at a single thread to see where it leads-into the lives of the people who kept these stories alive, the cultural moments that shaped them, and the historical truths they often conceal. We explore the origins of legends, myths, and fairy tales not as fixed artifacts, but as living conversations between generations. By looking at the story behind the lore, behind the songs and the traditions, we uncover what these narratives were trying to communicate about fear, hope, morality, and community. These oral histories, passed down through whispers and campfires, form a shared tapestry. Listening to this podcast is an act of unraveling that tapestry to better understand its makers. You'll hear how a simple folktale can encapsulate an entire worldview, how a chilling legend reflects very real anxieties, and how a seemingly quaint tradition holds the key to a forgotten past. The fabric of our cultures is stitched together with these stories, and by examining them closely, we learn more about what it means to be human, to be part of a society, and to carry history forward in memory and meaning. It’s a deep, thoughtful, and often surprising journey into the heart of what we tell ourselves about who we are.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Fabric of Folklore
Podcast Episodes
Ep 65: Superstitions and Folklore Around the World with D.R. McElroy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:07
Do you knock on wood or hold your breath when driving past a graveyard? Superstitions are a fascinating aspect of cultures worldwide. In episode 65, D.R. McElroy explores various superstitions from every major continent,…
Fairy Tale Flip Ep 11: The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:09
Have you ever heard of the Chinese fairy tale "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl?" Maybe you have experienced the festival dubbed by some, the Chinese Valentine's Day Festival which happens on the 7th day of the 7th month…
Ep 61: The Heart of Storytelling: Laura Simms' Impactful Journey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:51
Do you have a story that made a deep impact in your life? In episode 61, Laura Simms, an internationally acclaimed storyteller and writer takes us through her unique journey into storytelling, influenced by childhood exp…