Yara Ma Yha Who: Storytelling Mini-Episode 3

Yara Ma Yha Who: Storytelling Mini-Episode 3

Author: Fabric of Folklore September 15, 2025 Duration: 5:51
Have you heard of the vampiric predator roaming the Australian Outback in search of unsuspecting victims? In this storytelling mini-episode, I share a chilling tale from the fig groves of Australia: the story of the Yara-Ma-Yha-Who. This eerie, red-skinned, toad-like creature lurks in the treetops, draining the blood of wanderers before its terrifying queen appears to finish the job. Poachers shouldn’t be poaching, but did he deserve the toe-curling, blood-sucking encounter with these monstro...

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: 100

Fabric of Folklore
Podcast Episodes
Ep 46: The Death of a Language in Papua New Guinea with Don Kulick [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:29
When a language dies, why should we care? Don Kulick, a distinguished University Professor of Anthropology at Uppsala University and head of the ENGAGING VULNERABILITY research program talks to us in episode 46 about the…
Ep 45: Boons and Curses in Indian Mythology with Sunita Pant Bansal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:29
What can we learn from Indian mythology? Sunita Pant Bansal, author of countless books of Indian mythology and children folk literature, helps us understand the life lessons mythology offers. In episode 45, author of bes…
Ep 44: The Dybbuk, Its Origins and History with Morris M. Faierstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:01
Have you heard of the Dybbuk of Jewish folklore? It is a malicious possessing spirit most well-known in Yiddish Theater, Between Two Worlds. The play was written by S. Ansky in 1914, a playwright and enthographer. The ta…
Fairy Tale Flip - Ep 4: Rumpelstiltskin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:49
Is Rumpelstiltskin morally good or is he evil? Why does he want the queen's baby? What does nature and the natural world have to do this fairy tale? If you have ever read a fairy tale and wondered if there was a hidden m…
Ep 42: Exploring Joseph Campbell's Legacy with Bruce Boyce [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:52
Have you heard of The Hero with a Thousand Faces? What about the hero's journey? Joseph Campbell was an author, professor and global storyteller. A lecturer at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, his work continues to hav…
Episode 41: The Science Behind the Power of Story with Kendall Haven. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:46
Have you ever wondered why humans are primed for stories? Once a story starts, its so hard to stop. In episode 41 Kendall Haven talks to us about the brain science behind why we are magnetically attracted to stories. His…
Fairy Tale Flip - Ep 3: The Flowering Tree [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:02
In Episode 3 "A Flowering Tree" Donna and Vanessa dive deep into this Indian fairy tale translated to English by A. K. Ramanujan to understand its significance, relevance and historical context. The story is a Kannada fo…