Tales of Frost and Snow

Tales of Frost and Snow

Author: Rachel Mosses December 16, 2023 Duration: 40:23

A collection of wintery and festive tales for the season: Why the Sea is Salt, The Christmas Bear and Twelve Brothers.


The first is 'Why the Sea is Salt' a Norwegian tale adapted from Christmas Fairytales colled by Neil Phillip. The story begins on a bitterly cold Christmas Eve when a poor and hungry man finds himself unable to provide for his family and turns to his rich brother. The brother unwittingly starts him on the road toto a better life, but first he must pay a trip to hell with a side of bacon .........


The second is The Christmas Bear inspired by and adapted from the tale shared by both Lari Don in Fire & Ice and by Margaret Sperry in Scandinavian Stories. The story begins in the coldest part of Norway with a hunter and the capture of a strangely stubborn but wise snow bear. They stop on their journey to find out why a family is forced from their home every Christmas Eve ........


The third is Twelve Brothers, adapted from Folktales of Scandinavia collected by Polly Curren. The story begins when a Queen of the of the cold northern lands who has been blessed with many sons, spills red blood on the white snow and dreams of a daughter. This sets in train a set of entirely unforeseen circumstances .....

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Rachel Mosses hosts Folklore, Food and Fairytales, a podcast that sits at the comfortable, worn-in table where narrative and nourishment meet. Each episode begins with a story-a piece of folklore, a fairytale, or a lesser-known myth-and then delves into the culinary world hidden within its lines. The discussion isn't just about whether the porridge in a tale is symbolic or simply a relatable detail; it's about unearthing the real food history and traditions that those fictional meals echo. You'll hear about the rituals of both eating and storytelling, and how each feeds a different kind of hunger. This podcast naturally explores how recipes are themselves stories passed down, and how the history of a dish can be as compelling as the plot of a legend. Listen for a thoughtful blend of narration and analysis, where a great story is always served with a side of fascinating context, leaving you to ponder the deep, savoury connections between the tales we tell and the food we share.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

Folklore, Food and Fairytales
Podcast Episodes
Dark Tales or The Peculiarity of Pie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:03
In which we discover that even in the darkest of tales we can find some light, that boldness & curiosity can save lives, and that a pie can hold both wonders and terrors. The tales in this episode are traditional tales b…
Go I Know Not Where and Bring Back I Know Not What or Green as Garlic [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:12
In which we find that clever beautiful women are always an asset, that a magical mother-in-law should not to be under-estimated, that a magical servant will always improve your day and cruel kings are more frequent than…
Frequency Update [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09
Hello everyone, This is a quick update to let you all know that I will be moving the podcast to monthly instead of every two weeks. Sadly my day job now involves more commuting and I don't feel I can truly do the stories…
The Witch and The Horse Devil or the Pancake Palaver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:26
In which we discover that you shoudn’t judge your beloved by his looks especially if he’s a horse, that not being to provide a pancake on demand can prove fatal and that that there are times when listening to your sister…
Beautiful Innocenta or The Honey Hierachy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:55
In which we discover that you can still enjoy a story when the prince is clueless, that women you find in strange castles can have hidden talents and its amazing what you can whip up with a few almonds & some honey. The…
Maria and Her Brother or the Big Bean Bonanza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:30
In which we discover that a bean is preferable to bran as a tracking device, that no matter how kind and generous you are, you can still end up in the belly of a shark and that you shouldn't put your trust in anyone who…
Weeping Eye, Laughing Eye or the Vine Variation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
In which we discover that a good heart is a very vauable commodity, the loss of a vine that provides excellent unlimited free wine can cause distress and that sometimes there is more than one beautiful maiden in a story…
The Story Equivalent of a Crackling Fire, a Warm Drink and a Hug [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:17
This is another stories only episode. I hope they find you in the spirit they left me: gentle, heartwarming and uplifting, the last one is particularly seasonal. I thought this might be a time to take everybody on a jour…
Hildur, Queen of the Elves or Christmas in the Land of Ice and Fire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:52
In which we discover how much damage elves and curses can do, how even powerful beings can suffer and that mysterious housekeepers often have a hidden agenda. In addition, we learn that if you have a useful magic stone y…
A Winter Tales Collection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:53
Would you like to hear a winter tale or six? I have put together a compilation of my December tales from last year so you can fully indulge in the spirit of winter. The first tale is the Cailleach, a moving celtic mythic…