Here is the Russian tale of Ivan Bears-Son. With origins in a cave and what seems to be a fated encounter with darkness and then an underworld teeming with light and life, this story has all the mythic elements that permeate the winter solstice and the journey to the vernal equinox. Story Sources: Russian Wonder Tales by George Post Wheeler; A Branch from the Lightening Tree by Martin Shaw; The Book of Symbols edited by Ami Ronnberg and Kathleen Martin As always, a huge thank you to Co-Ag Music, a constant source of quality copyright free music ..read more

Eggs are an ancient symbol. The magical properties, burial rites and folk beliefs surrounding eggs are many. In this first episode of Earth Lore, a Mythos series that retells ancient myth and traditional folklore surrounding the cosmos, earth, flora, fauna and natural phenomena, we will look at cosmic origin myths that feature magical primordial eggs. With a brief introduction, there will then be two retellings of myths from Finland and China. Music courtesy of Co-Ag music (copyright free music can be found on Youtube ..read more

In Baltic folklore, birds are mediators of heaven and earth, between the living and the dead. Their music is heraldic and their song a prophetic chanting. Birds inhabit and embody the dynamic force of space, soaring through the invisible ether of the atmosphere. In this story, we will journey to the thrice-three realm, to the garden of a Baltic King, where, amidst bone white birches and tall meadow grasses, there dwells a bird only accessible to the truly wise Music (Youtube) This Fascinating World, Co-Ag Music Siidisulis linnukene' (Silken Feathered Bird), Maarja Nuut Traditional kokle musi ..read more

October, in much lore, is a spiritually potent time and the oft stated idea that the veil between worlds is thin at this time holds true in traditional Latvian practice. The living would prepare their homes for a visit from deceased ancestors, with the house cleaned and table laden with food for the occasion. To open this feast, an elder of the home would call the names of all the ancestral dead in living memory, inviting them to eat with the living. In this story, we follow a young man into a Latvian forest, where he follows yet another tradition - retrieving the ancestors from the forest ce ..read more

The mythic origin tales of Baltic amber are full of magic, and the pre-history of the golden-umber resin-stone is no less awe-inspiring. This pine-tree resin was fossilized 45 million years ago, during a period of intense warmth that caused the pines to exude huge amounts of sap. There is an inherent enchantment in handling something that warms to the touch and is the remnant of a prehistoric coniferous forest. Even more otherworldly are those pieces of amber that contain the tiny remains of this ancient - and almost mythical - past. Oak leaf bits, tiny twigs, pollen, and other plant detritus ..read more

In this episode, we journey again to Lithuania: we will go to the noble hall of an ignoble count and to a sylvan lake, to meet a washerwoman of great spirit, whose patrons are full of earth and water magic. A massive thank you to Co-Ag Music and Jēkabs Zariņš for their permission to use their music. 'Meža diesma,' 'tehniskas variācijas,' and 'Grandparent's Blessing' by Jēkabs Zariņš 'Taste the Fear,' and 'Who will save my soul,' by Co-Ag Music. Jēkabs Zariņš: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9izFNeuvBR3qt5vfgfBkOw Co-Ag Music: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcavSftXHgxLBWwLDm_bNvA ..read more

In this episode’s panorama of ancient woodland, northern seas and shamanic underworlds, the world-traversing magic of the grass snake clashes with the bone-deep force of ancestral longing and family drama. From forest pools to pearl-white sands, from black-deep ocean caverns to a verdant underworld, we will explore the magic landscapes of Lithuania, in one of her most famous pieces of folklore. This story was brought to life by the music of these talented musicians! - Co-Ag Music on Youtube - "Turėja Liepa" by Simona Smirnova: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIqzz8UZeOE - Also, visit her websi ..read more

Goddaughter of the Rock Maidens. The name of the story lit up my imagination, as did the brief outline of a plot in W.F Kirby’s 1895 English translation of famous Estonian tales. In just a few sentences, I sensed a powerful narrative: nature spirits and underworlds; a young girl tutored by powerful female fey-folk and enchantments and serpent kings. For all my listeners, consider joining my upcoming Story Heritage Webinar on Power & Powerlessness. The aim is to explore the wisdom and insights of world folklore surrounding this fundamental human experience. If you want to explore our world ..read more

It is November in an Estonian village and it is the Time of Souls, when dead ancestors return and roam, visiting homes and enjoying the pleasures of life in the sauna In this time of extended night, there are forces afoot, and not just those of deceased ancestors. There might be Nututaja: the evil eye, whose envy distresses and disturbs the new-born, and is one amongst a number of supernatural threats around the globe that threaten the infant. Perhaps a symbol of the immense world - with all of its dangers - surrounding the vulnerable little one, the Nututaja’s influence unsettles the baby, wh ..read more

A quick introduction to the Baltic States and why a journey into the folkloric realms of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is well worth your time ..read more