The Brigstock Fox

Our story for "Birth Week" is a retelling from Martin of recently rediscovered Northamptonshire legend The Brigstock Fox.

A tale of Medieval changelings, magic, princes and parenthood, it begins as the folktale does, with a strange, seemingly uncatchable creature stalking the forests around Fotheringhay Castle.

Richard of York, away in Ireland, offers a bag of gold to whoever can catch the beast and prevent the savaging of the ducks, geese, hogs and lambs that belong to his vassals.

Only when hunting dogs catch not a monstrous fox but a man in their snapping jaws, and he claims to know 'Proud Cis' - Richard's wife - events are set in motion that reveal hidden secrets, true characters, and prophecies that will shape British life for generations to come...

Plus, because we thought it would be fun, we have also recorded a version of the classic folk song "The Fox" and given it some special Three Ravens, Brigstock-specific twists...

Martin's telling is inspired by the research of folklorist and Northamptonshire Heritage Forum regular Steve Dimmer as part of his project Tales & Legends of Northamptonshire, through which Steve has also uncovered obscure, largely forgotten stories including The Witch of Benfield, The Daughter of the Earl of Corby, The Ringstead Round, and more.

We really hope you enjoy the telling, song, and chat that follows, and you can find Icy Sedgwick's episode of Fabulous Folklore that we mention, "Foxes in Folk Tales: From Aesop to Reynard" and the associated blog post here.

Speak to you again on Saturday for this week's Local Legends interview with Sunday Times bestselling author Sue Bentley, which ranges from Sue's runaway successes as a writer of popular erotic fiction, her relationship with the Lang Fairy Tales, love of John Clare, and her recent spicy Gothic fantasy books We Other, Second Skin, and her upcoming novel Flesh Endures.

Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.

Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...

Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.

With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?

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