Plague Folklore: Strange Doctors, Cures, and the Black Death
From strange remedies involving live pigeons to supernatural theories of its cause, there is plenty of plague folklore throughout history. How much of it is true? Let's find out in this episode of ...
22 Aug 202020min
The Tooth Fairy: Buying Teeth Since 1900
The loss of your first tooth is a pretty important event in your life. Providing you carefully place the tooth under your pillow and leave it for the Tooth Fairy, it can also be your first experience ...
15 Aug 202017min
Elf-Shot: Old English Medicine and Magical Remedies
People often believe Old English medicine would be primitive or superstitious. Yet one remedy found in a 9th century medical text can cure MRSA. What did people believe called illness in this era? Ho...
8 Aug 202021min
Need healing? You Need Aesculapius, Roman God of Medicine
Aesculapius was the Roman God of Healing and Medicine (Asclepius in Greece). But who is he and why is he such a fascinating figure in the study of ancient Greece and Rome? And what does he have to d...
1 Aug 202014min
The Boy Who Lost His Shadow: Shadow People, Doubles, and Peter Pan
Shadows have become associated with all things dark and dangerous. Is that fair? And where on earth did the stories of the Shadow People come from? We'll look at superstitions and folklore involvin...
25 Jul 202020min
Numbers in folklore: Why are 3, 7 and 9 important?
When you think of fairy tales, you'll often notice patterns in the numbers that appear. Think of the three bears, the seven dwarves, or seven-league boots. But how and why are numbers so important i...
18 Jul 202020min
How are reflections important in western folklore?
Reflections, or their lack, appear within horror tales and superstitions alike. Beyond vampires, how are reflections important in western folklore? We'll look at the superstitions about love, luck,...
11 Jul 202020min
Spells & Scrying: Mirrors in Magic, Mythology & Folklore
Mirrors are often linked with witches, like Snow White's Evil Queen. Used for scrying, or divination, and casting spells, mirrors hold pride of place among magical traditions. But how do they work? ...
4 Jul 202020min
