Ep. 61 Middle Eastern Cinderella Tales

Geoff and Katrina have been podcasting for two years! In this, slightly delayed, two year anniversary episode, Katrina and Geoff retell some more Cinderella tales. This time from the Middle East! In the process, we get a chance to look back on familiar themes and story elements from other tale types besides ATU 510A (the

Eps. 60 Sindbad the Sailor

Katrina and Geoff go sailing… seven times! That’s right, we’re getting into the Sindbad the Sailor cycles of stories from The Thousand and One Nights. Sindbad is one of those characters with massive name recognition throughout the western world but you’d be hard pressed to find someone who could actually tell you anything about his

Eps. 51 The Wolf and the Fox

Geoff and Katrina talk animal tales in The Thousand and One Nights! In this episode we check in with King Shahriyar and Scheherazade, when the king starts actively engaging with her stories and even begins making requests. And what kinds of stories do you think the most powerful man in all the land wants to

Eps. 50 Jack and the Beanstalk

Katrina and Geoff talk the best (or worst?) trade deal in the history of trade deals! That’s right we’re talking all about Jack tales. Who is Jack? Are all fairy tale Jacks ACTUALLY the same character? (Spoiler: No). And while you may have heard the story of Jack and Beanstalk from England, it’s doubtful you’ve

La Llorona and Other Wailing Women Ep. 34

CW: Infanticide  Katrina and Geoff keep getting spookier! Katrina uses her confusion at a scene in the heartwarming 2017 Disney/Pixar hit film Coco as an entry into the hauntingly sad and creepy story of La Llorona. From there we take a detour through Ireland to learn about banshees and for whom they keen before jetting to Brazil

Faithful Johannes: Or “Nice Guys Finish Dead”

This story is kind of painfully predictable.  The whole time that I was reading it, I was like, “Oh…yeah…of course…the formula. I get this story. Boring.”  Then I got to the end and was like, ” HOLY Quentin Tarantino, Batman! Why?!”  And with that commentary in mind, let me re-tell you a thing. An old

Cat and Mouse in Partnership: Or “Group Projects are the Worst”

This is an animal story with no bird so maybe it won’t end badly. Or maybe it will. Either way, enjoy while I re-tell you a thing. There was once a cat who had made an acquaintance with a mouse.  He told Mouse so often how much he cared about her and thought she was

Rapunzel: Or “Don’t Touch People’s Stuff”

Another classic.  People seem to love hearing the classics so sit back and enjoy while I re-tell you this thing. There once was a woman who was pregnant. She had super bad morning sickness and some intense cravings. They didn’t say it like that in the 1800’s story but when the writer says, “She was

The Golden Bird: Or “Why Can’t People Listen to Directions?”

This is a lesser known tale but it includes a beheading so,…let me re-tell you a thing. There was once a king who had a tree that made golden apples.  He knew how many were in the tree at any given time because…they were made of gold and you aren’t just going to be all “whatever”

Hansel and Grettel: Or “That Time I Killed a Lady”

I told you in the last post that a murder was in your future.  So get ready because I’m about to retell you a thing. Once upon a time there was a wood cutter and he had two children, with a wonderful wife who then died. Being alive was difficult for good kind people back