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The Snow Maiden: A Faerie Tale
Russia, 15 minute read The Snow Maiden, born to Father Frost and Spring has to protect herself from the indignant Sun God, but can she protect her icy heart? Happy New Years, Travellers! There are very few New Year’s stories or folktales that I could find, but I became fixated on King Frost, also known as Father Frost. I wanted to uncover the origins of the character- his stories, his symbolism, and anything else I could find. This research led me to Snegurochka, the Snow Maiden. I did recently release our first episode of 2026 which was the “King Frost…
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How the Rabbit Lost its Tail
How the rabbit lost its tail Brazil, 11 minute read This explanatory tale comes just in time for Spring and all things Easter. Did you know Rabbits used to have long tails? To find out how they ended up with just a tuft, be sure to listen to the episode or read the notes below! I’m sure you’re all gearing up to grab your Easter baskets, chocolates and, for some, preparing for your Easter festivals! In central Europe, our town centers are all decorated for Osterfest, while the Canadian supermarkets are bursting with their chocolate displays. And, of course, somewhere…
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Fatima and the Crow
Fatima and the Crow Iran, 11 minute read Forough Hekmat collected these tales from his own childhood in Iran. Fatima may be a little old woman, but her heart is massive and her courage in the face of injustice. A story for all of us who ask, how far can kindness go? Countries worldwide are ushering in the Spring Equinox with all kinds of festivals, but on March 20th, it was also the Persian New Year, Nowruz, so to honour that, we have a Persian folktale called “Fatima and the Crow.” This tale is from the “Folktales of Ancient Persia”…
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The Crystal Casket
The Crystal Casket Italian, 16 minute read Enjoy Giuseppe Pitrè’s Tuscan tale with us as we dive into the Eagle revenge story of the century. This story has fairies, a Witch who is frankly bad at her job, an evil stepmother, a casket obsessed King and his bewildered mother! Oh and our Snow White character, Ermellina! Who may or may not be twelve years old. This Tuscan tale comes to us from the 1883 book Italian Popular Tales. The collector, Thomas Fredrick Cane, was an American academic and lawyer who was passionate about languages, medieval history and folklore. While working…
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The Eagle and the Whale
Greenland, 8 minute read What happens when a brother mocks his unmarried sisters? Well, they get carried off by animal bridegrooms and must be rescued! Today’s story comes from the book, Eskimo Folktales, collected by Knud Rasmussen and translated by W. Wooster. Knud Rasmussen was an anthropologist and polar explorer in the early 20th century. His native name was “Kunúnguaq” and he collected tales from all over Greenland with a deep understanding of the role of the Eskimo storyteller. Some stories, like that of “The Eagle and the Whale,” are full of similar tropes that sprouted from ancient storytelling traditions…
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The Little Girl and the Whirlwinds
Bulgaria, 7 minute read A wicked Winter Witch decides to prolong winter forever and casts a spell to hide the sun from the Earth. No one volunteers to go seek help from the Frost Wizard- no one except a brave little girl with a warm heart. The Bulgarian tale of the “Little Girl and the Whirlwinds” or “The Little Girl and the Forever Winter” is hard to pinpoint. Our research led us to various retellings and other Bulgarian folktales, but no clear link to where this tale came from. Other versions are closely tied to the Russian story of the…
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Running Deer and the Wampus Mask
Today, we are going to settle in with a story from the Appalachians, more specifically, with a from the Cherokee First Nations. Snuggle in and get ready for the thrilling story behind the nightmare creature- the Wampus Cat. The Wampus cat, the Whistling Wampus or the Gallywampus as it is called, is a half-dog/half-cat creature that lurks in dark places, piercing the hearts and souls of those it comes across. However, the Wampus stories’ potential origin could be the story of Running Deer. So, before we run out of time, here is our story for today, Deer Travellers. The Spirit…
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How the Moon was Made: New Zealand
New Zealand, 10 minute read We found this story in a book titled Maoriland Fairy Tales (1913) by Edith Howes. With all that said, it’s unclear if this story is an exact retelling, if it’s changed slightly or if it was just inspired by Māori folklore. There are some more popular stories regarding the moon including Rona and the Moon where Rona curses at the moon after it disappears behind a cloud while she is carrying water, causing her to spill it. Incensed, the Moon shakes the ground and causes such a storm that it lifts Rona off the ground.…
Tales from the Enchanted Forest 