In Episode 7, and the final episode of Stories From Lore, we’re staying at home with the familiar domestic beasts of the monk’s bestiary. My main reference for this episode is Richard Barber’s translation of the MS Bodley 764 Bestiary. So, grab yourself a cuppa as we walk down the lane to the farm. I’d like to thank you all for listening to Stories from Lore for the last five years. It has been a wonderful journey to go on with you and I hope you have enjoyed the stories and lore I have shared a...
Jun 18, 2025•27 min
In Episode 6 we’re are looking at the fearsome many headed beasts that have appeared in mythology and story through the centuries. My main references for this episode are Borges book of Imaginary Beings, Richard Barber’s translation of the MS Bodley 764 Bestiary and Hana Videen’s, The Deorhord. So, grab yourself a cuppa as we battle with the many headed. There are some dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first bef...
May 22, 2025•14 min
In Episode 5, of Season 5 we’re stepping out of the bestiaries and into the wonders of Anglo-Saxon Leechcraft, the folk medicine of our ancestors and what it told us about the magical beings they dwelt beside during this time. My main reference for this episode is Stephen Pollington’s Leechcraft. So, grab yourself a cuppa as we dive into the Lacnunga healing text, and go where elves, wyrms and dwarves are abound. This episode also features the fabulous Jen Atkinson aka Cunning Woman Rynswith and...
Apr 24, 2025•33 min
Episode 4 is ‘Water Dwellers’. For this season we are diving into the medieval bestiaries to discover the strange and familiar creatures that lie within its pages. For this episode, I’m focusing on the whale and taking a brief look at its cousin the dolphin and an even briefer look at fish. As always I am using the MS Bodley 764 Bestiary, a 13th century manuscript, translated by Richard Barber as my main reference. There are some dark folkloric characters explored across the seasons in this podc...
Mar 19, 2025•18 min
Season 5 begins with Born of Fire. For this season we are diving into the medieval Bestiaries to discover the strange and familiar creatures that lie within its pages. In this episode we’re exploring the creatures that are associated with fire, with the main focus being that well-loved and feared mythical creature, the dragon. There are some dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger m...
Jan 17, 2025•16 min
Season 5 begins with Born of Fire. For this season we are diving into the medieval Bestiaries to discover the strange and familiar creatures that lie within its pages. In this episode we’re exploring the creatures that are associated with fire, with the main focus being that well-loved and feared mythical creature, the dragon. There are some dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger m...
Dec 13, 2024•22 min
Season 5 begins with Born of Fire. For this season we are diving into the medieval Bestiaries to discover the strange and familiar creatures that lie within its pages. In this episode we’re exploring the creatures that are associated with fire, with the main focus being that well-loved and feared mythical creature, the dragon. There are some dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger m...
Nov 22, 2024•26 min
Season 4 concludes with Episode 7 – Fleeing Food. In this episode we’re exploring some of the folklore, nature and stories surrounding tales of runaway gingerbread men, pancakes and bannock breads. There are some dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger members of your household. For more folklore and stories and an archive of up to 100 posts exclusively for paid subscribers, you can...
Jun 23, 2024•28 min
Season 4 continues with Episode 6 – The Bells, The Bells. In this episode we’re exploring some of the folklore, nature and stories surrounding church bells. There are sometimes dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger members of your household. For more folklore and stories and podcast extras, you can subscribe to my ‘Substack, Cerridwen’s Cauldron’. Just hop over to Substack and sea...
May 24, 2024•26 min
Season 4 continues with Episode 5 – Castle Dwellers. In this episode we’re exploring some of the folklore, nature and stories surrounding castle ruins. There are some dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger members of your household. For more folklore and stories and podcast extras, you can subscribe to my ‘Substack, Cerridwen’s Cauldron’. Just hop over to Substack and search for Ce...
Feb 27, 2024•24 min
Season 4 continues with Episode 4 – ‘Persephone’s Pomegranate’. In this episode we’re exploring the folklore, nature and stories of the underworld. On occasion there are dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger members of your household. For more folklore, stories and podcast extras, you can subscribe to my Substack, ‘Cerridwen’s Cauldron’. Just hop over to Substack and search for Ce...
Jan 31, 2024•39 min
Season 4 continues with Episode 3 – Wise Old Salmon. In this episode we’re exploring the folklore, nature and stories of the ever resilient and persevering salmon. The myth at the end of this episode is dark folks, there is nothing gentle about The Binding Of Loki so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger members of your household. For more folklore and stories and podcast extras, you can subscribe to my ‘Substack, Cerridwen’s Cauldron’. ...
Oct 06, 2023•34 min
It’s back! Season 4 continues with Episode 2 – Strawberries Fair - and in this episode I’m exploring the folklore of the humble strawberry, both wild and propagated with lashings of cream and perhaps a scone or two. Podcast extras for paid subscribers can be found in the tab at the top of this Substack. The extras for this episode include: a recipe for Strawberry Salsa which we have been eating lots of in our household recently, a short audio which is a whistle stop tour of some of my favourite ...
Sep 12, 2023•29 min
Welcome to Season 4 and the first theme for this season is ‘The Horned Gods’. In this episode I explore the prince of the forest, the stag and its associated folklore, gods and mythology. On occasion there are dark folkloric characters explored in this podcast and so, as always, I would recommend that you should listen through first before listening with younger members of your household. To 'Rewild Yourself Through Story', join me on patreon for digital zines, a book club, audio stories, previe...
Jul 10, 2022•41 min
Here it is! The seventh episode of Season 3 of the podcast, the last episode of the season but you will be pleased to know I'm already working on Season 4! I know this episode is a little late but last month was a little bit crazy in one way or another. Hopefully this episode finds you well and you will enjoy a little fishy folklore. This month’s theme is ‘A Fish In The Net’ and for this episode I have some a trip to the beach, the shanty ‘When The Boat Comes In’ some selected folklore of fish a...
May 06, 2022•35 min
Merry Met virtual traveler and welcome to Stories From Lore. A monthly podcast that invites you to ‘Rewild Yourself Through Story,‘ by exploring nature, folklore and the stories it inspires. My name is Dawn Nelson and I am an author and professional storyteller. The spring is here at last and it's time to start sowing the seeds that will provide food for the table in the summer. This month’s theme is ‘Reap What You Sow’ and for this episode I have some nature journaling from the garden as I plan...
Mar 30, 2022•33 min
Merry Met virtual traveler and welcome to Stories From Lore. A monthly podcast that invites you to ‘Rewild Yourself Through Story,‘ by exploring nature, folklore and the stories it inspires. My name is Dawn Nelson and I am an author and professional storyteller. ‘Kings Under The HIll' is this month’s theme and for this episode have some ramblings from the hills with a very special guest, the ballad of ‘Broomfield Hill’, the folklore of mountains and barrows, kings and sleeping, and I'm telling t...
Feb 27, 2022•35 sec
Merry Met virtual traveller and welcome to Stories From Lore. A monthly podcast that invites you to ‘Rewild Yourself Through Story,‘ by exploring nature, folklore and the stories it inspires. My name is Dawn Nelson and I am an author and professional storyteller. ‘The Dreadful Wind & Rain' is this month’s theme and for this episode I have some nature journaling notes for you, a ballad named ‘Windy Old Weather’, the folklore of rain, rainbows, fog, mist and storms and I'm telling the story of...
Jan 23, 2022•45 min
Merry Met virtual traveller and welcome to Stories From Lore. A monthly podcast that invites you to ‘Rewild Yourself Through Story,‘ by exploring nature, folklore and the stories it inspires. My name is Dawn Nelson and I am an author and professional storyteller. For episode 3 of Season 3 there was a tie between ‘The Dreadful Wind & Rain' and ‘A Poultry Offer’ and so I made the executive decision to go with ‘A Poultry Offer’. It may amuse listeners to know though that I recorded the outdoor ...
Dec 30, 2021•40 min
Merry Met Folks! Welcome to the second episode of Season 3. I was pleased to hear listeners enjoyed the new format and so I will be continuing with my nature rambles and ballad explorations for at least this season. For this episode patrons chose, 'Written In The Stars' and this month I take you on a little stargazing in our local fields, sing a lament to the moon, talk about the folklore found in the night sky and tell the myth of Bellerophon and the Chimera. So grab yourself a coffee and follo...
Nov 22, 2021•36 min
Merry Met virtual traveller! It's here! It's finally here! Season 3 has arrived and the podcast has had a bit of a makeover. I really hope you will like the new format which includes me taking you on a ramble, singing and of course lots of folklore and a story. For this episode patrons chose, 'Beneath The Snowy Thorn' and so I'm taking you on a tour of my local hedgerows, singing the ballad of Thomas De Rhymer, talking about the folklore of the flora and fauna of UK hedgerows and telling the sto...
Nov 15, 2021•44 min
For this episode patrons chose the theme of ‘A Knock At The Door’ and so for this episode we are looking at who might be knocking on your door, some famous door knockers and doors to the next life. The story from lore for this episode is ‘Stingy Jack’. I will go on to explore the folklore on your threshold in the form of Victorian legends and hidden doors in the extended version, which is available on my Patreon and the second Story From Lore for patrons will be my version of, ‘Hilda Queen Of Th...
Jul 23, 2021•22 min
Merry Met virtual traveller, hello and welcome to stories from lore a monthly podcast that explores folklore and the stories it inspires. My name is Dawn Nelson and I am an author and professional storyteller. This month patrons chose the theme of ‘Pirates Of The High Teas’ and so for this episode we are taking a voyage across the whale road with the many rogue privateers and pirates who have made it into the legends and mythology of our time with a sprinkling of tea scones and jam. In this epis...
Jun 25, 2021•19 min
This month patrons chose the theme of ‘Folk From The Mines’ and, so we’re going underground to discover what lurks in the dark caves, mines and even sewers of Europe. In this episode I explore mining superstitions and the spirits and beings that may or may not help you in your endeavours. The story from lore for this episode is my version of ‘The Seven Whistlers’. I will go on to explore mine guardians further in the extended version of this episode, which is available on my Patreon, and the sec...
May 29, 2021•19 min
This month Patreons chose the theme of ‘Sirens Of The Lakes’. There were so many pieces of folklore I came across, during my research, to do with the creatures and beings that dwell in lakes, that I cannot hope to cover them all, that would be an epic episode and so for this episode I am focussing on one that came up most frequently: Lakes Wives. The story from lore for this episode is my original tale which explores the origins of Jenny Greenteeth. In the extended version of this episode availa...
Apr 24, 2021•20 min
It's Earth Day and what better excuse for a story! 'Three Green Women Of The Hill' is a tale that is very close to my heart and some of you may have heard me tell it before. I thought it was perfect for Earth Day and so I'm sharing a recording of me telling this one live, at one of my online events last year. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoy telling it. It's a story of three ash trees, ethereal beings, greed and lessons in respecting the land. Join the Stories From Lore group to share...
Apr 22, 2021•19 min
This month Patreons chose the theme of ‘Lights above The Marshes’ and so for this episode I will be looking at the marshes, fens and Carrs of Britain and the folklore surrounding the wee beasties that live there. The story from lore for this episode is ‘The Tiddy Mun.’ In the extended version of this episode available via my Patreon, I will be looking at Lantern Men, Toad Men and the plantlore of the fens, as well as telling the story of 'Long Tom & The Dead Hand.' There are some dark folklo...
Mar 26, 2021•26 min
Today's episode is a bonus episode which explores the stories and folklore that was handed down to us as children. My guest today is a friend whom I have met through storytelling and who has been kind enough to agree to share these stories with us. She lived for a while in Naples and has Italian relatives. She has many stories of the way in which Italian culture relates to death and as she is able to speak Neapolitan, she has been able to research a fascinating tradition from Naples called the I...
Mar 19, 2021•37 min
This month patrons chose the theme of ‘The Dead Do Tell Tales’ and so for this episode I will be looking at the spectre of death and the folklore surrounding the psychopomps and harbingers of death. The story from lore for this episode is ‘The Singing Bone.’ Due to the nature of the subject covered in this podcast I would recommend this as adult listening and that you should listen through first before listening with younger members of your household. In the extended version of this episode, you...
Feb 27, 2021•28 min
Season 2 is here and from this season on episodes will be released monthly and on the theme voted for by my wonderful patrons. This month you lovely lot chose 'A Country For Old Hags,' and so the winter witch, creatrix and woman of the land the Cailleach is the subject of January's episode. I look at her connection to the land and the animals on it and tell you the story from lore, 'The Green Lady', a traditional tale from Hertfordshire. In the extended version of this episode, you can hear more...
Jan 23, 2021•29 min
