A Tale From the Hearth | The Banshee | A Folk Horror Story of Family and Forewarning

A quiet fire.
An old voice carrying tradition.
And memories wrapped in wood fire and peat smoke.

This week, we begin something new.

In this episode of Tales Under A Broken Sky, I introduce A Tale From the Hearth: short stories told by firelight, meant to keep company with long winter nights.

In The Banshee, a grandfather shares the history of his family’s banshee with his grandson as they sit together by the hearth. What begins as folklore becomes confession, as generations of grief, loss, and quiet omens surface in the warmth of the room.

This is a short folk horror tale about inherited memory, ancestral warnings, and the strange comfort found in knowing what comes before it arrives. Expect hushed atmosphere, old-world dread, and the sense that some stories are told not to entertain, but to prepare.

If you’re drawn to fireside folklore, family ghosts, and stories that linger like smoke in woolen clothes, this one is for you.

Follow the show for more original horror, dark fantasy, and speculative fiction, released every two weeks.

Content Warning: Cursing, Death

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:41 - The Banshee
00:07:38 - Background Discussion
00:10:07 - Listener Support
00:10:29 - Outro