Grimm Reading

Reynard is back in action and using his wits for good, unless you're a lion...

When an old horse is abandoned by its owner and given an impossible task, Raynard the fox summons all his wiles in aid of the horse's plight. 

After the story, we explore several other fables of foxes and horses, taking us from the summit of French high literature to a humble stable in the Isle of Skye, Scotland, to see just how widespread this story once was. 

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: The second movement of Maurice Ravel's String Quartet, played by string players of the United States Army Band

Can a charlatan doctor solve a case of missing money? Join us for this week's story Dr Know-All, which somehow features crabs, an ABC book, a man in a stove, and some spectacular failing upwards...

This spins out into a discussion of other similar stories from around the world, culminating in the medieval Indian tale of Harrisaman (FKA Froggie)...

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: Brahms' Trio in A Minor, Op. 114 - I. Allegro performed by Paul Pitman, Michael Arnold & Bang-Eun Lee //  Brahms' 8 Piano Pieces, Op. 76 - 5. Capriccio. Agitato, ma non troppo Presto (C♯ minor) performed by Luis Sarro // Brahms' 4 Piano Pieces, Op. 119 - 2. Intermezzo in E minor performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s a squadron of flying gnomes. Join us for this week’s story The Gnome - a tale of brotherly betrayal, multi-headed dragons, magic flutes, and cheeky little helpers.

After the story, we have a short history of gnomes, from Roman smut to Pink Floyd and beyond...

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2: Finale, Bernd Glemser, piano, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit, conductor //  Tchaikovsky's Waltz in F sharp minor, no. 9 from Op. 40

Merry Christmas to one and all! Join us for another end of year party at Grimm Castle, where we delve deep into The Nutcracker And The Mouse King, almost completely losing our minds. We then sober up with a special surprise short story, featuring some unlikely characters…

So join us for a cracker, a mince pie, spiced wine, gifts, and merriment a-plenty at this year’s Grimm Reading Christmas party. 

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music:  Tchaikovsky's" Dance Of The Flutes" and "Russian Dance" from The Nutcracker Suite from the music.org European Archive // Sergei Prokofiev - Lieutenant Kije Suite: Troika, performed by Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra // Tchaikovsky's "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker Suite performed by Kevin Macleod

For one last time, the Devil's grandma is back.

After three soldiers desert the army, they make a bargain with the Devil for their souls. After seven fun-filled years, the Devil arrives to claim his debt. But perhaps Grandma can offer our unlikely heroes a helping hand...

Riddles, dragons and magic whips - join us for The Devil And His Grandmother.

We also talk dragons in the bible, and explore the fascinating legend of Faust and the Faustian pact, through Marlowe to Goethe.

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: Demersseman's Solo de Concert no. 4, Op. 80 // Chopin's Étude Op. 10, no. 5 in G flat major - 'Black Keys' // Chopin's Nocturne in C sharp minor 'Lento con gran espressione', B. 49 (Op. posth.) // Wagner's Faust Overture

In this interview episode, we talk to author and poet Clare Pollard about her latest novel: The Modern Fairies.

Set in the Paris and Versailles of Louis the XIV, the novel drops us into the heart of Madame D’Alnouy’s illustrious, raucous, and radical salon. It's "Disney meets Dangerous Liaisons" and a brilliant, cosy read.

We talk to Clare about fairy tales, writing, salons, audiobooks and plenty more besides. 

Discover Clare's writings through her website. You can also subscribe to her Substack and follow her on Instagram. 

And treat yourself to a copy of The Modern Fairies while you're at it.

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Adam's Christmas comes early as we find ourselves in an enchanted cat castle in this week's Grimm story. 

When an old miller challenges his apprentices to find the best horse, one befriends a cat who promises to help. But is she more than she seems?

After the story, we find ourselves in early-modern Paris where we meet fairy tale behemoth Madame D'Aulnouy. We hear of her extraordinary life as well as a short version of her related story, The White Cat. 

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: Liszt's Waltz aus dem Ballet Die Amazonen // Leroy Anderson's The Waltzing Cat, performed by Markus Staab // Schumann's Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15 - III. Blind Man's Buff, performed by Donald Betts

We take on Donkey Cabbages - one of the most bizarre and barmy tales we've heard in a while.

Not only do we get witches, giants and magic clouds, we also discover a new concept - the minimal counterintuitive hypothesis. What makes a story stick? Some scientists think they've found the answer...

We then briefly look at man-donkeys in storytelling, say hi to Shakespeare, and meet the long-forgotten German folkhero Fortunatus.

Here's a link to the paper we discuss in the episode: Memory and Mystery: The Cultural Selection of Minimally Counterintuitive Narratives

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: Grieg's Holberg Suite, from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston // Massenet's Toccata Jules Massenet, performed Jean Dube

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: Rachmaninoff's Canon in E Minor, performed by Luis Kolodin // Rachmaninoff's String Quartett No. 2 performed by Steve Jones // Rachmaninoff's Etudes-Tableaux Op. 39 performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni // Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor

We’re back with a brand new series and a brand new volume of tales...

And we begin with The Four Skillful Brothers, a story of masterly thievery, improbable astronomy, dastardly dragons, and a man who sews up eggs.

After the story, we explore its origins before doing a deep dive on dragons: including the history of rescuing princesses from dragons in storytelling, and a patriotic stretch where we look into the Welsh red dragon and the story of St. George.

We can’t wait to get stuck into Volume 2; thanks for sticking around!

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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Other Music: Dvorak's Romance for violin and piano, performed by Goldstein and M Pavel // Schubert's Fantasy in C Major Op.15 D.760 'Wanderer' - I. Allegro con fuoco