In the first story, a laborer first loses a table that sets itself with a feast; and then loses a sifter that drops gold coins into his pockets. How can he get them back from the thieving innkeeper?

In the second story, a new father has run out of god parents. So, for his youngest daughter, he asks St. Anthony to be her godfather. St. Anthony accepts and gets her a job in the king's castle. In order to get in and focus on her work, she dresses up like her brother and pretends to be a boy. This backfires when the king's sister falls in love with "young page". Will she be found out?

Source: THE ISLANDS OF MAGIC RETOLD BY ELSIE SPICER EELLS

Music: 20191117_202021_POR_Fado.mp3 by kevp888 on freesound.org

Sound Effects: 20170618_churchbells.birds.wav by dobroide on freesound.org

Narrator: Dustin Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Folklore, Food, and Fairy Tales Podcast Episode to listen to mentioned earlier: The Magic Cane, The Gold Donkey and the Little Stick that Hits

Listener Shoutout: San Antonio, Texas

In the first story, Anansi tricks his own family in order to treat himself to a feast. The trouble comes when he meets a quiet fellow who carries a big stick.

In the second, Anansi is helped by some fellow fishermen, but he abuses them greatly. How much can they take?

And in the final story, a woman wishes for a child. When she digs up a magical sweet potato, she is granted that wish on one condition. Can she be nice?

Source: West African Folk-Tales - W.H. Barker, C. Sinclair 1917

Rain Sound FX: Rain ambience.wav by https://freesound.org/people/jittels/

Ghanaian singer: ghana woman sing traditional song dec 1986 2 007 01.wav http://www.freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/

Podcast Shoutout: Because Language

Listener Shoutout: Atlanta, Georgia

In the first story, the Lioness is impressed by the Ostrich's roar. When the lion cubs find out that the Ostrich has no teeth, they goad their mom into fighting Ostrich. That's a bad idea.

In the second story, Crocodile is making plans to move his water animals to a new watering hole. To do so, he must make a treaty with Lion and also avoid the Boer's guns. Is Crocodile to be trusted?

Source: SOUTH-AFRICAN FOLK-TALES BY JAMES A. HONEŸ, M.D.

Sound FX: Nature Bird Park Ambience by ShannonAHoniball Creative Commons

Narrator: Dustin Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Wine and Dine Storytime A comedy podcast that shares food & wine recommendations while telling a collection of incredible true stories.

Listener Shoutout: Leinster Province, Ireland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leinster and a big thank you to motherfoclóir host: Darach Ó Séaghdha 

Photo credit: "Siamese Crocodile" by JustinJensen is licensed under CC BY 2.0

In this story, we learn about some of the animals in Korea. We learn why cats and dogs went from best friends to hated enemies. We meet Tippul the innkeeper who has Snap, the dog; and Meow, the cat. Tippul is kind to a mountain spirit and in turn gets a magic stone from Tokgabi that makes his wine bottle never be empty. But, he loses the stone and it is up to Snap and Meow to go and find it. Will Tippul get his magic stone back? listen and find out...

Source: Korean fairy tales collected by W.E. Griffis (1922)

Music: 박주희 비파 연주 "박주희의 2nd BIPA Concert" 새야새야 Creative Commons (Park JooHee Bipa performance) Courtesy of Liz Music Records

Sound Effects: Frogs at night by Dustin Steichmann

Narrator: Dustin Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Stranger Than Christian -Complete strangers. No script. Listen to me engage in conversation with people from all over the world.

Listener Shoutout: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur  Merci!

In story one, we learn why one tribe is called the sons of sticks.

Source: Yoruba Legands by Ogumefu, M. I.

This is the story of a family who lives in the countryside in Bengal. The wife goes to get water from the tank one day and on accident touches a Shakchunni, or female ghost. This ghost stuffs the wife into the trunk of a tree and assumes the woman's life in the family home. Her mother in law notices that things are being done faster and better and is happy with the change. But slowly the husband and mother in law figure out that this isn't the real wife. It is very apparent when the oven starts to have a roasted foot smell. Can they bring back the wife? Listen and find out

Source: Folk-Tales of Bengal by Lal Behari Day (1912) (Project Gutenberg)

Music: Tagore Spring Festival 2017 [Part 9.6] by the Vancouver Tagore Society (Creative Commons) A tribute to the iconic Bengali poet and composer Kazi Nazrul Islam with songs and dance celebrating monsoon and spring, and the beauty of rural Bengal.

Narrator: Dustin Steichmann

Sound Effects: Light Rain on Car by Dustin Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Across the Veil: A weekly Comedy and True Crime podcast featuring Emma Ragsdale and Zelda Kimble

Listener Shoutout: Dubai, UAE Language focus: Modern Standard Arabic as well as I could remember.

Artwork from the source book.

In the first story, a teacher learns a lesson by observing a snipe and a clam at a stalemate being caught by a hunter. 

In the second story, a mule learns why it isn't wise to hang out with the wrong crowd.

and in the third story, Confucius has a dream about two kinds of trees and learns why it is better to  stand up for what is right in difficult times.

Source: CHINESE FABLES AND FOLK STORIES by MARY HAYES DAVIS and CHOW-LEUNG (1908)

Music: Folk Songs of the Lisu people of China (This collection of Lisu songs and accompanying images was collected by Deng Xuemei as part of the Plateau Cultural Heritage Protection Group.) Creative Commons

Sound FX: Lisa Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Australian Histories Podcast- Brilliant stories from Australia's past.

Listener Shoutout: Sindh Pakistan

Today's story is about Abdul Kareem, the poor laborer on a lord's farm. Abdul works all day and gets paid in food and cloth. One day his boss gives him a little bit of money for doing a wonderful job and Abdul thinks he is suddenly rich. He tells his wife and she asks for some silk, his son ask for a horse and a sword, and his daughter for some slippers. Abdul gives some money to the mosque in Meshed, and upon learning that he can't afford anything, he gives his remaining money to a beggar who promises to return it tenfold. Will Abdul ever buy those presents for his family?

Source: The Cat and the Mouse- A Book of Persian Fairy Tales edited by Hartwell James 1906

Music: MUSIQUES ET RITES DE PERSE - LES FILLES DE SHIRAZ (SPECIAL NOWRUZ RELEASE) -Vincent Moon (creative commons)

Sound Effects: Rain in Seonbu by Dustin Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Dark Stories from the Campfire Dark and creepy stories one would tell around a campfire or huddled together next to a fireplace during a long, cold night. All stories presented in this podcast are original, no reproductions or retellings or borrowing from stories found on the internet. 

Listener Shoutout: Auckland (Māori: Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country, Auckland has an urban population of about 1,463,000 (June 2021).[4]

A young bride tragically dies only four years after getting married. Shortly there after, she comes back to haunt a chest of drawers (tansu). The family is confused and worried and call for a priest to help them out. The priest decides to spend the night a find out what what is making this ghost stick around. Listen to find out what secrets she holds.

Source: KWAIDAN: Stories and Studies of Strange Things By Lafcadio Hearn

Music: 三段の調 (three-stage key) by 久本玄智 (Genchi Hisamoto)

Sound FX: ketagawa00.mp3 by morewaves (freesound.org) creative commons

Narrator: Dustin Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Japan Distilled Join drinks authors @christopherpellegrini & @shochu_danji for a deep dive into Japanese distilled spirits. Available on iTunes & elsewhere.

Listener Shoutout: Osaka Japan

Photo Credit: "Small Tansu Chest" is licensed under CC BY 3.0

Here are two stories from Armenia.

In the first one, a boy has a dream but he won't tell a soul about it. He solves riddles and teams up with the super team of the ancient world. By their powers combined, can he make his dream come true?

And in the second story, a woman learns the power of saying "tush". Her daughter gets married to a very nice bird who lives in the fountain, but when her sisters get jealous and hurt the poor bird/man, she is banished to far, far away. Can she heal the poor birdy husband?

Source: The Golden Maiden and other folk tales and fairy stories told in Armenia by A.G. Seklemian (1898) Project Gutenberg

Music: Avetis by Byurakan Creative Commons

SFX: Frogs with hum by Dustin Steichmann

Narrator: Dustin Steichmann

Podcast Shoutout: Oklahomicide A true crime podcast that delves into the murderous acts of Oklahomans across the Sooner State.

Listener Shoutout: Alberta, Canada