Feral Folktales is where I step aside from the main show and tell a straight folktale—simple, spoken, and exactly as it’s meant to be heard. These bonus episodes are just a little something extra between the full installments of The Feral Folklorist, which is where you’ll find the deeper dives into history, folklore, magic, hauntings, and the stranger corners of human belief.

This time, I’m sharing “Duppy and the Silk-Cotton Tree,” a Jamaican tale about a mother, her boy, and the uneasy nights that follow when a duppy (a spirit) keeps close to the roots of a tree people treat with a great deal of respect. It’s a story about boundaries, small signs, and the way families watch the world a little closer when something won’t leave their yard alone.

A new folktale often appears between the regular podcast releases—just a short story to keep the world of folklore moving.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Papa Gee's personal website, Folkloreum, showcases his books, blog, podcast information, and more: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

Feral Folktales is where I step aside from the main show and tell a straight folktale—simple, spoken, and exactly as it’s meant to be heard. These bonus episodes are just a little something extra between the full installments of The Feral Folklorist, which is where you’ll find the deeper dives into history, folklore, magic, hauntings, and the stranger corners of human belief.

This time, I’m sharing “Grýla and the Yule Lads,” an Icelandic winter tale about a mountain giantess, her thirteen troublesome sons, and the uneasy nights when families believed these visitors came down from the high ridges to make sure every household kept their chores in order.

A new folktale often appears between the regular podcast releases—just a short story to keep the world of folklore moving.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

Feral Folktales is where I step aside from the main show and tell a straight folktale—simple, spoken, and exactly as it’s meant to be heard. These bonus episodes are just a little something extra between the full installments of The Feral Folklorist, which is where you’ll find the deeper dives into history, folklore, magic, hauntings, and the stranger corners of human belief.

This time, I’m sharing “The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle,” an old English tale about restlessness, wish-making, and the trouble that follows when nothing ever feels like enough.

A new folktale often appears between the regular podcast releases—just a short story to keep the world of folklore moving. 

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

The Dybbuk Box - wood, metal, a couple of drawers. But the moment people touch it, things start to unravel—sickness, nightmares, strange smells, broken lives.

In this episode, we dig into the origin story of one of the internet’s most infamous “haunted objects”—and what it gets right (and wrong) about Jewish folklore, spirit possession, and the figure of the dybbuk itself. We’ll look at where the story came from, who kept it alive, and why cursed objects hit so hard in a world already cracking at the edges.

Then we shift into the magical layer: what makes an object truly haunted? How do spirits attach, and why do some things refuse to stay buried? From ancestor trauma to energetic entanglement, we’ll break down the difference between haunted… and charged.

If you’ve ever found something strange at a thrift store and couldn’t bring it into the house… if you’ve ever felt like a story was following you home… this one’s for you. Because sometimes, the scariest thing isn’t the object.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

She stands by the road. In a white dress. Silent. Watching. And no matter what country you’re in, someone has a story that starts just like that.

In this episode, we trace the recurring shape of the Lady in White—across highways, rivers, cultures, and centuries. From La Llorona to Resurrection Mary to the Irish Banshee, we’ll break down the folklore behind these mourning spirits, and why their stories all carry the same weight: grief that never got a place to rest.

Then we’ll talk about what that means magically—unrested spirits, threshold spaces, and the quiet power of recognition. You’ll learn why these ghosts aren’t looking for fear… they’re looking for memory. And how to set boundaries without shutting the door on what still needs to be seen.

If you’ve ever felt haunted by something that didn’t start with you, or if you’ve driven past a roadside wreath and felt your chest tighten, this one’s for you. Because not every ghost wants revenge.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

High in the Carpathian hills, the ruins of Cachtice Castle still whisper her name. In this episode, we descend into the history and legend of Elizabeth Bathory—the Hungarian countess accused of bathing in blood and condemned without a trial. You’ll hear what really happened inside those castle walls, what the records say, and what the folklore invented to fill the gaps.

We’ll trace how a powerful noblewoman became Europe’s most enduring monster, how her story turned from scandal to symbol, and why the image of the “blood countess” still bleeds through pop culture and magical circles today.

Then we’ll talk about the spellwork: blood as a sacred element, mirrors as portals, and what it means when power—especially a woman’s power—gets rewritten as something to fear. If you’ve ever been called too much, too old, too visible, or too dangerous, this one’s for you. Because some legends don’t fade. They get bricked in—and wait to be let out.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

White-washed and sun-cracked, the tomb of Marie Laveau stands in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 like it’s still waiting for someone to knock. In this episode, we dig into the magic and myth surrounding the most famous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans—and the strange rituals that still cling to her grave. You’ll hear how this Creole healer became a living legend, why her tomb draws thousands each year, and what it means when people mark those triple Xs on the stone. We’ll talk about the real history of Marie Laveau—midwife, rootworker, Catholic, conjure queen—and how folklore turned her into something bigger, stranger, and harder to bury.

 Then we’ll get into the spellwork: graveyard etiquette, how to approach a spirit like Marie Laveau, and the do’s and absolutely-don’ts of working with ancestor sites. If you’ve ever felt pulled toward her tomb—or left a candle burning when you didn’t mean to—this one’s for you. Because graves don’t sleep. And magic this old? It remembers who visits.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

In 1928, a Pennsylvania folk healer named Nelson Rehmeyer was beaten and killed by three men who believed he’d hexed them. They weren’t strangers—they knew him, had sat at his kitchen table, and came armed with folk instructions: steal his spellbook, take a lock of hair, and destroy them to break the curse. When the fire they set didn’t catch, the legend began.

This episode unpacks the true story behind what became known as the Hex Murder of York County—a case where powwow, the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition of Bible-based folk healing, was twisted into justification for murder. We’ll dig into how Rehmeyer’s practice and The Long Lost Friend put him at the center of rural magical fear, and how folk systems like powwow and hexerei blurred the line between healing and suspicion.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

Blue bottle trees aren’t just porch decorations—they’re spirit traps. In this episode, we dig into the Southern and African origins of this folk magic tradition, where glass bottles are used to confuse, trap, or drive off wandering spirits. You’ll learn how this practice came over from the Congo, how it changed in the American South, and why blue is the color most often used to keep bad energy away. We’ll talk about how bottle trees work, what kinds of spirits they’re meant to catch, and the signs that one might be doing its job a little too well. Then we’ll get into the magical mechanics—how to build one, how to set it, and what to watch for when the bottles start to hum. If you’ve ever driven past a tree strung with glass and felt it watching, this one’s for you. Because not all spirits knock—and bottle trees don’t need an invitation to go to work.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show

Mirrors are supposed to show us the truth—but in folk magic, they do a whole lot more. In this episode, we’re heading to Louisiana’s most famously haunted home to unravel the legends behind the Myrtles Plantation and the mirror said to trap spirits inside its frame. We’ll walk the line between history and haunting, breaking down the folklore of Chloe, the footsteps that stop on the seventeenth stair, and the strange echoes of grief that linger in reflective glass. Then we’ll dive into the magical logic behind mirror rituals, spirit containment, and why some mirrors shouldn’t be broken—or even left uncovered. Whether you’re a ghost hunter, a ghost skeptic, or just someone with a hallway mirror that feels a little too alive, this one’s for you. Because some reflections don’t just copy what’s there… They remember.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
 https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
 https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
 https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/ 

Support the show