The Folklore Podcast

In this episode, recorded on location, host Mark Norman meets members of the Turning Tides Project to talk about their Arts Council funded project AND 'OTHER' STORIES which presents the work of a group of artists with and without 'learning disability' and 'autism' labels.

And 'Other' Stories reworks fairy tales and folktales in different ways to challenge our ideas about disability. It invites you to:

• Consider the human tendency to exclude and create "Other".
• Look for ways we can value our rich heritage of traditional stories in a way that respects everyone, as equal.
• Immerse yourself in multi-sensory approaches to storytelling.
• Experience an approach to presenting information that gives everyone equal access to that information.

Mark discusses the project with facilitators Abi and Jane from Turning Tides, along with two of the participants.

A very special feature length episode of The Folklore Podcast, with a panel consisting of the cream of those people associated with the classic children's title THE BOX OF DELIGHTS.

Podcast host Mark Norman discusses the enduring love for Box in all its forms with an amazing line-up of guests, consisting of:

PHIL ERRINGTON - John Masefield expert and author of 'Opening the Box of Delights'

PIERS TORDAY - Children's author and playwright responsible for adapting the Box of Delights for the stage, including the RSC production

CHRIS CHAPMAN - BBC documentary maker and director of 'Time and Tide: Making the Box of Delights' for the BluRay edition

You can support the Folklore Podcast on Patreon and access even more content for free, or with a donation, at http://www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In this episode we visit the 2025 UK Ghost Story Festival, which was held at the Museum of Making in Derby. Host Mark Norman meets some of the presenters from the festival and chats to them about ghost stories and their work.

Children's author ALEX FOULKES discusses her middle-grade books, and talks about writing vampires for children.

Author and editor TEIKA MARIJA SMITS talks about the darker side of fairy stories and her own short ghost fiction

Academic DR SAM HIRST tell us all about her project Romancing the Gothic and the wide range of areas in which that particular genre can take you.

Learn more about the guests on their websites:

Alex: https://foulkeswrites.wordpress.com/

Teika: https://teikamarijasmits.com/

Sam: https://romancingthegothic.com/

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Folklore Podcast host Mark Norman chats with special guest, broadcaster and author Jeff Belanger, about some of the ghosts, folklore and other legends found in New England, in the north-eastern corner of the United States.

Jeff is the host of 'New England Legends' on Amazon Prime Video, co-host of a podcast of the same name, and has written for and appeared on 'Ghost Adventures'. His book, 'Wicked Strange' provides a coffee-table collection of the stories covered on this episode and much more.

This episode is rounded off with a folk music recording from the archives of American folklorist and singer Ellen Stekert. This previously lost recording of 'Golden Apples of the Sun', performed by Dave Van Ronk, was recorded in 1966 and has been recently remastered as part of the Ellen Stekert Project.

Find out more about Jeff on his website at https://jeffbelanger.com/

Learn more about Ellen and the project to digitise her archives at https://ellenstekert.com/

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Mark Norman is joined by broadcaster, author and medievalist Dr Eleanor Janega to look at the role of the ghost in the medieval period.

What elements of the behaviour of the ghost might we still recognise today? What was the view and the role of the church when it came to ghosts? Did people use ghosts for entertainment as we do now?

You can find out more about Eleanor, her broadcasting and her writing on her website at https://eleanorjanega.com/

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The Folklore Podcast returns to its original first principles for the first show of Season 11, with an episode written and presented by creator and host Mark Norman.

The episode is a short exploration of the role of proverbs in folklore, and its writing was inspired by a new music track, 'Breadcrumbs' by artist Amy Hopwood which you can hear at the end of the show.

Watch a video version of this podcast on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Rn6R_FnqV-Y

You can visit Amy's website and get links to her music and art at https://amyhopwood.co.uk/

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Want to know what to expect from the show as we head to 2026, and where to find the content you enjoy?

Listen to this short announcement from creator and host, Mark Norman.

Welcome to the 2025 Folklore Podcast Christmas Special.

Folklorist Mark Norman, the creator and host of The Folklore Podcast for the last 10 years, relates the legend of the Mistletoe Bride and provides a rare look at a very obscure reference to what is probably the earliest version of the tale in print, from 1809, placing the story in Germany and not England at all.

The episode is rounded off with a performance of the song which popularised the legend, 'The Mistletoe Bough' given exclusively for the audience of the podcast by critically acclaimed English folk singer Jackie Oates.

Visit Jackie's website at www.jackieoates.co.uk

Support The Folklore Podcast on Patreon for extra content at www.patreon.com/thefolklorepodcast

In this episode of the podcast, host Mark Norman discusses some points relating to the folklore of rivers, with a particular focus on their perceived need for sacrifice and to 'claim a heart' each year.

This is followed by a discussion with writer Darren Simpson, the author of a new folk horror book for young adults, 'Thirst', which uses similar themes in its plot.

And finally, the show is closed with a new single from folk duo Lunatraktors, 'Yarrow', based on a Child Ballad.

You can find Darren Simpson online at https://darrensimpsonwrites.co.uk/

Lunatraktors have a website at https://www.lunatraktors.space/

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I chat with author Michelle Paver about all things ghost story. What makes a good haunt? Which are her favourites and which doesn't she like? And what do ghosts mean to her?

For the second part of the interview we take a look at Michelle's new novel 'Rainforest', a ghost story set in the Mexican rainforest. Having previously placed her ghosts in the isolation of the Arctic and high up a mountain, Michelle once again shows that you can have an effective haunt in an unexpected location. We explore Mayan folklore, shamanism and the cultural roles of that civilization on the story.

The episode includes an extract of the audiobook version of Rainforest, read by Richard Armitage.

You can visit Michelle's website to find our more about her work at https://michellepaver.com/

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