Wise Crone Cottage Podcast

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In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will share  a story from the Langs’ Olive Fairy Book.  It’s an Armenian tale entitled “The Silver Cane.”  The life of this crone takes an unexpected turn.  We see how even the oldest, smallest and weakest of us can still speak truth to power.

Story:  Macler, Frederic, "The Steel Cane," in The Olive Fairy Book, ed. Andrew Lang (London: Longmans, Green & Co., 1907). 

Illustration:  Pixaby.com.

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. 
Copyright 2026 Kathy Shimpock.    

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For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

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In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will read her version of the story, the Three Crones.  It’s an Italian folktale that speaks of obsession, deception and gullibility. What will we do and what cost are we willing to bear for our own obsessions? This story offers up a warning.

Story:  Created from: Italian Folktales by Italo Calvino (1956), Italian Popular Tales, by Thomas Frederick Cane (1885) and Andrew Lang’s Pink Fairy Book (1897).  

Illustration:  Pixaby.com.

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. 
Copyright 2026 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

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In this episode, the storyteller Kathy Shimpock will be exploring three legends of sacrifice and heroism.  One is the "Burning of the Rice Fields," a legend from Japan. The second is "St. David's Hood" from England and the third is "Tante Tina" from Germany.  In each, we'll see how the "little old woman's" or the "little old man's" actions saved the day.

Story: "The Burning of the Rice Fields," in How to Tell Stories to Children and Some Stories to Tell, ed. by Sara Cone Bryant, 1918. "St. David's Flood," in Wise Women,  retold and ed. by Suzanne I. Barchers, 1990.  "Tante Tina," in A Piece of the Wind and Other Stories to Tell by Ruthilde Kronberg and Patricia C. McKissack, 1990.

Illustration:  Pixaby.com.

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. 
Copyright 2026 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

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In this episode we’ll discuss a story from the “Arabian Nights” collection.  It is entitled “Delila the Wily.”  This is a long story, so long in fact, that we’ve covered it in two previous episodes. (Please listen to those episodes if you wish to hear the actual story.  Here I will only share a summary.) Delila is a trickster figure who brings chaos wherever she goes.  But she is much more than that. Her acts of cunning cause the listener to reflect on justice, law, morality and the ability of women to be the author of their own lives. In Delila’s world actions are not black or white, but a multitude of shades of gray.  In this episode, we’ll discuss her world and why tricksters are needed now more than ever.

Story: "The Wiley Dalilah and Her Daughter Zaynab," in Arabian Nights: Volume I, trans. Jack Zipes (New York: Penguin Books, 1991).
Illustration:  Edmund Dulac, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. National Library NZ on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2026 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

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In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, shares a Scottish story about the changing seasons. It comes as we reach winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere. This is a story of the Cailleach Beira, the Queen of Winter.  She may be frightening but she has much to tell us about our role as elders and how we should best approach the winter season. She’s a very wise crone indeed!

Story: Donald Alexander MacKenzie, "Beira, Queen of Winter," in Wonder Tales from Scottish Myth and Legend (London, Blackie & Son, 1917).
Illustration: "Beira" from a drawing by John Duncan (from book).

Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles." 

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. 
Copyright 2025 Kathy Shimpock.   

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

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In this episode the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will continue reading from the Arabian Nights collection, “Delila the Crafty/Wily.”   Delila is a trickster figure who brings chaos wherever she goes.  In this episode, we'll discover how this wise old woman's story ends. Is she punished or rewarded for her acts? Her acts of cunning cause the listener to reflect on justice, law, morality and the ability of women to be the author of their own lives. In Delila’s world actions are not black or white but a multitude of shades of gray.  Be ready to enter that world as you hear the story.

Story: "The Wiley Dalilah and Her Daughter Zaynab," in Arabian Nights: Volume I, trans. Jack Zipes (New York: Penguin Books, 1991).
Illustration:  Edmund Dulac, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2025 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will read a story from the Arabian Nights collection.  It is entitled “Delila the Wily.”  This is a long story that will be completed over the next three episodes: two for the actual story and one for our discussion of this tale.  Delila is a trickster figure who brings chaos wherever she goes.  But she is much more than that. Her acts of cunning cause the listener to reflect on justice, law, morality and the ability of women to be the author of their own lives. In Delila’s world actions are not black or white but a multitude of shades of gray.  Be ready to enter that world as you hear the story.

Story: "The Wiley Dalilah and Her Daughter Zaynab," in Arabian Nights: Volume I, trans. Jack Zipes (New York: Penguin Books, 1991).
Illustration:  unknown vintage etching.

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2025 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will read to you a Russian folktale: “The Three Sisters and Their Glass Hearts.” It’s a poignant story, nonetheless, and one you’ll long remember.

Story:  "The Three Sisters and Their Glass Hearts," in The Golden Fairy Book, H.R. Millar, illus. (London: Appleton & Co., 1894), 195-206.
Illustration:  "The Three Sisters and Their Glass Hearts," illustration by H.R. Millar (1894).   

Other Resources: Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic 

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2025 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will continue her discussion of the Danish folktale, “Prince Lindworm.”  We began our analysis in the last episode, but there is much more to share.  This story is filled with metaphors and symbols.  It can be viewed in many ways. That fact alone emphasizes the power of folktales to bring understanding and healing to issues we deal with today.

Story:  East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North, illus. Kay Nielsen (New York: George H. Dorwan Co., 1922). "Strong Fairy Tale Heroines #21: Prince Lindworm" in Seven Miles of Steel Thistles: a blog by Katherine Langrish (July 14, 2020).
Illustration:  "She Saw the Lindworm for the First Time as He Came In and Stood by Her Side," illustration by Kay Nielsen (1922).                                                          Other Resources: "Prince Lindworm," "Tatterhood," and "The Handless Maiden."

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2025 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, the storyteller, Kathy Shimpock, will share the Danish folktale, “Prince Lindworm.”  It’s a story of shadow and light, female agency and transformation. It’s also a story with a sequel.  This mash-up or compilation of folktales is filled with metaphors and symbols. There is so much to discuss that will carry this on to the next podcast.

Story:  East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Old Tales from the North, illus. Kay Nielsen (New York: George H. Dorwan Co., 1922). "Strong Fairy Tale Heroines #21: Prince Lindworm" in Seven Miles of Steel Thistles: a blog by Katherine Langrish (July 14, 2020).
Illustration:  "The Maiden Amidst the Lindorm's Shed Skins," illustration by Henry Justice Ford for Andrew Lang's The Pink Fairy Book (1897). 

This podcast is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License.  http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/. Sound effects from my finch "Tweedles."
Copyright 2025 Kathy Shimpock.    

Support the show

For more crone tales, visit the "Wise Crone Cottage in the Woods" (http://www.wisecronecottage.com).