Alright, gang. It's time to finally talk fantasy again, with the tragic tale of Clive Rosefield, and...oh, hold up. Did I miss a digit in the title?What the Folklore

After the "celebration" that was reading d'Aulnoy for a month, it's time to get back to basics. And by "basics", I mean Hans Christian Andersen. This week we read The Flea and The Professor. Suggested talking points: Surrounded By Strangers and Smelling Flamingos, Parachuting into Poverty, Magic'd WAY Too Hard, The Fun Husband-Leash™, Living That P…

This week we finally claw our way to the end of The Princess Mayblossom, and learn much more about Lucky Charms lore than anyone could've anticipated. Suggested talking points: I No Longer Side With The Children, Lucky Charms Creation Myth, Figuring Things Out is for Peasants, Cue Tears (Again), A Life On Emotional Cocaine, Live by the Well Die by …

This week we conclude our reading of The Princess Mayblossom! W..wait? We don't? WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE DON'T?? Suggested talking points: You WILL Learn the Pain of Existence, The Copypastas of Yore, An 8-Madrid Woman At Most, 3 Hours Of Silence Well Spent, Royalty Playpen Simulator, Chapeau 2.0, Land-Pirates Never Took Off If you'd like to support Ca…

We resume our reading of The Princess Mayblossom this week, down one man from the last. d'Aulnoy just takes and takes and takes from us, doesn't she? Suggested talking points: Big Merlin and Lil' Merlin, Indoor Daughter and Outdoor Daughter, Lions: Are They Real?, The Weeping Five, Comfort Diamonds, Loin-Hunger Vs. Regular-Hunger, Elephantvator, I …

Ten Years. Ten Years of doing this, and d'Aulnoy is STILL punking us... Suggested talking points: Entering The Eraser-Free Zone, NURSE TOURNAMENT!, This Didn't Take Long To Get Weird, All The King's Leeches, Constantly Leaking Chastity, The Biggest Punzel Money Can Buy, If you'd like to support Carman's artistic endeavors, visit: https://www.patreo…

This week on WTFolklore we read two versions of The Wedding of Mrs. Fox, one of which was considered a favorite by Jacob Grimm. One features dick jokes, the other does not. Guess which one was his favorite. Suggested talking points: LEGO Comes For Us All, That's A Lot of Bepis, Is A House a Chef (When It's On Fire)?, An Easy Giggle, A Mickey Mouse …

This week on WTFolklore we read the Ukrainian tale, Oh: The Tsar of the Forest, and are legitimately shocked at how resilient it's canon proves to be, despite our best efforts to deviate from it. Suggested talking points: The Foretold Hose-Pipe, An Eternal Greasy Handprint, The World is Buffering, A Modern O, Babies Made of Things Babies Aren't Mad…

EDITORS NOTE: THERE IS A 10 MINUTE STRETCH OF INTENTIONALLY UNEDITED SILENCE FROM 9:09-19:09 This week on WTFolklore, after a very good joke that is worth everyone's valuable time, we read The Immortal Rooster, which is actually, secretly, a much funnier ending to The Hobbit. Suggested talking points: Art World Tea, Reverse-Vampire Rooster, How is …

This week on WTFolklore, we read The Tale of Ming, a relic of significant cultural importance to China. We have perhaps...different takeaways than the original author intended. Suggested talking points: The Year is 2136, Cursed with Good Luck, Baby-Play Polycule, All These Flesh Boys With Their Flesh Births, This Is Our Bulbasaur, Crab Shrimp Nervo…

This week on WTFolklore, we read The Snow Daughter and the Fire Son, AKA the story of the first two X-Men, Heatmiser and Snowmiser, a tale that begins, middles, and ends in tragedy for inexplicable reasons. Suggested talking points: Motorcycles Everywhere, The Integrity of the Dog, Distant, Diegetic Battle Music, Of Mice and Mons, But Like Where's …

This week on WTFolklore, to make up for missing you on Christmas Eve, and to kick off 2025 in style, we're in for a "Rootabaganing". In layman's terms, that means we're reading both How Five Rusty Rats Helped Find a New Village and The Potato-Faced Blind Man Who Lost the Diamond Rabbit on his Gold Accordion, two stories from the...unique mind of Ca…

This week on WTFolklore we read The Stones of Plouhinec, a "seasonal" story from "France" (but not THAT France...) Suggested talking points: We're Not Going to MegaFrance, Put Fear Into the Egg, Tangentially Seasonal, Bee Soup, Faith-Based Graffiti, Eavesdropping on Magic, Innocent Until Proven Wizard If you'd like to support Carman's artistic ende…

This week on WTFolklore we read the Irish tale How The Wise Women Got Their Farm of Land Rent-Free from Lord Kilmaine, a title whose brevity matches the alleged wit of it's main characters. Suggested talking points: You Got Trucker In Your Soul, A Pilgrim-Themed Corner, Women Who Want Money for Sandwiches, Potato Drunk, Joggromancy, Winking Women o…

Here we go again...What the Folklore

This week we conclude the twisting, turning road that is What the Rose Did to the Cypress, with and even the story is sick of itself by the end. Suggested talking points: No Secrets When There's Breadsticks on the Line, Final Butt Diamond, Taking Baths With Strange Deer, Marriage In Exchange For Advice, Run-Of-The-Mill Sludge Prince, Miscellaneous …

This week we continue our puzzling journey into What the Rose Did to the Cypress, but we take a bit of a detour away from riddle-solving in order to gather snacks, learn nothing, and kill hundreds of thousands of men. Suggested talking points: A Human Hand Clap, Backseat Riddlers, Men of a Indeterminate Age, An Alternate Pant-Leg of Time, This is D…

This week we begin our journey into What the Rose Did to the Cypress, a story featuring a riddle so enticing, even knowing it exists drives men to their (countless) deaths. Suggested talking points: Magnet Highway, The Folklore Ice Bucket Challenge, Horticultural Beef, The Sordid Inner-Lives of Garden Folk, I'm Tired of Hunting this Town, Ctrl+F "F…

Spooklore 2024 draws to a close with a reading of The Story of a Mother, which is not so much a spooky story but a terribly depressing one, from resident sad-sack, Hans Christian Andersen. Turns out, the true horror was videogames from 1993 this whole time! Suggested talking points: The Hamburglar's Living Conditions, A Cave with Amenities, Microwa…

Spooklore 2024 continues with a reading of The Legend of the Pineapple, a story that either pushes fruit to new spooky echelons, or is a big coincidence. It's impossible to tell which. Suggested talking points: Spooky By Implication, Painfully Competent, Cooking is a Myth, Waiting to Magically Become Not Terrible, Porridge Was an Ask Too Far, The S…

Spooklore 2024 continues with a reading of Men-Wolves, a three-act story about a Witch who just can't get her one spell to work right. Suggested talking points: Ol' Gloomy NotJohn, Got the Wolf Quivers, Magic Pants Feelings, Tobias Fünke's Furry OC, Like Sailor Moon if Sailor Moon Sucked, You've Got Wolf Starring Tom Hanks If you'd like to support …

Spooklore 2024 begins with readings of both The Book of Magic and The Willful Child, two tales selected for their strong connective tissue to one another, and certainly not for their brevity! Suggested talking points: Bonesblood City Magicbook, Pandering to the Spooktralizer, Dracula and Buddies, A Greater Concentration of Diabolicalness, Fill Your…

This week we're reading The Death of the Sun Hero. Did you know there's an ancient pact that spurs all newborns to begin crawling towards the same point on earth, all in an effort to murder a single man? Apparently only the Sun knew that. Suggested talking points: Kebob a Rhino, Naked 'n Stuff, Sex Dolls for Cats, A Horse on Cocaine, An Infant with…

This week we're reading The Origin of Stories, which I guess is a pretty big deal, considering the premise of this show. Suggested talking points: Envision Yourself Mong-ing, The Deep Etsy, Firstname Inanimateobject, CTRL+F "Goose", Stones Crave Birds, An Orphan Named Orphan If you'd like to support Carman's artistic endeavors, visit: https://www.p…

This week we're reading The Wicked Prince, a deep dive into the possibility-space of whatever the hell Hans Christian Andersen's personality is. Suggested talking points: Purple Prose Kiss Orgy, The Worst Coin, Hundreds of Strong Eagles, Big Bad Bullet Button, The Gnat Medal of Honor, A Possibility of a Personality If you'd like to support Carman's…

It's time for our First-Annual Daughter-Off! This week we're reading The Great Bell, in order to compare and contrast the daughters of this and last week's tales. We also learn a LOT about jugglers on the way, for some reason. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: Secret Pidgeon App, Tuckered Out From the Head-Hitting, The B…

First off, big congratulations to Gordie for achieving the fastest fully funded project on Kickstarter in the site's history. Don't believe me? Well just click the link below and see for yourself! Anyway, we also read The Strange Tale of Doctor Dog, whom we almost immediately eminent-domain for our own purposes. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! …

After a brief-but-crucial PSA, and a short check in on the modern AI hellscape we all call the internet, we return our attention to finishing last week's Aztec Creation Myths. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: The Chuck E. Cheese of Gas Stations, Deceiving Faster Than We Can Think, An Animal That Can Throw a Punch, White…

This week we spend much too much time complaining about the Disney corporation before turning our attention to some Aztec Creation Myths. Turns out this isn't even the first Sun our planet had back in the space-goop days! Neat! Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: A Cupcake for Every Occasion, Terminally Tumblr, Floating in…

Due to recording this week on World Chocolate Day, we of course had to check in on how Willy Wonka's retirement is going. After that brief aside, we read The King of Love, who in a shocking twist, is none of those words. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: A Circle of Bread, Willy Wonka's Retirement, A Surprising Dearth of…

"It was never corn you feared, my child. It was destiny that frightened you." Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: Interpretive Threats, A Benadryl Situation, A Cruel and Dangerous World of Endless Picnics, Princesses Priced to Move, Animal Sopranos, Baba Does as Yaga Wants If you'd like to support Carman's artistic endeavo…

This week on WTFolklore, we read My Mother is a Cat. Who knew there was such a plethora of moms out there ripe for the picking, if you just had the courage to ask them to be your mom instead of your current mom, who is a cat. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: Technically Functioning, Toilet Is Forever, The Segue Klaxon, …

We tackle another Chromatic Dwarf story this week, The Little Gray Man, from Andrew Lang's Fairy Books. It takes some unexpected twists, landing us squarely in the realms of DOUBLE FICTION. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: Happy World Sea Turtle Day, House+, Plotmosphere, Lotto Tickets in the Leaves, Extra-Dimensional W…

This week we cover the tale of Dapplegrim, the only named character in his story. And rightly so, as he's the most terrifying horse to ever live. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: Accidental Estate Sale, Schrödinger's Vacuum, Investing in a Future Brag, The Money Laundromat, Addicted to Milk, Rad By Association, Echoes o…

After her daring escape from what is almost certainly a fae-managed Kroger, Carman regales us with the story of The Serpent Prince, which claims to come from Italy, but...well you be the judge. Check out Gordie's new Kickstarter! Suggested talking points: Entreprenordie, The Insatiable Desire to Punk Everything, Fairy Ring Grocery Store, Foxpower E…

This week we, and by extension you, are treated to The Epic Farts of General Pumpkin. I dunno what else you want from me on this one, it's all on the tin. Suggested talking points: The Rabbit-to-Bear Pipeline, Sit Down and Enjoy the Gas-Humor, Pumpkin Popeye, The Last Fartbender, Flatulent Forest Gump, Fartial Arts, General Pumpkin's Pumpkin Cookbo…

We return to the welcoming, warm blanket of Fairytalez With a Z Dot Com to read about The Half-Chick, an Origin Story that really didn't need to be. Suggested talking points: Load-Bearing Cereal, Chicken Broth Nightcap, Just a Hint of Feather, Soliciting Help From the Ground, Victor Hugo's Dark Souls If you'd like to support Carman's artistic endea…

Well, this seems familiar...What the Folklore

This week on WTFolklore, we turn our attention to The Toad Woman, a Native American tale of unrecorded origin. With a name like that you'd figure she'd be pretty interesting, but, uh, there are a number of other intriguing entities this week as well. Suggested talking points: The Original Team Rocket, Too Hot for Poe, Old Lady Moccasin Pit Crew, He…

This week on WTFolklore, we read The Goose Girl at the Well, A Grimm Brothers' tale that has absolutely nothing to do with any previously mentioned Goose-Women on our program. Apologies for any audio hiccups, we had some very strange glitches this week that I've cleaned up the best I can. Suggested talking points: An Hour of Consciousness, Dragon B…

Looks like them anime boys are at it again!What the Folklore

This week on WTFolklore, we read Nani Daughter of Nani, A Palestinian story who's title omits a FASCINATING detail about said character. You'll have to listen in to find out for yourself. Suggested talking points: Decorative Digital Monkey, The Algorithm Used to be a Guy, Rock-Pocket Memory Palace, An Ill-Fated Cereal Promotion, Prehensile Rapunzel…

This week we read The Enchanted Ring. No, not that one, the other one, from Russia. This obviously means we had to infuse it with some timely, seasonal holiday flair of our own. Suggested talking points: Blarney Day, Peasant is a Mindset, An Island in a Sea of Reasoning, Ruble-to-Dog Exchange Rate, Master Ninja Carpenters, There Are No Mysteries in…

This week we read The Tiger King's Gift. No, not that one, the other one, from India. We actually meet a trinity of animal kings, so we encourage you to tag yourself among them. Suggested talking points: Time Crime, Enter the Month Zone, A More Wholesome Rage, A Well for Men, Living the Death Stranding Life, Terms of Genie Services, Inflation on th…

This week we read The Bird Catcher, from Serbia. It features either the very best or the very worst agent of Project Birdfall. We'll let you decide which. CONTENT WARNING: Infrequent, but repeated mentions of domestic violence. Suggested talking points: BYONut, Bird Concerts are Canceled, Ruining Lives For Fun, The Senile-o-Meter, Redefining Mischi…

This week we read The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep, another banger from Hans Christian Andersen. It doesn't do much to disrupt it's own status quo by the end, but boy are there some twists along the way. Suggested talking points: A Proud Line of Highly Skilled Dishwashers, Big Hoof: Sasquatch of the South, Peppers That Learn English, Invest In…

This week WTFolklore reads The Story of the Old Man Who Made Withered Trees to Flower, a Japanese story that demonstrates the perils of being TOO nice to someone, and the perils of being TOO stupid for niceness to be done unto you. Suggested talking points: The Baby-to-Grandparent Pipeline, The Job of Dog is Win Food, Cool Prank, Planet Earth, The …

This week we read The Flower Queen's Daughter, which transitions naturally from a PSA about egg consumption protocols to a Ye Olde retelling of Scott Pilgrim. Suggested talking points: Redemption Arc University, The AI-niverse, An Exercise in Broken Promises, Karate Fighting a Ditch, Midnight Egg Demands, Prince Grindset, Cordially Captured, Even M…

This week WTFolklore reads two tales of similar structure, The Apples of Pregnancy and The Three Princesses and the Unclean Spirit. Turns out when you get your boys from apples, they ain't normal boys no more. But they ARE very capable infants. Suggested talking points: I Miss Boat, A Non-Stop Flood of Tom and Jerry Content, One Punch Jr., A Very M…

We have arrived at what is definitely our 400th episode (excluding a bunch of additional recordings that simply don't count). Such a momentous occasion requires a momentous surprise. Thanks to (lil') Geri for joining us! Suggested talking points: Fallen Carpet Paladin, Corn Wearing a Bib, The Bedtime Onion Threshold, The Blobfish of Phrases, Uncle …