World myths and legends with Scottish storyteller and USA Today bestselling author Daniel Allison. Discover breathtaking stories from around the world, all told in Daniel's intimate and lyrical style. Also featuring guest spots from the world's best oral storytellers.
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We live in turbulent times, such times need great stories and storytelling. This podcast presents the ancient craft of storytelling as tool for connection, imagination, entertainment and empowerment. Scottish storyteller Dougie Mackay, shares folk tales, myths and musings. Sometimes joined by guest storytellers, change-makers, rebels and poets, who share their perspective on stories and folk culture and its impact on modern life. Themes of rewilding, nature connection, folk arts, primitive s ...
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Episode 87: Whuppity Stoorie with Dougie Mackay
36:11
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My guest today is Dougie Mackay. Dougie hails from the Scottish Highlands and draws on his background in nature connection and ancestral skills in his storytelling. He founded the Inverness Storytelling Festival, hosts the Tales for Our Times podcast, recently toured British Columbia and hosts regular events at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in E…
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Episode 86: Lughnasa Special with Danica Boyce
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Today’s episode is a joint release with Danica Boyce of Fair Folk Podcast to mark Lughnasa. It’s been a few years since Danica and I last guested on each other’s podcasts, during which time our work has evolved and changed, we’ve started collaborating and Danica has moved to Scotland. So it was about time for a catch up. On this episode we take the…
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We're a bit past midsummer but it's such a great story, I couldn't resist! This is another Celtic story taken from my new book Scottish Myths & Legends Volume II, told by me. It's an old pagan tale of dancing trees which, to me, is an illustration of the overflowing of life and light we experience in Scotland in the middle of summer, when the night…
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Episode 84: Fair Maid's Tresses with Angus King
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Today’s episode is a special one as it marks the release of my new book, Scottish Myths & Legends Volume II. For this episode I wanted to share with you a story narrated by Angus King, who narrated the audiobook of Scottish Myths & Legends Volumes I & II. The story comes from the island of Barra in the Outer Hebrides. I first heard it from Linda Wi…
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Episode 83: The Edgewell Tree with Stephen McCabe
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My guest today is Stephen McCabe of Green Temple Therapy. A former student on my Myth Singers course, Stephen is a storyteller, author, Zen Buddhist, tarot reader and nature therapist based in the village of Temple in Scotland. He’s the author of The Moorfoot Tales, a collection in which his deep love for nature is always present and eloquently exp…
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Episode 82: Davey Boy & The Devil with Jess Smith
1:07:14
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My guest today is Jess Smith. Jess is a storyteller, author and singer from the Scottish travelling people. She spent much of her childhood living on a bus and travelling around Scotland with her parents and seven sisters, spending evenings around fires listening to the stories carried by the travelling people while the rest of the country was busy…
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In this episode I share a Scottish story taken from my forthcoming book, Scottish Myths & Legends Volume II. The story comes from Orkney, an archipelago northeast of the Scottish mainland. Get my free ebook of Orcadian stories here. Support the podcast by buying one of my books for the price of a cup of coffee here. Learn about Myth Singers, my Onl…
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As a prequel to my upcoming tour of British Columbia I speak with Tad Hargrave, best known for his Marketing for Hippies movement, but also eloquent in culture making and something of a storyteller, improv actor and street magician. You want this guy at your party! In our conversation we touch upon his own path to discover of the richness of his Ce…
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In this episode I discuss 'applied storytelling' as well as performance with Glasgow based storyteller Dan Serridge. We dive into story as a tool for community engagement and how it can break down barriers. Dan shares his experience of walking the border between England and Scotland, whilst musing the classic tale of Thomas the Rhymer, and his own …
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In this episode I catch up with Lucy O'Hagan about her wilderness programmes in Ireland. We range from local myths of Lugh and Balor of the evil eye, to the Belfast Punk scene, snow shelters in Norway, cave dwelling in Dordogne, and the teepee outside Galway where we met. To find out more about Lucy's work: https://www.wildawake.ie/ To stay tuned f…
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Ep 10. The Witches of Kintail live at SISF
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This episode features a live recording of a story told at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 23. It's a version of one of the stories I first fell in love with many years ago and has sublime musical accompaniment from the talented Rachel Newton...aswell as some random audience participation and suggestion! I also comment on various fe…
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Episode 80: Calling Spirits with Judith-Kate Friedman & featuring the late Daniel Deardorff
1:27:51
1:27:51
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This is a very special episode! My guest on today’s episode is Judith-Kate Friedman. Judith-Kate inhabits the flinty places where art, activism, ritual and oral tradition dance. She sings, composes, writes, performs, curates spaces, produces events, tends hearth-fires, tells stories and documents aliveness. Born in New York City, she now calls Wash…
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In the episode I give a nod to my recent trip to Norway for a primitive skills gathering by telling a hunting tale from Sierra Leone. I also share a 'Revolting Rhyme' version of the Norwegian folk tale, the Three Billy Goats Gruff, inspired by irreverent British-Danish author Roald Dahl. There is some commentary on my time in Norway and the story t…
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Ep 8. Rewilding Humans (with Daan Timmers)
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In this episode I discuss rewilding with Daan Timmers, whom I met at the Lithica ancestral skills gathering in Norway. We reflect upon our experience at the Lithica Gathering highlighting the sense of community and connection and value of reconnecting with nature and each other in a world that often prioritizes individuality. We discuss the joy of …
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In this episode I introduce Animate Lands, a live storytelling and music piece that recently showcased at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. I introduce the Fianna and some of the old Celtic myths relating to them before sharing a Scottish story featuring the Old Grey Magician, a mysterious wizard type character in who appears in several old Celtic myt…
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Welcome to the Tales for our Times podcast! In this first episode (recorded back in the winter time) I share a classic tale from the Scottish Traveller people and give a little cultural context around the travellers, and their role in the modern resurgence in traditional storytelling. This story is a classic, and one of the tales I tell most often …
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This episode shares a local folk tale from the Isle of Skye, first told to me by renowned Seanachie, George 'Seoras' Macpherson. The tale is set in the time of the Highland clearances, and has themes of co-operation common in rural places, memories of old lore, and the harshness of the Scottish elements. You can support this podcast to the cost of …
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In this episode I am joined by Northern Irish storytelling phenomenon Liz Weir. I first met Liz many years ago at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival and was fascinated by her anecdotes of storytelling in Northern Ireland during the times of 'the troubles'. It was one of the strongest accounts of applied storytelling I have heard, and …
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Another classic tale about dreaming and unexpected treasures in familiar places and an inspiration for a best selling novel. This story appeals to all ages and whilst discussing with a friend recently, we reflected upon the influence that the novel version of this tale has had on our adult lives. It's a cracking folk tale in it's finest form: simpl…
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Ep 5. Story Activism and the Magic Garden
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Inspired by a community action programme in the North of Scotland, this episode relays a the challenges placed upon green spaces and community resources under the guise of 'green energy'. With anecdotes from Torrie community up in Aberdeen, and reflections upon this folk tale from Central Asia, we explore the contradiction of focusing on carbon whi…
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Celebrating high summer, this tale is a nod to swims in the river and finding new stories for festival season. This tale is a fun one and a new one in my repertoire. You can support this podcast to the cost of a cup of coffee (that's a hipster oat milk cappuccino) or dram (single malt) via my Kofi page. All contributions very much appreciated. http…
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On this episode I share my interpretation of a classic Greek myth. Support House of Legends by becoming a patron Learn about Myth Singers, my online Celtic Storytelling Apprenticeship Get my books, Scottish Myths & Legends, The Shattering Sea and Finn & The Fianna, at Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Get my FREE ebook Silverborn here Join me on In…
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Episode 78: The Voyage of Bran with Aron Hegarty from Candlelit Tales
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My guest on this episode is Aron Hegarty. Aron is an Irish born Actor and Storyteller, and the cofounder of Candlelit Tales. Through Candlelit Tales he and his sister have introduced many thousands of people to Irish mythology, and their podcast is one of my absolute favourites. We performed together in Dublin last year and again when Aron came to …
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Episode 77: The Mustard Seed with Siobhan Asgharzadeh
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My guest on this episode is Siobhan Asgarzadeh. Siobhan is a storyteller and grief pilgrim based in Colorado. She holds grief pilgrimages both in person, in nature and online, in which she helps individuals and groups to work with their own grief. Siobhan is a member of the Roundhouse Storytelling School, a highly valued member of our community and…
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Episode 76: To the Sea with Tamar Eluned Williams
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This episode is a collaboration with Pathways, a podcast by Welsh storyteller Tamar Eluned Williams. After a brief chat with Tamar you’ll hear an episode of her podcast in which she guides you on a story walk along the Ely River and down to Cardiff Bay. Learn more about Tamar at https://www.tamarelunedwilliams.com Explore Tamar’s Pathways project a…
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Apologies for the lower sound quality on this episode, I had trouble finding a quiet space to record for this one. Normal service will resume soon. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Study with me at the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.r…
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Episode 75: Puss in Boots with Emily & Leo Hanna-Grazebrook
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My guests on the episode are Emily Hanna-Grazebrook and her son Leo, who tells stories together on their wonderful Dragonfly Tales podcast. Here they give us their unique version of that old classic, Puss in Boots. Listen to Emily and Leo’s podcast, Dragonfly Tales, at: https://dragonflytales.uk/podcast Note: Apologies for the lower-than-normal sou…
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Episode 73: The Golden City with Nicholas Jubber
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Our guest on the episode is Nicholas Jubber, author of the new book The Fairy Tellers. I talk to Nick about the book and we hear Nick tell the story of The Golden City. You can find Nick at http://www.nickjubber.com Get his book at your local independent bookshop or on Amazon here. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksh…
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Our story on this episode is The Crow’s Wife, which you can also find in my book Scottish Myths & Legends. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Study with me at the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.roundhouseschool.com Learn about Myth Sing…
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Episode 71: The Gods are All Here with Phil Okwedy
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On this episode my guest is Phil Owedy, a Welsh-Nigerian storyteller based in Pembrokeshire. He draws deeply on his dual heritage and multiple cultures in order to find the contemporary in the traditional. Phil regularly performs in storytelling clubs and has featured at Beyond the Border and Aberystwyth Storytelling Festivals, as well as at Kea Fe…
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On this episode I share an early draft of the Irish story of The Coming of Lugh from my forthcoming book, The Children of Danu. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Study with me at the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.roundhouseschool.com …
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Episode 69: Two Brothers, Two Boats with Ian Stephen
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48:38
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My guest on this episode is Ian Stephen. Ian is a a writer, poet and storyteller from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. He worked for 15 years in the coastguard service, based in Stornoway, and since 1995 has worked full-time in the arts, after winning the inaugural Robert Louis Stevenson award. Ian was the first artist in residence at StAnz…
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Episode 68: The Greedy Padshah with Sef Townsend
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1:00:24
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Our guest this week is Sef Townsend, a brilliant storyteller and musician who has worked on peace and reconciliation projects throughout the world, including in the West Bank, in Armenia-Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland. In our conversation we talk about his travels throughout the world, his unique heritage, his love of language and much more, and h…
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Episode 67: The Birth of Athena with Jay Leeming
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1:03:08
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Our guest this week is Jay Leeming, a performance storyteller whose poetic way of bringing traditional stories alive has captivated audiences in theaters, schools, libraries and National Parks. He is the creator of the Crane Bag Podcast, the author of two books of poetry and the recipient of a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Re…
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Episode 66: Mallie & the Trow with Tom Muir
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1:37:27
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Our guest this week is Orcadian storyteller Tom Muir. Tom was born on a small farm by the sea on the Orkney Mainland and now works as an engagement officer the Orkney Museum.He has published many books on Orkneys history and stories and as a storyteller he has performed in many countries, from Newfoundland and Greenland in the north to Slovenia and…
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Episode 65: Re-release: Where Music Comes From
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This week I'm re-releasing a previous House of Legends episode: the haunting tale from the Isle of Skye which I call Where Music Comes From. I'm still working on the next Mabinogion tale and wanted to make sure I'm ready before I record it, so I thought I'd give you this to enjoy in the meantime. Hope you enjoy the story. Get access to every House …
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Episode 64: The Love Spot with Clare Murphy
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Our guest this week is Clare Murphy. Clare has been a storyteller for 14 years. She has performed in more than 20 countries, telling stories for all kinds of audiences. Her performances include shows such as “The King of Lies”; the political folkloric show set in Damascus, and playful pieces like UniVerse which explores where quantum physics, philo…
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Episode 63: The Hand in the Dark (Part 3 of The Mabinogion)
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The final chapter of the first branch of the Mabinogion. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Study with me at the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.roundhouseschool.com Learn about Myth Singers, my storytelling coaching program, at: www.hou…
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Episode 62: the Fairy Lake with Csenge Zalka
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Our guest this week is Csenge Zalka. Csenge is a professional storyteller and author from Hungary. She got her MA in Storytelling at East Tennessee State University, and has her PhD in Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University, OH. She performs traditional stories (folktales, myths, legends and epics) internationally in English, Spanish and…
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Episode 61: Pwyll & Rhiannon (Part 2 of The Mabinogion)
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29:09
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We continue our Mabinogion series with the tale of Pwyll & Rhiannon, from the first branch of the Mabinogi. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Study with me at the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.roundhouseschool.com Learn about Myth Sin…
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Episode 60: Fierce Creatures with Donna Washington
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38:08
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Our guest this week is multiple-award winning US storyteller Donna Washington. The first story starts at 24:55. Learn more about Donna’s work at: https://dlwstoryteller.com Get access to every new House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/houseoflegends Get my FREE ebook Silverborn at: http…
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Episode 59: Pwyll & Arawn (Part 1 of The Mabinogion)
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The first part of our Mabinogion series. The Mabinogion is a collection of Welsh legends. It is the earliest prose literature of Britain and one of the jewels of Celtic legend. I base my telling on the 2008 translation by Sioned Davies. Get access to every House of Legends episode and patron-only worksheets by becoming a patron at: https://www.patr…
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Episode 58: Mary & The Seal with Kirsten Milliken
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32:23
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A Scottish selkie story with emerging storyteller Kirsten Milliken. Learn more about selkies in my article 'What is a Selkie?' here: https://www.houseoflegends.me/blog/what-is-a-selkie-selkies-psyche-amp-scottish-folklore Find out about the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.roundhouseschool.com Learn about Myth Singers, my storytelling co…
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Episode 57: Bran & Sceolan (Part 5 of the Tales Of The Fianna series)
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24:07
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Part 5 of our Tales Of The Fianna series to celebrate the launch of my new book, Finn & The Fianna (available January 2021). Find out about the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.houseoflegends.me/roundhouse Get my books, Scottish Myths & Legends, The Shattering Sea and Finn & The Fianna, at And Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=daniel…
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Episode 56: Samhain at Tara (Part 4 of the Tales Of The Fianna series)
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18:49
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Part 4 of our Tales Of The Fianna series to celebrate the launch of my new book, Finn & The Fianna (available January 2021). Find out about the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.houseoflegends.me/membership-site Get my books, Scottish Myths & Legends, The Shattering Sea and Finn & The Fianna, at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel-…
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Episode 55: The Salmon of Wisdom (Part 3 of The Tales of The Fianna Series)
17:27
17:27
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Part 3 of our Tales Of The Fianna series to celebrate the launch of my new book, Finn & The Fianna (available December 2020). Find out about the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.houseoflegends.me/membership-site Get my books, Scottish Myths & Legends, The Shattering Sea and Finn & The Fianna, at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel…
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Episode 54: The Boyhood of Finn (Part 2 of The Tales of The Fianna Series)
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15:09
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Part 2 of our Tales Of The Fianna series to celebrate the launch of my new book, Finn & The Fianna (available December 2020). Find out about the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.houseoflegends.me/membership-site Get my books, Scottish Myths & Legends, The Shattering Sea and Finn & The Fianna, at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel…
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Episode 53: The Fate of Coull (Part 1 of The Tales of The Fianna Series)
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Part 1 of our Finn MacCoull series to celebrate the launch of my new book, Finn & The Fianna (available December 2020). Find out about the Roundhouse Storytelling School: https://www.houseoflegends.me/membership-site Get my books, Scottish Myths & Legends, The Shattering Sea and Finn & The Fianna, at Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daniel-Allis…
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Episode 52: Salt Is The Dearest with Nana Tomova
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Our guest this week is Nana Tomova, host of The Story Apothecary Podcast. Nana is a storyteller, poet, photographer, as well as a mental health specialist and pharmacist, who draws deep inspiration from nature. We discussed her work and Nana told the Bulgarian story, Salt Is The Dearest. I hope you enjoy the conversation and the story. If you’d lik…
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Episode 51: The Flight of Merlin with Lisa Schneidau
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58:39
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This week’s guest is Lisa Schneidau. Based in Dartmoor in England’s west country, Lisa is a storyteller, author and environmentalist. She is the author of the bestselling book, Botanical Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland and the forthcoming Woodland Folk Tales of Britain & Ireland. Lisa has a beautiful and mesmerising voice and I’m sure you’re goin…
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