If you’ve ever found yourself three hours deep in a Wikipedia rabbit hole about obscure folktales, or wondered why every culture seems to have at least one story about someone getting cursed for being rude to an old lady, then Jason Weiser’s “Myths and Legends” podcast is probably already your new obsession.
With hundreds of episodes covering everything from Greek gods having midlife crises to Japanese spirits with very specific grievances, the show has become the gold standard for turning ancient storytelling into modern entertainment. But with such a massive back catalog, knowing where to start can feel as daunting as choosing which of Hercules’ twelve labors to tackle first.
Well, you’re in luck, these are the top episodes of the Myths and Legends podcast.
72-Kelpie: Party Horse
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A Scottish water spirit that embodies aquatic danger and represents strangers arriving to court local women, the kelpie contrasts with the Shojo, a Japanese yokai that enjoys beach lounging, drinking, and executing bold thefts.
177A-Trojan War: Rage
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This culmination of multiple episodes brings together legendary figures like Achilles, Helen, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Hector, and Odysseus in the enduring story of the Trojan War. The creature featured is the opposite of epic warfare: the unintimidating little Tofu boy.
Japanese folklore: Provincial
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Stories from the Japanese countryside. Five connected tales explore purpose, meaning, justice, speaking animals, a boss falling from a cliff, mushrooms, and travel hampers.
88-Ragnarok: Doom
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The Day of the Wolf. The Doom of the Gods. The end of all things. This event has multiple titles, but Ragnarok encompasses them all. This represents what Odin has feared and resisted, what Loki has orchestrated, and the apocalyptic conclusion where worlds plunge into endless darkness, giants clash with gods, and everything burns.
Slavic Folklore: Really, Really, Ridiculously Good-looking (part 1 of 2)
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The tale follows Bova, a hero from Slavic folklore, the handsome man pursuing a lifelong mission of revenge against his mother.
256-Indian Folklore: Tiger Mom
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This Indian tale resembles an enhanced version of two Grimm fairy tales, where a woman’s arranged marriage to a stranger demonstrates the dangers of such arrangements. The featured creature explains why avoiding pigeon sympathy is advisable.
59-Greek Myths: The Violence of Our Ancestors
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These interconnected Greek mythological narratives begin with Hades and Persephone’s tale, revealing the true reason behind her underworld presence. The episode continues with the curse affecting Atreus’s lineage, beginning with Tantalus and his disturbing culinary decisions in this lengthy, somber installment.
120 A-Holy Grail: Only the Penitent Man Will Pass
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The Holy Grail represents the ultimate legendary artifact and centerpiece of Arthurian lore. This episode traces its origins from a simple cup used by a crucified savior to its legendary status, following its journey from Jerusalem to distant lands and introducing its protectors whose descendants become Arthurian heroes.
30-Latin American Folklore: Unbreakable
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This Chilean folklore tale features the world’s most intelligent woman, her speaking shoe, and a prince who warranted physical correction. The episode’s creatures are the abatwa from South Africa, explaining why ants make ideal roommates.
38A-Korean Literature: Crossing the Threshold
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While Hong Gildong is often labeled the Korean Robin Hood, this oversimplifies the complex tale combining adventure elements like dragons, magic, and assassins with human drama about finding one’s place in the world. The story follows Gildong, born a second-class citizen, who creates his own path despite societal oppression.
148A-Monkey King: Good Little Monkey
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Sun Wukong, the (Handsome) Monkey King, serves as both literal monkey and monarch in Chinese literature’s most famous anti-hero tale. The Journey to the West begins with his origin story involving his rock mother on Flower-Fruit mountain.
79-Odin: The War to Begin all Wars
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This episode returns to the harsh northern realm during Odin’s early reign, following his encounters with a new companion while appearing innocuous in giant territory, threats from other worlds attempting to overthrow the Aesir, and the extremes to which Odin will go to obtain power, knowledge, and prevent his prophesied destruction.
Japanese folklore: Misconceptions
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Love means never having to say I’m sorry (I poisoned you)” This Valentine’s Day episode presents three Japanese love stories: a widower attempting to move forward, two frogs falling out of love with their location, and a geisha beloved by the entire world.
24-Thor: Whosoever Holds this Hammer
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Norse mythology proves consistently bizarre as Thor’s hammer vanishes through theft or forgetfulness. Recovering it requires something more challenging than battling giants: Thor must get married. The episode also covers poetry’s origin, featuring an unexpectedly high number of men created from saliva.
365: Korean folklore: Goblin
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Two Korean folklore tales about goblins demonstrate how keeping alcoholic beverages available when these creatures visit could prove life-saving.
31A-Viking Sagas: Odd Man Out
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The legendary Viking Arrow-Odd’s saga features trolls, ogres, giants, enchanted arrows, and a sorceress receiving facial blows. Past errors from one Viking’s actions continue to torment him, while the story includes a perilous Viking teddy bear and warns against accepting offers from renowned warriors wanting to demonstrate their arrows firsthand.
112A-Pinocchio: No Strings Attached
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Prison. Assassins. Marionette dance parties. The original Pinocchio story contains all these elements. While most know Pinocchio and Geppetto, fewer realize that Geppetto had to chew an elderly man’s wig to obtain wood for creating Pinocchio, or that the original tale featured a remarkably violent conclusion, even by 1800s children’s literature standards.
95A-Irish legends: Wanted
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Despite the name’s true meaning of “Fair one who is the son of Cumhaill,” Finn MacCool (Fionn mac Cumhaill) represents an awesome tale combining tense drama, revenge, and fantasy. This two-part story features young people seeking parental vengeance, giant monster battles, and an intelligent fish, making it one of the podcast’s standout episodes.
Read our review of Myths and Legends