In which we discover that a good heart is a very vauable commodity, the loss of a vine that provides excellent unlimited free wine can cause distress and that sometimes there is more than one beautiful maiden in a story but sometimes she's just a fox.
This is another stories only episode, due to reasons too numerous to mention here. I hope they find you in the spirit they left me: gentle, heartwarming and uplifting, the last one is particularly seasonal.
In which we discover how much damage elves and curses can do, how even powerful beings can suffer and that mysterious housekeepers often have a hidden agenda. In addition, we learn that if you have a useful magic stone you should always put it in your pyjama pockets whilst you sleep. Just in case.
Would you like to hear a winter tale or six? I have put together a compilation of my December tales from last year so you can fully indulge in the spirit of winter.
In which we discover that a Hand of Glory is not always the solution you might think it is, pretending to be asleep is sometimes the cleverest & bravest option and that its surprising what you can achieve with a bowlful of milk
This is a bonus episode of an interview I did with Taffy Thomas MBE about his wonderful new treasury of food folk tales and recipes, beautifully illustrated by Dotty Kultys.
In which we discover that marital problems can be resolved by supernatural means as long as you're not too picky about the outcome, that everyone loves Parkin and that you should never, ever bake when angry, especially when there are dragons about.
In which we discover that trees have a dark side, that they occasionally attack livestock and that they sometimes assist river spirits in sacrifice. We also learn that there can be hope in little things, that Grannies really do know everything and that divining the name of a future spouse can be trickier than you'd think.
In which we discover tricking the devil doesn't always work out well, that sometimes in tales there are more turnips than women and that frankly you can pretty much pickle anything.
In this bonus episode I talk with Emma Kay about her wonderful new book The Dark History of Chocolate.
