For the 125th episode, Rowan and Tracey go all the way back to the beginning and ask: what is mythology? They discuss the history and science behind storytelling, the chemical effects of religion on the brain, and whether or not trees have their own versions of folklore. Tracey tells us an original love story about the sun and the moon, and Rowan’s tale explores an AI coming to terms with its sentience.

This week, Rowan presents the mythologies of goblins from around the world—knockers, red caps, duendes, and dokkaebi (to name a few). We also learn about the ways goblins have been used as harmful antisemitic tropes and discuss other symbols from religion and folklore that have been used to influence public perception. Note: In this episode, we discuss the current genocide of Palestinians being perpetrated by Israel. At the time of our research, According to Aljazeera, as of January 24th, 2024, “more than 85 percent of Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been displaced amid continued Israeli ground and air offensive that has killed more than 25,000 people, including 10,000 children.” Upon posting this episode, as of March 12, 2024, Aljazeera reports, “At least 31,045 Palestinians have been killed and 72,654 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7.” The Willing & Fable podcast stands with Palestine. For more information about where we donate and cited news sources from the episode, see the show notes. #FreePalestine #CeasefireNow

Our hosts explore a variety of folklore from the Appalachian Mountains. Tracey dives into the folklore of the Bell Witch, the Brown Mountain Lights, and the Flat Woods Monster. Rowan tells a story about the Cryptid Community Convention and discusses some of the reasons why non-indigenous people aren’t welcome to say the name of the W.

Continuing their conversation examining stories about the threads of fate, Rowan and Tracey discuss the Three Fates of Ancient Greek Mythology: Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. Tracey tells a story from the perspective of god experiencing manic love, the pair learn about marriage practices in Ancient Greece and China, and they explore reasons why stories of fated love might be especially important for young women in arranged marriages.

The Red String of Fate is famous online, but where does this myth come from? Join us as we learn more about Chinese mythology, Yue Lao (the god of love and marriage), and Tu’er Shen (the patron of homosexual love between men as far back as the 17th century). Rowan presents a gut-wrenching story about a lifetime of love, and Tracey brings the history and the tropes, so get ready for a mix of fun and feelings in this one!

Continuing their discussion on the Bermuda Triangle, Tracey presents theories about time travel, parallel universes, the lost city of Atlantis, methane gas, and UFOs. Rowan tells her story from the perspective of a God, exploring heaven, hell, and chronic illness. The pair also geek out about one of their favorite poets, the man, the myth, the legend: T.S. Eliot.

This week, the discussion gets pointed (that's a triangle joke) when Tracey and Rowan explore the mythology of the Bermuda Triangle. Stories include the misadventures of Christopher Columbus, wandering ghost ships, ocean farts caused by methane gas, an FBI investigation, and the mysterious disappearance of Flight 19. The pair also reads the last transmissions from military training Flight 19 before the planes (and their eventual rescue party) disappeared.

In this week’s episode, Rowan explores the lore of lycanthropes–those unfortunate souls who transform into wolves under the full moon. We explore numerous versions of werewolf mythology, the way these stories were used against innocents throughout history, how modern medicine has affected the discussion, and ways someone might gain this transformative power.

This week Spenser Starke joins us to discuss “Acts of God” from around the world. We talk about the Lake Nyos Disaster, the Carrington Event, and the Tunguska Incident. Instead of a story, Spenser brings in an original TTRPG that gets everyone involved in crafting an archeological adventure.

This week Spenser Starke joins us for the second in a three-part series on Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other acts of God. We talk about the history of the sexy history of Pompeii, the Herculaneum Papyri, and scandalous ancient graffiti.