In this episode of Myths & Muses, in honor of the holiday season, we explore monsters who prowl the snow and ice from the Himalayas to Austria, from the Great Lakes to Japan. From chilling terrors to mischievous troublemakers, we’ll tell you what to watch out for this winter!

Plus: Find out what has the Muses a little too excited about next summer’s potential adventures…

Visit the World of Mythik website to learn more!

All stories told on Myths & Muses are original family-friendly adaptations of ancient myths and legends. Stories from ancient mythology can also sometimes deal with complicated topics for young listeners — to the mortal parents and caretakers reading this, we encourage listening along with your young demigods to help them navigate those topics as they explore these epic tales.

Transcript for 2024 Holiday Bonus Episode

If you'd like to submit something creative you've done inspired by the stories in Myths & Muses, use this form (with a Mortal Guardian's permission!).

Stuff to Read:

• The letter from Medusa
• Book club sign-up link
• More on the Yeti
  • At How Stuff Works
  • The hunt for the Abominable Snowman: what's the history of the Yeti legend?
  • From Go to Tibet
  • PBS Storied: Monstrum
• Yuki-Onna
  • From Yokai.com
  • PBS Storied: Monstrum
  • Overly Sarcastic Productions: Fables and Folktales
• More on the Wendigo
• More on Krampus:
  • From History.org
  • Who is Krampus? National Geographic
  • PBS Storied: Monstrum
• Gryla, Yule Cat, and Yule Lads:
  • PBS Storied: Monstrum
  • Extra Mythology

In this final episode, we’re going to look at a few stories about recovering from – and remembering – loss. Then, we’ll look back over this Comeback Kids season and think about what it really means for a hero to find their way home – and how that’s not always as easy as it might seem. We start with Achilles, greatest of the Greek heroes, then explore some myths from civilizations around the Arctic Circle.

Visit the World of Mythik website to learn more and to contribute your theories to our board!

All stories told on Myths & Muses are original family-friendly adaptations of ancient myths and legends. Stories from ancient mythology can also sometimes deal with complicated topics for young listeners — to the mortal parents and caretakers reading this, we encourage listening along with your young demigods to help them navigate those topics as they explore these epic tales.

Transcript for Comeback Kids Episode 10

If you'd like to submit something creative you've done inspired by the stories in Myths & Muses, use this form (with a Mortal Guardian's permission!).

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Stuff to Read:

• More on Achilles and Patroclus:
  • Achilles at Mythopedia and the World History Encyclopedia
  • Patroclus at World History Encyclopedia
  • Q&A with Madeline Miller, author of The Song of Achilles
• On the Northern Lights:
  • Aurora myths, legends, and misconceptions
  • History of the Northern Lights: Myths and Legends
  • Aurora Zone: Mythology of the Northern Lights
• On Nostos:
  • The Journey Home, by Dylan Nathaniel Ozmore
  • Middle Earth Diaries: The Return to the Shire

Stuff to Watch:

• Learn more about the stories in this episode with our curated YouTube playlist!

Cool Images:

The Wrath of Achilles, by Michel-Martin Drolling (1810)

The Triumph of Achilles by Franz von Matsch (1892)

Patroclus and Achilles in Troy (2004)

In this episode, we explore gods who have made sacrifices -- some of them on purpose, for the sake of wisdom or another advantage, and some of them less-intentionally. We'll explore three stories showing just how far Odin will go for wisdom, then we'll find out why Tyr, the Norse god of law and justice, and Nuada, a leader of the Celtic Tuatha Dé Danann, lost their hands. Then we'll finish with a coda to the story of Osiris, Horus, and Set.

Visit the World of Mythik website to learn more and to contribute your theories to our board!

All stories told on Myths & Muses are original family-friendly adaptations of ancient myths and legends. Stories from ancient mythology can also sometimes deal with complicated topics for young listeners — to the mortal parents and caretakers reading this, we encourage listening along with your young demigods to help them navigate those topics as they explore these epic tales.

Transcript for Comeback Kids Episode 9

If you'd like to submit something creative you've done inspired by the stories in Myths & Muses, use this form (with a Mortal Guardian's permission!).

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Stuff to Read:

• More on Odin:
  • At Mythopedia and the World History Encyclopedia
  • "How Odin Sacrificed His Eye at Mimir's Well"
  • From Norse Mythology for Smart People: Why Odin is One-Eyed, The Mead of Poetry, and Odin's Discovery of the Runes
• About Runes:
  • Futhark Runes: Names, Meanings, and How to Use Them
  • Runes at Norse Mythology for Smart People (includes origins, meanings, and some book recommendations
  • What Are and How to Make Bind Runes
• About Tyr & Fenrir:
  • Tyr at Mythopedia and Norse Mythology for Smart People
  • "The Binding of Fenrir"
• About Nuada:
  • At Mythopedia and Timeless Myths
  • Tuatha dé Danann: The Story of Ireland’s Fiercest Tribe
  • Uncovering the Origins of the Tuatha Dé Danann
• Horus at Mythopedia

Stuff to Watch:

• Learn more about the stories in this episode with our curated YouTube playlist!

Cool Images:

Odin the Wanderer, Georg von Rosen (1886)

Óðinn throws his spear at the Vanir host, by Lorenz Frølich (1895)

Odin Fighting Fenrir, Emil Doepler (1905)

Norse god Tyr sacrificing his arm to Fenrir the wolf, John Albert Bauer (1911)