Our feature monster for this episode is that curiosity of the Caribbean – and other regions across Central America and the American Southwest – El Chupacabra. We'll explore its relatively recent identification and its potential mythological roots in Taino and Aztec stories. We'll also introduce a few other cryptids of the Americas!

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 Episode 11

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!).

----more----

Stuff to Read:

• El Chupacabra
  • American Natural History Museum: Modern Myths
  • How Stuff Works: El Chupacabra: Legend, Sightings & Facts
  • National Geographic: Chasing chupacabras? You may find something even more extraordinary here.
• Xolotl:
  • Xolotl: Aztec God for the Motion of Life
  • X is for Xolotl (Folktales of Endangered Species)
• Cryptids:
  • Cryptids of North America
  • Map of Cryptids in America
  • Squonkapalooza Festival

Stuff to Watch: Our curated YouTube playlist for this episode!

Images:

The Minotaur is a total icon, one of the fiercest and most well-known monsters in Greek mythology. So what’s his story? We'll explore it, plus meet some astonishing bovines from other cultures, such as the Mesopotamian Bull of Heaven and Donn Cuailnge, the bull at the center of Irish mythology's greatest battle.

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 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!).

----more----

Stuff to Read:

• The Minotaur
  • On Mythopedia and World History Encyclopedia
  • Quotes from original Greek and Roman sources (translated to English!)
  • Theseus and the Minotaur: More than a Myth?
  • Ashmolean Museum: Myths of the Labyrinth
  • The Labyrinth Society
• The Bull of Heaven
  • From World History Encyclopedia
  • From The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet VI
• The Cattle Raid of Cooley
  • An Táin Bó Cúailnge: Ireland’s National Epic
  • Irish Road Trip: The Legend of the Cattle Raid of Cooley
  • On Mythopedia: Cu Chulainn
  • English translation of "The Combat of Ferdiad and Cuchulain" from An Táin Bó Cúailnge

Stuff to Watch: Our curated YouTube playlist for this episode!

It's a very special bonus episode of Myths & Muses! We're interviewing Rob Rokicki, who you listeners might know from The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical. He's also behind Monstersongs, a synthesis of art, music, and performance that is right in line with our summer theme of Misunderstood Monsters. Listen as he discusses the stories that inspire him, the heart that goes into his work, and his own memories of summer camp.

About Our Guest: Rob Rokicki is a New York based writer and composer/lyricist whose songs “live at that perfect intersection of musical theatre and radio rock” (Adam Gwon). Rob wrote the music, lyrics and co-orchestrated the Broadway show The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (book by Joe Tracz). The show was nominated for Lortel, Off-Broadway Alliance, and three Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, before touring across North America. The original cast recording had the highest pre-sale in Broadway Records history and the show is licensed globally.