Fair Folk Podcast Fair Folk

This episode explores folklore and pagan origins of the 12 days of Christmas, with a focus on the feminine winter figures of Perchta, Holle, and Grýla, featuring a conversation with Jenn Campus, author of A Guide to Celebrating the 12 Days of Yule.
Pagan Ritual Song course: https://f77d9f-2.myshopify.com/products/pagan-ritual-song-course-jan-feb-2024
Buy Jenn Campus’ book, A Guide to Celebrating the 12 days of Yule: jenncampusauthor.com/product/a-guid…-days-of-yule/
Emilia Blom, who shared the solstice wishes ritual with me: www.instagram.com/vildmedicin/
My Big Fat Solstice playlist on Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/2LFjxSU…a743490a69a6459c
Gnome for Christmas Fair Folk episode: open.spotify.com/episode/5ysFM2qu…6172f7663bc0479f
Join my mailing list: view.flodesk.com/pages/62d72c01da642d55a9868141
Resources & references for this episode:
The Stations of the Sun: the ritual year in Britain by Ronald Hutton
"'He met his own funeral procession': The Year walk-ritual in Swedish folk tradition” Tommy Kuusela: www.academia.edu/9403910
The Icelandic Yule Lads poem in English
ingebretsens-blog.com/wp-content/upl…-Lads-Poem.pdf
“The Winter Goddess: Percht, Holda, and Related Figures” By Lotte Motz
dokumen.tips/documents/motz-lot…s-1985.html?page=5
“Perchta the Belly-Slitter and Her Kin: A View of Some Traditional Threatening Figures, Threats and Punishments” by John B. Smith
www.scribd.com/doc/17325747/Perc…itter-and-Her-Kin
‘Grýla, Grýlur, Grøleks and Skeklers: Medieval Disguise Traditions in the North Atlantic?” by Terry Gunnell
notendur.hi.is/~terry/articles/T…_and_Skeklers.pdf
Music in this episode:
Opening theme: Forest March by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds
Malpas Wassail by the Watersons
Buy it: www.amazon.co.uk/music/player/alb…483616862&sr=1-1
Spinn, Spinn, Spinnerinn by Herbergsuche Gruppe
Buy it: music.apple.com/ca/album/spinn-sp…55276?i=318155791
Grýlukvaeði by Thrju a Palli
Buy it:
music.apple.com/ca/album/gr%C3%BD…7315?i=1621787688
Instrumental track: The Wanderer by Juniper and the Wolf
Buy Juniper and the Wolf’s music: juniperandthewolf.bandcamp.com/

This episode surveys the folklore of the first half of December, including St. Nicholas' Day on Dec 6th, St. Lucia's day on Dec. 13th, and the solstice. As we approach the darkest point of winter, I ask you to follow the rhythm of nature and turn your gaze to the small, the domestic and the precious.

Sign up for the ONLINE Pagan Carols Singalong!: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/sgn5zaflv8/
Sign up for the IN-PERSON Pagan Carols Singalong in Victoria BC: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/yl53dvqx1w

Join my mailing list:
view.flodesk.com/pages/62d72c01da642d55a9868141

Music in this episode:

St. Nicholas by Anúna
Buy this track:
anuna.bandcamp.com/track/st-nicholas-2

Luciavisa by Lisa (singer Emma Härdelin)
Buy this track:
https://music.apple.com/ca/album/luciavisa/204432292?i=204434789

There is no Rose by the King’s Singers
Buy this track:
https://music.apple.com/ca/album/there-is-no-rose/79623724?i=79623213

Orientis Partibus by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels
Buy music by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels here: www.medievalminstrels.com/

Kąlėdų rytų saulė pražydo (The Sun Blossomed on Christmas Morning) by Sedula
Buy this track:
https://music.apple.com/ca/album/kal%C4%97d%C5%B3-ryt%C4%85-saul%C4%97-pra%C5%BEydo/1427982403?i=1427982982

Rex Tua Nolo Munera by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels
Buy music by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels here: www.medievalminstrels.com/

Sources for this episode:

Lyrics to The Sun Blossomed on Christmas Morning by Sedula:
www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=5162

Some more information about medieval animal carols:
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/friendly_beasts.htm

More information about medieval carols:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology-south-east/news/2020/dec/evolution-medieval-christmas-carols

The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen:
https://americanliterature.com/author/hans-christian-andersen/short-story/the-snow-queen

In this episode I gently interrogate what we mean when we say "the veil is thin" at Halloween, and offer a vision of the whole of winter as a season of hospitality between humans and the otherworld(s) through fire, story, music, and rituals of generosity.
Listen to past Fair Folk episode "All Hallows' Folk Tradition at the Gates of Winter" https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/all-hallows-folk-tradition-at-the-gates-of-winter/id1177770160?i=1000452872493
Get love letters from me: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/pijrgnu11x
Join my Patreon for as little as $2 a month!: https://www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast
Where to find Kirsten Milliken, the storyteller: instagram.com/kirstinmillikenstoryteller
facebook.com/com/kirstinmillikenstoryteller
www.kirstenmilliken.co.uk
Music in this episode:
Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds
"Réidh Chnoc Mná Duibhe" by Diarmuid Ó Súilleabháin
Buy the song: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/re-idh-chnoc-mna-duibhe/1653578592?i=1653581085
Image is Fairy Tale of Kings by Lithuanian painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis

We have reached the energetic peak of the year. The main ancient and folkloric themes of June ritualise the human relationship to two of our primary life-givers, the sun and water. Our romance with these elements (and one another) reach a peak as the year completes its in-breath around the summer solstice. This episode outlines a faint thematic arc in historical Whitsun practices at the start of June, and Midsummer at the end, focusing especially on the folk rituals and folksong of the Baltic countries, Eastern Europe and Ireland.

Purchase my new Gathering the Gods course on Thor, Odin, & Freya: fantastic-hall-390.myflodesk.com/

My excellent Midsummer Solstice / June Almanac playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gG8z6O83kpkjflUqaSMZc?si=a7a6693c091046ef

The Midsummer Solstice episode of Fair Folk podcast from 2018: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1QZliHXdfHHmSVy0ySfpbv?si=fe6608a7395c4a5e

“Rusalki: Anthropology of time, death, and sexuality in Slavic folklore” by Jiří Dynda
https://www.academia.edu/34620531/Rusalki_Anthropology_of_time_death_and_sexuality_in_Slavic_folklore

“The Mythic Sun: An Aerial Perspective” by Thomas Dubois:
https://chs.harvard.edu/chapter/thomas-a-dubois-the-mythic-sun-an-areal-perspective/

“Migration of Song Genres: Two Typical Lithuanian Cases” by Rytis Ambrazevičius
https://bop.unibe.ch/EJM/article/view/8335

“The Midsummer Solstice As It Was, Or Was Not, Observed in Pagan Germany, Scandinavia and Anglo-Saxon England” by Sandra Billington
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hX0NJJHjoicOq-5VH3kPfsQAX3NTbAtj/view?usp=sharing

Music in this episode:
Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds

“O Na Ivana Na Kupala” by Olexa Kabanov -
Buy it: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/oh-na-ivana-na-kupala/919387915?i=919387973

“Švinta Jona Vakaralia” by Nalšia -
Learn more and buy it (scroll down for English): http://www.lnkc.lt/go.php/lit/Kupole-roze-sekminiu-joniniu-dainuojamoji-tautosaka/110946

Ozolini, Ozolini by Vilkači -
Buy it: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/j%C4%81nis/1201942701

This episode, a bonus introductory unit to my upcoming Gathering the Gods course, introduces Old Norse culture and language, and describes the status of gods in the Old Norse religion and cosmology. This course will give an overview of the surviving historical texts and traces of the gods Thor, Odin, and Freya.
Gathering the Gods begins May 7th! Sign up here: https://fantastic-hall-390.myflodesk.com/
Access the reading and materials for this intro unit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GPjFkblda1E7NlXrpMCHRa0Q5WWk_JJO?usp=sharing

This episode outlines the key themes of May folklore embodied in the celebrations of May 1st, aka May Day or Beltane: bonfires for purification and protection, veneration of plants and trees, the leading of animals to green pastures, erotic expressions of pleasure, and the blooming promise of earth's abundance.

Join the Gathering the Gods course on Thor, Odin, & Freya: https://fantastic-hall-390.myflodesk.com/

Listen to the Big Beltane Spotify playlist (newly updated): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6UVpAwkdX39Bk5mY1Kd2Xc?si=0f91f96826544081

Big Beltane: May Day Song and Custom episode from 2019: https://open.spotify.com/episode/62jeozEUNP0FFrKKSafLEJ?si=4de8b4c66c284d5b

Music in this episode:
"Don't you Go a Rushing" by Lisa Knapp
https://lisaknapp.bandcamp.com/album/till-april-is-dead-a-garland-of-may

"Robin Hood and the Tanner" by Jesse Ferguson
Buy it:
https://music.apple.com/ca/album/folk-favourites/1238844872

"Äggavisan" by Folk och Rachare
Buy it: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/%C3%A4ggavisan/1462963060?i=1462963069

Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods
Buy Sylvia Woods’ music:
www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds