The Feral Folklorist

Papa Gee
  • 5.0 (12)
  • DOCUMENTARY

The Feral Folklorist is a podcast that blends strange history, old-world witchcraft, and hands-on folk magic. Each episode explores a real haunting, folktale, or magical belief—then digs deeper into the spellcraft, superstition, and shadow work buried underneath. From witch bottles and death omens to crossroads myths and Southern curses, this show uncovers the folklore people whisper about but rarely explain. Hosted by author and folklorist Papa Gee, The Feral Folklorist combines storytelling with practical magic, revealing how ancient beliefs still shape the way we protect, hex, heal, and haunt. Whether you’re into ghost stories, rootwork, or ritual, this podcast invites you to explore the eerie, the enchanted, and everything that still smells like smoke. New episodes every other Monday.

  1. Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Story of the Night Mare

    2D AGO ·  BONUS

    Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Story of the Night Mare

    This time, I’m sharing “The Story of the Night Mare,” an old piece of folklore about the strange weight that sometimes comes in the middle of the night. Long before people had medical names for sleep paralysis, many believed a spirit called a mare slipped into houses after dark and sat on the chest of the sleeper, pressing the breath out of them while they lay unable to move. It’s one of those stories that shows how people tried to explain the unsettling things that happen between sleep and waking—and why the word nightmare still carries that old belief inside it. Feral Folktales is where I step aside from the main show and tell a straight folktale—simple, spoken, and exactly as it’s meant to be heard. These bonus episodes are just a little something extra between the full installments of The Feral Folklorist, which is where you’ll find the deeper dives into history, folklore, magic, hauntings, and the stranger corners of human belief. A new folktale appears between the regular podcast releases—just a short story to keep the world of folklore moving. Want more from The Feral Folklorist? Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:  https://feralfolklorist.com Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode: https://patreon.com/papagee Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:  https://aromags.com Papa Gee's personal website, Folkloreum, showcases his books, blog, podcast information, and more: https://folkloreum.com/  Support the show

    9 min
  2. Feral by Night Sneak Peek - Don't Answer the Third Knock at the Back Door

    6D AGO ·  BONUS

    Feral by Night Sneak Peek - Don't Answer the Third Knock at the Back Door

    A knock at the back door in the middle of the night is bad enough. A second one is worse. By the time the third comes, it may already be too late. In this first episode of Feral by Night, Papa Gee pulls you into a dark and uneasy tale of a house, a warning, and the kind of sound that changes the whole night around it. The Third Knock at the Back Door is a story meant for the late hours — eerie, intimate, and best heard with the lights low. Feral by Night is a dark storytelling series of eerie, atmospheric tales — strange houses, hauntings, bad roads, footsteps in the dark, and all the things that go bump in the night. These are not regular podcast episodes with history and background like the Feral Folklorist podcast. This is spooky storytelling, plain and simple and it is premiering here on the Feral Folklorist podcast. This first episode is being released free as a public taste of Feral by Night. Future episodes will appear exclusively on my Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/cw/papagee Support the show

    19 min

  3. MAR 23

    20. The Boo Hag of the Gullah South

    The Boo Hag is one of the most chilling spirit figures in Gullah folklore. In this episode, we dig into the old Lowcountry belief in a skinless night spirit that slips through cracks, rides the sleeping, and leaves people waking up weak, breathless, and afraid. We’ll trace the Boo Hag through Gullah Geechee tradition, look at the cultural roots that shaped her, and talk about why stories like this were never just told to scare people. They also carried real ideas about spiritual danger, vulnerability, and what can happen when a person is left open at night. Then we break down how the Boo Hag functions in folk belief and magical thinking—why she comes at night, why skin matters so much in the story, and how ordinary household things like brooms, screens, and covered openings became forms of protection. You’ll also hear the practical side of the lore: the old ways people guarded the bed, confused harmful spirits, and protected the body while it slept. If you’ve ever woken from a nightmare feeling heavy, pinned down, or not quite alone, this episode will make that old fear make a lot more sense. Because sometimes what people call superstition is really a memory of how a community learned to name the things that come creeping in after dark. Want more from The Feral Folklorist? Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:  https://feralfolklorist.com Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode: https://patreon.com/papagee Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:  https://aromags.com Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:  https://folkloreum.com/  Support the show

    32 min
  4. Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Boy Who Drew Cats

    MAR 16 ·  BONUS

    Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Boy Who Drew Cats

    This time, I’m sharing “The Boy Who Drew Cats,” a Japanese folktale about a small temple boy who won’t stop sketching cats—on scraps of paper, in margins, anywhere he can get a bit of ink. The priests think it’s a pointless habit until the temple starts to feel unsettled: food goes missing, something moves through the hall at night, and the cats in the story aren’t always the kind that breathe. It’s a quiet tale about protection, attention, and the way small things can end up standing between you and what comes creeping in after dark. Feral Folktales is where I step aside from the main show and tell a straight folktale—simple, spoken, and exactly as it’s meant to be heard. These bonus episodes are just a little something extra between the full installments of The Feral Folklorist, which is where you’ll find the deeper dives into history, folklore, magic, hauntings, and the stranger corners of human belief. A new folktale often appears between the regular podcast releases—just a short story to keep the world of folklore moving. Want more from The Feral Folklorist? Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:  https://feralfolklorist.com Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode: https://patreon.com/papagee Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:  https://aromags.com Papa Gee's personal website, Folkloreum, showcases his books, blog, podcast information, and more: https://folkloreum.com/  Support the show

    9 min

  5. MAR 9

    19. Foot Track Magic - ​​Conjure Hidden in the Footprints

    Hot Foot is the most well known term. In this episode, we dig into the old Southern conjure practice known as foot track magic—the belief that a person’s footprint can be used as a direct line to their body, luck, and movement. From West African spiritual traditions to hoodoo and rootwork in the American South, we trace how the simple act of walking became a point of magical contact. We’ll look at historical folklore collections, the logic behind swept yards and readable ground, and why the space around gates, paths, and doorways has always mattered. Then we break down how this kind of work actually functions in folk magic—how tracks are taken, how conditions are laid in someone’s path, and why so much of the tradition focuses on movement rather than confrontation. You’ll also learn the practical side: how to recognize when your steps might be part of someone else’s work, and the simple ways people traditionally break contact and take their road back. If you’ve ever felt like your pace suddenly shifted, or wondered why some folks watch the ground at a doorway before they cross it, this episode will make that habit make a lot more sense. Because sometimes the road changes under your feet long before you realize someone else has been working the dirt. Want more from The Feral Folklorist? Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:  https://feralfolklorist.com Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode: https://patreon.com/papagee Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:  https://aromags.com Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:  https://folkloreum.com/  Support the show

    26 min
  6. Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Woman Who Married a Bear

    MAR 2 ·  BONUS

    Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Woman Who Married a Bear

    This time, I’m sharing “The Woman Who Married a Bear,” an old northern folktale about a girl who goes missing into the woods and returns with a husband no one quite understands. In some versions he is gentle, in others he is feared, but he is never entirely one thing. It’s a story about promises made in winter, the thin line between human and animal, and what it means to live with something powerful that the village does not trust. Feral Folktales is where I step aside from the main show and tell a straight folktale—simple, spoken, and exactly as it’s meant to be heard. These bonus episodes are just a little something extra between the full installments of The Feral Folklorist, which is where you’ll find the deeper dives into history, folklore, magic, hauntings, and the stranger corners of human belief. A new folktale often appears between the regular podcast releases—just a short story to keep the world of folklore moving. Want more from The Feral Folklorist? Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:  https://feralfolklorist.com Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode: https://patreon.com/papagee Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:  https://aromags.com Papa Gee's personal website, Folkloreum, showcases his books, blog, podcast information, and more: https://folkloreum.com/  Support the show

    7 min

  7. FEB 23

    18. The Face of Medusa: Myth, Monster, or Magical Shield

    Medusa is more than a monster in a hero story. In this episode of The Feral Folklorist, we look at Medusa as a protective figure tied to the Evil Eye and the old idea that envy and bad intent can reach a person through attention. We cover the history of the gorgoneion (Medusa’s head) as an apotropaic charm—meaning a harm-turning image—used on shields, temples, coins, armor, and doorways to hold a boundary at the edge of the home and the body. We also break down how Medusa’s image changes over time, from the early feral mask meant to intimidate and repel, to later versions where she looks more human, without losing the reason people kept using her face for protection. Then we get into what the myth is actually teaching about eyes, contact, and control. We talk about why Perseus survives by using reflection, and what that tells you about the old logic of the gaze as something that can touch, stick, and interfere. From there, we bring Medusa into practical magical work in a way that’s useful and grounded. We talk about how to use her stopping power to protect your home, freeze interference, shut down gossip, and keep harm and bad luck off your household. Want more from The Feral Folklorist? Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:  https://feralfolklorist.com Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode: https://patreon.com/papagee Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:  https://aromags.com Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:  https://folkloreum.com/  Support the show

    37 min
  8. Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Man Who Sold His Shadow

    FEB 16 ·  BONUS

    Feral Folktales: A Short Tale - The Man Who Sold His Shadow

    This time, I’m sharing “The Man Who Sold His Shadow,” a European-style folktale about a bargain that looks harmless at first and the quiet trouble that follows it home. When a man trades away his shadow for comfort and ease, the world slowly stops responding to him the way it should. People look past him. Doors hesitate. Even daylight feels uncertain. It’s a story about belonging, recognition, and the parts of yourself that can’t be exchanged without consequence. Feral Folktales is where I step aside from the main show and tell a straight folktale—simple, spoken, and exactly as it’s meant to be heard. These bonus episodes are just a little something extra between the full installments of The Feral Folklorist, which is where you’ll find the deeper dives into history, folklore, magic, hauntings, and the stranger corners of human belief. A new folktale often appears between the regular podcast releases—just a short story to keep the world of folklore moving. Want more from The Feral Folklorist? Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:  https://feralfolklorist.com Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode: https://patreon.com/papagee Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:  https://aromags.com Papa Gee's personal website, Folkloreum, showcases his books, blog, podcast information, and more: https://folkloreum.com/  Support the show

    6 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The Feral Folklorist is a podcast that blends strange history, old-world witchcraft, and hands-on folk magic. Each episode explores a real haunting, folktale, or magical belief—then digs deeper into the spellcraft, superstition, and shadow work buried underneath. From witch bottles and death omens to crossroads myths and Southern curses, this show uncovers the folklore people whisper about but rarely explain. Hosted by author and folklorist Papa Gee, The Feral Folklorist combines storytelling with practical magic, revealing how ancient beliefs still shape the way we protect, hex, heal, and haunt. Whether you’re into ghost stories, rootwork, or ritual, this podcast invites you to explore the eerie, the enchanted, and everything that still smells like smoke. New episodes every other Monday.

Information

  • Creator
    Papa Gee
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Feral Folklorist
  • Show Website
    The Feral Folklorist

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