In this episode, we’re looking at the ImpossibleQuest that Commodus called “Stolen Secrets of the Gods”. As I understand it, he was using some knockoff of Mimir’s Well? I guess his inspiration was Odin sacrificing his eye for wisdom – but we’ve talked about that in a couple of episodes already, so let’s look at a couple of other stories featuring the acquisition of forbidden wisdom: stealing fire from the gods, and catching a magical fish.

[Transcript for S4E9]

If you'd like to submit something to our 1001 Stories, just head to the World of Mythik page!

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Stuff to Read:

• Prometheus
  • Prometheus – Mythopedia
  • Prometheus: The Titan Who Defied Zeus and Created Humanity | TheCollector
  • Pandora’s Box: Curiosity, Misfortune, and Hope (Greek Myth) | TheCollector
  • Prometheus - World History Encyclopedia
• Finn MacCool
  • Heroic Biography: Finn McCool - A Giant of Irish Folklore and Tradition - The Brehon Academy
  • Why the Salmon?
  • The Irish legend of Finn Mac Cumhaill and the Salmon of Knowledge

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

The focus for this episode is the ImpossibleQuest that Commodus is calling “The Never-Ending Boss Fight”. So, we’ll be examining some stories of undefeatable warriors and epic duels. We'll start with a hero who has a centuries-long redemption arc – and along the way, he becomes immortal not just once but multiple times. Then we'll learn the story of a green knight who likes really weird party games, and we'll run through the series of duels that leads up to the end of the Trojan War.

[Transcript for S4E8]

If you'd like to submit something to our 1001 Stories, just head to the World of Mythik page!

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Stuff to Read:

• Sun Wukong
  • Sun Wukong – Mythopedia
  • The real history behind the legend of Sun Wukong, China's Monkey King | National Geographic
  • Journey to the West Research
• Gawain and the Green Knight
  • BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
  • Sir Gawain - King Arthur's Knights
  • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: what’s the story?
  • Gawain | Robbins Library Digital Projects
• Trojan War
  • Why Did the Trojan War Last for Ten Years? - GreekReporter.com
  • The myth of the Trojan War | British Museum
  • Major Events in the Trojan War

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

In this episode, we’ll be exploring tales of sun gods – and their relatives – brought to earth. It… rarely ends well, as one might imagine. We'll start in China, with the tale of Hou Yi and the Ten Suns, then explore some other tales of solar destruction from Greece and Egypt.

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 S4E7]

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:

• Hou Yi:
  • From the Smithsonian Institute: Hou Yi and the Ten Suns: A Chinese Folktale
  • Hou Yi at Mythopedia
  • Chinese Sun Myths: Hou Yi Shoots the Sun
  • Sanzuwu, Yatagarasu, and Samjok-o - The Three Legged Crow
  • Yatagarasu | Yokai.com
• Phaethon at Mythopedia and THEOI
• Sekhmet:
  • Sekhmet - Explore Deities of Ancient Egypt
  • Egyptian Past: The Lady of Terror - The Australian Museum Blog

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

This episode, we’ll explore stories inspired by the ImpossibleQuest that Commodus is calling The Contest of Godly Strength. So, when I think about gods and heroes who have performed feats of incredible strength, there are really two who leap immediately to mind. One of them is Heracles, who we’ve talked about a lot on this podcast – and another is the Norse god Thor. I'll tell some of their stories, as well as introducing you to the bronze giant Talos and the Malaysian hero Badang!

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 6]

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:

• The Tale of Utgarda-Loki from Norse Mythology for Smart People
• Thor's Adventures in Jotunheim
• Talos at THEOI and Mythopedia
• Antaeus at THEOI and Mythopedia
• Badang the Magnificent
• The Legend of Badang: When Strength Carved History

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

In this episode, we’re going to look at the ImpossibleQuest he’s calling “The Witch’s Test.” Now, mythology is full of witches, sorcerers, mages, and other magical types – but they don’t all put heroes to specific tests. In Greek mythology, Circe and Medea do more to help Odysseus and Jason than to test them, and other witches like Grimhilde in Norse mythology are just interested in getting their own way, by whatever means necessary – the heroes are just obstacles to them. There are some, though, who take it upon themselves to make heroes prove themselves. So let’s hear a few of their stories!

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 5]

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:

• BBC: Baba Yaga: The Greatest Wicked Witch of All?
• Baba Yaga at the World History Encyclopedia
• Who is Baba Yaga?
• Vasilisa the Beautiful: A Russian Fairy Tale
• Marya Morevna
• Louhi, Mistress of Pohjala

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

For this episode, we’re going to dig into what Commodus is calling “The Hunt for the Lost Treasure”. We start with one of Shahrazad's own stories: The tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Then, we explore some lost cities -- some of which are purely fictional, and some of which have some very real history and archaeology behind them!

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 4]

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:

• Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
• The Search for the Lost City of Zerzura
• Discover the Hidden History of Tomb Robbing in Ancient Egypt
• Tomb Robbing in Ancient Egypt - World History Encyclopedia

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

Now we'll focus on the ImpossibleQuest called “The Hunt for the Lost Beast”. And right away, there are… a lot of things that could mean! What sort of beast? How did it get lost? Do we want to find it to save it or…… the opposite of saving it?

We start with mythology's most famous beast hunt: the tale of the Calydonian Boar. Then we'll explore the Arthurian Questing Beast and learn about gods and spirits of the hunt as they appear in cultures across the world!

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 3]

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:

• The Story of the Calydonian Boar Hunt
• Atalanta and Meleager at Mythopedia
• The Questing Beast: The Legendary Arthurian Creature
• The Questing Beast at The Camelot Project
• Ochoshi at Beyond Roots and Original Botanica
• Erlang Shen at Mythopedia
• Mielikki, the Finnish Goddess of the Forest

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

For this episode, we’re focusing on the Quest that Commodus is calling “The New Labors of Hercules”. So, what might that mean? Maybe we can figure it out – or at least get some kind of idea – by examining the old Labors.

Most of the Labors of Hercules feature fantastical creatures of some kind, and we’ve talked about some of them in prior episodes. But we did sort of have to speed-run through them, so let’s look at a few more in-depth now.

Plus, if you haven't received this year's prophecy from our Oracle yet, you can hear it in this episode!

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 2]

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:

• The Summer Prophecy
• Commodus's ImpossibleQuest Flyer
• Hercules
  • Mythopedia
  • What were the 12 Labors of Hercules?
  • Crotalum:
• Commodus
  • Why did the Emperor Commodus wish to become Hercules?
  • Commodus as Hercules

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