Fireside Folklore with Hades
Once upon a time, gods and goddesses walked among us, granting their favor to heroes and creating sea monsters because … well, because they could. After one too many festivals was ruined by a vengeful Poseidon who thought the sacrifice of fish upon his altar wasn’t flaky enough, a hero bravely constructed a wall so thick and impenetrable that not even the most industrious of gods could breach it.
Fast forward to 2023 when, as part of a wager, Hades decided to leverage one hapless mortal’s brief misguided love of AI technology to convince her to create this podcast—a place where the gods, with their instinctively chosen voices, could recapture the ears, if not the hearts and minds, of people everywhere.
Here, you’ll find gods and goddesses playfully peddling products like Ambrosia Bites—guaranteed to keep you going on all of life’s treacherous journeys—and recounting folklore from around the world. From the spooky legend of Devil’s Pool in Australia to the whimsical and obscure folktale of a clever Sheikh in Yemen, you’ll find a treasure trove of folklore, both ancient and modern, traditional and twisted, on this podcast.
Hades, with his deep and somber basso profundo, narrates, while his madcap family lends their voices to the characters. In addition to the tale, each “regular” episode includes fun facts from Hermes, the psychopomp, who will share culturally significant information about each country or region visited. Persephone or Dionysus (depending on the season) will also share a recipe for something delicious to eat or drink, bringing the country’s delights straight to your dinner table. And finally, Zeus, the king of the gods, offers his Lightning Round, where you, our audience, can win a prize if you can answer correctly—no easy task when you must sift through the cacophony of these heartwarming and whimsical gods.
In the beginning, this podcast posted a story each week like clockwork, but after Hades realized that AI ghostwriters were killing the fun (and frights) out of the stories, he decreed that all future stories would be human-written. Though our earlier work is here for history’s sake, we may go back and redo them, for Hades, that unrelenting taskmaster, has both patience and time on his side.
In addition to the regular episodes, you’ll find hijinks from the rest of the family, and even some visits from the Roman pantheon, too. To put it simply: there will never be a dull moment here in this corner of Hades’s Underworld.
A labor of love, this podcast is a way to share the world’s stories, enjoy a few laughs, and chronicle one creative writer’s journey as she was initially bewitched by AI and reunited with her creative soul.
Please note that all “sponsorships” read by Zeus are completely fictional. This podcast, like storytelling by the fireside, will forever remain free from all monetization.
Fireside Folklore with Hades
Whoopsie Wednesday: Flames of Fortune
Send over your dead SMS messages.
Greetings, listeners! As is customary for Whoopsie Wednesday, (a segment I still question the sanity of), I present to you a song that didn't make it into the final take of The Golden Pail. Nevertheless, Persephone seemed to think that it was a work worthy of a swoon. So, against my better judgment, (because she really should be saying this about my singing instead of our nephew, Hephaestus's), I'll allow this contentious piece to grace my feed as though it's her personal divine jukebox. If it weren't for the fact that she and I haven't seen much of each other owing to my recording marathon, I might actually have had the strength to overrule her.
[Verse 1]
Oh, Tempest, my friend, I stand here alone,
Betrayed by the whispers of a heart turned to stone.
The feather I carried, the light it once cast,
Now burns like the fire of a shadowy past.
[Chorus]
Let the flames rise high, let them lick at my skin,
For I have no fear of the fire within.
If my heart stays true and my spirit stays free,
Then the flames of fortune will bow down to me.
[Verse 2]
Through forests I wandered, through kingdoms I roamed,
Each trial a lesson, each challenge a home.
A bird’s golden song, a horse wild and proud,
Now I face my end ‘neath this gathering crowd.
[Chorus]
Let the flames rise high, let them lick at my skin,
For I have no fear of the fire within.
If my heart stays true and my spirit stays free,
Then the flames of fortune will bow down to me.
[Bridge]
Oh, Allah, my guide, if you hear me this day,
Grant me the strength to keep fear at bay.
Let the truth rise above all the venom and lies,
Let justice find wings and take to the skies.
[Final Chorus]
Let the flames rise high, let them rage and ignite,
For I am a beacon, a spark in the night.
With my heart staying true and my spirit set free,
The flames of fortune will bow down to me!
[Outro]
Oh, Tempest, my friend, I stand here alone,
But the fire is nothing to a heart made of stone.
