Five Minute Mythology

Merlin: The Demon-Born Secret That Doomed Him | Ep118

Merlin: He was never the friendly bearded wizard. He was a demon-blooded wild man who spoke like an old king as a child, fled into Caledonian forests after slaughter, and returned to topple castles with dragon prophecy. How did one mad seer engineer Arthur’s birth, move Stonehenge, and teach magic to Morgan, yet still get outplayed by his own student? In this episode, we chase the earliest, darkest Merlin: shapeshifter, trickster, king-maker, and casualty of love. Listen to the riddles, and decide whether Merlin saved Britain or cursed it. Plus, the nun, the sea-spirit rumor, and the prison of stone.
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Leyak: Who Hunts Bali’s Unborn? | Ep117

Tonight, we’re flying to Bali after dark, where the monsters don’t bother scratching at your window, they skip straight to tearing their own heads free. Meet the Leyak: a human sorcerer by day, a flying, entrail-draped predator by night, hunting graves, cradles, and the thin places between worlds. We’ll walk the village roads, visit Rangda’s death temple, and follow the whispers that blame every strange illness on unseen teeth. Is the Leyak a cautionary tale about power, or a warning that evil wears ordinary faces? Bring a light. It won’t help. But you’ll feel better holding it, for a little while.
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Kaveh: How a Blacksmith Toppled a Serpent King | Ep116

Who leads a revolution when the gods stay silent and the princes look away? In this episode, we follow Kaveh the Blacksmith, an ordinary craftsman whose grief over his murdered sons ignites an uprising against the serpent-shouldered tyrant Zahāk. From a torn leather apron raised as a banner to the mountain refuge where a future king waits, Kaveh’s story traces how raw rage becomes a symbol claimed by empires, rebels, and Kurds alike. This is not a tale of chosen heroes, but of people who decide that fear has had the last word for long enough, in myth and memory.

Jogah: What Happens If You Break the Little People’s Rules | Ep115

What happens when you break the rules of the Jogah—the mysterious “little people” of Iroquois legend? Slip between worlds as we follow the clues: strange circles in the dirt, laughter from the shadows, and offerings left in secret bowls. Meet the Gahongas who toss boulders for fun, the Gandayah who bless or blight your harvest, and the Ohdows guarding the world below. Mischief, luck, and cosmic order all hang in the balance. This episode explores the powers, rituals, and dangers of the Jogah, and asks: would you recognize the warning signs before it’s too late?
Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Indra: The Thunder God Who Unleashed the Rivers | Ep114

Before there was Zeus or Thor, there was Indra, the thunder-armed king who rode storms and drank deep from the sacred soma. He shattered a world-sized serpent to bring the rains and reveled in the chaos of gods and mortals alike. This episode plunges into Indra’s wildest victories, his flaws, and the brawling, irresistible energy that kept him alive across Asia’s myths. Meet the storm-maker who became a legend, a cautionary tale, and proof that no king—no matter how loud his thunder—can outrun his own shadow. Step into the tempest and hear the heart of the monsoon.
Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Hidebehind: What’s Really Haunting America’s Darkest Forests? | Ep113

Slip beyond the campfire’s edge and into the oldest shadows of North American folklore, where the Hidebehind lurks just out of sight. No one’s ever seen its face, but its legend haunts every whisper of wind between the pines. What stalks those who wander alone in the woods? Why does a swig of whiskey keep it at bay? From vanished lumberjacks to wild tales of midnight encounters, this episode unpacks the chilling myth engineered to explain the things we fear—and can’t quite catch. Keep your nerves—and your flask—close. In these woods, something is always watching from behind.
Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Gello: The Child-Stealing Demon Saints Feared | Ep 112

Gello is the nightmare lurking just out of sight—a shapeshifting demon blamed for centuries of lost children, sudden illness, and heartbreak in Greek legend. Once a wronged young woman, Gello returns from death as a relentless spirit, haunting cradles and mothers’ dreams, her power growing with every fearful whisper. Saints, exorcists, and desperate parents fought her with charms, prayers, and secret names, but she always slips away, evolving with each age. This episode traces Gello’s tangled origins, her ties to witches and Eastern demons, and the enduring fear she embodies: the terror of hope stolen in the night.
Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Fetch: The Chilling Irish Double That Foretells Death | Ep111

Step into the shadowlands of Irish and Northern European folklore, where the Fetch walks—a silent double, eerily familiar yet never quite right. This ghostly omen isn’t here to haunt or harm. It stands as a living echo, bringing the cold certainty of death’s approach without malice or judgment. From mist-shrouded legends to modern tales, the Fetch refuses explanation—a riddle, a warning, a portrait of endings. Why does its arrival chill the blood? What does it mean to meet yourself at the edge of fate? In this episode, we confront the mythic double who appears not to destroy, but to announce.
Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Enfield: The Secret Guardian of Irish Heroes | Ep110

Enter the legend-haunted graveyards of Ireland, where the Enfield—part fox, eagle, greyhound, lion, and wolf—stands silent guard. More than a mythic patchwork, this fierce protector has shielded the heroes of Celtic lore and left its mark on banners and tombs from medieval battlefields to modern-day towns. Discover how the Enfield became a badge of honor for the O’Kellys, a sentinel at the boundary between worlds, and a symbol of loyalty that outlasts death. In a world quick to forget its heroes, the Enfield keeps watch—sharp-eyed, loyal, and absolutely unafraid of the dark.
Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Dhampir Secrets: 5 Signs They Walk Among Us | Ep109

Journey into the midnight Balkans, where ancient roads hide secrets and the line between living and dead blurs. This episode unearths the legend of the Dhampir—a half-vampire, half-human born of uneasy unions and buried hungers. Discover why this figure, neither monster nor man, haunted old villages as both hunter and outcast. We’ll explore bizarre folklore, uncanny powers, and the curse of seeing what others can’t. From cryptic signs to modern pop culture, the Dhampir remains a mystery that refuses to die. Join us as we walk the shadowy path between myth and memory.
Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!