Episodes

  • Dragons at the Movies

    Dragons at the Movies
    Oct 31 2026
    Mama dragons. Luck dragons. Dragons who’d rather be human. Dragons with Sean Connery’s voice. Real Fantastic Beasts goes to the movies, from Dragonslayer (1981) to Damsel (2024). Which one is your favorite?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    49 mins
  • Fatal Bellman

    Fatal Bellman
    Oct 17 2026
    Did you know that owls feed their babies milk? That owls eggs cure drunkenness? That a dead owl nailed to your barn door stops lightning? We explore the long lore of this terrifying bird of the night -- the symbol of both wisdom and folly.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    39 mins
  • A fish with a womb

    A fish with a womb
    Oct 4 2026
    Why is the heir to the French throne named after a dolphin? How did a Venetian dynasty end up with one on its crest? And why did Renaissance furniture suddenly sprout dolphin legs?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    30 mins
  • Snakebite!: Cleopatra's Asp Live at the RMMRA

    Snakebite!: Cleopatra's Asp Live at the RMMRA
    Sep 20 2026
    Before a live audience at the Rocky Mountain Medieval and Renaissance Association conference, we dive into Cleopatra's famous asp with guest Emily Sharrett. How does medieval and early modern viper lore help us understand why this snake became the iconic instrument of her death? And what was Shakespeare doing with it? Also on YouTube at https://youtu.be/4n1Qmw94oW8

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    50 mins
  • Animal Helpers: Boots, Bandages, and Blood Sacrifice

    Animal Helpers: Boots, Bandages, and Blood Sacrifice
    Aug 14 2026
    Why is it always the youngest, humblest sibling who gets the magic animal on their side? This episode we explore Puss in Boots, La Chatte Blanche, and what animal companions tell us about who folklore thinks deserves to win.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    49 mins
  • Father of terror or enigmatic woman?: unriddling the Sphinx

    Father of terror or enigmatic woman?: unriddling the Sphinx
    Jul 11 2026
    We talk lions, hybridity, and the unsettling power of a creature that's often part woman, part beast, and entirely a threat to masculine authority — the Sphinx, in all her medieval and Renaissance guises.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    40 mins
  • Harvesting the Salamander Wool

    Harvesting the Salamander Wool
    Jun 27 2026
    What does it mean for a cold, damp, thoroughly amphibious creature to become the defining symbol of elemental fire? In this episode, we explore the salamander, the fire-resistant (allegedly), asbestos-covered, love-poetry-inspiring, hellfire-embodying little amphibian that confused natural philosophers from Aristotle to Linnaeus.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    40 mins
  • Proud as a Peacock

    Proud as a Peacock
    Jun 14 2026
    From Hildegard to the Habsburgs, we explore the European perspective on the most spectacular bird.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    43 mins