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Join two amateur Grimmologists round the fire to read and discuss the tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Episodes
4 hours ago
4 hours ago
Creepy villains, elderly princesses, troublesome beards - this is not your average fairy tale.
In Old Rinkrank, a princess gets imprisoned in a glass mountain by an evil creature and given an unpleasant new name. Will she be able to save herself? And will her fiancé have waited for her? Find out in the penultimate episode of the season!
After the story, we attempt to ascend our own glass mountain and identify the tale's place in the canon of folklore, leading us to Poland and Norway where things get, you guessed, nice and weird.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Beethoven's Piano Sonata no. 14 in C#m 'Moonlight', Op. 27 no. 2 - III. Presto // Beethoven's 13 Sonata No. 8 in C Minor Pathétique, Op. 13 - III. Rondo-Allegro
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
When a horned owl takes up residence in a barn, the townsfolk slowly lose their minds as they try to oust the intruder. Will the townsfolk come to their senses and the owl escape? Or is the owl to meet a grisly end?
From owls to algorithms, killer trains to Puerto Rican pirate vessels, this episode takes us on a wild ride through some of the stranger corners of history as we dig into what exactly this story means.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Camille Saint-Saëns' Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 33 - I. Allegro non troppo // Franz Schubert's Sonata in B Flat Major, D. 960 - IV. Allegro ma non troppo, performed by Paul Pittman
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
This is the full episode of our latest Grimmflix - a special Patreon series where we review grimmesque movies. We enjoyed it and wanted to share with everyone.
In this episode of Grimmflix, we review the 1987 cult classic movie, The Princess Bride.
Will Adam love it? Was it worth the wait? We share our thoughts on the movie before awarding our Grimms.
We then explore the making of the film and share some behind-the-scenes stories, thanks to Cary Elwes' memoir, As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride.
For more episodes of Grimmflix, and other special episodes and perks, check out our Patreon. And you can also join in on our Princess Bride book club too!
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Theme music: Also Sprach Zarathustra, by Richard Strauss
Other music: Chopin's Valse No. 6 in D flat major, Op. 64, No. 1 ('Minute' Waltz)
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
A king is dying. But which of his three sons shall inherit the kingdom? There’s only one way to decide…
Things get sluggardly and etymological in this episode as we read The Three Sluggards by The Brothers Grimm.
After the story, before we know what’s hit us we’re discussing everything from Sussex slang words, slugs, our old friend Straparola, and Kim Jong Un.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel's Erwin and Elmire: Overture. Peter Gulke, conductor.
Sunday Mar 09, 2025
Sunday Mar 09, 2025
When a farmer grows a giant turnip and is rewarded by the king, his jealous brother plots to murder him. How will he escape his assassins? And does the titular turnip have anything to do with the plot?
Find out in this episode, where we read The Turnip by the Brothers Grimm!
After the story, we're led across a world of culture - from Pulp Fiction to Serbian hip-hop to the UK's obsession with giant vegetables.
If you want to grow your own giant veg along with us, check out giantvegseeds.com.
And here's a link to Rep Repa, for your listening pleasure.
Patrons, don't forget to vote for the series finale!
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Dvorak's String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat Major // Rokeri s Moravu's Rep Repa
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
Reynard is back in action and using his wits for good, unless you're a lion...
When an old horse is abandoned by its owner and given an impossible task, Raynard the fox summons all his wiles in aid of the horse's plight.
After the story, we explore several other fables of foxes and horses, taking us from the summit of French high literature to a humble stable in the Isle of Skye, Scotland, to see just how widespread this story once was.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: The second movement of Maurice Ravel's String Quartet, played by string players of the United States Army Band
Sunday Feb 16, 2025
Sunday Feb 16, 2025
Can a charlatan doctor solve a case of missing money? Join us for this week's story Dr Know-All, which somehow features crabs, an ABC book, a man in a stove, and some spectacular failing upwards...
This spins out into a discussion of other similar stories from around the world, culminating in the medieval Indian tale of Harrisaman (FKA Froggie)...
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Brahms' Trio in A Minor, Op. 114 - I. Allegro performed by Paul Pitman, Michael Arnold & Bang-Eun Lee // Brahms' 8 Piano Pieces, Op. 76 - 5. Capriccio. Agitato, ma non troppo Presto (C♯ minor) performed by Luis Sarro // Brahms' 4 Piano Pieces, Op. 119 - 2. Intermezzo in E minor performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni
Sunday Feb 02, 2025
Sunday Feb 02, 2025
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It’s a squadron of flying gnomes. Join us for this week’s story The Gnome - a tale of brotherly betrayal, multi-headed dragons, magic flutes, and cheeky little helpers.
After the story, we have a short history of gnomes, from Roman smut to Pink Floyd and beyond...
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2: Finale, Bernd Glemser, piano, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit, conductor // Tchaikovsky's Waltz in F sharp minor, no. 9 from Op. 40
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Merry Christmas to one and all! Join us for another end of year party at Grimm Castle, where we delve deep into The Nutcracker And The Mouse King, almost completely losing our minds. We then sober up with a special surprise short story, featuring some unlikely characters…
So join us for a cracker, a mince pie, spiced wine, gifts, and merriment a-plenty at this year’s Grimm Reading Christmas party.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Tchaikovsky's" Dance Of The Flutes" and "Russian Dance" from The Nutcracker Suite from the music.org European Archive // Sergei Prokofiev - Lieutenant Kije Suite: Troika, performed by Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra // Tchaikovsky's "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker Suite performed by Kevin Macleod
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
For one last time, the Devil's grandma is back.
After three soldiers desert the army, they make a bargain with the Devil for their souls. After seven fun-filled years, the Devil arrives to claim his debt. But perhaps Grandma can offer our unlikely heroes a helping hand...
Riddles, dragons and magic whips - join us for The Devil And His Grandmother.
We also talk dragons in the bible, and explore the fascinating legend of Faust and the Faustian pact, through Marlowe to Goethe.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Demersseman's Solo de Concert no. 4, Op. 80 // Chopin's Étude Op. 10, no. 5 in G flat major - 'Black Keys' // Chopin's Nocturne in C sharp minor 'Lento con gran espressione', B. 49 (Op. posth.) // Wagner's Faust Overture
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
In this interview episode, we talk to author and poet Clare Pollard about her latest novel: The Modern Fairies.
Set in the Paris and Versailles of Louis the XIV, the novel drops us into the heart of Madame D’Alnouy’s illustrious, raucous, and radical salon. It's "Disney meets Dangerous Liaisons" and a brilliant, cosy read.
We talk to Clare about fairy tales, writing, salons, audiobooks and plenty more besides.
Discover Clare's writings through her website. You can also subscribe to her Substack and follow her on Instagram.
And treat yourself to a copy of The Modern Fairies while you're at it.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Adam's Christmas comes early as we find ourselves in an enchanted cat castle in this week's Grimm story.
When an old miller challenges his apprentices to find the best horse, one befriends a cat who promises to help. But is she more than she seems?
After the story, we find ourselves in early-modern Paris where we meet fairy tale behemoth Madame D'Aulnouy. We hear of her extraordinary life as well as a short version of her related story, The White Cat.
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Liszt's Waltz aus dem Ballet Die Amazonen // Leroy Anderson's The Waltzing Cat, performed by Markus Staab // Schumann's Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15 - III. Blind Man's Buff, performed by Donald Betts
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
We take on Donkey Cabbages - one of the most bizarre and barmy tales we've heard in a while.
Not only do we get witches, giants and magic clouds, we also discover a new concept - the minimal counterintuitive hypothesis. What makes a story stick? Some scientists think they've found the answer...
We then briefly look at man-donkeys in storytelling, say hi to Shakespeare, and meet the long-forgotten German folkhero Fortunatus.
Here's a link to the paper we discuss in the episode: Memory and Mystery: The Cultural Selection of Minimally Counterintuitive Narratives
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Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Grieg's Holberg Suite, from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston // Massenet's Toccata Jules Massenet, performed Jean Dube
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Rachmaninoff's Canon in E Minor, performed by Luis Kolodin // Rachmaninoff's String Quartett No. 2 performed by Steve Jones // Rachmaninoff's Etudes-Tableaux Op. 39 performed by Peter Bradley-Fulgoni // Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor
Sunday Oct 13, 2024
Sunday Oct 13, 2024
We’re back with a brand new series and a brand new volume of tales...
And we begin with The Four Skillful Brothers, a story of masterly thievery, improbable astronomy, dastardly dragons, and a man who sews up eggs.
After the story, we explore its origins before doing a deep dive on dragons: including the history of rescuing princesses from dragons in storytelling, and a patriotic stretch where we look into the Welsh red dragon and the story of St. George.
We can’t wait to get stuck into Volume 2; thanks for sticking around!
Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko
Other Music: Dvorak's Romance for violin and piano, performed by Goldstein and M Pavel // Schubert's Fantasy in C Major Op.15 D.760 'Wanderer' - I. Allegro con fuoco