Our feature story in this episode takes us to the Highlands of Scotland, where we’ll meet the elusive Loch Ness Monster, AKA Nessie. We'll also learn about some other Nessie-like creatures across the world, and some different water-dwelling creatures in the British Isles, Scandinavia, and western and central Africa.

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 7

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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The "Surgeon's Photograph":

Stuff to Read:

• Nessie:
  • Visit Inverness: The Loch Ness Monster
  • History Channel: The First Sighting of the Loch Ness Monster
  • NPR: 55-year-old camera set up to track the Loch Ness monster found in Scotland
  • The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register
  • The Loch Ness Centre
• Kelpies:
  • Historic UK: The Kelpie
  • Ancient Myth in Modern Art
  • Folklore of Scotland: Kelpies
• Jormungandr and the Kraken
  • Jormungandr at World History Encyclopedia
  • Jormungandr: The Midgard Serpent in Norse Mythology
  • Ancient Origins: Jörmungandr: The Misunderstood Midgard Serpent of Norse Mythology
  • Sea monsters and their inspiration: serpents, mermaids, the kraken and more
• Ninki Nanka
  • Gambian Folktales: The Ninki Nanka
  • BBC: The Hunt for Gambia's Mythical Dragon
  • CNN: Here be monsters: The search for Africa’s mythical beasts
  • Coffee and Creatures: It’s Hard to Keep Things Straight With the Ninki-Nanka
• Mokele Mbembe
  • Cryptid Archives: Mokole-Mbembe
  • Sightings Of The Legendary Mokele-Mbembe "Dinosaur" Of The Congo Are Increasing. What Is Going On?
  • How Stuff Works: Mokele-Mbembe: The Truth Behind Africa's Mythical River Monster

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

In this episode, it's time to meet some slithering serpentine monsters! We start with the many-headed Hydra, who had the misfortune to be one of Heracles's many targets, but who got the consolation prize of becoming a constellation. Then we'll look at that constellation's story in Mesopotamian mythology and we'll meet an eight-headed serpent-dragon from Japanese mythology.

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 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:

• Hydra:
  • At Mythopedia and Perseus at Tufts
  • Original Greek literature quotes about the Hydra
• Bašmu & Ninurta:
  • More on Bašmu
  • Ninurta at World History Encyclopedia
  • Enki and Enlil
• Yamata no Orochi:
  • From yokai.com
  • The Eight-Headed Eight-Tailed Serpent

Stuff to Watch: Check out our curated Youtube playlist for this episode!

Since this episode is dropping just before Mother’s Day in the US, it seemed like the perfect time to talk about Echidna, the Mother of All Monsters. Or… at least an awful lot of the Greek ones. We'll also look at some other monstrous mothers in Mesopotamian, Norse, and Germanic mythology!

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:

• Echidna
  • Summaries at Mythopedia and Ancient Origins
  • Quotes from original Greek texts at THEOI
  • Echidna: Half Woman, Half Snake of Greece
• Angrboda:
  • From Vikingr
  • Chaos, and Destruction: The Symbolism of Angrboda in Norse Mythology and Beyond
• Tiamat
  • Summary from World History Encyclopedia
  • From The Met: Mesopotamian Creation Myths
  • Dungeons & Dragons: The History Of Bahamut And Tiamat
• Grendel’s Mother:
  • Beowulf and Grendel’s Mother

Stuff To Watch: Check out our curated YouTube playlist for this episode!