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Mythical Monsters

180 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 951 ratings

Travel the world in search of the strangest and most powerful creatures from myth and legend. These beasts are alternately beautiful and ferocious, seductive and sadistic. But no matter what form they take, they tell a story about their culture as only a monster can. Mythical Monsters is a Spotify Original from Parcast.

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Episodes

Jólakötturinn

December 14, 2020 08:01 - 45 minutes

Jólakötturinn is the Icelandic Yule Cat, but this massive feline is anything but cuddly. He emerges from the dark mountain woods once a year to feast on lazy children… and this Christmas, a rude little girl named Margrét is on Jólakötturinn’s wish list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blind Dating: Finding Love on a Podcast

December 08, 2020 08:01 - 20 minutes

You know you can find love in a bar… on an app… Why not a podcast? Every week on Blind Dating, one hopeful single is introduced to two potential matches in a virtual hangout — no cameras allowed. This week, listen in as Pauler, a 33-year-old dancer from Australia, meets a tutor who falls for mama’s boys and a one-time swinger who’s “lived and learned” in LA. Is personality enough to spark a lasting connection? Listen to find out… and don’t miss the twist at the end! Blind Dating is free on Sp...

Huldra

December 07, 2020 08:01 - 49 minutes

In the dense woodlands of Scandinavia, a beautiful maiden walks amid the pines. Her melodious song murmurs through the branches — and lures wandering men into her clutches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jörmungandr

November 30, 2020 08:01 - 48 minutes

Colossal fangs filled with venom. A body so large it encircles the world. Jörmungandr is the sea serpent middle child of Loki and Angrboda, and a Norse monster so menacing, his mere existence is a threat to humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Unexplained Mysteries Crossover: The Bunny Man

November 23, 2020 08:01 - 43 minutes

Today we’re bringing you a special episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Unexplained Mysteries on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!  Not all monsters originate from myths… The mysterious Bunny Man was said to run amok in the forests of Fairfax County, Virginia, eating live rabbits and displaying their corpses on an overpass known as Bunny Man Bridge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dictators: The Rise & Fall of a Roman Emperor

November 17, 2020 08:01 - 13 minutes

They’re natural-born leaders, hungry for absolute power. Every week on Dictators, delve into the minds and motives of history’s most infamous rulers — people who rose through the ranks toward radicalism, eliminating anyone who stood in their way. This week, track the rise and fall of Nero, an emperor who led Rome to destruction. Hear a clip from Part 1 here, then head to Dictators for the rest of the episode. Dictators is free to listen on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Fenrir

November 16, 2020 08:01 - 49 minutes

The gods of Asgard use deception and wiles to betray the fearsome Fenrir, courting their own doom even as they make the giant wolf their prisoner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phoenix

November 09, 2020 08:01 - 47 minutes

Reborn again and again from ashes, with brilliant red and gold feathers and wisdom to dispense, the phoenix is a guide through the ages. And when a young apprentice spies the magnificent bird in a forbidden temple, he undergoes a reinvention of his own. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Our Love Story

November 03, 2020 08:01 - 10 minutes

How do complete strangers turn into perfect pairs? On the new Spotify Original from Parcast, Our Love Story, hear from real-life couples themselves as they share the intimate, funny, joy-filled moments of their relationship — without skipping over what’s been hard. Tune in every Tuesday for new episodes featuring people like David, 41, and Samantha, 36, whose improv-fueled friendship led to a fateful first date and the sweetest park bench proposal. Listen now, and follow Our Love Story free o...

Satyr

November 02, 2020 08:01 - 44 minutes

From ancient Greece comes a mischievous hybrid of human and animal, with a penchant for parties and wine. The satyr is often used as comedic relief in myths… but its lecherous behavior also acts as a warning against unbound inhibitions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vampires

October 26, 2020 07:01 - 47 minutes

In the 1700s, a Serbian soldier encountered a bloated corpse with a hunger for human flesh, known as a Vrykolakas. But when he tried to break the creature’s power over him, he created a monster even more terrifying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

True Horror: Top 10 Haunted Crime Scenes

October 21, 2020 07:01 - 41 minutes

Parcast Network is spinning a web of new shows and special programming to celebrate our favorite season. Follow us into the darkest depths of history, mystery, and the human mind — starting with this episode of Crime Countdown! Hosts Ash and Alaina are ranking the top 10 haunted crime scenes, including an Irish castle with a deadly trap door and the home of a ghostly bride.  If you enjoy this episode, search Crime Countdown to find more passionate takes on top-ten rankings. Listen free on Sp...

Werewolf

October 19, 2020 07:01 - 47 minutes

The Wolfman is more than just a Universal Monster — it’s a representation of man's capacity for evil. Today's story retells one of the original werewolf stories from Norse mythology's The Saga of the Volsungs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All New! Superstitions

October 13, 2020 07:01 - 12 minutes

Every Wednesday, meet us at the intersection of chaos and fate… We’re unveiling the backstories and hidden lessons inside superstitions from around the world, and telling the stories of those who dare to defy them. Are these eerie codes of conduct simply about exerting control in an unpredictable world? Or can we truly sway supernatural forces to work in our favor? Enjoy this exclusive clip from our episode on black cats. Then search Superstitions to find more episodes, free on Spotify or wh...

Cerberus

October 12, 2020 07:01 - 49 minutes

When the demi-god Heracles is tasked with defeating the three-headed guard dog of Hades, we see what happens when the world’s greatest hero meets the underworld’s greatest monster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New! Haunted Places: Ghost Stories

October 06, 2020 07:01 - 14 minutes

Flickering lights… Clanging metal… A sudden, cold rush of air… Parcast Network’s all-new original series is here—and with it, the scariest, most hair-raising ghost stories ever imagined. Join host Alastair Murden as he reaches into the cob-webbed collection of ghost stories from all over the world and brings to life a new, heart-racing tale every Thursday. Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode on “The Kit-Bag”—a murder trial that takes a turn for the supernatural. Then search Haun...

Zombies

October 05, 2020 07:01 - 49 minutes

Their ubiquity in pop culture suggests zombies are a recent creation, but the ideas animating these cannibalistic cadavers originated in a 16th century French colony. Enslaved Africans conceived of a soul in unrest, occupying the ether. In Western culture, zombies transformed into flesh-eating ghouls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Santa Muerte

September 28, 2020 07:01 - 46 minutes

She’s the queen of death, a folk saint known as the champion of lost souls. Those who pray to Santa Muerte are granted what they desire without judgement. But her generosity comes with a dark side. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Solved Murders: The Story of Helen Potts

September 25, 2020 07:01 - 35 minutes

Listeners, we’re excited to bring you an episode from one of our favorite podcasts, Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries. Every Wednesday on Solved Murders, we explore the days, months, and even years leading up to the closure of a seemingly uncrackable case. This is part 1 of our episode on Helen Potts, a young girl who gets tangled up with a playboy medical student, with deadly consequences—but not for the reasons you might first suspect.  If you enjoy this episode, be sure to check out p...

Dragons

September 21, 2020 07:01 - 50 minutes

Before “Lord of the Rings” and “Game of Thrones,” dragons stalked the pages of mythology across the world. The European version became a powerful metaphor for the evils that supposedly stalked mankind. And that's where we get the most iconic European Dragon Story, featuring a man known as Saint George. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New! Incredible Feats with Dan Cummins

September 15, 2020 07:01 - 5 minutes

Humanity’s most daring achievements are coming together in the new Spotify Original from Parcast! Every weekday, Incredible Feats introduces you to a new story of jaw-dropping physical strength, mental focus, and bizarre behavior. Join comedian Dan Cummins as he profiles the people who turned the impossible into the incredible, breaking records and making history along the way.  Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode, and stay tuned for episodes on daredevils, ultramarathoners, per...

Dybbuk

September 14, 2020 07:01 - 50 minutes

From Jewish mythology, a dybbuk is a ghost with the power to enter and seize control of the body of a living person. While they are often the malicious soul of a particularly sinful person, possession by even the most well-meaning dybbuks can have disastrous consequences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ammit

September 07, 2020 07:01 - 57 minutes

To the ancient Egyptians, Ammit was known as the Devourer of the Dead and the Eater of Souls. A hybrid creature and a demon of the underworld, she plays a vital role in the Final Judgment of souls, doling out deadly punishment to those found unworthy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Djinn

August 31, 2020 07:01 - 52 minutes

The Djinn that appear in the Qu'ran and throughout Arabic mythology are far more terrifying and dangerous than the wish-granting entities known as genies. They’re complicated spirits with incredible powers and free will, able to grant immense fortune… or gruesome death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Parcast Original: Medical Murders

August 26, 2020 07:01 - 14 minutes

We all know that medical professionals are trained to give exceptional care. But in the new Parcast Original, Medical Murders, you’ll discover a disturbing diagnosis… that not every doctor wants to extend your life. Every Wednesday, meet the men and women who used their expertise to develop sinister specialties. Host Alastair Murden examines the formative years and motives of history’s most infamous killer doctors, dissecting their medical backgrounds with expert analysis provided by practici...

Roc

August 24, 2020 07:01 - 43 minutes

The Roc is an enormous bird of prey from Arabic mythology that was said to be large enough to carry elephants in its huge talons. It was once the ultimate symbol of adventure, and featured heavily in the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will O’ the Wisp

August 17, 2020 07:01 - 45 minutes

They’re mysterious ghost lights, lurking in swamps and marshes. In European folklore, the Will O’ the Wisp, or Ignus Fatuus, are said to be the spirit of a sinful man, using his lantern to lure travelers to their deaths… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers!

August 11, 2020 07:01 - 14 minutes

Uncover the dirty dealings of history’s most badly behaved presidents in the NEW Spotify Original from Parcast, Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers. Every Tuesday through the 2020 election, Ashley shines a light on the darker side of the American presidency… From secret love affairs and all-night ragers to blackmail schemes and excessive drug use, she’ll expose the personal and professional controversies you may never knew existed.  Enjoy this exclusive clip from our first episode of Very ...

Unicorn

August 10, 2020 07:01 - 47 minutes

It’s known the world over as a symbol of innocence and purity… But the unicorn has a history as dark as any other beast in the mythological menagerie. Through its evolution from dangerous and deadly to noble and majestic, its story has always been one of blood, sacrifice, and transformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Questing Beast

August 03, 2020 07:01 - 55 minutes

Hailing from Arthurian Legend, the Questing Beast is not so much a horrific predator or a noble creature… It’s an enigma, layered with symbolism and competing interpretations. With a bizarre appearance—and even more confounding purpose—the barking animal conjures a sense of immense strangeness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Manticore

July 27, 2020 07:01 - 51 minutes

It’s a symbol of chaos and destruction. A chimeric beast with the body of a lion, the tail of a scorpion, the face of a human man… and an appetite for human flesh. But is the manticore’s horrific visage a mirror for humanity’s own evil propensities? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chupacabra

July 20, 2020 07:01 - 48 minutes

Vampiric and reptilian, the Chupacabra first appeared in Puerto Rico in the 1990s. It’s known for sucking the blood of goats, but its true victims are the communities it destroys. Its thirst is so great, it will feed and feed until nothing is left… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thunderbird

July 13, 2020 07:01 - 50 minutes

In some legends, this elemental creature is considered a sacred force for good, while in others, it is a dangerous figure with the power to create unparalleled chaos and destruction. In every telling, it’s clear: the Thunderbird inspires equal amounts of awe and terror. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leviathan

July 06, 2020 07:01 - 51 minutes

The Leviathan is an enormous sea monster, often depicted as a serpent or dragon. While best known for its appearances in the Old Testament of the Bible, its story is part of a mythological tradition that stretches all the way back to the very first civilizations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cthulhu

June 29, 2020 07:01 - 52 minutes

An ancient alien goliath slumbers at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, awaiting the day when he will rise again to destroy humanity. From the mind of weird fiction author H.P. Lovecraft comes Cthulhu, a cosmic entity of almost unimaginable scale and power. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing FAERIE, A Parcast Original Series!

June 22, 2020 07:05 - 14 minutes

Welcome to a world where fairy tales do exist, and “once upon a time” is closer, darker, and more dangerous than you imagined. Welcome to the immersive new Parcast original series, Faerie. Available exclusively on Spotify, Faerie follows the investigation of Ryan Bailey—a young woman who saves a man’s life and is thrust into a secret world of mythological creatures called “faeries.” Join Ryan as she unearths more about their mysterious existence and the covert agency charged with protecting t...

Changeling

June 22, 2020 07:01 - 46 minutes

In Medieval Europe, parents lived in fear of the Fae-folk, who liked to steal sleeping infants from their crib. Whenever they did this, the faeries would replace their human child with one of their own. These Changelings would take the shape of the human child, so that the parents would have no way of knowing that it was an imposter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Centaur

June 15, 2020 07:01 - 46 minutes

This half-man, half-horse creature from Greek mythology combines the wisdom associated with civilization and the wildness of nature. We'll look at the stories of several of the worlds' most famous centaurs, each of which shines a light on the bestial elements of human nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Introducing SOLVED MURDERS: TRUE CRIME MYSTERIES, A Parcast Original Series!

June 11, 2020 07:01 - 14 minutes

To commemorate its fourth anniversary, Parcast and the team behind Unsolved Murders are taking a closer look at what it takes to catch a killer. In the new series Solved Murders: True Crime Mysteries, you'll follow the clues and uncover the missing pieces to some of history's most gripping cases. Every Wednesday, join hosts Carter and Wenndy as they explore the days, months, and even years leading up to a killer being caught. Each episode plays out like a classic murder mystery—where the fina...

Qalupalik

June 08, 2020 07:01 - 42 minutes

It is a mermaid-like creature from Inuit folklore that makes its home in the icy-cold waters of the arctic. The qalupalik pounces on any children foolish enough to stray into its path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Púca

June 01, 2020 07:01 - 39 minutes

It’s a mischievous, shape-shifting trickster from Celtic folklore, often appearing in the guise of a demonic horse. Though the Púca can bring good or bad fortune, its ability to hold a grudge has made it an enemy of Irish farmers for centuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Typhon

May 25, 2020 07:01 - 48 minutes

Part man, part monstrous amalgamation—his thighs are said to have been made of snakes, and his back covered in feathers and wings. A denizen of pure evil, Typhon was created for the sole purpose of sowing chaos, and has often been called the father of all monsters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Griffin

May 18, 2020 07:01 - 49 minutes

Part eagle, part lion, these formidable creatures have commanded respect for centuries. Today, the griffin is used as a symbol of strength. But hundreds of years ago, its incredible size and power instilled true dread. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Abaddon’s Locusts

May 11, 2020 07:01 - 53 minutes

They are an obscure but truly disturbing army of monsters found in the Book of Revelation. While the description for Abaddon’s Locusts is less than 12 lines long, these hybrid creatures make a real impression—torturing everyone they see who isn’t marked for safety by God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nephilim

May 04, 2020 07:01 - 49 minutes

They’re a mysterious race of giants mentioned in the Book of Genesis. The non-canonical Book of Enoch tells the story of the Nephilim’s conception—sired by rebellious angels and human women, they were one of the most destructive forces in the world before the Great Flood covered the earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Beelzebub

April 27, 2020 07:01 - 49 minutes

He is a demon prince of hell, often depicted as the right-hand man of Satan. But long before Beelzebub appeared in the Bible or Paradise Lost, he was the pagan god Ba'al Zebub, the "Lord of the Flies." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sneak Peek: DAILY QUOTE, A Parcast Original Series!

April 26, 2020 07:01 - 3 minutes

Whether you’re jumpstarting the morning, searching for that midday pick-me-up, or trying to finish the evening off strong… Daily Quote offers some of history’s most inspirational quotes whenever you need them—365 days a year. In this 2-3 minute podcast, you’ll be given a quote that will motivate, uplift, and renew your outlook on life. You’ll also dive deeper into the context surrounding the quote—learning more about its origin and the meaning behind it. Enjoy this sneak peek of Daily Quote ...

NEW: The Behemoth

April 20, 2020 07:01 - 43 minutes

We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Mythical Monsters today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time. Appearing in Abrahamic mythology, the Behemoth is a gargantuan beast of chaos. Its steps shake the earth and drive livestock insane. At the end of the world, it will face its sister Leviathan where the land meets the sea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Crossover Week: Tales (The Sandman Pt. 2)

April 13, 2020 07:05 - 53 minutes

If you enjoy the stories told in Mythical Monsters, check out this episode from our series Tales: An adult Nathanael attempts to overcome the traumatic experiences of his childhood. But he knows, deep down, that Coppelius will always return, ready to take his eyes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Crossover Week: Tales (The Sandman Pt. 1)

April 13, 2020 07:01 - 45 minutes

If you enjoy the stories told in Mythical Monsters, check out this episode from our series Tales: Young Nathanael fears the one who comes in the night, who takes the eyes of children. His fear only grows when his father's co-worker, Coppelius, begins to show signs of being the boogeyman himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices