Grimm Reading

Come one, come all to this year’s Grimm Reading Christmas party! We engage in the usual frivolity with presents and festive cheer. And of course, we once more delve into the strange world of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s The Nutcracker And The Mouse King. We also introduce a new segment - the Christmas monster of the year! We meet Jólakötturinn, aka The Yule Cat, a terrifying giant feline who roams Iceland on Christmas. Have a wonderful Christmas season, wherever you are and we’ll see you in the new year. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Tchaikovsky's "Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy" & "The Magical Castle in the Kingdom of Sweets" from The Nutcracker Suite from the music.org European Archive

Has Christmas always been wholesome? What did Halloween steal from Christmas? And what happens when you bump into a Krampus? Join us for a special interview episode, where we talk to Sarah Clegg, author of "The Dead of Winter: The Demons, Witches and Ghosts of Christmas". We discuss her run-ins with Christmas monsters, learn about the surprisingly unruly history of Christmas celebrations, and hear why Jacob Grimm may have a lot to answer for... From wassailing to ghostly walks, this is Christmas in a whole new light. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

An industrious woman dreams big, but how will her husband, Long Laurence react when she reveals her plans? An unexpectedly brutal tale leads to an exploration of 'air castles', from Aesop to Leo Tolstoy, and a man getting a faceful of rice gruel... This episode is Certified Grimm for adult themes and may not be suitable for all listeners. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Brahms' Piano Trio No.2, Op.87 performed by Edwin Fischer, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, & Enrico Mainardi // Brahms' String Quintet No.1, Op.88 performed by Musicians from Marlboro // Brahms' 7 Fantasien, Op.116 performed by Ivan Ilić

Evil wizards, crying stags, sharp-shooting damsels – prepare for a wild tale as the Grimms go full Indiana Jones with "The Glass Coffin". A poor tailor seeks shelter from a storm in a forest cabin; little does he know his life is about to change forever. When a violent stag abducts him, the tailor finds himself in a mysterious cave complete with two glass boxes. What will he find? And why did the Edwardians go mad for glass caskets? Find out all this and more in our latest episode. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Beethoven's Sonata, La major, Op.69 - I. Allegro ma non tanto.1 // Chopin's Fantasy-Impromptu No. 4 in C sharp minor, Op. 66

It’s a 2-4-1 deal at Grimm Castle today as we read TWO Brothers Grimm tales: “The Hurds” and “Looking For A Bride”. What’s the correct way to choose your spouse? What does ‘hurd’ mean? And what’s the best way to prep cheese? All this and more will be revealed as we explore two short, sweet and sexist tales from the master storytellers. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Brahms' 2 Rhapsodies, Op.79 performed by Luis Kolodin // Brahms' Hungarian Dance No.2 in D minor performed by Caroline Goulding & Shuai Wang // Brahms' String Sextet No.1, Op.18 performed by Musicians from Marlboro

Things are getting spooky at Castle Grimm as we celebrate Halloween with the story “Koshchei the Deathless”, aka “Maria Morevna”. Prepare to be whisked into a world of immortal evil wizards, battle-loving queens, and rivers of fire. There may even feature a brief cameo from an old friend… Happy Halloween all! Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Aram Khachaturian's Masquerade Waltz // Liszt's Totentanz (Dance of the Dead) S. 126/2

We’re back for series 8! Magic beds, secret raves, invisible soldiers - we kick things off with "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" aka "The Shoes That Were Danced To Pieces". It’s a somewhat famous story and surprisingly magical and romantic for the Grimms, albeit overtly violent and deeply problematic. So join us as we once more delve into the world of the Brothers Grimm, and chase this folk tale from ancient Babylon through Victorian England (via the story "Kate Crackernuts"), and ending unexpectedly at Barbie. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Strauss's Wiener Blut Op.354 Waltz // Tchaikovsky's Waltz in F sharp minor, no. 9 from Op. 40

The series is over, but were you listening? Join us for a live quiz where we ask questions on Series 7 trivia, and three lucky winners receive prizes. Series 8 is coming on October 12th! You can watch the live quiz on YouTube via this link. Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko

Link to the Livestream: https://youtube.com/live/QtmQlB-g_Sk?feature=share Come and join us this Saturday, 30th August, for our livestream quiz to mark the end of Series 7! Play along with the multiple-choice questions that cover all of the tales we've heard this series, and there are prizes to win! So we hope you've been brushing up on your Volume 2 stories... The stream will be live on YouTube on 30th August from: 7pm British Summer Time 8pm Central European Summer Time 2pm Eastern Daylight Time 11am Pacific Daylight Time We look forward to seeing you there! ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com

Link to the Livestream: https://youtube.com/live/06yd2583kNA?feature=share Come and join us this Saturday, 28th June, for our livestream quiz to mark the end of Series 7! Play along with the multiple choice questions that cover all of the tales we've heard this series, and there are prizes to win! So we hope you've been brushing up on your Volume 2 stories... The stream will be live on YouTube on 28th June from: 7pm British Summer Time 8pm Central European Summer Time 2pm Eastern Daylight Time 11am Pacific Daylight Time We look forward to seeing you there! ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com

Season 7 is in the bag! But which stories were the best and worst of the bunch? We reveal the winners and losers of the series, share some porridge updates, hear what listeners have to say, and set up the start of series 8. QUIZ! Saturday 28th June 7pm (BST) Link to the Series 7 Live Quiz so you can subscribe and join in the fun. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Dvořák's String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat Major // Dvořák's Humoresque

Three friendly bachelor bears decide to take a walk while their porridge cools. Little do they suspect that an opportunistic young lady called Goldilocks will break in and help herself to breakfast. Will the bears catch her in the act or will she get away? What’s the best way to have porridge? And where do Aristotle and Stephen Hawking fit into all this? Join us for the series seven finale as we read Goldilocks and the Three Bears - and then share the history of how the story developed. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Dvorak's Legends, Op.59 - 2. Molto moderato (G major) // Beethoven's Piano Sonata no.15 in D major op.28 Pastoral - IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non tropp, performed by Karine Gilanyan

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. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com 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

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. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com 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

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! ... Linktree Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com 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)

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. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com Theme music: Bicycle Waltz by Goodbye Kumiko Other Music: Duchess Anna Amalia of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel's Erwin and Elmire: Overture. Peter Gulke, conductor.

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! ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com 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

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. ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com 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

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)... ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com 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

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... ... Linktree Patreon Merch Store Instagram Twitter/X Facebook grimmreadingpodcast@gmail.com 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