Fireside Canada

Bell Island, Newfoundland is said to be one of Canada's most haunted places, with more than its share of tragic deaths and mysterious phenomena. But one story stands out above the rest. "Taste what I tasted. Smell what I smelled." These are the haunting words of the Ghost of Dobbin's Garden, more commonly known today as the Swamp Hag of Bell Island. Said to be the restless spirit of a woman who died tragically, she is doomed to roam the island forever, looking for victims to share in her torment. Join me as we learn the legend and review the history of this terrifying icon of Canadian folklore. Learn more at FiresideCanada.ca

"You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but the lips have got to touch the toe." So goes the prime directive of the Exalted Order of the Sourtoe, a cocktail club dreamed up in the 1970s to celebrate Discovery Day in Dawson City. Essentially a shot of liquor garnished with a preserved, severed human toe, the Sourtoe Cocktail is one of Canada's most legendary (and disturbing) traditions that has been served to over 100,000 curious drinkers in a Dawson City bar. This is its story. For show notes and more, visit FiresideCanada.ca

For period of 16-18 months between 1975 and 1976, a mysterious red light was routinely seen flying through the skies of Southern Manitoba. The unidentified flying object appeared so often and to so many people that it was given the name "Charlie Redstar." At the time, the event was one of the biggest UFO flaps to have ever occurred, yet few people have ever learned about the sightings or ever heard the name of "Charlie Redstar." In this episode, we'll piece together some of the stories from various interviews, newspaper articles, and police reports, and consider what the this strange phenomenon call tell us about Canadian culture.

On Monday, July 9, 1928, four cold-blooded murders were committed on the Booher family farm, just outside the small village of Mannville in central Alberta. The crime shocked the nation, and the police made headlines when they decided to employ a self-proclaimed "mind reader" to help them find the missing murder weapon. It has been called the first criminal case to have ever been solved by a psychic or clairvoyant, but that's not entirely true. In this episode, blending true crime and folklore, we'll look at the legend, the history, and the facts of the case that show how the truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. Read the show notes and learn more at FiresideCanada.ca

It's the plot of a 1996 Hallmark movie, the focus of a few paragraphs in history books, and the subject of countless social media posts: the tragic story of James Mink, one of early Toronto's wealthiest citizens, and his daughter Mary, sold into slavery by her own husband. It's a great story that's found in history books and Black History Month features across the country. There's just one problem: it's all based on one malicious lie.

It's one of the most famous and best-documented lake monsters in the world, and predates Nessie by over 80 years. It's mentioned in centuries-old journals and modern-day reports, and appears in grainy film footage, razor-sharp photos, and cheesy tourist t-shirts. But long before there was Ogopogo, there was nx̌ax̌aitkʷ, the Syilx name for the sacred being in the lake. In this episode, we'll hear the legends, explore the evidence, and discuss the cultural impact of one of Canada's most famous mysteries. See the entire show notes and more at FiresideCanada.ca

"The best man in Ottawa was Mufferaw Joe," according to the famous song by legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Stompin' Tom Connors. "Big Joe Mufferaw" is often regarding as Canada's answer to Paul Bunyan: a family-friendly lumberjack whose monumental feats of strength literally changed the Ontario landscape. But the lovable, larger-than-life character is based on a real person: Joseph Montferrand, a French-Canadian folk hero whose exploits made him a living legend in 1800s Montreal and Ottawa. In this episode we'll look at the man, the myth, and the legend, and explore how one man went on to inspire a series of children's books, a hit Canadian folk song, and a CFL mascot. See the entire show notes and more at FiresideCanada.ca

For centuries, people in the Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia have reported seeing a full-rigged sailing ship, engulfed in red flame, sailing against the wind in the waters of Chaleur Bay and the Northumberland Strait. Some say that it's just an illusion, but the "fireship" has been seen by people of all ages, cultures, and employment, in all kinds of weather, in all seasons, and at all times of day and night, for generations. What are the stories behind these strange spectres, and what can we learn from them about our history, our cultures, and ourselves? Read the complete show notes and more at FiresideCanada.ca

Grab a hot chocolate and settle in by the fire for two tales of supernatural wonder from Canada's frozen north: one from the Yukon Territory, one from the coast of Labrador. The first is a long-forgotten, supposedly "true" tale about how a mining engineer from Alaska was saved by a stranger who appeared to him in a dream. The second is well-known story of a phantom trapper said to roam the wilds of Labrador. Both are deeply set in the snowy wilds of the north, and deal with themes of the supernatural and salvation—perfect for sharing on a cold winter's night. Read the complete show notes and more at FiresideCanada.ca

When most people think about "fairies," they picture beautiful, magical, human-like creatures with butterfly wings who live in mushrooms, collect children’s teeth, and sprinkle fairy dust on orphans and teach them how to fly. But that's the safe, romantic, child-friendly version of a creature that has been feared for thousands of years, to the point where simply saying the word "fairy" can be taboo. This episode is about the dangers of going alone into the wilderness—the realm of the fairies—and what you can do, according to folklore, to protect yourself if you're taken by "the good folk." Read the complete show notes and more at FiresideCanada.ca

The lighthouse at Toronto's Gibraltar Point is one of the city's oldest landmarks. It also has a dark secret, if you believe the legends. For over two centuries, people have shared the story of J. P. Radelmüller, the lighthouse's first keeper, said to have been murdered, chopped to pieces, and scattered across the island one cold winter's night in 1815. They say he was a bootlegger. They say his killers were never convicted. And they say the ghost of Radelmüller still haunts the lighthouse, having never been put to rest. But what's fact, and what's fiction? In this episode, we'll shine a light on a tale that simultaneously a murder mystery, a ghost story, and a stirring piece of Canadian Gothic fiction. Read the complete show notes and more at FiresideCanada.ca

Tall tales are an important part of the Canadian cultural landscape, and this one's a whopper. In this episode, we'll hear the legend (or is it a lie?) about a massive 42 lb bullfrog and the man who loved it. Part 19th century advertisement, part local legend, this somewhat controversial tale asks us to think about the nature of storytelling, and the difference between fact and truth. Learn more and read the show notes at FiresideCanada.ca

It's a centuries-old folktale—a story about one evening when the devil came to town to dance with an unwitting partner and steal her soul. Found in nearly every province across Canada, the story of "The Devil at the Dance" is perhaps best known as a quaint French Canadian legend meant to caution the young about the dangers of drinking and dancing. But is it just a Catholic morality tale, or is there more to the story? Learn more and read the show notes at FiresideCanada.ca

Winnipeg's Fort Garry Hotel is considered by many to be, not just one of the most haunted places in Canada, but one of the most haunted hotels in the world. Join me as we explore its stories—from local legends to national headlines—and consider the history, meaning and impact of the hotel's most notorious story: the ghost of a suicide bride said to haunt Room 202. Read the complete show notes and learn more at FiresideCanada.ca

In 1577, an English privateer and explorer found a "unicorn horn" on the shore of what we know today as Baffin Island, Nunavut. The find would become a cherished posession of Queen Elizabeth I. Hear the legend and explore the hidden history and complex cultural ties of this legendary and lost treasure from two different worlds. Read the complete show notes and learn more about the podcast at FiresideCanada.ca

In celebration of the 125th anniversary of Dracula, we'll look at Canada's own vampire legends set in the quaint village of Wilno, Ontario. Hear how an earnest investigation into local folklore mixed with pop culture to inspire brand new stories that combine legend, lies and lore. See the complete list of show notes at FiresideCanada.ca

Granite Creek was at one point the third largest settlement in British Columbia. Now there's nothing left but rotting wood, rusted metal, a few great stories and, perhaps, a long lost treasure buried somewhere close by. Join me for tales of lucky finds, incredible feats, wild west weirdness and buried treasure from one of BC's countless forgotten ghost towns. Learn more and see the sources and show notes at FiresideCanada.ca

According to a forgotten newspaper article, a Quebec farmer once did battle with a fearsome flying monster, and had the body to prove it. The story should have made headlines around the world. Instead, it was swiftly forgotten. In this episode we'll analyze this cryptozoological story that never got its moment in the spotlight, and consider what it takes to make a legend. See all the show notes at FiresideCanada.ca

In April of 1915, the body of a Canadian soldier was found crucified near the city of Ypres...or so the legend goes. Follow the tale of the Crucified Canadian as it transforms from a rumor of the trenches, to a tool for propaganda, to a national myth and symbol of heroism and sacrifice, and finally to the subject of an international scandal. In this episode, we'll take a close look at a mostly forgotten trench myth of World War I that once made headlines around the world, incited Canadians to war, and inspired a legendary brutality on the battlefield.

A strange and terrifying phenomenon has been plaguing humans for millennia, walking into bedrooms at night, looming at bedsides and, in the worst cases, attempting to suffocate or strangle its paralyzed victims. It has many names throughout the world, but in Newfoundland they call it "The Old Hag," where it has connections to centuries-old beliefs about witchcraft and the occult. In this episode, we'll learn about the cultural phenomenon of "The Old Hag" and what Newfoundland folklore can teach us about the cause, the cure and the culture.