*Once Upon a Podcast* is the ultimate destination for anyone who loves fairy tales, myths, and folklore (or just a good story!). In each episode, we take a deep dive into classic tales, explore their often twisted origins, and uncover the dark, macabre themes lurking beneath the surface. Joe and Matthew explore why these stories were written the way they were, what they reveal about the time they came from, and how they continue to shape our world today. It's a perfect blend of casual conversation, humor, and a dash of history that’ll leave you with new insights (and probably a few laughs) every week.New episodes are released every other Tuesday at 7 am ET :)
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Signup to Generate a Pitch*Once Upon a Podcast* is the ultimate destination for anyone who loves fairy tales, myths, and folklore (or just a good story!). In each episode, we take a deep dive into classic tales, explore their often twisted origins, and uncover the dark, macabre themes lurking beneath the surface.
Recent episodes include "Episode 23: Hans Christian Andersen" (30 December 2025, 48 minutes), "Episode 22: Tom Tit Tot" (3 December 2025, 45 minutes), and "Episode 21: Straw, Coal, and Bean" (11 November 2025, 23 minutes).
Once Upon a Podcast publishes roughly weekly, with episodes averaging 49 minutes across 25 episodes.
Booking probability for Once Upon a Podcast is 20%, and the host is rated Selective on guests. Once Upon a Podcast requires a Pod Score of 80 or higher. Once Upon a Podcast's contact route on record: verified email.
Once Upon a Podcast is a society podcast with 25 episodes published.
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Once Upon a Podcast
<p>Hans Christian Andersen didn’t just write fairy tales — he became one.</p><p>In this episode, we step away from individual stories to talk about the strange, brilliant, deeply complicated man behind The Little...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>This week Joe, Matthew, and Emma dive into Tom Tit Tot: Joseph Jacobs’ delightfully unhinged English version of Rumpelstiltskin. We talk pies (too many), imps (also too many), flax (never enough), and kings who...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>This week, Joe and Matthew dig into one of the Grimms’ smallest, but strangest, tales: The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean. From the chaos of a kitchen fire to an exploding bean and a tailor with great aim, it’s a...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>A humble worker, a mountain spirit, and a chain of wishes that goes way too far. In this episode, Joe and Matthew break down The Stonecutter, a Japanese folktale that might actually have Dutch roots.</p><p>It’s a...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>Joe, Emma, and Matthew discuss The Forest Bride from Mighty Mikko: Finnish Fairy Tales Retold by Parker Fillmore (1922). The trio explores the tale’s origins, parallels to The White Cat (Madame d’Aulnoy, 1698), and...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>This is our first-ever Read Aloud episode, a new series from Once Upon a Podcast that brings you full, unabridged fairy tales told the old-fashioned way: out loud.</p><p>Today’s tale is an Irish whirlwind: talking...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>The tragic conclusion of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, is here. Joe, Matthew, and Emma wade through sea witches, knife-blade footsteps, heartbreak, and Andersen’s unexpected ending. Along...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>Hans Christian Andersen’s The Traveling Companion is one of his strangest early fairy tales (if you can even call it that): a road trip, a horror story, and a Sunday-school parable packed into one, we break down its...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>We begin Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid; a fairy tale of longing, mortality, and sacrifice that looks very different from the singing crabs and bright seashells you might expect. Along the way, we...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>Hans Christian Andersen's The Naughty Boy (1835) isn't your typical fairy tale, it's Cupid gone mischievous. We unpack this strange little story published alongside Thumbelina, trace Cupid's origins from Greek Eros...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina isn’t borrowed from folklore; it’s one of his true originals. In this episode, we explore its strange journey: kidnapped by toads, mocked by beetles, nearly married to a mole, and...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>What do you get when you cross a princess on a hunger strike, a wholesome farm boy, and the most stubborn Tsar ever to shout "Wow wow"? Parker Fillmore’s The Laughing Prince delivers one of the most delightfully...
Once Upon a Podcast
<p>Hold onto your horns! This week, we tackle Billy Beg and the Bull, an Irish folktale where talking animals, head-chopping giants, and a magic belt collide in a story that's part Cinderella, part fever dream. Joe and...
Episode #11
<p>The bed is stacked high, the pea is tiny, and the logic? Completely missing. In this short episode, Joe and Matthew dive into Hans Christian Andersen’s The Princess and the Pea, a literary fairy tale that’s as iconic...
Episode #10
<p>The Emperor has no clothes… but boy, does he have confidence. In this episode, Joe, Matthew, and (introducing!) Emma break down Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes, from its literary origins to its...
Episode #9
<p>In this episode of Once Upon a Podcast, we dive into Hans Christian Andersen's first published fairy tale, The Tinderbox. Join us as we break down this bizarre tale of soldiers, witches, giant-eyed dogs, questionable...
Episode #8
<p>Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: folklore collectors, German cultural rebels, and possibly the most committed set of desk buddies in history. In this episode, we dive into the real story behind the Brothers Grimm—their fairy...
Episode #7
<p>Is Hans the luckiest man alive... or the most gullible? In this episode, we dive into the Brothers Grimm story Hans in Luck, a tale of bad trades, questionable life choices, and maybe—just maybe—the secret to true...
<p>What do you get when you have a devil, a miller, and an apple tree? That's right! A girl without hands. This tale by the Brothers Grimm is a classic that you need to hear. And if it's one you know, you'll still want...
Episode #5
<p>What you've all been waiting for is finally here. The world-renowned story of the talking, wish-granting fish is in for your enjoyment. Oh, you haven't heard of it before? Well, you're going to love this fairy tale...
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