The final episode of our current series explores myths of creation, with poets Anthony Anaxagorou and Chloe Elliott joining our host Eleanor Penny. Chloe gives her interpretation of the ancient Chinese story of Pan Gu, the first living creature, who was trapped inside an egg with the forces of Yin and Yang. Meanwhile Anthony reimagines Cypriot myths about the creation of Cyprus’ Pentadaktylos, or five-fingered, mountain. If you’ve enjoyed the series, you can buy the book Bedtime Stories...

This week we have an unusual episode of Bedtime Stories as two poets each provide different reimaginings of the same traditional story. Poets Nina Mingya Powles and Maggie Wang join our host Eleanor Penny to each present their versions of the story of Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the Moon. They explore the story itself, and discuss the connection between loneliness and womanhood, represented in Chang’e’s exile on the Moon.   Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all...

Joining Eleanor Penny this week are poets Antosh Wojcik and Alice Frecknall. They have chosen to reimagine stories from the Victorian and Edwardian era, which themselves drew on traditional tropes. Antosh reads and discusses his take on AH Wratislaw’s The Spirit of a Buried Man; while Alice draws inspiration from JM Barrie’s Peter Pan, to explore aging and memory.   Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com Follow...

This episode welcomes Vanessa Kisuule and Jack Bigglestone who have each revived a millennia-old monster. Jack lands the mythical figure of the Basilisk in contemporary life, whilst Vanessa retells the Ugandan myth of the first man Kintu, and the mysterious death-like figure of his brother-in-law Warumbe. They join our host Eleanor Penny to share their reinterpretations and discuss their approaches. Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at:...

This week, poets Mona Arshi and Amara Amaryah join Eleanor Penny to discuss their reinterpretations of traditional stories. Mona imagines the experience of one of Scheherazade’s unfortunate predecessors, a young woman sent to marry the Emperor and meet her death in the Arabian Nights. Amara meanwhile explores the historical figure Queen Nanny of the Maroons, an eighteenth century Jamaican leader who led a guerilla war against the slave-owning, colonial British rule; allegedly involving...

Joining Eleanor Penny this week are poets Momtaza Mehri and Jamie Hale who each explore a number of traditional characters. Jamie has chosen to reimagine figures and moments from Aruthurian myths; whilst Momtaza looks at the figures of Gog and Magog, versions of whom appear in ancient British legend as well in Biblical and Quranic texts. Momtaza and Jamie join host Eleanor Penny to read and discuss their retellings.   Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our...

Today’s episode features poets R. A. Villanueva and Fathima Zahra. They each retell a traditional story of a powerful female figure, imagining Penelope before her wedding to Odysseus, and recounting the tale of Keralan resistance figure, Nangeli. Joining host Eleanor Penny, they read their poems and discuss how they explore the silences and erasures around how we remember women in story and history.   Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes...

This week’s guests joining Eleanor Penny are poets Luke Palmer and Joe Dunthorne. Luke reimagines the traditional Grimm’s fairytale of Hansel and Gretel, whilst Joe explores the trope of water-monsters, who appear in traditional stories across the world under many names such as: kelpie, Loch Ness monster, selkie, siyakoy, ceffyl dwr and vodnik.   Find out more, listen to all our poems and catch up with all of our previous episodes at: endoftheworldpodcast.com Follow us for updates on...

The Bedtime Stories for the End of the World podcast is back for another series, asking leading poets to reimagine traditional stores for our apocalyptic age.  Joining Eleanor Penny this week are poets Fiona Benson and Remi Graves. They each retell the story of a mythical figure: the old woman Babushka from Eastern Europe, and Mami Wata, a gender fluid spirit from African mythology.  Over the coming 9 episodes, we have 18 writers sharing brand new work, and discussing the stories they...

Jay Bernard, Simran Uppal and Rhian Edwards dive into some of the world's most iconic compendiums of myth: The Arthurian Legends, the Ramayana and the Mabinogion. This week we bring you stories about the Hijra, third-gender people blessed by Rama for their loyalty and devotion. We revisit the myth of Blodeuwedd, a woman crafted from flowers to be the wife of the hero Lleu Llaw Gyffes. And we excavate a little-known myth in the Arthurian canon: Sir Morian, the Moorish son of one of the...

Kate Denereaz revisits the story of Melusine: a half-woman, half-serpent hiding her curse from her human husband and their children. Leke Oso Alabi brings Menelik I into modern London, asking what the offspring the Queen of Sheba and the biblical King Solomon would make of our divided times. Rachel Long explores the uses of storytelling and survival through her own family mythology. Find out more: endoftheworldpodcast.com twitter.com/goodbyeworldpod  

This week we're roaming around the borderlands, where towns and cities meet the wild. Miriam Nash pulls up a seat at the fire with the Nine Mothers of Heimdallr. Leonardo Boix leaves gifts of rum and cigars for the forest-dwelling spirit Pombero, Señor De La Noche. The story of Baucis and Philemon teaches Nick Garrard to be kind to strangers, just in case they're vengeful gods in disguise.  Find out more: endoftheworldpodcast.com/episode-four twitter.com/goodbyeworldpod

This is the week of wicked women. S. Niroshini faces down the goddess Kali. Lucia Dove visits Baba Yaga in her chicken leg hut at the edge of the forest. Joelle Taylor talks to the Furies, vengeful spirits who drive men insane. The hags and crones come out to play.    Find out more: endoftheworldpodcast.com @goodbyeworldpod

SYMPATHY FOR WILD HORSES This week Kayo Chingonyi, Phoebe Stuckes and Kandace Siobhan Walker are take long walks with lonely monsters. Nyami Nyami looks out on a modern Zambia, Cassandra rips her fishnet stockings, and Boo-Hags stalk the wetlands of the Deep South Find out more:endoftheworldpodcast.com/episode-twotwitter.com/goodbyeworldpod

Inua Ellams, Laurie Ogden and Alycia Pirmohamed unpack stories of travel and the heartbreak of homesickness. Featuring a mercenary Little Mermaid, a Persephone tale for third-culture kids, and Icarus fighting to survive in the refugee camps at the margins of Europe. Find out more: endoftheworldpodcast.com/episode-one@goodbyeworldpod

Welcome to Bedtime Stories for the End of the World - where we ask poets to rewrite their favourite myths, folk tales and fairy stories. First episode 18/06/18