High in the Carpathian hills, the ruins of Cachtice Castle still whisper her name. In this episode, we descend into the history and legend of Elizabeth Bathory—the Hungarian countess accused of bathing in blood and condemned without a trial. You’ll hear what really happened inside those castle walls, what the records say, and what the folklore invented to fill the gaps.

We’ll trace how a powerful noblewoman became Europe’s most enduring monster, how her story turned from scandal to symbol, and why the image of the “blood countess” still bleeds through pop culture and magical circles today.

Then we’ll talk about the spellwork: blood as a sacred element, mirrors as portals, and what it means when power—especially a woman’s power—gets rewritten as something to fear. If you’ve ever been called too much, too old, too visible, or too dangerous, this one’s for you. Because some legends don’t fade. They get bricked in—and wait to be let out.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show

White-washed and sun-cracked, the tomb of Marie Laveau stands in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 like it’s still waiting for someone to knock. In this episode, we dig into the magic and myth surrounding the most famous Voodoo Queen of New Orleans—and the strange rituals that still cling to her grave. You’ll hear how this Creole healer became a living legend, why her tomb draws thousands each year, and what it means when people mark those triple Xs on the stone. We’ll talk about the real history of Marie Laveau—midwife, rootworker, Catholic, conjure queen—and how folklore turned her into something bigger, stranger, and harder to bury.

Then we’ll get into the spellwork: graveyard etiquette, how to approach a spirit like Marie Laveau, and the do’s and absolutely-don’ts of working with ancestor sites. If you’ve ever felt pulled toward her tomb—or left a candle burning when you didn’t mean to—this one’s for you. Because graves don’t sleep. And magic this old? It remembers who visits.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show

In 1928, a Pennsylvania folk healer named Nelson Rehmeyer was beaten and killed by three men who believed he’d hexed them. They weren’t strangers—they knew him, had sat at his kitchen table, and came armed with folk instructions: steal his spellbook, take a lock of hair, and destroy them to break the curse. When the fire they set didn’t catch, the legend began.

This episode unpacks the true story behind what became known as the Hex Murder of York County—a case where powwow, the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition of Bible-based folk healing, was twisted into justification for murder. We’ll dig into how Rehmeyer’s practice and The Long Lost Friend put him at the center of rural magical fear, and how folk systems like powwow and hexerei blurred the line between healing and suspicion.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show

Blue bottle trees aren’t just porch decorations—they’re spirit traps. In this episode, we dig into the Southern and African origins of this folk magic tradition, where glass bottles are used to confuse, trap, or drive off wandering spirits. You’ll learn how this practice came over from the Congo, how it changed in the American South, and why blue is the color most often used to keep bad energy away. We’ll talk about how bottle trees work, what kinds of spirits they’re meant to catch, and the signs that one might be doing its job a little too well. Then we’ll get into the magical mechanics—how to build one, how to set it, and what to watch for when the bottles start to hum. If you’ve ever driven past a tree strung with glass and felt it watching, this one’s for you. Because not all spirits knock—and bottle trees don’t need an invitation to go to work.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show

Mirrors are supposed to show us the truth—but in folk magic, they do a whole lot more. In this episode, we’re heading to Louisiana’s most famously haunted home to unravel the legends behind the Myrtles Plantation and the mirror said to trap spirits inside its frame. We’ll walk the line between history and haunting, breaking down the folklore of Chloe, the footsteps that stop on the seventeenth stair, and the strange echoes of grief that linger in reflective glass. Then we’ll dive into the magical logic behind mirror rituals, spirit containment, and why some mirrors shouldn’t be broken—or even left uncovered. Whether you’re a ghost hunter, a ghost skeptic, or just someone with a hallway mirror that feels a little too alive, this one’s for you. Because some reflections don’t just copy what’s there… They remember.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show

For as long as there have been hearths, the kitchen has been more than a place to cook—it’s been the heart of household magic and the first line of defense against what doesn’t belong. In this episode, we delve into the world of culinary omens, protective recipes, and everyday tools imbued with meaning. From bread that rises—or refuses to—to iron pots hung for protection, from salt lines to spoon falls that predict a visitor, we’ll trace how food and fire have carried warnings and blessings across cultures.

You’ll hear the history behind these practices, the magical reasoning that keeps them alive, and how to weave kitchen magic into your own home with intention and respect. This isn’t quaint superstition. This is the heat where magic feeds and warns in equal measure.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show

For generations, sharp tools have done more than carve wood or cut rope—they’ve drawn boundaries, ended spiritual ties, and held protection in place. In this episode, we’re digging into the world of ritual knives, iron nails, and other edged tools used in folk magic across cultures. From black-handled conjure blades to coffin nails pulled from grave dirt, we’ll break down how these objects are used to bind, banish, protect, and sever. You’ll hear the history, the magical logic, and the real risks of working with sharp magic—plus how to use these tools with purpose and care in your own practice. This isn’t glamour work. This is the edge where magic holds its line.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show

For centuries, people have whispered about the signs that death is coming—a knock at the window, a bird tapping on glass, a shadow in the shape of someone still breathing. From eerie sounds to black dogs and flying birds, this episode pulls back the veil on the chilling world of death omens: where they come from, how they’ve shaped family customs, and why they still creep into our dreams. We’ll trace the folklore, unpack the magical logic, and explore how these warnings can be worked with—or warded off. You’ll also get practical tools for navigating death energy in your own practice. This isn’t about fear. It’s about knowing what to listen for when something starts knocking.

Want more from The Feral Folklorist?

Dive deeper into each episode, explore merch, and get all the latest updates at:
https://feralfolklorist.com

Become a patron to unlock Feral Footnotes (our exclusive after-show), get early sneak peeks, weekly folk magic articles, and downloadable spells featured in each episode:
https://patreon.com/papagee

Stock up on your magical supplies from our metaphysical shop that’s been serving the public for over 25 years:
https://aromags.com

Browse Papa Gee’s books, tarot readings, and more at:
https://folkmagicstudio.com

Our digital magazine, Folkloreum, explores herbal recipes, spells and rituals, tales of folklore, and offers a little bit of spooky fiction in the mix. You can find it at: https://folkloreum.com/

Support the show