The Story Apothecary

A story from Sudan. Bat is shunned from animals and birds as he doesn't belong in either. He is neither bird, nor animal. 
Story Prescription: A sad, lighthearted and endearing story about not belonging, which we can all relate to.
.
To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
_
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

A story from the Slavic lands about Baba Yaga - the liminal Crone Goddess. It is an uncomfortable and uneasy story about burying the animal, wild, parts of us and the dangers that follow. 
Story Prescription: A story about the importance of initiation, and having elders in your life. A story about the importance of those wild barking parts of us that tell us when something is not right, and how we chose to bury them. 
-Story Caution: A frightening story for children. This one might be for adults or for slightly older children. There are also themes of animal cruelty throughout. Nonetheless, a story full of wisdom and metaphor.
_
To support my work financially, and benefit from the Story Apothecary community, you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
_
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

A Bulgarian Christmas Story (available in English for the first time here) about a sister and brother who met misfortune one winter day. A story of hardship and hope.
-Story Prescription: A story to feel festive, a story for gratefulness, for the unfairness of life sometimes, for small miracles.
-Story Caution: Some not very nice things happen to brother and sister. If listening with little ones, I recommend listening to the end with them.
_
To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
You can book tickets to Slavic Stories for the Winter Solstice here
_
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.
Episode Artwork by Winslow Homer, 1892.

The Seventh Swan (Cambridgeshire, England) - a somewhat dark, and beautiful tale about a boy who tries to kill a swan. The other six swans, her companions come to her aid. 
-Story Prescription: A story of feminine power, of true friendship, of wild nature. 
-Story Caution: This story is rather intense in places and deals with taking that which is not given in multiple senses of the word. It is beautiful though, and rather wild. I hope that you like it.
_
To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
You can book tickets to Slavic Stories for the Winter Solstice here
_
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

A story from Norway. A girl finds herself in a castle asked to spin impossible quantities of flax in just a night and a day. Three old women come to help her. 
-Story Prescription: A tale of women's power and intuition, of help from wiser generations, of respect for grandmothers. And a little bit of humour.
_
To support my work financially you can become a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
_
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music.

A tale from Germany about a strange creature called Mannikin Spanalong which a young girl helps to free, and she gets her own freedom in return. 
Story Prescription: A story about facing your fears and moving forward; about being kind in the face of uncertainty and adversity; a story about being strong and independent; about importance of caring for elders, and the wisdom that you can gain in return.
Story Caution: If listening alone, some very small children might find Mannikin Spanalong a little frightening. It is a story worth finishing till the end.
Support this podcast: Patreon: www.patreon.com/NanaTomova
Music by In Feathers

A lighthearted story from Russia. This is not a story of Vasilisa the wise, the brave, the beautiful. This is a different girl called Vasilisa. Vasilisa is also called Vasily, a boy's name. Which is she - a woman or a man - the king desperately tries to find out. But he can't. A wonderful story of wit that defies the perceived social roles of gender.
Story Prescription for breaking gender stereotypes, and stereotypes of many a kind. A story for having the courage to live life in the way that you want, a story for fighting for what you believe in for yourself and your community.
Ways to Support this podcast:
-If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller
To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
.
_
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A story from Portugal. A father and his daughter move from place to place. His fear that she will abandon him keeps them moving, despite her wanting to settle down. A story of breaking free, of a love - suffocating rather than nurturing.
-Story Prescription: A story for anxiety, for unbalanced relationships of any kind, of loving too tightly, a story of being afraid to let go. A story of seeking freedom. 
_
Ways to Support this podcast:
-If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller
To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
.
Stories of Baba Yaga for Halloween are available to book here: https://www.nanatomova.com/event-details/baba-yaga-stories-of-the-slavic-crone-goddess
.
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A sweet story about the bread of life, and about the tenderness and richness of the harvest.
-Story Prescription: A story for the earth and the land.
_
Ways to Support this podcast:
-If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller
To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
.
_
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/

A beautiful and lighthearted story from from former Czechoslovakia about a girl who tends her goats when she meets a wood maiden - a forest nymph in the woods.
-Story Prescription: A story about knowing when to work and when to dance. A story about giving yourself permission to feel joy, and maybe sometimes - letting go and enjoying the magic around. 
_
Join me for Sun Stories for the the Summer Solstice on the 19th June 2021. More information and tickets: here
_
Ways to Support this podcast:
-If you have enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating or review as this helps others to find it. Share this podcast with your friends and on social media. You can find me on Instagram @nana.tomova or on Twitter @NanaTomova or on Facebook @NanaTomovaStoryteller
To support my work financially you can become a a regular patron on Patreon, and you will receive the gift of stories and folklore.
.
You can also 'buy me a coffee' as a one-off way of supporting me if you enjoy listening.
.
Music:
Thank you to In Feathers for the beautiful music. You can find more of his music and musings at https://www.instagram.com/in.feathers/