Episode 27: Brother Jucundus

Tales of Britain and Ireland

A retelling of the ballad of the Scottish borders

This episode join us in York, for the story of Brother Jucundus… a liminal tale of monks, wild partying and coincidences. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-27-brother-jucundus/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

“Up, up, up we go-o-o….”

This episode join us in York for the story of Brother Jucundus.

It’s a liminal tale of drunk monks, wild partying and even wilder coincidences.

This is also an exciting tale for me as during the course of this story I think I discovered the origins of it. Which is probably the only truly original discovery I’ve made while recording the podcast!

Sabine Baring-Gould, who tells the version of the story from which all more recent versions I’ve seen refer in turn, place it in York and give no hint that it is anything but an old story.

However it actually seems to have been not a an old story but a short story by Edward Henry Palmer written a few decades before Baring-Gould was writing, and originally based not in York but in Winchester!

I should say that I discovered this with not too much searching, if anyone else was interested they’d have found the same in two minutes, just no one has really questioned it.

Despite all that I still set it in York because it works well there!

Listen to the podcast or scroll down to find out more.

“I forced the last stone into its position; I plastered it up.”
Edgar Allan Poe. The Cask of Amontillado.

Featured Folklorist

Sabine Baring-Gould

Sabine Baring-Gould was a prolific author of over 1200 publications, including fictions, history, the saints and folklore.

Keep reading

Assorted pictures, more or less connected to the story

St Leonard. Breaking chains and hearts?)

As mentioned in the episode please see the video below for a story with a far darker end than that of Jucundus. If for some reason you want to see it.. here it is. But I assure you the terrified haunting look on the animated train’s face in the final shot and the horrifically dispassionate judgement of the narrator will stay with you for a long time.