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This week on Myths and Legends, we'll meet the maiden king who doesn't want to get married. Well, she's not opposed to marrying if literally all the princes she ever came into contact with would just stop trying to kidnap her or burn down her house. And we'll see that all you need in order to take control of your life are magical seeing stones that also give you superpowers. The creature this week is why you should never practice a musical instrument ever again, because the monster that watches you sleep might make you play for them. This is Myths and Legends, episode 421 famous this is a podcast where we tell stories from mythology and folklore. Some are incredibly popular tales you might think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories that might be new to you, but are definitely worth a listen. Today's story is an interesting one. It's an Icelandic tale, but it was written much later than the usual ones we tell around the 1300s. Also, its protagonist is not Icelandic or even Scandinavian. As far as I can tell, she's French. She's the maiden king of Paris. Maiden king being a term from Scandinavian legend for a woman who rules intentionally without a male counterpart and thus is a sole powerful ruler of her own lands. France and the Vikings have a complicated and intertwined history, but this story really isn't concerned with all that we're in the Viking age, in that the Vikings are still raiding and the Byzantine Empire is a strong force in the East. But those are really the only historical clues we'll jump in with Nititha and her foster brother Lie Skjother, sailing to a magical island. So it's been a while since we've hung out. You're like, really smart, right? Lies, Gjother said to his foster sister, Netitha. Well, Socrates would say that anyone intelligent knows that they are nothing. And the smarter you are, the more humbling it should be, because you're more aware of what you don't know, Tethys said as she took a deep breath of the cold sea air as they approached. Okay, anytime you respond to the question are you smart? With a quote from Socrates, the answer is yes. You can just say yes. The foster brother wrapped his cloak around himself tighter. He had heard that she was a person who knew 10 answers to a question when the most learned only knew one. They had been raised in the same house, but she was the daughter of the king of France and had become queen when her father died, ruling from Paris. But she didn't prefer the title of queen. She preferred maiden king. She stood there on the deck, her crown sporting four pillars which held an eagle holding a hawk with its wings outstretched to block the sun in her face. Her hair fell to the ground around her. Hey, I haven't seen you in a few years, the Acjlther said, and he squinted to see the coastline. Your hair is that annoying? Do you ever step on it by accident? So it's work, but I have a bunch of ladies for that, natitha replied. The most annoying thing is when I crouch and I move and I stand up and it jerks my head back. I mainly just don't crouch anymore. Now it's a power move I make. The nobles I'm with do it. They hate it, but if I didn't make them do it, they'd rise up against me. It's a whole thing. Oh, almost there. Atitha pointed before calling out to her soldiers to strike the sails. Yeah, why are we going to this island? Beyond Sweden, close to the North Pole, Liais Gjother was really trying to keep it together on deck and look cool before his tough as nails maiden king sister. But it was getting too cold out here to look cool. Vizio, natitha said, not losing sight of the island. Once we're there, we need to move quickly. Is it dangerous? Laiskielther looked to his sister for an island full of magical items and fruit. Surprisingly no, natitha said. Liaskielther breathed, oof, alright. The guy who owns it though. Not someone I want to cross. Not until we get those magical items at least, natitha said, and ordered her sailors onward. Natitha found the islet in the middle of the island, a rock with some grass and a few fruit trees, and a stairway that seemed to descend somehow into the lake. Beneath was a lighted cavern and a boat. It didn't look too seaworthy though, because not only was it made of stone, but it was full of water. Antieta wasn't after the boat, but the stones on the corners. They were shining and seemed to have a light unto themselves. They were seeing stones, one at each corner, walking along the edges of the boat. She looked into each one. She saw the princes and kings, queens and maidens, births and celebrations, assassins and dirges, monsters in the deep and in the sky. She saw everything, and at each corner she stopped and plopped a stone about the size of a baseball into her bag. All right. She took a deep breath, turning with a nod to her soldiers who had cleared out the fruit trees. We have 10 minutes to get to the boats, natetha said. Before he gets here. They had seven minutes it turned out, but Natitha had prepared for six, so they shot past Earl Virgilius ships just before he closed off the COVID and shields flew to Natitha and her brother, cocooning them so the arrows thudded into the wood and not their flesh. He's too fast, Lay is, gjielthor said, turning to face Natitha, who was sitting looking into the stones one by one. Oh, is that how it's gonna be now? I'm trying to have a conversation and you're just sitting there on your stone layers, Gilther said, but Natitha ignored him. Oh, he'll catch up for sure, she said and waved the stone first over herself and then her brother. The soldiers abandoned their oars and lined up just as they had been trained, and Netitha ran along them, waving the stone above their heads. At the last one she spun and watched the ships of Earl Virgilius. Shouldn't we be moving? The Acjelthor was getting more antsy. He'll hear, natitha whispered. That's literally the last thing I'm worried about, lia Skiother informed his sister, matching her whisper for reasons he didn't fully understand. She put a finger to her lips and watched. Lee is Kiother was a bit confused at first when Eros from the now in range ship didn't find the deck around him or him, and he followed his sister's gaze to the approaching ships and soon the approaching ships were passing. Ships. They can't see us, he whispered, but his sister was distracted. She was watching the man commanding the other ship, squinting on the horizon. She was, it seemed, quite focused. Lia Skialthor smiled when Natetha was able to tear her glance away and read the meaning of her foster brother's face. Wouldn't want to cross paths with him. I think you do want to cross paths with him. I think you want to cross more than paths, Lie Skjelthor chided, rolling her eyes and giving him a shove that bordered on painful. Natetha said, gross. She whispered her order to her soldiers and they made for home. So I noticed you're raiding ships sailing up the Seine to my city, natitha, the maiden king said six months later to the young man about her age who she invited to come meet with her. Hard not to notice them, am I right? Ingee winked. Let's cut to the chase, because I for one cannot handle the tension between us. I know who you are, and you definitely know who I am, so let's just get this going right? Who are you? Natetha asked. Ingi laughed. Wait, Seriously? He was the son of Hugon, who ruled over Constantinople. Ingi had come to. Well, you know, I really don't. Natetha sighed. Came to make you my wife, babe. Ingy laughed. That it wasn't a moment too soon, either. If she was this slow to pick up what he was putting down, then she should be grateful that there was a man here now to rule. It was a wonder she made it this far. Oh, good. So you rule, then? Well, I will rule the whole Eastern Empire one day, and it could all be part yours, as much as I want to give you Wink. Ingie grinned. One day, natetha said, sitting back in her chair. That's what she was kind of hung up on. The thing about one day is that it didn't exist. Might never exist. She wasn't interested in promises, only realities. So he had no holdings then. I have a duchy. Ingi shifted in his chair. Aww, that's cute. And if my understanding of Byzantine politics and inheritance is up to date, that's more of a military command given to you by Daddy that can be revoked at any time. And not actual holdings, right? There was no response from Ingi. I have seven duchies, Nititha, the maiden king said. But real ones compared to all my holdings and the dukes and kings who answer to me. Your little charity command seems a little small, doesn't it? Netitha rose. He could go back to his ships now. Her armada would escort him safely to the sea. Of course, he could do whatever he wanted, but she didn't advise going further down the Seine might not be safe for him. I'll have you know that I have a reputation, too. Ingi stood. When I raid, I kill robbers and Vikings, but let peaceful people pass in safety. Ingi's voice cracked as lie Skjelthor, and a group of burly armed guards helped him from the room. Well, that's real heroic of you, not killing defenseless travelers. Your medal's in the mail. Atitha turned and strode away. You didn't have to humiliate him, the ace Kjalther said a couple hours later, after it was confirmed the ships were heading back down the Seine and toward the sea. Yeah, I know. It was just fun, atitha said. It didn't matter. It would have ended the same way. An ego that fragile was always on the verge of shattering, and any rejection would do it. Oh well, that was Ingi, and it definitely wasn't the last they'd see of him. Who do they think will be coming next? Lia Skjal' Thur took a deep breath and unrolled the scroll, the long one that held the names of the men who would likely come seeking his foster sister's hand. He read the highlighted ones only. Welp, you have Logi, Belogi, and Hetherlogi, sons of Soldan of Circland. Sorry, don't mean to spit so much. It's just a very tough sentence, lea Skjeltur said. Natitha wiped her eyes. That. Natitha wiped her eyes. Serkland. Where is that again? It's an old Norse word meaning land of the Sirkir. So think the Caliphate or the lands in the Middle East. Hetherlogi is the one to watch out for. He had long thin cheeks and a crooked and twitchy mouth. No sorcery and witchcraft. The other two brothers are respectable, though they plunder all summer long. Alright. Who else? Oh, there's Blablarnius, King of India. His son is Lafornius. He's handsome, a strong and adept warrior, likes reading, shooting, and fencing, and was good at board games. Kind of a unicorn. Hard to find all those in one guy, which must be why no woman has any peace from him. And he doesn't stay with princesses longer than a month, teetha pointed out. Lia Skjeltur squinted. Oh, it. Hmm. Yeah, it did say that. Well, you never know. Maybe she would be the one to change him. At this, Natetha laughed. King Ingy's skin crawled as he sat sullen in the back of his boat. His men were confused. He never returned without his plunder, but he had hardly said a word since leaving Paris. They couldn't stand against Natitha's forces. Everyone could see that. So they all quietly made their way back home, sailing toward Byzantium with the thought of not getting what he wanted the moment he wanted it. Ingy felt another cry coming on, and he didn't have the COVID of the rain and could only dunk his head so many times off the moving boat and wail into the waves before he roused Suspicion Island. We're gonna stop at that island, he pointed. They could all, I dunno, cook dinner and drink and yell on the beach and stuff and not bother him alone in the woods if they, you know, if they heard someone crying real loud and screaming out Atitha's name. It was a cryptid and he was fighting it. Don't come. Help. Sand and rocks scraped the bottom of the boat as the men pulled it ashore, with Ingy scrambling out with an urgency reserved for bathroom emergencies or especially bad cry stops. The boss is real sad about this one. One of the Raiders shook his head. Wish he could just let it go. Hey, love answers to no law but its own, and the heart follows its own stars, brother. One of the raiders laid a rough hand on his shoulder with a squeeze. Yeah, too true. The first raider nodded. Too true. It wasn't 10 minutes later, though, that they heard the boss, Inge call out with a voice that seemed to emanate from a grin that they were to pack up. They were heading back to Paris. Oh my gosh, what's that smell? One of the raiders retched and almost lost most of his seagull jerky. That smell is my new wizard friend, Ingi grinned. Foxstone, the large and old man behind him, brandishing yellow green teeth as he called out, waved his tattered stained cloak. It was kismet. Ingy was crying in the woods, and who should happen upon him but an obvious wizard? Ingi asked him if he was a wizard, since saying that if he could get Ingi the hand of Natitha, the maiden king in Paris, he would give the wizard a golden ring and 20 ELs, about 75ft or 23 meters of red scarlet. Foxstone said, and this is a direct quote from one translation. I don't suppose that I lack sorcery and spellcraft and wizardry compared with anyone else. Whatever needs to be done, I will point out that I and anyone else can probably say that truthfully. This was, however, a confirmation to Ingy that this was his guy. Foxstone. Foxstone cried out and Ingy directed him back to the ships. Fox Stone and Ingi managed to slip inside the Ile de l', Cite, the island on the Seine that comprises the heart of Viking Age Paris, and made their way to Le Palais de la Cite. Here is where you need to disappear, my friend, foxstone said before throwing a blanket over Ingi. Oh my gosh, it smells so bad. Ingi said, gagging. Those are my secret herbs and spices that make it work. Also, my sick cat used to sleep on it. No. Foxstone blurted out. He removed the cloak from the prince. It wasn't working. What's the matter? Ingy began to feel another tantrum coming on. Do you have silver? Foxstone asked. Inge produced his purse. Yes, a lot of it. Silver and gold. He was basically a king. Ah, okay, that's the problem. Here, I'll hold those, Fox Stone said, taking the purse and throwing the cloak around. Ingi. He gasped again. Ingi, Ingy, whisper to me. I need to keep a hold of you, Ingi, or else I'll lose you. For it worked. Ingi celebrated and walked with a blanket over his head, invisible being led by his wizard friend. There were a few times Ingi thought he heard Foxstone talking to someone and the jingling of coins, followed by the opening of doors, and Ingi almost said something, but then he heard the voice of the woman he had loved all of his life since he learned she existed a week ago. Lia Skjolthor what is that horrid smell? I know this is the Middle Ages and there are a lot of horrid smells, but that one is so bad it's like a dead skunk that's been marinated in spoiled milk. Ingy allowed himself a peek just as a balm for his wounded heart, and lifted the cloak in time to see Foxstone call out gag of silence and invisibility bag as he snuck up behind the maiden king, gagged her and threw her in a similarly stained and stinky sack. We'll see the epic magical getaway, but that will be right after this. For our entire marriage, Carissa and I have done steaksgiving. I'm not a turkey fan and Carissa was cool with that. And they're also a lot of work, so we just get a couple of steaks and get super gourmet with it. I actually cannot think of a better way to do Thanksgiving or Steaksgiving. Actually, especially Steaksgiving than with ButcherBox. I still think about the meat we got from Butcherbox. It was so good. The cuts. Whether you wanted a richer, fattier strip steak or a lean and juicy filet, the cuts were all perfect. They sent some wild caught salmon too, which was awesome. 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That's butcherbox.com legends don't forget to use our link so they know we sent you. It feels so good to get holiday shopping done early. I've done that exactly one year my whole life and it was glorious. You can coast into the holidays eating cookies and drinking eggnog and not spending those first few days off frantically throwing elbows at department stores. What if you could not only get your shopping done early, but find really cool stuff too that people have never seen before? Uncommon Goods takes the stress out of gifting with thousands of unique, high quality finds you won't see anywhere else. Okay, so I pulled up Uncommon Goods to find one thing for this ad and I found like five things I legitimately want. The first thing that popped up was a Literary clock, an e ink clock with wood trim that updates every minute with a quote from a literary classic that contains the time it currently is. Or the cryptic construction Magnetic Fridge game where you can put together different animal parts in your fridge and make a brand new cryptid. When you shop in Uncommon Goods too, you're supporting artists and small independent businesses. Many of their handcrafted products are made in small batches, so be sure to shop now before they sell out this holiday season. So don't wait. Cross those names off your list before the rush. To get 15% off your next gift, go to UncommonGoods.com Legends that's UncommonGoods.com Legends for 15% off Uncommon Goods we're all out of the ordinary. For three people with invisibility, they sure did a lot of running. They apparently got lucky and the guards were not at their posts on the way out, and the alarm only went up when the trio was off the island and slipping away into the night. It was all show. I knew it. Ingi grinned as making his way back to Constantinople, he paid Stone Fox in gold and way too much scarlet. She had been docile the whole way and even a little nice to him, obviously afraid. She sure could bark orders and make fun of his tiny holings from the safety of her throne, but she was no different from anyone else once pulled out into the world. But he got her and everyone would respect him and not make fun of him at prince parties, and his dad would finally pay attention to him and like him. Stonefox thought that there was a lot to unpack there, but took his payment and told Ingi to be careful around this Natitha. He was a solid trickster himself and let me tell you, game recognized game. What do you mean? You've always been forthright with me. What do you mean oh, oh, Stone Fox, thinking yourself a trickster? Ingy laughed. That's cute. You couldn't be a trickster if you wanted to. Ingy laughed. Hmm. Yes. Stonefox smiled, took all of his ill gotten gains and left. As well as Natetha got on with Ingi, she was even nicer to all the ladies maids and Lystaline, Ingi's sister, all the women who were responsible for getting her ready for her wedding and also searching her person. Natetha was such a sweetheart that they let her get ready on her own as they walked to the beautiful, tasteful outdoor wedding on a spring night in Turkey, Nititha stopped, the rest of the women stopped with her and Ingi looked on from the altar. Natetha turned to face the crowd. Her life had taken an unexpected turn, but such were the ways of people. Still, now she was marrying this grand prince and she couldn't be more grateful. It's said all of our destinies are written in the stars and she knows that if she had just looked up more, she would have seen hers and not fought it. At this she looked up to the stars and instinctually the crowd and prince did as well. When they looked back, she had vanished. Holding the stone above her head, she slipped away from the wedding without a noise and found her way down to the docks where, still keeping the magic stone over her head, she she changed clothes, took out a long term loan with generous repayment options from a local merchant, and paid for passage on a ship that was leaving that night. The alarm only went up when she was sailing from Constantinople. Nice of you to come back, Lee Skjelthurk chided his foster sister a week later when he found her sitting in her quarters like she hadn't disappeared without a trace nearly a fortnight ago. That's why you're here. To cover for me. Her face was aglow as she looked in her stone. Oh, to cover for you while you do what exactly? Oh, not much. Just got kidnapped and taken across Europe, escaped and returned without anyone here knowing. Tetha scrolled through the Princes. Man, she really kicked a beehive of these self entitled dorks by existing. She didn't dare try to mock him to his face. She knew that she needed to get out of there. But she was glad to be able to trash Ingi's reputation as she sailed home, and her legend that he had tried to take her by force but failed outpaced her back to Paris. The problem was that her existing and trying to live a life of her own made these guys all the more crazy for her. Ingie was the biggest problem. He was coming back. Good thing she could watch him through the stone. He was on an island, one with another fox themed wizard con man. This one was called Sly Fox. I don't have context for this. Who's Fox Men? Laisgielther was lost. Yeah, we don't have time to fill you in because we're doing makeovers. Natitha stood. Aw yeah. Laia Skielther clapped. Not for you. Natitha scowled. Aw yeah. I need you to go purchase an enslaved woman for me. Natitha wrinkled her nose. You're the boss. But I don't like where this is going, Lea. Skielther grimaced. Oh, do not worry about this part. It's gonna get way worse. Natetha said and started filling her brother in on what needed to happen. It's like looking in a mirror, laisgjelther said. But Ymir, you're standing next to because I can see two of you because she looks just like you. Lie. Skjelther clarified to some extent when he explained his sister Natetha and the enslaved woman he had bought. The one that looked just like her when dressed like her. And look, the story so far pretty progressive. A ruler who's a woman has complete agency over her life and is finding ways to outwit male suitors, AKA kidnappers. That's a breath of fresh air. It is still a tale from European folklore and and their values are, let's say, different from ours. Unless you think it's an okay and good thing that a woman is enslaved and then left as bait for kidnappers who then take her, assault her, and then leave her shamed and destitute in a faraway land. If that's the case, you've really made it a long way into this podcast without writing me an email telling me how terrible I am for thinking humans should be decent to one another. But yeah, in some ways it's refreshing that a main character who is a woman in Viking legends can also make reprehensible self serving choices as well. And that's essentially what happened. Antiet watched a live feed of Ingy and Sly Fox slipping into the palace al Ocarina of Time style, where the guards follow predictable patterns with plenty of gaps. And the woman who looked just like Natetha when she was dressed up was kidnapped. She made it back to Constantinople before they figured it out, mainly because the magic apples Natetha had taken from the island when she got the stones made it so you couldn't speak for a month if you took a single bite. Aversa's fate is sadly left unknown, but Ingi's reputation was further soiled by his inability to kidnap a woman and force her to be his wife. Well, his inability to kidnap the right woman, it seems. I don't feel good about this, Lea, Skielther said. You know what else doesn't feel good? The sacking of our city. Natitha looked up from her stone. That's a hard right into a completely different off road. The ace Guelther wanted to talk through and maybe try to help Eversa, but Natitha held up the stone. Oh, it was an invincible army marching from Cirkland, the Middle east, led by Hrythar Logi, the crafty wizard brother, and Vilogi, the more respectable but not so respectable that he won't pillage and kidnap Brother Lee. Skelter shook his head. Okay, we're going to talk about Aversa, but that requires not dying long enough to do so. How are we going to beat this? The answer to how they were going to beat this was the answer to so many things in life. A thick glass dome a bunch of soldiers could stand on, and a spiky pit dug directly into the main floor of the house. When the brothers arrived in France, they said, quite literally, nice kingdom you have here. Would be a shame if two brothers named Vologi and Hrytharlogi were to pillage it up. Unless you marry one of us. You probably mean my sister Hlia, Skjother clarified and continued saying that the maiden king was wise and could see that there was no way she would be able to stand against their invincible armies. Since it was late, she set up camps for them. One would be over by the plain, one by the river on either side of the city. Natetha, the main king, had spotted a glaring weakness in their invincible army that had come to take her captive. There were two leaders, and while they were brothers they were still people and the type of man who would come to the city to ransack it and take its ruler as his unwilling bride. Let's just say he might not have the strongest and straightest moral compass and could probably be inclined to betray his brother and take the advantage should one present itself. Just between us. She totally wants to marry you, hlie Skjalthor told Logi that night, presenting the advantage on account of you not being a gross magician. And she wants you to meet her in the early hours of the morning to negotiate her surrender so she can cement things with you before Hrythar Logi even wakes up. Vologi was down for that and quietly organized a 4:30 wake up call for 1000 men to march into the city. At 4:45. Hundreds of Lea Skiother's warriors sat huddled, gripping the chains of the glass roof that was hanging over the massive entryway. They had tested this a dozen times in the last week, and the hundreds of men up on the walls fanning kept the sulfur smell away from Valogi's triumphal march into Paris. Lee Skialthor knew it wouldn't be perfect and guessed that they would get about 70% of them, about 700 in the trap. He was wrong, but good. Wrong for him, not good for the roughly 900 warriors who heard the thud of the several inch thick glass dome come down all around them. Laisgjolthor could stick around only as long as it took the workers to get the funnels secured. Not caring for the smell of burning sulfur and pitch or the sound of the screams of the men as it poured down upon them, Hia Skjal' Thur rushed into the inner wall where his archers were taking care of the rest of the army. To the maiden king's credit and ingenuity, once the pitch and sulfur were in and the opening sealed lie, Skjalter could hardly hear the screams. And he was right next to it. There were no stragglers, no survivors, and no chance of Hyther Logi finding out. Which was how he was convinced. As the maiden king's army was cleaning the entryway and removing the glass. To betray his brother and to make a deal. Before Vologi had a chance to, Lee Skjelther urged him to go to the queen's chamber right away. And Lee Skelther would go to lay Vologi. Heterloki took his force directly to the palace by a different gate. And while he was tumbling down into spiky darkness, the worst type of darkness, his men were massacred in an ambush outside. What remained of their forces fled immediately and the maiden king's fame and glory spread to every land. We'll meet yet another prince coming to court. Or I guess, kidnap the maiden king. But that will once again be right after this. Every time I wear something from Quince, someone invariably looks at me and says, wow, that's not what you usually wear. That looks really cool. Setting aside what they're unintentionally implying, Quince does look super cool. It's understated, yet luxury. Comfortable yet stylish. And now with the changing seasons, it's the perfect time to try something out. 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Go to quints.com legends for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q-U-N-C-E.com legends to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quints.com legends this episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. I'm always reminded every fallback of the opening paragraph of Moby Dick where where Ishmael talks about a time when it is quote damp, drizzly November in my soul. You know, and that happens every year. Halloween is over and we collectively decide to speed up how dismal and dark winter can be. I mean it can be it's cold and but it can also be a reminder to reach out and check in with those we care about and remind each other that we're not alone. It can feel a little scary or awkward and likewise it can feel that way when you're considering therapy. I will say though, like so many people, myself included, when it comes to therapy, you will wonder what was holding you back and why you didn't do it sooner. If you're considering therapy, BetterHelp is an amazing option. They have quality licensed therapists and they do all the initial work to match you with a therapist who is right for you. But if they don't get it right the first time, they have over 30,000 therapists and you can switch to a different therapist at any time. Don't wait to reach out. Whether you're checking in on a friend or reaching out to a therapist yourself, BetterHelp makes it easier to take that first step our listeners get 10% off their first month at betterhelp.com myths that's betterhelp.com myths King Lifornius, son of King Bloblarnius of India, was amusing himself in the forest. No indication of what that entailed when he froze. The mythological dwarf he spotted noticed him almost at the same moment, and the dwarf's eyes went to the boulder. Lifornius shook his head and broke off into a run, beating the dwarf to the boulder by footsteps. I curse you to be out of the stone, lefornius said, and fist pumped. What? I cursed you to be out of the stone, Lifornius repeated. What does that even mean? The dwarf seemed very confused. You travel through stones and now you can't because I cursed you and you have to do what I say if you ever want to go home again. Lefornius gloated. What does that mean, travel through stones? It doesn't make sense at all to me. The dwarf took a seat on a nearby root. Then why were you running for this boulder? The king pointed out. I was just coming over to look at it. I didn't even see you. I just appreciate rock and stone. The dwarf shrugged. I need you to help me win the hand of the maiden king of France, lefornius demanded, and then he would lift the curse. No curse, bro. We don't do that. We don't travel through stones. But I will help you for money or a large gold ring in my pick of the livestock in your herds, the dwarf said. Fine. And I'll also lift the curse when we're done, because I know that you're lying, Lafornius said. He just needed to know how to get her. Laphornius, the Iscaltor said a month or so later, clasping the king's hand and greeting him at the docks. So great to see him. They have been expecting him. You have? And how do you know who I am? Lifornius was confused. This guy, as if his reputation didn't precede him. Lee Skjellher slapped him on the back. Too modest. You're too modest. Come in. We have a seat of honor just for you, King. They did right next to Natitha, with a dozen archers watching them from the shadows of the alcoves above the whole time. Red wedding style, because while she saw him coming, she didn't see what happened months ago. DVR for the stones must have been a whole other subscription, and you probably had to set it to record ahead of time. Anyway, it was a whole thing. And that was how Natetha didn't see the magic ring. A magic ring was hard to spot anyway, but it wasn't hard to feel, especially after it was triggered when Lafornius warmly touched Natitha's back as part of the conversation. When he did so, it wasn't just her that froze, but the room. His men outside got the signal. You know, the entire city of Paris freezing at once. It was a hard signal to miss, and they helped him carry Natitha from the room. Elias Gjother and the others watched helplessly. When they arrived at the boats and unfurled their sails, the dwarf gave them a favorable wind back to India. When they made it back to India, the the dwarf thanked the king for his business and walked all of his herds into a stone in the field, prompting an I knew it from Lafornius. But there wasn't any time to gloat because he had a wedding to get to, except that his betrothed had literally flown away. What? He demanded. Looking at the courtyard, he heard of what happened to Ingi of the Byzantine Empire, and there was a standing order that should Netitha ever simply vanish, they were to immediately lock down the palace. But according to the guards, they didn't vanish, they simply shot off into the air. Wait. They Apparently Natitha and Suyelin Lafornius sister really hit it off with Suye, finally having someone her own age with whom she could connect on shared interests and values, like how young women shouldn't be kidnapped or forced to marry people they hate. When Natetha revealed the stone, with this one's power apparently being flight, the women took off for France and after that became inseparable friends, drinking from the same cup and partying neither in sleep nor during meals sold on. The father of the various logis was mad that his sons were melted and skewered, so he called together an army with his remaining son Logi. Just Logi, not the Logi or Huthlogi, and they sailed for France. Okay, this one is actually bad, Natitha said to Suyo Lin as the women watched the stones. The army was absolutely massive and from sitting in on a conversation between the king and the princess. The plan was to just destroy everything and pick Netetha out from the wreckage. No talking, no tricks, just destruction and death. While the army sailed from the east, Lia Skjeltur called every warrior young and old from France and the maiden king's client kingdoms and knew that it still might not be enough because these guys wouldn't let up. It wasn't a battle for a sister's hand, but for their kingdom's very existence. Leis Gujalthor and the French forces met the army of Soldan and Logi at, I guess, an island known as Cartagia, which I'm reading could be considered Carthage, though it calls it an island and a huge lair of pirates, who I guess also got swept up in the fighting too, because there were no talks, no emissaries, just battle. As soon as it was light enough to do so. The armies fought for three days, and it was not going well for Leisgjelther. He was down to 1,500 soldiers when Logi thundered from the ship, standing a head above his whole army, waving his father's golden banner. He picked Leiskjother out in the fray and rode against him. Natetha put the stone down in tears when she watched her brother fall. She dared another look or two, but only saw him laying there, eyes open, blood trickling from his mouth, while Sul'dan led the massacre of their army. At this she swore off the stones. They had helped her, sure, but she had become arrogant and they had cost her everything. She prepared whatever she could for defenses, but knew the enemy would be at the gates in a matter of weeks, if not sooner. Still, she could spend her last days mourning her brother and and honoring his memory and preparing to defend herself and Suye by whatever means necessary when the inevitable finally came. But the final invasion of their city turned out to be quite evitable, it seemed, because days bled to weeks and nothing. No news from the scouts to the south or west that anyone was coming for them. Then finally, nearly a month after Leoskjother fell, Lea Skjlther arrived, leading a small army home. Natitha didn't understand, and Lea Skielthor said honestly, he didn't either. It was Lafornius. Natitha and Suye looked at each other. That made no sense, and real quickly it didn't. Early manuscripts break off at the battle in the pirate's lair, and when the later ones pick up the story, the Lifornius of India, remember the one with the dwarf is inexplicably at the battle. Lasgjother explained that he never got a straight answer for why Lifornius was sailing an army across the world. But as Leos Gaother lay dying next to the already dead, Logi beat him by the way he heard the horns of La Fornis and saw him put a spear through Suldan's chest. When Leos Gjialther woke, he was in Laphornius tents with the king himself, tending to his wounds. It took a few weeks for him to be able to rise, and Lafornius was nothing but gracious. They talked and the conversation worked its way around to Suye, and Lea Skjelther said, yeah, she was in France. Loved it too. We aren't told why. Lifornius seemingly had a change of heart. Maybe he just wanted to be nice to Lea Skiother and buy points with Natetha when it came to his next plot. Maybe it was because his own sister found his own beliefs and actions so reprehensible that she chose to fly across the world with a stranger and leave her home forever just to get away from him. One of those would probably have an effect on me. He refused to let Lea Skjelthor travel like a vagrant and gave him ten ships, men, and wargear. Su Yeleen looked to Natitha, who was thinking the same thing. They rushed to the palace and found the seeing stones, summoning an image of Lifornius, but there was nothing. She searched all the cities in all the world but couldn't locate him. Even searching for the dead revealed their graves. This didn't make sense. After being sought for years, the one man Atitha wanted to find was gone completely. That autumn a king sailed up to Paris completely out of nowhere. He was the king of Mundia, wherever that was, and he said he didn't even realize Paris had a maiden king, and no, he didn't come seeking her hand. He could just as soon pass through and stay elsewhere if she wanted. But he was looking for someplace to winter. Netitha invited him in. With those same archers hiding in the shadows. Netitha sat with this King Escavarthur and interviewed him to gauge his character and intentions, and it went well. Very well. He was charming, but not too charming, Open but a listener, and the pair talked well into the evening. Deeming him to be very wise, she agreed that he could winter in her kingdom. It wasn't just his conversation. He could play the harp and sing and tell stories, and for the four of them, Natitha Suyoin, King Escavarthor, and Lea Skelther, the winter passed in the blink of an eye. Come spring, King Escavarthor was resolved to continue on his journeys. But Natetha waved him into her chambers. He had entertained and beguiled her all winter. Now it was her turn to do the same for him. She sat him down at a table across from herself and Suyeleen and pulled out one of the seeing stones. Have you ever heard of King Lafornius of India? Netitha said. But before Esqvarthur could answer. She filled him in. Lafornius was the worst. Forced a dwarf into service to kidnap me. Drove his own sister away. Natetha said. He was nothing like you. But the thing is, she picked up the stone and it started to glow. I can't find him. She demonstrated the power of the stone and showed him a few different people before searching for Lifornius. But sweeping over every land, he was nowhere. Weird. Eskvartha chuckled. Yeah, I thought so too. Nazitha said. It had never happened before and hadn't happened again, not until this morning. She waved over the stone and called up the location of King Elsgavarthur, saying that this should be an easy one. But the stone remained, searching over all the cities and plains and the mountains and the ocean depths. It could not find King Escavarthur, the same King Escavarthur that sat next to her. Escavarthur slumped in his chair. She didn't say what to do. He shook his head. He looked up and met the eyes of Natetha. Then Suileen. He went to his aunt, a sorceress. She gave him this disguise. He put the ring on and. Oh. He paused. He should probably take this off. He took the ring off and instantly Lifornia sat downcast in front of her. The last time she had seen him, he had taken her from her home with magic. But I did dress up as this king, and I came thinking, I don't know, maybe there'll be some obvious thing that'll show up at the right time. But then we got to talking and, well, he began to rise and leave. But Natetha's hand found his. She said she didn't like Lifornius, the king who took her from her home. He was arrogant and vain in trying to prove himself to the world. She did, however, love Esgavarthur. If she could let go of who Lafornius had been, maybe he could let go of who he had been as well. The pair embraced, bringing in Su Yaleen, too. As Lafornius and Natitha left the room holding hands, Laisgialther stormed up Leis. Skialther yelled at his sister. I have put up with a lot, but you need to accept this man. He has changed. He is a hero and a stalwart king, and he saved my life. And if you don't marry him, I'm leaving. And yes, I did just realize you're holding hands and so you probably reconciled. But I'm already going, so I'm very happy for you both and I wish you the absolute best. The Iskelther hugged them both. So they began planning the wedding. And if you've been keeping track and really how could you keep track? There's so many names. There is still someone out there. King Ingy paced the halls of his palace. He would marry no woman except the maiden king, and it wasn't fair that she chose Lifornius just because he showed personal growth and change. He could change too. Ingi wouldn't try to sneak in and trick her. He would bring an army this time. Sidebar that's not really personal change and growth. That's a worse version of the thing that he was. But he couldn't be deterred at this point. He rode for France, and he did really well, actually. Enraged that Natetha could have agency and personal choice in her life, he killed Frenchmen two at a time. The French and Indian armies, exhausted though they were by constant war, put up a fight. So much so that Lafornius, who hadn't yet married Nititha, rode out and challenged King Ingi to single combat. Whoever lived would have the right to Natetha's hand. Natitha herself gave a nod from the wall. One way or another, this would end here. And she trusted in Lifornius bravery and skill. Which was why she was horrified when the lance went right through Lifornius. To his credit, he also put a lance through Ingi, and it turned out to be more of a lance because Lafornius was the only one with enough strength and consciousness to drag Ingi from the battlefield into the tents before he collapsed. Suylene, his sister, it turned out, was an excellent healer, and so she managed to bring them both back from the brink of death and spent a lot of time in the tents doing so. So much time that no, natetha said when she heard the news. He's actually a really sweet man, suyo Leen said. He kidnapped me twice, though. Kinda what guy hasn't tried to ceiling pointed out he's the worst. Yeah, but you said the same thing about Lafornius. But you put your life in his hands and now you're marrying him and he's great and you love him, celine said. The things that Ingi has done, people can't change. Not that much. Su Yi paused for a moment. Speaking of bad things people have done, she was supposed to ask who was. What was her name? Eversa, Natitha said. Now that was okay. Yeah, that was. In hindsight, that was hard to defend. She exhaled sharply. Fine. But if this was all a ruse and he tried to kidnap her at his own wedding, she was going to turn him into a human porcupine. Celine smiled and embraced her friend. To Ingi's credit, he didn't try to kidnap her at the wedding. He was in love with Su Yaleen, saying that she surpassed all the women in the northern lands except Natetha, according to the text. So they're gonna have to work through that. But happily ever after. Ish. And that was true for all the couples. Lafornius and Natitha wed and ruled France together. And even Lea Skjelthor found a match in Ingi's sister and married her, splitting this time between France and Constantinople. And so ends the story of Natitha the Famous, who for the rest of her life didn't have people trying to burn down her house and or kidnap her, which was for her all she ever wanted. That she found a match in a good man she loved was just icing on the cake. That's it for the story this week. This was an interesting one because the ending feels frankly too modern, but everything that happened was 100% in the text. The prince getting the ring from his aunt to look different, but not fully knowing what he was doing and just improvising. And he and Natetha growing close not out of subterfuge but genuine affection, and her choosing him because he was now different. It was a nice ending. Real quickly. If you'd like to support the show and get ad free and bonus episodes, check out the membership on mythpodcast.com and Apple Podcasts. And if you're looking for other things to listen to, there are 10 episodes of fictional out now. Thanks so much. The creature this time is the Henke from Scotland, specifically Orkney and Shetland. The henkes aren't a specific type of creature, but a subset of a creature called a trow. Basically, it's a trow that hanks and you're probably thinking, oh, a trow that hanks that clarifies things. Thank you. A trow is a mischievous fairy creature who are depicted as anything between massive giants or diminutive gray clad fairies. And I realize that I'm still not actually clarifying anything because I just gave you the entire range for size of a humanoid creature. Hank, though, is easy because according to several sources, it means to limp. So a henke is a fairy creature that limps when it dances around a fairy circle. They are known to be nocturnal, dancing and playing at night. Apparently they have two types of dances. One is beautifully intricate with exquisite moves and steps. The other, they squat on the ground, clasp their hands around their thighs and lurch up and down, kicking out with alternating legs. I wanted to get up and try it just to see, but Carissa walked by just now and I'm pretty sure I would never live it down. They enter our houses when we sleep, but as far as I can tell, we're mostly safe except for, you know, our peace of mind and sense of safety and well being. The henkes, it seems, are only after musicians because they kidnap them for the musician. The upside is you learn some new songs. The downside is that you've been kidnapped and pressed into service for fairies for the night, and if they don't like your playing or you try to escape, they'll punish you by pinching. That's actually the main reason I've been putting off learning the guitar. My own safety. Not years long. Procrastination and laziness. I'm not entirely sure, but it's possible the entire name for this subset of creatures comes from one sad trow wife who was overheard by a traveler. She couldn't find a partner to dance, so she sang the hey Cuddy and ho coo Cuddy and who'll dance with me? Coo Cuddy. She looked about and saw ne buddy say I'll hank away myself. Coot Cuddy. So yeah, just like a nickname I got in college. Be careful of one weird word or thing you do once because it'll probably stick with you forever as a nickname. That's it for this time. Myths and Legends is by Jason and Carissa Weiser. Our theme song is by Broke for Free. And the creature of the week music is by Steve Combs. There are links to even more of the music we used in the show notes. Thank you so much for listening and we'll see you next time. With stays under $250 a night, VRBO makes it easy to celebrate sweater weather. Book a cabin with leaf views or a home with a fire pit for nights with friends with stays under $250 a night. 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