In this episode we tell a tragic story of forbidden love and dire consequences- “The Legend of U Raitong” as described by Mrs. K.U. Rafy in her 1920 collection “Folk-Tales Of The Khasis.”

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Jim Billbrough

While researching this story we found two more recent translations of “U Manik Raitong” by contemporary Khasi authors, both of which are worth checking out:

“Khasi Myths, Legends & Folk Tales” by Bijoya Sawian

(No direct link to the story on Google Books, but open the Table of Contents and follow the link to “U Manik Raitong”)

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Khasi_Myths_Legends_Folk_Tales/Unr2BEAEezoC?hl=en

…and

“U Manik Raitong” by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih from his book “Around the Hearth: Khasi Legends”

U Manik Raitong - Monash Indigenous Studies Centre

Apologies to the Khasi people for any mispronunciation of Khasi names or places in this episode. To balance things out we mispronounced some English words as well.

Two stories about the elusive dream of freedom- A secret dream suddenly dashed and a dream unlooked for fulfilled.

Kate Chopin’s “The Story Of An Hour” and “A Pair Of Silk Stockings.”

Narrated by Arline Billbrough

Music by Paul Billbrough

Produced by Bob Familiar

In 1950 Akira Kurosawa merged two of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s short stories together to make his classic film “Rashomon.”Last episode we covered the story that gave the film it’s name and in this episode we explore the story of the murder at the heart of that film, told by seven characters with seven different, often conflicting accounts:

“In A Grove” by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Mandy Familiar, Bob Familiar, Joey Pesce, Shannon Wilson, Jace Wilson, Danielle Barry, Matt Gruenberg, and Jim Billbrough

In this episode we contemplate whether it is better to accept death with your morals intact or to survive by any means necessary.

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa’s “Rashōmon”.

Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Jim Billbrough

Some sound effects in this episode were licensed from

Pro Sound Effects

240 Kent Ave.

Brooklyn, NY 11249

licensing@prosoundeffects.com

A trio of strange and beautiful fever dreams by Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges- “The Rejected Sorcerer,” “The Circular Ruins,” and “The Two Kings and The Two Labyrinths.”

All Music and Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Jim Billbrough

We’d like to express our thanks to Jon Fredette of “The Oddcast” podcast for his advice and encouragement on this episode. If you like Ambient Arcana there’s a good chance you’ll like ”The Oddcast.”

Here’s a link to Jon’s homepage featuring his podcasts, music, and more: https://www.jonfredette.com/

Some other useful links:

https://bobfamiliar.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ambientarcana

ambientarcana@gmail.com

In this episode we chase away the winter blues with a bloody sword in Robert E. Howard’s coldest Conan story - “Gods of The North” (aka. “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter”).

All Music and Music & Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narration by Rick Weidner, Danielle Barry, Matt Gruenberg, Mandy Familiar, Bob Familiar, and Jim Billbrough

Some useful links:

https://bobfamiliar.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ambientarcana

ambientarcana@gmail.com

Bonne année! Joyeux 2024!

We start our Third Season with a fiery French tale of one woman’s burning need to find balance in a hostile universe. It’s Guy de Maupassant’s torrid tale of red hot revenge! -

“Mother Sauvage.”

All Music and Music & Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Veronica and Joey Pesce, Bob Familiar, and Jim Billbrough

Recorded by Joey Pesce and Bob Familiar

If you think we judged Robert W. Chambers a bit harshly on his anti-German attitudes here’s a link to his WWI novel “In Secret” at Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5748

Not to be confused with a recommendation.

Some useful links:

https://youtube.com/@bobfamiliarmusic

https://bobfamiliar.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ambientarcana

Once again we travel to the magical land of Tibet for the Holiday Season.

In this year’s Yuletide offerings a painter and a carpenter commit supernatural postal fraud, a donkey and a rock get arrested for assaulting a jar of oil, a pair of crippled birds dispense great wealth and harsh justice, a sociopathic rabbit distributes stolen goods with murderous intent, and a goiter at a ghost party is about as welcome as a fruitcake. It’s Albert Leroy Shelton’s posthumously publish page turner - “Tibetan Folk Tales”

All Music and Music&Audio Production by Bob Familiar

Narrated by Bob Familiar and Jim Billbrough