Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Greenlaw, By Helen Mcclory | 20210404 | 20220205 (R4) | A new development by the name of 'Greenlaw' on the outskirts of Edinburgh is visited one night by a strange phenomenon at first only spotted by the late night dog walkers on the hill above the houses. The residents of the estate are confused and divided as to what it is and what it means for them. Weird plants start to spring up in their gardens. The community website buzzes with rumour and speculation as to what is causing these strange natural or are they supernatural occurences. Helen McClory has a PhD in literature and creative writing from the University of Glasgow. Her debut story collection On the Edges of Vision won the Saltire First Book of the Year Award. Her novel 'Bitterhall' is published in Spring 2021. She lives in Edinburgh. Read by: Kirsty Cox Producer: Maggie Ayre for BBC Audio in Bristol A strange entity appears on the edge of a housing estate. First of five modern folktales. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK |
| 02 | Kow by Jo Clement | 20210411 | An argument between a couple living on the edge of poverty leads to the discovery of a duffel bag full of cash. Or does it? This original short story for Radio 4 revives the Northumberland myth of the Hedley Kow and asks if money really can solve everything. What's the difference between need and desire? Appearances can be deceiving.
Dr. Jo Clement is a New Writing North: Northern Writers' Award-winner. She is the author of Moveable Type and with Damian Le Bas, a co-author of Outlandish. Both poetry books were published with support from Arts Council England and Durham Book Festival. Jo is the Managing Editor of Butcher's Dog poetry magazine and is currently editing the first Roma Women's Poetry Anthology made possible with support from the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture.
Kow is read by Hayley Corney
The myth of the Northumbrian Hedley Cow comes to life in a contemporary setting. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK | |
| 02 | Kow by Jo Clement | 20210411 | 20220212 (R4) | An argument between a couple living on the edge of poverty leads to the discovery of a duffel bag full of cash. Or does it? This original short story for Radio 4 revives the Northumberland myth of the Hedley Kow and asks if money really can solve everything. What's the difference between need and desire? Appearances can be deceiving.
Dr. Jo Clement is a New Writing North: Northern Writers' Award-winner. She is the author of Moveable Type and with Damian Le Bas, a co-author of Outlandish. Both poetry books were published with support from Arts Council England and Durham Book Festival. Jo is the Managing Editor of Butcher's Dog poetry magazine and is currently editing the first Roma Women's Poetry Anthology made possible with support from the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture.
Kow is read by Hayley Corney
The myth of the Northumbrian Hedley Cow comes to life in a contemporary setting. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK |
| 03 | The Healer by Molly Aitken | 20210418 | A remote island off the coast of Ireland is the setting for Molly Aitken's tale of grief and isolation. A man and woman living on the island of Cape Clear anxiously await the return of their three sons. They are fishermen missing after a storm at sea. The couple's food supplies are running low. When a strange woman knocks on the door one day they have no idea how she arrived on the island. She tells them she is a healer and their lives change for ever.
Molly Aitken was born in Scotland in 1991 and brought up in Ireland. She studied Literature and Classics at Galway University and has an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa. The Island Child is her debut novel.
The Healer is read by Deirdre Mullins
The last two inhabitants on an island receive a visit from a strange woman. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK | |
| 03 | The Healer by Molly Aitken | 20210418 | 20220219 (R4) | A remote island off the coast of Ireland is the setting for Molly Aitken's tale of grief and isolation. A man and woman living on the island of Cape Clear anxiously await the return of their three sons. They are fishermen missing after a storm at sea. The couple's food supplies are running low. When a strange woman knocks on the door one day they have no idea how she arrived on the island. She tells them she is a healer and their lives change for ever.
Molly Aitken was born in Scotland in 1991 and brought up in Ireland. She studied Literature and Classics at Galway University and has an MA in Creative Writing from Bath Spa. The Island Child is her debut novel.
The Healer is read by Deirdre Mullins
The last two inhabitants on an island receive a visit from a strange woman. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK |
| 04 | The Man On The Rocks by Tom Cox | 20210425 | Louise meets Dave when she's out walking on Dartmoor one day. He asks her out for a drink and they begin dating. But the eccentric man whose mood can influence rivers is not quite of this world and the relationship soon becomes strained.
Tom Cox lives on Dartmoor. He is the author of several books including Help The Witch, Ring The Hill and 21st Century Yokel. His next book is Villager.
Read by Kirsty Cox
Louise meets an eccentric guy on Dartmoor who turns out to have quite a past. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK | |
| 04 | The Man On The Rocks by Tom Cox | 20210425 | 20220226 (R4) | Louise meets Dave when she's out walking on Dartmoor one day. He asks her out for a drink and they begin dating. But the eccentric man whose mood can influence rivers is not quite of this world and the relationship soon becomes strained.
Tom Cox lives on Dartmoor. He is the author of several books including Help The Witch, Ring The Hill and 21st Century Yokel. His next book is Villager.
Read by Kirsty Cox
Louise meets an eccentric guy on Dartmoor who turns out to have quite a past. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK |
| 05 | Arawn And Her Dogs by Eluned Gramich | 20210502 | Anwen in out walking on the promenade in Aberystwyth avoiding revising for her A-levels when she meets and buys food for an old woman and her dogs. The woman doesn't thank her for her kindness. Instead she rewards her by taking her on an eerie journey to the underworld in search of the answer to whether Anwen's mother who is in hospital will live or die.
Eluned Gramich is a Welsh writer and translator. She's lived in Germany and Japan, and is now based in Cardiff. She won the inaugural New Welsh Writing Award in 2015 for her memoir of Hokkaido, Woman Who Brings the Rain, which was later shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2016. Recently, her novella about the Welsh language protests appeared as part of Hometown Tales: Wales (Orion Books).
Read by Nadia Kamil
Produced by Maggie Ayre for BBC Audio in Bristol
A Welsh teenager's kindness to an old woman takes a twist. Part 5 of 5 modern folktales. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK | |
| 05 | Arawn And Her Dogs by Eluned Gramich | 20210502 | 20220305 (R4) | Anwen in out walking on the promenade in Aberystwyth avoiding revising for her A-levels when she meets and buys food for an old woman and her dogs. The woman doesn't thank her for her kindness. Instead she rewards her by taking her on an eerie journey to the underworld in search of the answer to whether Anwen's mother who is in hospital will live or die.
Eluned Gramich is a Welsh writer and translator. She's lived in Germany and Japan, and is now based in Cardiff. She won the inaugural New Welsh Writing Award in 2015 for her memoir of Hokkaido, Woman Who Brings the Rain, which was later shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2016. Recently, her novella about the Welsh language protests appeared as part of Hometown Tales: Wales (Orion Books).
Read by Nadia Kamil
Produced by Maggie Ayre for BBC Audio in Bristol
A Welsh teenager's kindness to an old woman takes a twist. Part 5 of 5 modern folktales. Five modern folktales specially commissioned from writers around the UK |