This week, on Myths and Legends, it's the story of a bear boy from France.

You'll see why you don't want to punt toads.

They might curse you and your family forever,

and why you do want to be an equal opportunity employer,

even when it comes to bears, or just very hairy teens.

The creature this week is from South Africa,

and it's a monster that keeps murderers off the road. This is Myths and Legends, episode 418. Our son, Orson, the bear.

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,

and others are stories that might be new to you, but are definitely worth a listen.

Today is a literary fairy tale by the French Countess de Souger from the early 1800s,

and we'll talk more about her life at the end of the episode,

but we'll jump in with two women running for their lives. Thank you. We need to go.

Pasteros could barely contain her anxiety.

The king's brother, Prince Indolence, and his wife, Princess Nanschalant, fled just ahead

of the assassin's knives. The king would

be coming for her, Queen Ami next, since she was the one who warned them, we need to go.

Queen Ami nodded, and, though she wretched, managed to keep it down. No, no, no, no, not now,

not with him. Her husband was a monster.

He had consolidated his power by marrying her, the daughter of one of his most powerful nobles.

But it was only when she was in the palace that she saw behind his smiles and charms,

having learned of his moves against his brother, his fellow monarchs,

...