Historycal: Words that Shaped the World

What's better for brothers than stowaways, shipwreck, and a good long fishing trip? Today, we're talking canoes, New Zealand's countryside, and the demi-god that accidentally caught a country. 

What do Brer Rabbit, spiders and Tom Hiddleston have in common? If trickster figures in ancient mythology wasn't your first thought, this episode is for you. Today, we're talking Brer Rabbit, Anansi the Spider, and what Shakespeare considered a good disguise. (Spoiler: It wasn't). 

What makes a cocktail a cocktail, and how did some unsuspecting horses get dragged into it? In this episode, we've got Mint Julips, speakeasies, the Frozen Water Trade, and - of course - tiny paper umbrellas.

What does the world's favourite cat have against Mondays, and in how many other ways do they suck? As it turns out, many. And they're mostly self-inflicted. In the episode, we're talking about the road to the seven day week, the Boomtown Rats, and whether or not it was easier to enjoy yourself before the Second Industrial Revolution.  

What do you do when someone tells you to burn the ride you came in? And how do you get home for dinner if you burn the bridges too? Today, we're going back to the murky origins of these two famous phrases, crossing the Rubicon, and finishing up at the Paris Opera House. 

What do you say to a man who has taken the keys to your kingdom? And what do you say to cheer up your grieving daughter?  In this episode, we're tackling Temüjin, the slaughter at Nishapur, and Genghis Khan's troubled childhood.

What do you get when you cross a hat with a common (or garden) thermometer? Mad hatters... and hatted madmen. In this episode, we're delving into Lewis Carroll, mercury poisoning, and all the other ways that tea time might go wrong.

What does it take to get a cow's head onto your doorstep? (Rest of cow, not included). Today, we're talking Ukrainian fairy tales, evil stepmothers, and how to be an awesome dad. Or something like that.