This is my entry for Round 4 of the "Spintunes" contest (spoiler: sadly I didn't win 😭) The prompt/challenge was to "write and record a song inspired by the painting, Water Fox by the artist Madeline Owen".

In Japanese folklore, Kitsune are mischievous fox spirits known particularly for their ability to shapeshift. Handily, there is a river variety, which is what came to mind when I was saw Madeline’s painting.

(Cover image: Water Fox © Madeline Owen - https://collierwest.com/collections/madeline-owen / https://www.instagram.com/looselyassembled/)

LYRICS

Once there was a woodcutter’s son
Living alone, deep in the forest
Barely spared a word for anyone
In ten long years (or so it was said)
And every day
He would pray
Down by the river

The river ran fast and deep
Its banks were steep and slick with mud
The woodcutter’s son once had a wife
Carried away by those treacherous currents
And every day
He sang the name
Of the river spirit

Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away
Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away

One day he came back to his home
And there stood his wife, in the lengthening shadows
She said, “I can return every night
But when I depart, you must swear not to follow”
Then down he fell
Beneath her spell
And sang to the river

Kitsune, now you brought my baby
Now you brought my baby back
Kitsune, now you brought my baby
Now you brought my baby back

I lost my lover at the water’s edge
I’m never gonna lose her
Never gonna lose her again

The lure of curiosity grew
The woodcutter’s son could bear it no longer
Silently he traced her steps
To the muddy bank, where he lost her forever
In the pale blue dawn
She took the form
Of the river spirit

Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away
Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away

Kitsune, Kitsune, Kitsune
Kitsune, Kitsune, Kitsune
Kitsune, why d’ya take my baby
Why d’ya take my baby away
From me

Kitsune

This week brings the revisiting of a classic tale by Louisa May Alcott - 'Queen Aster'. Host&nbsp; Find out where to subscribe to The Folktale Project at&nbsp; Help keep The Folktale Project going by becoming a supporter on Patreon at&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Folktale Project Classics - Queen Aster

This week's new story is a bit of an Italian mashup. A little Rapunzel, a bit of Beauty and the Beast, and a dash of Baba Yaga. I do hope you enjoy it! Host&nbsp; Find out where to subscribe to The Folktale Project at&nbsp; Help keep The Folktale Project going by becoming a supporter on Patreon at&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Folktale Project - The Fair Angola

102 bpm -  nylon strung guitar , acoustic bass and vocal .
Contains mild swearing

Just the beer talking

YEARNING OF THE HEART SET FORTH BY RECOLLECTIONS OF THE SPIRIT ARE PROJECTED INTO ASTRAL SPACE. CONSTELLATIONS ARE FORMED, ENLIVENING THE WILL OF THE PRE-EXISTANT SPIRIT WHO WILL BECOME CHILD, WHO CHOOSES TO INCARNATE, AND THE HEAVENS CELEBRATE WITH COLOUR. A JOYOUS RUSH TOWARDS EXISTENCE IS UNITED WITH THE MOMENTUM OF BIRTH PANGS AND SPIRITS OF THE FOREST GET LIT. THE VILLAGE PERFORMS A TREMENDOUS RITUAL IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SPIRIT’S VOYAGE, AND EXTREME CEREMONIALS PRAY VIGOROUSLY FOR MANIFESTATION. AN ESCALATING SERIES OF ELEMENTAL BEINGS AND HEAVENLY SPIRITS APPEAR TO THE WORSHIPPERS AND THE CHILD’S FORETELLING OF THEIR ENTERANCE BECOMES ONE WITH THEIR PROCESS OF APPEARENCE. THE NEWLY BORN IS WITHOUT MEMORY OF THEIR DIVINE ORIGIN AND RAVING LUNATICS SET OUT TO INFORM THEM. GUIDED BY MAGICAL CREATURES, BOTH FRIEND AND FOE, THEY GATHER POWER, DEVELOP STRENGTH, AND ARE LED UPON HORSEBACK BACK TOWARDS THE LIGHT. THE CHILD COME HERO MUST ENSURE THE FERTILITY OF THE FIELDS, REVEALED TO THEM BY A VISION OF FRUIT BY MOONLIGHT, AND THE NATURAL RELIGION CONFIDES IN THEM ITS TRUTH. SMOKING HERB, FIREFLIES FLASH TO THEM A MESSAGE IN CODE AND THEY SUDDENLY REMEMBER THEIR DIVINE ORIGIN AND THE GREAT EFFORTS TAKEN FOR THEIR EXISTENCE. NOW THEY ARE ON A VERY HEAVENLY MISSION FOR THE LIFETIME!

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MEGA BUS - THE PATH WE TAKE
SIGN OF ZODIAC - FUR ELISE
MDA - I GIVE MYSELF
METEOR SEVEN - COLOURS IN THE SKY
DJ VIBES - SING IT LOUD
ENGINEERS WITHOUT FEARS - SPIRITUAL AURA
NRG - I NEED YOUR LOVE
FREE BASS - SPLIFFED & CHILLIN (MELLO MAN AMBIENT MIX)
Био - Видеожизнь 
APHRODITE - BEAT BOOYAA
NEW COMPOSERS - И Подача...
OLYMP-X - HYPNOTIZING
ZONG!! - TANGOA
BIO - EMOTIONS
CYBEX FACTOR - SHOW ME HEAVEN
CYRIL’S MAGIC JOURNEY - POWER OF LOVE
INTEGRATED CIRCUITS - YIP! (REMIX)
DJ FLOMO - RAVE CHILDREN
THE BIO-LOGICALZ - WHAT I MEAN
SUN BASS - BEHIND THE SUN
SYNTETIC COR. - Ты Ж Менэ Пидманула
PROPHESY - THE FEELING
ONCE AGAIN - DACKY TWO
ARRIVAL - SPRING (JUMPING BABY MIX)
RAVE REBELS - COSMIC HEAVEN (COSMIC MIX)
SPECIES OF FISHES - FROM THE DEPTHS
THE SHAKERS - Зима Бывает Вёселая
SAW ANGELS - SHINING MOON
KLAUS JAHNKUHN - DIE SONNE SCHEINT
PINE WOOD - INTO THE LIGHT
AUSTIN M - COME NOW
RAMIREZ - BARAONDA (TRANX VISION MIX)
FFWD - LUCKY SADDLE
RAVING STAR - RAVING STAR
CHOCI N’ DDR - HIGHEST ENERGY
NONPLACE URBAN FIELD - PLANE SPOTTING (NOT ENUF RMX)
NYMPHONIC EUPHORIA - VENUS FRUIT
TRANCE CORP - MOONLIGHTS
ALIEN FACTORY - RETURN
ANDREAS DORAU - STONED FACES DON’T LIE (ILSA GOLD MIX)
PHANTOM - FIRST TIME ON THIS PLANET
CYGNET - LAST DIMENSION
NEON FLUX - BE MY ENERGIZER
SHADOWRUN - NOW!
ILSA GOLD - SILKE II - SUCHTIG

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RECORDED ON SUMMER SOLSTICE 2025

TRANCE VIRTUE (VOL. VI)

A charcoal burner, who worked extensively in the forest in Dalarna, Sweden making charcoal, got involved with a råande – a supernatural forest spirit. She appeared as a young and beautiful woman, and soon the charcoal burner had a child with her. She seemed kind and helpful. She assisted him in breaking down the charcoal stacks, but he was never allowed to be present while she worked – she insisted on being alone.

If he wanted to meet her while she was working with the kilns, he had to knock on a pine tree outside his hut. Then she would come to him.

But eventually, the charcoal burner grew annoyed that he was never allowed to see how she worked, so he secretly followed her. He wanted to find out how she could break down a charcoal kiln so quickly.

Then he saw her in the middle of her work – and it was a terrifying sight. She had a crooked nose, tore the stacks apart with her bare hands, and extinguished the fire using her bare backside.

Frightened, he snuck back to the hut and knocked on the pine tree. She came at once and now looked as she usually did – beautiful and gentle.

After that, the charcoal burner no longer wanted anything to do with her. He went to a wise old man and asked how he could get rid of her.

The old man said:
“You must cut a hole in the ice on a lake, drive past it so she falls in. Then hurry home, put the horse away, and lock the door behind you.”

The charcoal burner did as he was told. And once he had locked himself in – a violent crash was heard, echoing through the forest.

“That was the rå who destroyed herself.”

The Flame That Loved the Wild (the charcoal burner and the rå)

Long ago, we honoured the Fair Folk with gifts and gratitude—but when we forgot them, everything changed...

When we forget the Fair Folk

On the edge of a green island stands a hill few remember... but when the mist rises at Lammas, something stirs, and the old ways call once more.

The Hill of the First Sheaf

62 bpm - nylon strung guitar , slide guitar and vocal. A gothic tale 

Trinkets and Money

Step into the world of Garman's Mills for a short story of deception and murder. All told beside a campfire while playing the Appalachian dulcimer

The Whispering

Half-British, half-Japanese, South London-based singer-songwriter and producer. Indie pop, rock and blues. Thank you for listening!

Georgie weaves together guided-meditation and visualisation along with self-reflection and Nature-connection practices to create journeys that serve to deepen our ways of relating to ourselves, to the rest of Nature and to ourselves as Nature. These journeys of rich self-enquiry and inner exploration inspire outward action and evoke insight, connection and change.
Creating spaces for nourishment and renewal, Georgie’s passionate rootedness and carefully curated offerings reawakening the wild within, calling us home to our belonging and service to the earth.

Who says you're too old for a good fairy tale? Reading original versions of folktales and fairy tales from around the world every Monday through Friday, this podcast is for everyone who has a love of the mystery that surrounds us and the ways we try to explain it.

Theme music is Kirigami by Graham Bole. (freemusicarchive.org/music/Graham_B…_01_-_Kirigami)

Weaving haunted folk tales through Appalachian strings.

Welcome to my World . I am an acoustic guitarist ,bass player,vocalist and songwriter. All the Midi stuff is written on Sibelius Software and saved as Midi . I would like to team up with other musicians, if you fancy it , message me .Everyone is welcome . Just bring yourself , an open heart and mind .

New tracks tagged #Folktale