We told you the stories of Merlin but where did he come from anyway? From Myrddin, to Lailoken, to the warrior poet Ambrosius Aurelianus, we discuss all of the different versions of Merlin before he was Merlin! And as a bonus, we chat about WHO Merlin was after his origins! Content Warning: This episode contains conversations about or mentions of death, warfare, mental illness, religious persecution, impalement, drowning, and child endangerment.  Housekeeping - Books: Check out our previous book recommendations, guests’ books, and more at spiritspodcast.com/books - Call to Action: Get our new Old Wives’ Tale Teller Corduroy Hat! - Submit Your Urban Legends Audio: Call us! 617-420-2344 Sponsors - The MultiCrew Drive, running from now through September 26! Check out all we have to offer at multitudeshows.com Find Us Online - Website & Transcripts: spiritspodcast.com - Patreon: patreon.com/spiritspodcast - Merch: spiritspodcast.com/merch - Instagram: instagram.com/spiritspodcast - Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/spiritspodcast.com - Twitter: twitter.com/spiritspodcast - Tumblr: spiritspodcast.tumblr.com Cast & Crew - Co-Hosts: Julia Schifini and Amanda McLoughlin - Editor: Bren Frederick - Music: Brandon Grugle, based on "Danger Storm" by Kevin MacLeod - Artwork: Allyson Wakeman - Multitude: multitude.productions About Us Spirits is a boozy podcast about mythology, legends, and folklore. Every episode, co-hosts Julia and Amanda mix a drink and discuss a new story or character from a wide range of places, eras, and cultures. Learn brand-new stories and enjoy retellings of your favorite myths, served over ice every week, on Spirits. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.