Folk Files #2.10 - Beware the Moss

About this episode

This episode explores the origins and story of the horror-filled ballad 'Long Lankin'.

Long Lankin is the bogeyman of the Child Ballads. A mysterious figure who lives in the moss (or the gorse, or the hay), he is known as a bloodthirsty murderer. But what's the full story? Explore the origins of the horror-filled ballad in this Halloween episode of Folk Files. Host: Olivia Harding Support Folk Files: https://www.patreon.com/c/FolkFilesPodcast Musical excerpts: ARTIST: The Wainwright Sisters WORK: Long Lankin SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8vzCkJJlSQ ARTIST: Steeleye Span WORK: Long Lankin SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Rw1SVfa_U ARTIST: Martin Carthy WORK: Long Lankin SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlYuv1ZUsZ0 ARTIST: George Fradley WORK: Lankin SOURCE: https://youtu.be/yrEuzBE0uTs?si=aIpFgzidrF7YGpnN ARTIST: Geordie McIntyre WORK: Lamkin SOURCE: https://youtu.be/LQF9M1Omrfs?si=d0yAQwvibFAIDLeQ ARTIST: Alasdair Roberts & Friends WORK: Long Lankin SOURCE: https://youtu.be/es-bKUVLtUE?si=yxV9vFgzZoMpPPVC ARTIST: Lisa Knapp WORK: Long Lankin SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zahxuV3H9Sk ARTIST: Frank Proffitt WORK: Bo Lamkin SOURCE: https://youtu.be/G6MLv__s_cU?si=9kG2WJSa1F0fZ1dg

People in this episode

Host: Olivia Harding

Topics covered

• Child Ballads
• Long Lankin
• Halloween
• music history
• folk music
• murder ballads

Keywords

• Long Lankin
• Child Ballads
• folk music
• Halloween
• murder ballads

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Long Lankin, Lamkin, Bo Lamkin

More episodes of Folk Files

• Episode #3.4 - There Were Two Sisters · April 24, 2026 · 27 min
• Episode #3.3 - The Music of Temple Bar · March 16, 2026 · 41 min
• Episode #3.2 - He Never Returned · February 19, 2026 · 27 min
• Episode #3.1 - Piping in the Haggis · January 20, 2026 · 27 min
• Episode #2.12 - Lully, Lulla · December 18, 2025 · 25 min
• Bonus Episode: The Ballad World of Anna Gordon · December 5, 2025 · 46 min