Episode 198: Irascible Immortals: Isis

The folklore of Isis in a nutshell and how I reimagined it for my writing.

Written and narrated by Ronel Janse van Vuuren.

Copyright 2026 Ronel Janse van Vuuren — All rights reserved.

Learn more about Isis here.

Get the transcript here.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Newsletter: https://ronel-the-mythmaker.kit.com/671d4c97de
• Audiobooks of the podcast: https://payhip.com/RonelJansevanVuuren/collection/faeries-and-folklore-podcast-audiobooks
• Irascible Immortals books: https://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/my-books/the-irascible-immortals-series/

Learn more about the author and her writing here.

Music: Secrets by David Fesliyan (FesliyanStudios.com) and Dramatic Heartbeat by FesliyanStudios.com

Transcript

You’re listening to the Faeries and Folklore podcast by Ronel.

I’m dark fantasy author Ronel Janse van Vuuren. With nearly a decade of digging around in dusty folklore books, researching creatures of imagination that ignited my curiosity, I’m here to share the folklore in a nutshell and how I reimagined it for my writing in an origin of the fae.

This is the Faeries and Folklore podcast.

Hi, I’m your host Ronel Janse van Vuuren. You can just call me Ronel. In today’s episode, we’re continuing our exploration of the fae realm.

This episode is brought to you by my Irascible Immortals series, available in ebook, paperback, hardback and audiobook. They’ve been alive forever. They’ve been bored for some time. And now they’re showing it. Go to ronelthemythmaker.com/my-books/the-irascible-immortals-series for more.

We’re continuing our exploration of the Immortals.

Today’s faery: Isis

Folklore in a nutshell by Ronel

Isis is the sister of Nephthys, Set and Osiris; daughter of Geb and Nut; mother of Horus; wife of Osiris. Complicated family at its best.

She’s a protective mother who isn’t above blackmail and trickery to make sure her son gets what she believes he deserves. This is strongly evident in the myth about how Horus took the throne from his uncle, Set, when she tricks Ra into revealing his true name so she can control him, and when she sabotages Set during several competitions between him and Horus so her boy can win. Just as Horus is seen as the pharaoh of the living, Isis is seen as the protector of the pharaoh.

It is said that she and Osiris fell in love in the womb and that’s why their love transcends death. 

Her godfather is Thoth. He taught her how to use magic and eventually she surpassed him. Her greatest magical feats include learning Ra’s true name by creating a snake from his own saliva that bit him and he couldn’t heal it himself and needed her help, resurrecting Osiris temporarily to conceive Horus, creating the Duat (the afterlife) so her deceased husband can rule it, and various tales of her healing magic.

She’s usually depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a sheath dress. She sometimes has wings, which brings fresh air to the underworld. She’s also shown with a throne, solar disk, or cow’s horns on her head. She’s sometimes depicted in animal form as a scorpion, a kite (bird), a sow or a cow.

As the queen of Egypt, she taught women how to weave, bake, brew beer and more. She was invoked in healing spells. She and her sister, along with Anubis, are thought to have created the first mummy when they tried to preserve Osiris’ body after Set had murdered him.

Bloodthirsty and ruthless, compassionate and loyal – this contradictory goddess is still worshipped today.

Origin of the fae: Isis

Isis has been kept from the Duat since she created it, for reasons only the males of her pantheon know. Which means she’s been kept from her true love for millennia. Her grief has been immense, and many have perished because of it. She’s a protective goddess, sometimes over-protective mother, and powerful sorceress. She’s a beautiful woman who can sprout wings or turn into a bird (usually a kite). She enjoys playing board games with Athena. She usually acts with great deportment. But she can become a fierce warrior at a moment’s notice.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this episode of the faeries and folklore podcast and that you’ve learned something new about faeries.

Remember that you can get a transcript of this episode in the description. If you’re new to the podcast, why not go and grab your free copy of Unseen, the second book in the Faery Tales series, on my website ronelthemythmaker.com? Loads of folklore, magic and danger await! Take care!

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