The Wild Huntsman Legends

May 5, 2000 - © Virginia Marin

The Wild Huntsman is a spectral hunter of medieval legend, who with a pack of spectral dogs frequents certain woodlands. On occasion, these ghosts of the forest are said to assume life forms with unsavory motives. In their pure style, the tales contain a certain amount of gore and were not originally intended for children. The best known legends stem from Germany, France and England...

    Like surfers on the Internet, The Wild Huntsman can pose as anyone whom he chooses to be. He is known to assume different forms in Germany, France and England where he rides the night, identifying with heroes of national legend.

    The first of four popular Germanic Wild Huntsman legends is Wad also known as Wodon, Wotan, Oden and Odin. His name is perpetuated in geographic locations and in the week-day name--Wednesday. His legend is Wad the Wild Huntsman whose domain is the Black Forest.

    Another Germanic tale, The Wild Huntsman and the Mine-Monk, introduces the Mine-Monk, one of several underground spirits peculiar to mining regions in Germany. He is so named because of his identifying miner's dress which sports a monk-like hood. Though mining spirits inhabit other parts of Europe, the most famous spirit of German mines is Rubezahl.

    The Night Huntsman at the Udarser Mill and The Wild Huntsman on Buller Mountain are both gory tales. The latter describes the Huntsman's frequent visits to the mountain on St. Bartholomew's Night, August 24th. Is it a coincidence that the French Huguenot massacre occured on St. Bartholomew's?

    The Huntsman in the French tale, Le Grand Veneur, is thought to be St. Hubert. His hauntings take place in the Fontainbleau Forest.

    But, for sheer volumn and hyperbole the English take the tale, from Ainsworth's Windsor Castle to Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor.

    From England comes Herne, who seems to be the best known of the Wild Huntsmen...

    According to Ainsworth, in the reign of King Richard II (1377-1399), son of Edward the Black Prince, and Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, there worked in his service at Windsor Forest a young keeper known by the handle of Herne.

    One day, as the king and his retinue were riding, Richard fell from his steed. Before his attendants could reach him, the king was gored by a stag.

    Herne rushed to his soverign's side and killed the animal before he could again attack. In the process, Herne was fatally wounded by the stag. As he lay dying, a stranger appeared seemingly out of nowhere, introduced himself as Philip Urswich, and offered to revive the fallen hero if the other keepers would agree to certain requests.

    The copyright of the article The Wild Huntsman Legends in Folklore is owned by Virginia Marin. Permission to republish The Wild Huntsman Legends in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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