Tradition: Czech Mythology
Alternative Names: Bohemian Man
Category: Forest dweller
The Myth
The Bohemian Man is a mysterious and terrifying spirit that haunts Föhrenberg, a wild forest behind Hadruwa near the border between German-speaking lands and Bohemia. In former times, his presence made the woodland a place of fear, and his chilling cry of “Hohoho!” could often be heard echoing through the trees at night. His true appearance remains unclear, but his supernatural power is enough to overwhelm anyone foolish enough to summon him.
One night, after the evening bells had rung, a mocking farmhand walked through the wilderness. Driven by curiosity, he shouted into the darkness, calling for the Bohemian Man to come to him. The spirit immediately seized him by the scruff of his neck. It pulled his hair and forced him onward until he sweated and struggled beneath a burden that felt as heavy as heaven and earth. The farmhand could not escape the torment until he reached a consecrated crucifix, whose sacred power finally freed him.
Another winter night, a young man travelling with village maids decided to show off by calling out the Bohemian Man’s name. The moment he shouted, he was terrified by the sound of his own voice and fled into a nearby house, bolting the door behind him. But the spirit soon appeared outside the window, shining its eerie light into the room. The frightened people hid behind the stove, beneath the table, and behind the bed while the mysterious figure lingered outside. Eventually, the spirit crept away, but the young man was too terrified to leave the house until morning. He swore never again to call the Bohemian Man, having learned that mocking the darkness could summon something he could not control.
Sources
Hans Watzlik. “Der böhmische Mann.” In Böhmerwald-Sagen. Budweis: Böhmerwalder Dorfbücher, 1921, Heft 5. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/tschechien/watzlik/derboehmischemann.html