Tradition: Dutch Mythology
Alternative Names: De Glène Kerel, De Gloeiige Man, Gloeiende Gerrit, Gleunigen, Glende Kerels, Sjoufert
Category: Ghost
The Myth
The Gloeiige is a fiery ghostly apparition that appears as a living flame, a fireball, or a blazing projectile. Sometimes it takes the shape of a burning bundle of straw or a flaming thatch of roofing. These spirits are the restless souls of people who brought a curse upon themselves during their lives, particularly unjust land surveyors and arsonists, but also thieves and murderers. Many had sworn false oaths, declaring, “May I burn forever if I lie.” After death, they were condemned to fulfil their own terrible curses, doomed to burn as fiery apparitions.
The Gloeiigen are dangerous spirits that may be summoned by calling or whistling for them. Anyone who calls one and then flees may discover a blackened handprint burned onto their door the following morning. In autumn, the fiery spirits descend from the sky and lash chimneys with their blazing chains. Sometimes they enter houses themselves, striking sinners with their chains and leaving painful brands upon their bodies.
In Venlo, the inhabitants were said to have to provide the Gloeiige with an annual offering consisting of a cartload of sand, a pair of tin shoes, and seven and a half stuivers. These strange demands reflect the spirit’s fearsome place in local tradition, where the souls of those who had sworn false oaths or committed serious wrongs continued to suffer through fire after death.
Sources
Van der Veen, Abe. “Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten.” Abe de Verteller. https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/