Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative names: Bitebau, Budde
Category: Demon
The Myth
The Bietebauw is a frightening supernatural being from Flemish folklore, appearing as a boogeyman, devil-like creature, or ghost. In one recorded account from a 1595 witchcraft trial in Den Bosch, it is described as a black, crawling animal with no head and no tail.
In other traditions, the Bietebauw appears as a ghost in human form. People who were born with the caul were believed to be able to see it, while others could not. When it appeared to them, it could reveal a supernatural warning or prediction of something that was about to happen.
The Bietebauw was also used as a child-frightening figure, with Flemish traditions invoking it as a creature that would come from the black mountains and seize naughty children. In some older contexts it was associated with a devil or malevolent supernatural being.
Sources
“Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten.” Abe de Verteller. Accessed August 29, 2026. https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/