Tradition: Dutch Mythology
Alternative Names: Verenmannetje, Jantsje mei de fearren, Wietske mei de fearren
Category: Ghost
The Myth
Fearremantsje, also known as Verenmannetje, is a ghostly being said to haunt the cornfields around Twizel in Friesland, the Netherlands. Its name is associated with feathers, and it is also known by the names Jantsje mei de fearren and Wietske mei de fearren. No precise description of its appearance is recorded, leaving its form mysterious.
Adults used Fearremantsje as a frightening figure to scare children, warning them of the ghost lurking among the corn. The idea of a spirit hidden in the field made the familiar agricultural landscape seem dangerous and uncanny, particularly to children who might otherwise wander into the crops.
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/