Tradition: Dutch Mythology
Alternative Names: Hantsje Pik
Category: Forest Dweller
The Myth
Hantsje Plus is a frightening bogeyman from Frisian folklore who wanders through the cornfields with a wheelbarrow. He is feared for abducting naughty children and those who stray into the fields, carrying them away in his wheelbarrow. His presence serves as a warning to children to behave themselves and stay away from places where they might encounter the mysterious figure.
Hantsje Plus was also associated with a traditional winter celebration held in the Frisian Woodlands shortly before Christmas. During this festival, people rang bells, made loud noises, and built a large bonfire. The noisy festivities were dedicated to Hantsje Plus, whose figure remained part of local winter customs. In the village of Grou, he was known as the black servant of Sint Pieter. His alternative name, Hantsje Pik, was also used as a name for the Devil, linking the bogeyman with darker supernatural traditions.
Sources
“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/