Belgian Mythology

Boerlavrouw

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: Berlavrouw, Boerrede Vrouw
Category: Nymph

The Myth

The Boerlavrouw is a mischievous air spirit from the folklore of Antwerp, Belgium, associated with the wind blowing across fields of flax. She was said to play among the plants as they lay drying in the fields, sometimes teasing the farmers with her tricks.

Her favourite prank was to pick up bundles of flax and carry them into a neighbouring farmer’s field, leaving them there to cause confusion. The farmers might find their drying flax mysteriously displaced, with no obvious explanation for how it had travelled from one field to another.

The Boerlavrouw was more than just a playful spirit: she was the personification of a gust of wind, given a human-like identity in local folklore. Her antics offered a supernatural explanation for the sudden breezes that swept through the flax fields and scattered the farmers’ crops.

Sources

Abe de Verteller. (n.d.). Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten. In Abe de Verteller, from https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/

Gypnissen

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: Gypnissen
Category: House dweller

The Myth

The Gypnissen are a kind of small, wondrous female beings said to have lived in a mysterious castle at Het Beggelken, in the Kluise district of Oordegem. According to local tradition, the castle could be built in a single night and disappear again by morning. The old people of the village told stories of the Gypnissen who inhabited this extraordinary place, describing them as supernatural women who helped local households without harming anyone.

The Gypnissen were especially known for washing clothes. When a household had laundry to be done, the inhabitants would prepare the washing in the evening and leave it ready for the little women. They would also provide a small pot of coffee and a sandwich as refreshments. By the following morning, all the clothes had been washed, while the coffee and sandwich had disappeared. The Gypnissen performed their work quietly and efficiently, asking for nothing more than this simple offering.

Unlike more threatening supernatural beings, the Gypnissen were considered harmless and helpful. Their mysterious labour allowed ordinary household chores to be completed overnight, while the food and drink left for them established a reciprocal relationship between humans and the supernatural world.

The account preserves local testimony supporting the belief in these beings. An elderly woman reportedly assured the storyteller that her own mother had associated with the Gypnissen. Older inhabitants of Oordegem were said to swear that the stories were true. A former schoolmate also described a similar tradition from the nearby parish of Kluizen, where the beings were known by another name that the storyteller could no longer remember. These accounts suggest that stories of small female spirits who secretly helped with domestic work circulated in several local communities.

Sources

De Cock, Alfons. Vlaamsche sagen uit den volksmond. Amsterdam: Maatschappij voor Goede en Goedkoope Lectuur, 1921. https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/cock001vlaa01_01/cock001vlaa01_01_0004.php#subnav-meer-btn

Mare

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: De Mare
Category: House dweller

The Myth

The Mare is a terrifying supernatural being that appears as an old, heavy woman dressed entirely in black. In a legend from Beveren-Waas, she attacks a woman who has returned to bed after rising early to prepare everything for her husband before he leaves for work. The Mare’s appearance is sudden and frightening, transforming an ordinary morning into a supernatural ordeal.

The woman had expected someone from the village, who customarily came to call her husband when it was time to leave for work. That morning, however, nobody appeared. After briefly going outside to look and listen, she returned indoors, locked the door, and lay down again. She had been resting for barely five minutes when she thought she heard the key turning in the front door and someone entering the room.

An old, stout woman dressed completely in black approached the bed and threw herself onto the woman. The supernatural attacker felt extraordinarily heavy, as though she weighed a hundred kilograms, pressing down on her victim. When the frightened woman tried to scream, she felt her throat being squeezed shut and could scarcely breathe, as if she were about to suffocate.

At the moment when the woman seemed close to suffocation, the Mare suddenly vanished. The victim was immediately able to breathe freely again. The account offers no explanation for the Mare’s origins or motives, but its attack resembles the frightening experience of being crushed and strangled while lying in bed. In this Flemish tradition, the Mare is remembered as a menacing nocturnal or early-morning presence capable of overwhelming a person with supernatural weight and leaving them struggling for breath.

Sources

De Cock, Alfons. Vlaamsche sagen uit den volksmond. Amsterdam: Maatschappij voor Goede en Goedkoope Lectuur, 1921. https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/cock001vlaa01_01/cock001vlaa01_01_0004.php#subnav-meer-btn

Flerus

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: –
Category: House dweller

The Myth

Fleurus is a benevolent household spirit in Flemish folklore that can take the form of a person or a domestic animal. He performs heavy household work and helps families with difficult tasks. When a maid cannot manage the cleaning, Fleurus may come to her aid; if a horse is sick, he can appear as a strong, vigorous horse, allowing himself to be harnessed and working in its place. He expects little in return, usually accepting a small amount of fresh milk and sugar as a reward.

Fleurus is generally helpful, but he can also be mischievous. One story tells of a farmer whose business was prosperous and whose household was well cared for by the spirit. When a horse fell ill, Fleurus appeared in the form of a strong horse and willingly performed the work. He never shied away from labour and also helped when a maid was unable to cope with her cleaning duties. In return, he was usually given fresh milk with a little sugar.

One day, however, a pair of young newlyweds decided to play a trick on Fleurus. When he appeared to help with the work, they offered him milk mixed with garlic instead of sugar. Fleurus merely sipped the drink and disappeared, saying:

“Milk and garlic!
Fleurus runs away,
And with him goes the luck.”

After that, nobody heard or saw Fleurus at the farm again. The place became known as Fleurushoff, preserving the memory of the household spirit whose help and good fortune had been lost through the couple’s trick.

Sources

“Flerus.” Encyclopedia Mythica. https://pantheon.org/articles/f/flerus.html

Zwaardman

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Tradition: Dutch Mythology, Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: Zwaardman
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Zwaardman is the ghost of a knight who wanders the earth carrying a flaming sword. In life, he was a proud and wrathful man whose arrogance led him to commit a terrible crime: he murdered a priest inside a church while the priest was celebrating Mass. For this sacrilege, he received a dreadful punishment that continued beyond death.

As divine punishment for his crime, the knight’s castle sank into the ground, and his spirit was condemned to wander forever. Unable to find rest, the Zwaardman haunts the places associated with his legend, appearing as a ghostly knight wielding a sword engulfed in flames.

Stories of the Zwaardman are told in several places, including Uithuizermeeden, Maaseik, Bergeijk, and Sint-Pieters-Rode near Brussels. His legend warns of the terrible consequences of pride, violence, and the murder of a holy man.

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/

Lange Man

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology, Dutch Mythology
Alternative Names: Lange Man
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Lange Man is a tall, black apparition shaped like a human figure. Rather than walking, he glides above the ground with his legs held tightly together, his neck stiff and his arms hanging limply at his sides. Despite his frightening appearance, he is said to protect people who travel late at night.

In Maastricht, the Lange Man is said to emerge from a cellar opening during the night before growing to a height greater than the surrounding houses. He peers through people’s windows and knocks on the highest panes of glass, towering over the buildings as he moves through the darkness. He can also transform himself into an old woman or a large, rolling ball, making his appearance unpredictable and unsettling.

Despite his occasional protective role, the Lange Man is also regarded as a harbinger of disease. His nocturnal appearances and strange transformations are signs that illness may soon come to the people who encounter him.

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/

Houwvrouw

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Tradition: Dutch Mythology, Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: Meltevrouw, Barende Vrouw, Varende Vrouw, Dolvrouw, Bontevrouw, Windsbruid, Winddrolle
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Houwvrouw is a mysterious female wind spirit said to appear on hot summer days above the Afferdsche heath in Limburg. She can be seen in the shimmering waves of heated air, twisting and spinning as she travels through the sky. As she moves, she carries away everything light enough to be swept up by the wind. After her journey, she rests in an underground dwelling belonging to Aart with the Grey Beard, king of the gnomes, and Wieland the Smith, king of the little elves.

In Belgian Limburg, the Houwvrouw is described as a powerful storm wind that uproots and overturns sheaves of grain, carrying them several metres into the air. Her appearance may take the form of a sudden downpour, a whirlwind, or a swirling gust of wind that sweeps across the land. Farmers fear the destruction she can cause as she tears through fields and scatters their harvest.

The names Houwvrouw and Meltevrouw both mean “marrying woman.” One explanation suggests that people may have interpreted the wind as a sign of a marriage between heaven and earth, as it rises into the sky before descending again. In this way, the Houwvrouw embodies the mysterious and destructive power of the wind, appearing as a supernatural woman whose passage can transform a peaceful summer landscape into a swirling storm.

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/

Barrack Horse

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: The Phantom Beast of the Falcon Barracks
Category: Horse

The Myth

Around fifty years before the story was told, a soldier was stationed at the Falcon Barracks in Antwerp, where he and his fellow soldiers took turns guarding the banks of the Scheldt. During one eight-day period, three sentries disappeared while standing guard at the same spot beside the water. The soldiers suspected that the missing men had been thrown into the river, and fear spread throughout the barracks. Nobody dared to stand guard alone at that location anymore, so the military authorities ordered that two soldiers be stationed there together. From then on, no further incidents occurred, and eventually the soldiers forgot about the disappearances. The guard was once again reduced to a single man.

One night, while the narrator himself was on duty, a soldier came rushing into the guardroom at around one o’clock in the morning. His face was whiter than a wall, and he seemed close to death from fright. He explained that he had been standing inside his sentry box when a terrifying creature suddenly appeared beside him. It was about the size of a yearling foal and was completely engulfed in flames, with fire blazing across its entire body.

Overcome with terror, the soldier had abandoned his post and fled. His fear was so severe that he had to be put to bed and later carried to the hospital. Three days after the encounter, he died. The strange fiery beast was never explained, but its appearance brought the soldiers’ earlier fears back to life, leaving them to wonder whether a supernatural creature haunted the lonely stretch of riverbank.

Sources

De Cock, Alfons. Vlaamsche sagen uit den volksmond. Amsterdam: Maatschappij voor Goede en Goedkoope Lectuur, 1921.

Shirt of the Ghost

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: The Ghost’s Shirt
Category: Ghost

The Myth

In Lebbeke, three women went out washing together every day. They began their work early in the morning, long before the sun appeared in the east. Whenever they passed the cemetery, they saw a mysterious figure standing before the entrance, wearing a white shirt. At first, the women were terrified, but after seeing the apparition so often, their fear gradually faded. They even began making mocking remarks, eventually convincing themselves that some prankster was dressing in white to frighten them.

The boldest of the three women decided that, given the next opportunity, she would pull the shirt straight off the mysterious figure’s body. A few days later, while the women were doing the washing at the priest’s house and passing the cemetery again, she carried out her plan. She seized the shirt, pulled it from the figure, and placed it in the washing tub with the other linen.

After Mass, the priest was walking through his garden when he noticed the linen laid out to bleach. One particular shirt caught his attention. Upon examining it more closely, he recognized it with horror as a ghost’s shirt. He hurried to the washing women to discover how it had come into their possession. The woman who had taken it was terrified when she learned what she had done. The priest ordered her to return the shirt to the ghost at exactly the same hour the following night. He promised to follow her from a distance and protect her from harm if necessary.

When the appointed hour arrived, the frightened woman approached the apparition with the priest following behind her. With a trembling heart, she placed the shirt back on the ghost. As soon as she had finished, the spirit turned toward her and spoke in a hollow voice, thanking her a thousand times. He explained that she had freed him from purgatory, where he had been condemned to return every night until someone removed his shirt and put it back on him. Having finally been released from his punishment, the ghost vanished and was never seen again.

Sources

De Cock, Alfons. Vlaamsche sagen uit den volksmond. Amsterdam: Maatschappij voor Goede en Goedkoope Lectuur, 1921.

White Woman of Wijnegem

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Tradition: Belgian Mythology
Alternative Names: The White Woman of Wijnegem
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The White Woman of Wijnegem appears as a mysterious white figure that roams near the canal. Although she initially resembles a ghostly woman, she may actually be a witch capable of transforming into an animal.

Around forty years before the legend was recorded, a man from Wijnegem was returning home from work along the canal. A white figure approached him and attempted to attack him. The man fired his gun at the apparition, which immediately transformed into a cat and disappeared.

The following day, the man learned that a woman known locally as a witch was lying wounded in bed. He realized that the white figure he had shot had been the witch in another form. The encounter revealed the dangerous nature of the White Woman, whose ghostly appearance concealed a shapeshifting witch.

Sources

De Cock, Alfons. Vlaamsche sagen uit den volksmond. Amsterdam: Maatschappij voor Goede en Goedkoope Lectuur, 1921.