Tradition / Region: Czech Mythology
Alternate Names: Schwarzer Hiesel
Category: Forest dweller
The Myth
Black Hiesel was a feared and elusive poacher who roamed the forests with unnatural power. Though human in origin, he possessed supernatural resilience that set him apart from ordinary men.
No weapon could harm him. Bullets flattened against his skin, blades failed to cut him, and even iron had no effect. Hunters who tried to kill him found themselves powerless, as if he existed beyond the reach of normal violence.
He hunted freely in the forests, especially in the Wallerer woods, killing deer and game without restraint. Lawful hunters were left with nothing but tracks and remains, which fueled both their anger and fear. They organized hunts to capture or kill him, but every attempt failed.
When cornered, Black Hiesel used another unnatural ability—transformation. He could turn himself into parts of the forest, such as a young fir tree or a dry stump. In this form, he remained unnoticed, listening as hunters passed by him, unaware that their target stood among them. This ability made him not only untouchable, but also omnipresent within the woodland.
Over time, his presence became deeply unsettling. Hunters began to lose their courage, knowing they were dealing with something more than a man.
Eventually, however, he was caught off guard. Unable to kill him by conventional means, his pursuers resorted to brute force. They crushed his skull with a heavy wooden tool, ending his life in a way that bypassed his unnatural protection.
Black Hiesel represents a recurring figure in folklore:
a human who crosses into the supernatural through defiance, gaining power over nature and weapons, but ultimately remaining vulnerable to raw, physical force.
Sources
sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Der schwarze Hiesel. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/tschechien/watzlik/hiesel.html