Tradition / Region: Dutch Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dog, Devil, Demon
The Myth
Stommelstaart is a name used in Dutch folklore for the Devil when he appears in the form of a dog.
He is described specifically as a large black poodle — an unsettling shape that looks almost ordinary at first, but is recognized as something far more sinister. The name itself suggests something heavy, dragging, or awkward in movement, fitting the eerie presence attributed to the creature.
Like many Dutch tales of the Devil in animal form, this appearance serves as a warning figure: a dark, dog-shaped manifestation of evil wandering the night or appearing to those who stray too far from the right path.
Gallery
Sources
Abe de Verteller. (n.d.). Van aardmannetje tot zwarte juffer: Een lijst van Nederlandse en Vlaamse elfen en geesten. From https://abedeverteller.nl/van-aardmannetje-tot-zwarte-juffer-een-lijst-van-nederlandse-en-vlaamse-elfen-en-geesten/
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
- Hermetic Deep Dive
Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive