Tradition: Dutch Mythology
Alternative Names: Huinen, Hunnen, Hunewief (giant’s wife), Hunewiven (giant women)
Category: Giant
The Myth
Hunen are giants from the folklore of Drenthe and Overijssel in the eastern Netherlands. They are credited with building the region’s ancient megalithic tombs, known as hunebedden, as well as huneborgen and huneschanzen. They were enormous, powerful men capable of extraordinary feats of strength, including pulling entire trees out of the ground. Their immense strength made them dangerous to ordinary people, even during seemingly harmless encounters.
People had to be careful when a hune offered to shake their hand, as the giant’s grip could crush a person’s hand. In one tale, a farmer anticipated this danger by offering the hune the wooden handle of a manure fork instead. The giant squeezed it so forcefully that he ground the handle into powder. The story illustrates the extraordinary strength of the hunen and the need for ordinary people to use their wits when dealing with them.
The female hunen, known as hunewiven or hunewiefs, were associated with witchcraft. They could use their powers to heal people, but they could also inflict illness through magic. Their frightening reputation extended into family life, particularly in stories about protecting children. A Twents lullaby warns a hunewief to stay away from a baby’s cradle, threatening to beat her if she approaches. The song reflects the fear that a hunewief might make a child sick or steal it away.
The hunen thus occupy an important place in regional Dutch folklore as both legendary builders and powerful supernatural beings. While the male giants were known chiefly for their immense physical strength, their female counterparts possessed magical abilities that could bring either healing or harm. Their association with the ancient megalithic monuments of Drenthe and Overijssel connects these beings to the mysterious origins of the region’s prehistoric landscape.
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/