Ghost

Corrilário

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Tradition / Region: Portuguese Mythology
Alternate Names: Coralário (plural: Coralários)
Category: Dog, Ghost

The Myth

In Portuguese tradition, the Corrilário is said to be the spirit of a restless dead person, appearing in the form of a dog.

These beings are believed to be the souls of those whose lives ended wrongly or whose fate remained unfinished. Some say they were people who died violently, who left promises unfulfilled, or who failed to complete the rites expected of them in life. Others say that a werewolf who dies before the time appointed for his curse must continue on after death as one of these wandering spirits.

As a Corrilário, the soul does not find rest. Instead it is bound to wander the roads and paths of the world. Unlike werewolves, which are said to follow only straight roads, the Corrilário moves along both straight ways and hidden shortcuts, passing through fields, tracks, and lonely routes where few people walk.

Because they are spirits tied to unfinished fate, they are thought to remain in this form only for as long as they would have lived had death not come early. Until that time has passed, they continue their wandering, like messengers moving between places, never settling.

Thus the Corrilário was remembered as a ghostly dog of the roads — not a beast of malice, but the shape taken by the unquiet dead, walking the paths of the living until their destined time was finally spent.

Sources

The Narrator. (2020). Corrilários. In portuguesecreaturesandlegendsgalore.wordpress.com, from https://portuguesecreaturesandlegendsgalore.wordpress.com/2020/01/17/corrilarios/

The Calf-Bleater of Sufferloh

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Tradition / Region: German Mythology
Alternate Names: The Calf Spirit; The Bleating Steward; The Hoofprint Ghost
Category: Cow, Ghost

The Myth

In the free village of Sufferloh, the people once lived under the protection of Tegernsee Abbey. Each year, out of their own goodwill, they brought a calf to the prelate as a sign of respect. The offering was freely given and caused no resentment among the farmers.

But in time a new monastery steward was appointed. When another year passed, he declared that the gift would no longer be voluntary. From then on, he demanded the first-born calf from the farmers as a fixed obligation. The people obeyed, but bitterness settled in their hearts.

After the steward died, strange happenings began in the monastery passage. At night, a loud bleating echoed through the corridors — the unmistakable cry of a calf. The sound returned again and again, filling the monks with dread.

Not long after, a calf’s hoofprint appeared in the stone floor of the passage. No matter what was done, the mark would not vanish. Even when the tiles were removed, the imprint could still be seen beneath them.

The monks finally sealed the passage in hopes of ending the disturbance. Yet the bleating continued night after night, and peace did not return until the monastery itself was dissolved.

People later said the spirit of the unjust steward had been condemned to wander, crying forever like the calf he once demanded without mercy. Some claimed the ghost was driven first to the Ringspitze, and later, by order of the Pope, to roam the Unnütz mountain with other restless spirits, doomed to bleat through the darkness for all time.

Sources

SAGEN.at contributors. (n.d.). Kalbplärrer. In SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus Deutschland: Bayern–Isarwinkel, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/deutschland/bayern/isarwinkel/kalbplaerrer.html

Blanket Ghost of Mühlbach

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Tradition / Region: Romanian Mythology
Alternate Names: The Grey-Bearded Ghost; The Workshop Spirit of Mühlbach
Category: Ghost

The Myth

In the town of Mühlbach, a carpenter was plagued by a strange problem: none of his journeymen would remain with him for long. They were required to sleep in the workshop, and one bed stood in a corner opposite the door. Whoever slept there soon grew pale and thin. Each complained that during the night his blanket was pulled from him, and by morning it would always be found lying behind the door.

Since no one could endure this for long, the men soon left the carpenter’s service. At last a determined apprentice decided he would uncover the truth. The others laughed at his complaints each morning, and he suspected they were playing tricks on him.

That night he lay down as usual but only pretended to sleep. Before midnight had passed, an old man with a long grey beard appeared from behind the door. Without a word, the figure walked to the bed and seized the blanket. The apprentice held on tightly, refusing to release it. But the old man pulled it away with a stubborn, unwilling look, wrapped himself in it, and shuffled back to the corner behind the door.

There the figure seemed to sink into the wall itself, and the blanket slipped from him onto the floor. The apprentice rose, picked it up, and, shaken though he was, managed to sleep.

In the morning, however, the blanket once again lay behind the door.

No one ever discovered why the spirit troubled the workshop in this way, and in the end the carpenter was forced to forbid his apprentices from sleeping there at all.

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Von einem Gespenst in Mühlbach. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/rumaenien/siebenbuergen/muehlbach.html

Haunting at the Enerèweschter Weiher

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Tradition / Region: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternate Names: Spirits of the Enerèweschter Pond
Category: Ghost, Lake dweller

The Myth

Many years ago, on Friday nights, two enormous human figures were said to appear at the pond called Enerèweschter Weiher in the forest near Lintgen. Each carried a long whip and lashed the water with such force that the noise echoed far and wide. At the same time, strange cries of “Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo!” rang through the night.

Afterward, the figures would perform a circle dance around the pond. Whenever anyone tried to approach them, they vanished at the slightest sound, leaving only a loud splash behind in the water.

One night, several daring young men from the village hid behind thick tree trunks, each armed with a club, determined to uncover the truth. As midnight drew near, they again heard the whipping and the eerie cries, and they saw the figures dancing. At a signal, they rushed forward and struck with all their strength. But their blows met nothing. They heard only a splash in the pond, and then all was still.

From that time on, the haunting ceased. Yet even today, some villagers believe that invisible spirits still play their tricks at the Enerèweschter Weiher.

Gallery

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Der Spuk am Enerèweschter Weiher zu Lintgen. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Spuk_Lintgen.html

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Washerwomen at the Kaselter Bach

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Tradition / Region: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternate Names: Storm washerwomen of Kaselter Bach
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Near Lintgen, at the source of the Kaselter Bach, there once stood a tall beech tree. People said that shortly before a thunderstorm, musicians dressed in red would often appear there and play soft music.

At the same time, from the edge of the spring came the loud knocking and banging of washerwomen beating their laundry in rhythm with the music. According to the legend, these women caused rain and storms by splashing water upward with their washing sheets, sending it into the clouds.

No one dared to watch or disturb them. It was said that even the strongest man would have been crushed or killed by a single blow from these washerwomen.

One traveler, who dared to whistle when he heard the ghostly music, was immediately struck by lightning. And two shoemaker’s apprentices, returning drunk from the Lorenzweiler fair and cursing the apparition, were found the next day beside the Kaselter stream with torn clothes, battered faces, and fractured skulls.

Thus the people avoided the place whenever storms gathered.

Gallery

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Wäscherinnen am Kaselter Bach bei Lintgen. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Waescherinnen_Lintgen.html

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Washerwomen at the Pond Rahloch

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Tradition / Region: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternate Names: Rahloch washerwomen
Category: Ghost, Lake dweller

The Myth

Between Sandweiler and Itzig lies a pond known as the Rahloch, a place once regarded as eerie and feared.

One night, a lone wanderer passed by the pond and heard the sharp echo of washerwomen’s sheets sounding through the still air. As he approached, he saw several old women standing at the water’s edge, silently beating laundry before them.

Seeing nothing strange in their work, he called out, “You are washing very late!” But the women gave no answer. Thinking to jest, he spoke again: “Ah, you wretched women, won’t you wash my clothes too?”

Hardly had he spoken when the women rushed upon him and beat him so severely that he fell senseless to the ground. When he later came to, he found his clothes completely soaked, and realized that the washerwomen had stripped him and washed them while he lay unconscious.

Filled with terror, he fled home as fast as he could. Only the next day did he notice that his hair had turned gray from the fright.

Gallery

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Die Wäscherinnen am Weiher „Rahloch“. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Waescherinnen_Rahloch.html

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Washerwomen at Sandweiler

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Tradition / Region: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternate Names: Night washerwomen
Category: Ghost

The Myth

At the Bireler farm near Sandweiler, it was said that seven girls came every night to wash clothes.

One night, a man passed by and, seeing them at work, jokingly called out to them, “Wash my shirt too!”

The washerwomen were enraged by his words. They rushed upon him and beat him severely with their washing sheets.

From that time on, the man took great care never again to speak to washerwomen at night.

Gallery

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Die Wäscherinnen bei Sandweiler. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Waescherinnen_Sandweiler.html

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Bichelgretchen on the Syr

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Tradition / Region: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternate Names: Bichelgretchen; Washerwoman of the Syr
Category: Ghost, Forest dweller

The Myth

Near Mensdorf, people once heard a woman washing clothes every night by the Syr River in the Bichel forest. This figure was known as Bichelgretchen.

She was feared because she carried an iron washing beater, whose cracking sound echoed through the night as she washed.

Travelers were warned never to mock or imitate her.
If someone clapped their hands to mimic the sound of her iron washing beater, they would suddenly lose their footing and fall into the river — at which point loud, mocking laughter would ring out.

Bichelgretchen was believed to possess supernatural strength, and anyone who came too close risked being struck down by the terrible force of her iron washing beater.

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Das Bichelgretchen an der Syr. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Bichelgretchen.html

Washerwomen at the Scholtesbur in Lintgen

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Tradition / Region: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternate Names: Scholtesbur Washerwomen; Midnight Washers of the Well
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Around midnight, a villager was passing the Scholtesbur near Lintgen with his dog when he saw two women at the well, silently striking their washbasins with tremendous force.

The dog shrank in fear against its master, sensing something unnatural.
The man hurried past, but soon heard footsteps behind him. Looking down, he noticed a long shadow at his feet. Turning quickly, he saw that one of the women was following close behind, while the other came after at a distance.

He called out to them, asking what they wanted, but received no answer. Since they neither attacked nor spoke, he continued on his way, gripping his walking stick in readiness. The dog followed in terror, tail tucked.

When he finally reached the hilltop and looked back, the women had vanished.
Yet down at the Scholtesbur he saw them again — now whirling in a wild, diabolical dance.

Gallery

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Die Wäscherinnen am Scholtesbur zu Lintgen. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Scholtesbur.html

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The Burjoffern of Niederkorn

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Tradition / Region: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternate Names: Washerwomen of the Fountain; Midnight Washers
Category: Ghost

The Myth

At the large washing fountain in Niederkorn, people often heard loud splashing around midnight, as if many washerwomen were laboring there.

Those who, out of curiosity, tried to approach and discover the source of the noise were suddenly struck by powerful jets of water. Though they saw no one, they were drenched again and again and chased away in this manner, sometimes all the way to their own doorsteps.

Thus the fountain was remembered as the place where the unseen Burjoffern worked and defended their midnight washing.

Gallery

Sources

sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Die Burjoffern zu Niederkorn. In sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/luxemburg/Burjoffern.html

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