Tradition: Luxembourg Mythology
Alternative Names: Das wilde Schwein, The Hellish Beast
Category: Pig
The Myth
The Wild Boar is a terrifying creature described in a Luxembourgish legend about young horse herders who spent their nights taking horses out to pasture. An old farmer recalled that strange and frightening events often occurred during these nocturnal excursions. Among them, he particularly remembered a wild boar that periodically charged through their herders’ campfires, sending countless sparks flying into the air and leaving the men’s faces blackened by morning.
The appearance of this hellish beast brought disaster to the herders. Whenever they saw it, their horses would scatter in every direction, forcing them to search for the animals afterward. On one occasion, the boar suddenly sprang between the legs of one of the young men, compelling him to endure a terrifying ride through forests and rough terrain until he reached a distant, towering rock.
The unfortunate herder was trapped on the rock for seven days. Only on the eighth day did he manage to escape, facing numerous dangers along the way. He eventually returned to his companions, half-starved and covered in blood. The tale portrays the Wild Boar as a demonic and dangerous creature whose supernatural strength could carry people away and bring chaos to those tending horses at night.
Sources
La Fontaine, Edmond de. Luxemburger Sagen und Legenden. Luxembourg, 1882.