The wild hunt: Åsgårdsreien (1872) by Peter Nicolai Arbo

The Wild Hunt was a folk myth prevalent in former times across Northern, Western and Central Europe.^[1] The fundamental premise in all instances is the same: a phantasmal group of huntsmen with the accoutrements of hunting, horses, hounds, etc., in mad pursuit across the skies or along the ground, or just above it.^[2] It is often a way to explain thunderstorms. the wild hunt The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... the wild hunt The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831–1892) was a Norwegian painter, who specialized in painting historical motifs and images from Norse mythology. ... Men and women wearing suits, an example of one of the many modern forms of clothing (from the 1937 Chicago Woolen Mills catalog) Clothing is defined, in its broadest sense, as coverings for the torso and limbs as well as coverings for the hands (gloves), feet (socks, shoes, sandals, boots... This article is about the hunting of prey by human society. ...

The hunters may be the dead, or the fairies (often in folklore connected with the dead).^[3] The hunter may be an unidentified lost soul, a deity or spirit of either gender, or may be a historical or legendary figure like Dietrich of Berne, the Danish king Valdemar Atterdag, Woden^[1] (or other reflexes of the same god, such as Alemannic Wuodan in Wuotis Heer of Central Switzerland, Swabia etc.), or Arawn. Dietrich von Bern is a figure from German medieval legend, long considered to have been based on Theodoric the Great (454–526), the historical king of the Ostrogoths. ... Valdemar IV of Denmark (Valdemar Atterdag) shown on a fresco in Næstveds Saint Peters Church (Sankt Peders Kirke). ... This is the article about the belief in Odin among West Germanic peoples, for other uses see Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... The term Alemannic can have several meanings. ... link titlelink titlelink titlelink titlelink titleCentral Switzerland is the region is geographically the heart and historically the origin of Switzerland, with the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Lucerne and Zug. ... Germany, showing modern borders. ... In Welsh mythology, Arawn was the Lord of the Underworld, which was called Annwn. ...

It has been variably referred to as the Wild Hunt, Woden's Hunt, the Raging Host (Germany), Herlathing (England), Mesnee d'Hellequin (Northern France), Cŵn Annwn (Wales) Cain's Hunt, Ghost Riders (North America), Herod's Hunt, Gabriel's Hounds, Asgardreia (Asgard ride) and even in Cornwall "the devil's dandy dogs."^[4] In Welsh mythology, the Cŵn Annwn (hounds of Annwn) were the white, red-eared ghostly hounds of Annwn, the land of the dead. ... Herod was the name of several members of the Herodian Dynasty of Roman Iudaea Province: Herod the Great (c. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Seeing the Wild Hunt was thought to presage some catastrophe such as war or plague, or at best the death of the one who witnessed it.^{[citation needed]} Mortals getting in the path of or following the Hunt could be kidnapped and brought to the land of the dead. A girl who saw Wild Edric's Ride was warned by her father to put her apron over her head to avoid the sight.^[5] Others believed that people's spirits could be pulled away during their sleep to join the cavalcade.^[6]

Middle Ages

A mask representing a Perchten - a follower of Perchta, sometimes leader of the Wild Hunt.

Medieval legends are mostly from Germany. Historical figures reported to have participated in the Wild Hunt were St. Guthlac (683–714), and Hereward the Wake (died ca. 1070). In Orderic Vitalis's history he reports such a cavalcade seen in January 1091, which he asserts were "Herlechin's troop (familia Herlechini)^[7] From the 12th century, there are testimonies from England: In the Peterborough Chronicle, the chronicler attests the Wild Hunt's appearance at the appointment of a disastrous abbot for the monastery. Around the year 1132 , the anonymous monk wrote: Procession in Klagenfurt The eastern and central Alpine region is rich in pagan traditions, some dating back to ancient times. ... Perchta or Percht: Perchta was originally a goddess of vegetation and fertility from German mythology . ... Guthlác (683-714) of Crowland, Lincolnshire, England is a saint. ... Hereward the Wake was an 11th century English, Anglo Saxon, leader who led resistance to the Norman Conquest and was consequently labelled an outlaw. ... Events Hereward the Wake begins a Saxon revolt in the Fens of eastern England. ... Orderic Vitalis (1075 – c. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... The Peterborough Chronicle (also called The Laud Manuscript) is one of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles that contains unique information about the history of England after the Norman Conquest. ...

Tha huntes waeron swarte and micele and lardlice, and here hondes ealle swarte and bradegede and lardlice, and hi ridone on swarte hors and on swarte bucces....

("Then the hunters were black and large and terrifying, and their hounds were all black and broad-eyed and terrifying, and they rode on black horses and black goats....").

This particular Wild Hunt was banished by the intervention of the monks of the monastery and the local nobility.

The leaders were known by many names, including Wodan (or Woden), Knecht Ruprecht (or Krampus), Berchtold (or Berchta), Holle (or Hulda), and Selga. Another look the leader of the wild hunt would have is that of a blue skelleton or a skelleton radiating an erie blue light. For other meanings of Odin and Wotan see Odin (disambiguation) Odin (Old Norse Óðinn, Swedish Oden) is usually considered the supreme god of Germanic and Norse mythology. ... Krampus (2003 Perchtenlauf in Woelfnitz, Austria) Knecht Ruprecht, companion of Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas, is also known as Servant Ruprecht, Farmhand Ruprecht, Pelzebock, Pelznickel (Nicholas in furs), and Schmutzli in Switzerland, sometimes associated with Saint Rupert. ... The Dutch version, called Zwarte Piet Knecht Ruprecht, companion of Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas, is also known as Servant Ruprecht, Farmhand Ruprecht, Pelzebock, Pelznickel (Nicholas in furs), Zwarte Piet or Zwarte Peter in the Netherlands and Flanders, Black Peter, and Schmutzli Samichlaus in Switzerland, sometimes associated with Saint Rupert. ... In Germanic folklore Holda is the supernatural patron of the mystery of spinning with its links to the other world (See weaving (mythology)). She is well known throughout northern Europe (see Huld in Scandinavian mythology). ...

While these Wild Hunts are recorded by clergymen, and portrayed as diabolic, late medieval English romance like Sir Orfeo, the hunters are rather from a fairy otherworld, as in Celtic countries, where the Wild Hunt was the hosting of the Sidhe, the fairies; its leaders also varied, but they included Gwydion, Gwynn ap Nudd, King Arthur, Nuada, and Herne the Hunter. Many legends are told of their origins, as in that of "Dando and his dogs" or "the dandy dogs": Dando, wanting a drink but having exhausted what his huntsmen carried, declared he would go to hell for it. A stranger came and offered a drink, only to steal Dando's game and then Dando himself, with his dogs giving chase. The sight was long claimed to have been seen in the area.^[8] Another legend recounted how King Herla, having visited the Fairy King, was warned not to step down from his horse until the greyhound he carried jumped down; he found that three centuries had passed during his visit, and those of his men who dismounted crumbled to dust, and he and his men are still riding, because the greyhound has yet to jump down.^[9] Sir Orfeo is an anonymous Middle English narrative poem. ... by Sophie Anderson For other uses, see Fairy (disambiguation). ... This article is about the European people. ... In Irish mythology, the sídhe (pronounced shee) are a supernatural race, quite distinct from humankind. ... by Sophie Anderson A fairy, or faery, is a creature from stories and mythology, often portrayed in art and literature as a minuscule humanoid with wings. ... In Welsh mythology, Gwydion is a magician appearing prominently in the Fourth branch of the Mabinogi and the ancient poem Cad Goddeu. ... In Welsh mythology, Gwyn ap Nudd was the god of the underworld. ... For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In English mythology, Herne the Hunter is a ghost or monster associated with Windsor Great Park. ... Oberon, also Auberon, King of Shadows and Fairies, is best known as a character in William Shakespeares play, A Midsummer Nights Dream, written in the mid-1590s. ...

Post-medieval legend

The Wild Hunt is known from the post-medieval folklore of Germany, Ireland, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, and to a lesser extent Norway. One of the origins postulated for the modern Harlequin is Hellequin, a stock character in French passion plays. Hellequin, a black-faced emissary of the devil, is said to have roamed the countryside with a group of demons chasing the damned souls of evil people to Hell. The physical appearance of Hellequin offers an explanation for the traditional colours of Harlequin's mask (red and black).^[10] “Arlecchino” redirects here. ...

The myth of the Wild Hunt has through the ages been modified to accommodate other gods and folk heroes, among them King Arthur and, more recently, in a Dartmoor folk legend, Sir Francis Drake. For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor and southern England at 621 m (2037 ft) above sea level, with Yes Tor beyond. ... This article is about the Elizabethan naval commander. ...

In certain parts of Britain, the hunt is said to be that of hell-hounds chasing sinners or the unbaptised. In Devon these are known as Yeth Hounds, and in Somerset as Gabriel Ratchets. For other uses, see Devon (disambiguation). ...

It can be compared to other ghostly troops, such as the Santa Compaña in Galicia, a procession of the dead that recruits those who meet it; and the chasse-galerie, or bewitched canoe, of Québec. For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ... The Santa Compaña (Holy Company) is probably one of the most deep-rooted mythical beliefs in rural Galicia (see Galician mythology), and also in Asturias, where it is called Güestia. ... Galicia (Spain) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... For the band, see Chasse-galerie (band). ... This article is about the Canadian province. ...

Origins

part of a series on Odin
Origins
Regional traditions
North Germanic West Germanic
Attributes and symbols
Wild Hunt Valhalla Einherjar Hugin and Munin Sleipnir Geri and Freki Hlidskjalf Gungnir Valknut
Other
Odin's names Óðr Vili and Vé Odin's sons Placenames Odinism

As Kris Kershaw has exhaustively documented (Kershaw 2001), the ritual re-enactment of the Wild Hunt was a cultural phenomenon documented among many Gaulish and Germanic peoples. In its Germanic manifestations the Harii painted themselves black to attack their enemies in the darkness. The Heruli, nomadic, ecstatic wolf-warriors, dedicated themselves to Wodan. The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... The 6th century Vadstena bracteate, showing a horse, a bird and a human head commonly identified as an early form of Scandinavian Odin. ... Odin is considered the highest god in Norse mythology and Norse paganism. ... This is the article about the belief in Odin among West Germanic peoples, for other uses see Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Valhalla (disambiguation). ... In Norse religion the einherjar or einheriar were spirits of warriors who had died bravely in battle. ... Huginn and Muninn sit on Odins shoulders in this illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript. ... The Tängvide image stone is thought to show Odin entering Valhalla riding on Sleipnir Sleipnir is also a Japanese web browser. ... Geri and Freki (also spelled Gere and Freke) are a pair of wolves, companions of the god Odin in Norse mythology. ... In Norse mythology, Hlidskjalf (also spelt Hlidhskjalf) is Odins throne where none may sit save Odin himself and his wife Frigg. ... In Norse mythology, Gungnir (also Gungni, Gungner, or Gungrir) was the name of Odins javelin. ... Odin with Sleipnir, Valknuts are drawn beneath the horse (Tängelgarda stone) The valknut (Old Norse valr, slain warriors + knut, knot) is a symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles. ... Odin was referred to by many names in the skaldic tradition. ... Ódr (ON: Óðr) is the husband of Freyja in Norse mythology. ... Various gods and men appear as Sons of Odin or Sons of Woden in old Old Norse and Old English texts. ... Many toponyms (place names) contain the name of *Wodanaz (Norse Odin, West Germanic Woden) Scandinavia Odense (Denmark) Odensbacken (Sweden) England: Wansdyke - Wodens embankment Grimsdyke - From Grim, hooded, a description of his appearance Wednesfield - Wodens field Wensley - Wodens meadow Wednesbury - Wodens burgh Woodnesborough, Kent - also translates as... Reconstructions of the traditions of Germanic paganism began with 19th century Romanticism. ... Gaulish is name given to the now-extinct Celtic language that was spoken in Gaul before the Romans, the Franks and the British Celts invaded. ... Thor/Donar, Germanic thunder god. ... Among the Germanic tribes in Gaul mentioned by Tacitus in his Germania were the Harii. ... The Heruli (spelled variously in Latin and Greek) were a nomadic Germanic people, who were subjugated by the Ostrogoths, Huns, and Byzantines in the 3rd to 5th centuries. ... For other meanings of Odin and Wotan see Odin (disambiguation) Odin (Old Norse Óðinn, Swedish Oden) is usually considered the supreme god of Germanic and Norse mythology. ...

The Norse god Odin in his many forms, astride his eight-legged steed Sleipnir, came to be deeply associated with the Wild Hunt in Scandinavia because of his aspect of berserking. Odin acquired another aspect (to add to his many other names and attributes) in this context, that of the Wild Huntsman, along with Frigg. The passage of this hunt was also referred to as Odin's Hunt. People who saw the passing hunt and mocked it were cursed and would mysteriously vanish along with the host; those that joined in sincerity were rewarded with gold (H. A. Guerber, 1922). In the wake of the passing storm (which the Hunt was often identified with), a black dog would be found upon a neighboring hearth. To remove it, it would need to be exorcised similar to the custom for removing changelings. However, if it could not be removed by trickery, it must be kept for a whole year and carefully tended. Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... For other meanings of Odin,Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... The Tängvide image stone is thought to show Odin entering Valhalla riding on Sleipnir Sleipnir is also a Japanese web browser. ... Berserkers in the kings hall, illustration by Louis Moe, 1898 Berserkers (or Berserks) were Norse warriors who were commonly understood to have fought in an uncontrollable rage or trance of fury; the berserkergang. ... Frigg spinning the clouds, by J C Dollman In Norse mythology, Frigg (Eddas) or Frigga (Gesta Danorum) was said to be foremost among the goddesses,[1] the wife of Odin, queen of the Æsir, and goddess of the sky. ... H.A. Guerber, more commonly known as (Hélène Adeline Guerber), born 1859 , died 1929 [1], is a British historian most well known for her written histories of Germanic mythology. ... Trolls with the changeling they have raised, John Bauer, 1913. ...

According to H. A. Guerber: "The object of this phantom hunt varied greatly, and was either [that of] a visionary boar or wild horse, white-breasted maidens who were caught and borne away bound only once in seven years, or the wood nymphs, called Moss Maidens, who were thought to represent the autumn leaves torn from the trees and whirled away by the wintry gale." Whatever the case, the Hunt was most often seen in the autumn and winter, when the winds blew the fiercest. H.A. Guerber, more commonly known as (Hélène Adeline Guerber), born 1859 , died 1929 [1], is a British historian most well known for her written histories of Germanic mythology. ... Moss people (also known as wood people, the females known as moss maidens) come from Southern Germanic folklore and are a type of tree elf, tree spirit or fairy. ...

Otto Höfler (1934) and other authors of his generation emphasized the identification of the hunter with Odin, looking for the traces of an ecstatic Odin cult in more recent customs from German-speaking areas. Otto Höfler (born 10 May 1901, died 25 August 1987, in Vienna) was an Austrian scholar of German studies. ...

In view of this, John Lindow of the University of California, Berkeley (Lindahl et al. 2002:433) notes that more recent scholarship: "would argue a basis in an Indo-European warrior cult in which young warriors imbued with the life force fight with the characteristics of animals, especially, those of wolves, and are initiated into a warrior band [...]." Sather tower (the Campanile) looking out over the San Francisco Bay and Mount Tamalpais. ... The Proto-Indo-Europeans (PIE) were a patrilineal society of the Bronze Age (roughly 5th to 4th millennium BC), probably semi-nomadic, relying on animal husbandry. ...

Odin's Hunt in Sweden

In Sweden, Odin's hunt was heard but rarely seen, and a typical trait is that one of Odin's dogs was barking louder and a second one fainter. Beside one or two shots, these barks were the only sounds that were clearly identified. When Odin's hunt was heard, it meant changing weather in many regions, but it could also mean war and unrest. According to some reports, the forest turned silent and only a whining sound and dog barks could be heard.

It is clear that the belief in Odin's hunt remained most widespread in the Swedish region of Götaland, where numerous toponyms testify to very early worship of Odin. It is also notable that the Odin of folklore retains a considerable number of external traits from his origins in Norse mythology. Moreoever, it appears that the beliefs in Odin maintained a strong position in the region from pagan times until modern times. Götaland Unofficial Nordic cross flag of western Götaland. ... Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ...

Odin continued to hunt in Swedish folklore. Illustration by August Malmström.

It should, however, be noted that the recent legends do not spontaneously connect the name Odin with a divinity. During the centuries, Odin turned into a legendary character, who is often demon like and dangerous, without any clear connection with the Odin of Norse mythology. In western Sweden and sometimes in the east as well, it has been said that Odin was a nobleman or even a king who had hunted during the Sundays and therefore was doomed to hunt down and kill supernatural beings until the end of time. Scandinavian folklore is the folklore of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and the Swedish speaking parts of Finland. ... Johan August Malmström (1829 – 1901), was a Swedish academic painter associated with the Symbolist movement. ...

According to certain accounts, Odin does not ride, but travels in a wheeled vehicle, something that Thor of Norse mythology was wont to do. For other uses, see Thor (disambiguation). ...

There are several examples of origin legends where Odin appears. In Gärdlösa on Öland, there is a story that Odin once went across the Alvar of Högrum and tied his horse to a crag of rock. The crag was splintered when the strong horse pulled in the cord, and then the horse threw himself on the ground, and so the bottomless swamp of Gladvattnet was created. For the Finnish island, see Ã…land. ... Alvar on the shoreline of Lake Eries Kelleys Island An alvar or pavement barren is a limestone plain with thin or no soil and, as a result, sparse vegetation. ...

In parts of Småland, it appears that people believed that Odin hunted with large birds when the dogs got tired. When it was needed, he could transform a bevy of sparrows into an armed host. is a historical province (landskap) in southern Sweden. ...

If houses were built on former roads, they could be burnt down, because Odin did not change his plans if he had formerly travelled on a road there. Not even charcoal kilns could be built on disused roads, because if Odin was hunting the kiln would be ablaze.

One tradition maintains that Odin did not travel further up than an ox wears his yoke, so if Odin was hunting, it was safest to throw oneself onto the ground in order to avoid being hit. In Älghult in Småland, it was safest to carry a piece of bread and a piece of steel when going to church and back during Christmas. The reason was that if one met the rider with the broad-rimmed hat, one should throw the piece of steel in front of oneself, but if one met his dogs first, one should throw the pieces of bread instead.

^[11]

Leader of the Wild Hunt

• Britanny: King Arthur.^[12]
• Catalonia: Count Arnau (el comte Arnau), a legendary nobleman from Ripollès, who for his rapacious cruelty and lechery is condemned to ride to hounds for eternity while his flesh is devoured by flames. He is the subject of a classic traditional Catalan ballad.^[13]
• Denmark: Valdemar Atterdag (usually styled "King Waldemar" in English).
• England: Wild Edric, a Saxon rebel;^[14] Hereward the Wake; King Arthur; Herne the Hunter; Herla, a King of the Britons who stayed too long at a fairy wedding feast and returned to find centuries had passed);^[15] St. Guthlac; Old Nick; Woden ^{[16] [17] [18] [19]}; Jan Tregeagle, a Cornish lawyer who escaped from Hell and is pursued by the devil's hounds. On Dartmoor, Dewer, Old Crockern or Sir Francis Drake.
• France: Charlemagne and Roland the standard bearer; King Arthur (Britanny); Lord of Gallery (Poitou).
• Scandinavia: Odin; Valdemar Atterdag; the witch Gurorysse (Norway).
• Gaul: Cernunnos.
• Germany: Wodan, Berchtold, Dietrich of Berne, Holda, Perchta, Wildes Gjait.
• Guernsey: Herodias (Rides with witches at sea)^[20]
• Ireland: Fionn mac Cumhaill and the Fianna; Manannan—also known as The Fairy Cavalcade.
• Netherlands: Wodan, Gait met de hunties/hondjes (Gait with his dogs), Derk met de hunties/hondjes (Derk with his dogs), Derk met de beer (Derk with his boar), het Glujende peerd (the glowing horse). Ronnekemère, Henske met de hondjes/Hänske mit de hond (Henske with his dogs), Berend van Galen (Beerneken van Galen, Bèrndeken van Geulen, Bommen Berend or Beerneken, the bishop of Münster, Germany).
• Wales: Arawn or Gwyn ap Nudd, the Welsh god of the Underworld.

Others: the Squire of Rodenstein and Hans von Hackelberg (both Sabbath-breakers). For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... Valdemar IV of Denmark (Valdemar Atterdag) shown on a fresco in Næstveds Saint Peters Church (Sankt Peders Kirke). ... // Hereward the Wake, known in his own times as Hereward the Outlaw or Hereward the Exile, was an 11th century leader in England who led resistance to the Norman Conquest, and was consequently labelled an outlaw. ... For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... In English mythology, Herne the Hunter is a ghost or monster associated with Windsor Great Park. ... According to the twelfth century writer Walter Map, Herla was a legendary king of the ancient Britons who became the leader of the Wild Hunt after a visit to the Otherworld. ... The term Briton may have the following meanings: in a historical context: an inhabitant of Great Britain in pre-Roman times a descendant of Britons during a later period (e. ... Guthlác (683-714) of Crowland, Lincolnshire, England is a saint. ... The Devil is the name given to a supernatural entity who, in most Western religions, is the central embodiment of evil. ... This is the article about the belief in Odin among West Germanic peoples, for other uses see Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... The historical Jan Tregeagle was a magistrate in the early seventeenth century, a steward under the Duchy of Cornwall, and was known for being particularly harsh; darker stories circulated as well, that he had murdered his wife or made a pact with the Devil. ... The Cornish people are a British ethnic group originating in Cornwall. ... High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor and southern England at 621 m (2037 ft) above sea level, with Yes Tor beyond. ... Sir Francis Drake, c. ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... This article is about the legendary figure. ... For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... This is about the region in France; for other meanings of Brittany and Bretagne, see Brittany (disambiguation). ... Coat of arms of Richard, Earl of Cornwall, Plantagenet claimant to the county of Poitou, now favored as the coat of arms of Poitou by people in Poitou Poitou was a province of France whose capital city was Poitiers. ... For other meanings of Odin,Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... Valdemar IV of Denmark (Valdemar Atterdag) shown on a fresco in Næstveds Saint Peters Church (Sankt Peders Kirke). ... Depiction of Cernunnos from the Pilier des nautes, Paris Cernunnos in Celtic polytheism is the deified spirit of horned male animals, especially of stags, a nature god associated with produce and fertility. ... For other meanings of Odin and Wotan see Odin (disambiguation) Odin (Old Norse Óðinn, Swedish Oden) is usually considered the supreme god of Germanic and Norse mythology. ... Dietrich von Bern is a figure from German medieval legend, long considered to have been based on Theodoric the Great (454–526), the historical king of the Ostrogoths. ... In Germanic folklore Holda is the supernatural patron of the mystery of spinning with its links to the other world (See weaving (mythology)). She is well known throughout northern Europe (see Huld in Scandinavian mythology). ... Perchta or Percht: Perchta was originally a goddess of vegetation and fertility from German mythology . ... Herodias (c. ... Fionn mac Cumhaill (pronounced /fʲiːn̪ˠ mË ak kuwaːlʲ/ in Irish or /fɪn mɘ kuːl/ in English) (earlier Finn or Find mac Cumail or mac Umaill, later Anglicised to Finn McCool) was a mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, occurring also in the mythologies of Scotland... In Irish mythology, the Fianna were Irish warrior-hunters who served the High King of Ireland in the 3rd century AD. Their adventures were recorded in the Fenian Cycle. ... In Irish mythology, Manannan mac Lir was a sea and weather god. ... For other meanings of Odin and Wotan see Odin (disambiguation) Odin (Old Norse Óðinn, Swedish Oden) is usually considered the supreme god of Germanic and Norse mythology. ... The Bishopric of Münster was an ecclesiastical principality in the Holy Roman Empire, located in the northern part of todays North Rhine-Westphalia and western Lower Saxony. ... In Welsh mythology, Arawn was the Lord of the Underworld, which was called Annwn. ... In Welsh mythology, Gwyn or Gwynn ap Nudd was the ruler of Annwn (the Underworld). ...

^[21]

Adaptations

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

William Butler Yeats evoked the Wild Hunt in "The Hosting of the Sidhe", the opening poem in his collection inspired by Gaelic faery lore, The Celtic Twilight (1893, 1903) [3] Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... William Butler Yeats, 1933. ... In Irish mythology, the sídhe (pronounced shee) are a supernatural race, quite distinct from humankind. ...

The Wild Hunt, led by Garanhir, is the central motif in Alan Garner's The Moon of Gomrath. Alan Garner (born Congleton October 17, 1934) is an English writer whose work is firmly rooted in his local Cheshire. ... The Moon of Gomrath is the sequel to The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner. ...

The Wild Hunt, presided by Arawn and run by the Cwn Annwn, are a key plot point in Diana Wynne Jones's 1975 fantasy novel Dogsbody. In Welsh mythology, Arawn was the Lord of the Underworld, which was called Annwn. ... In Welsh mythology, the Cwn Annwn (hounds of Annwn) were the white, red-eared ghostly hounds of Annwn, the land of the dead. ... Diana Wynne Jones (born London August 16, 1934) is a British writer, principally of fantasy novels for children and adults, as well as a small amount of non-fiction. ...

The Wild Hunt is also a central plot component in Raymond E. Feist's popular 1988 fantasy novel, Faerie Tale. Raymond Elias Feist (born 1945, Los Angeles, California) is an American author, mostly specialising in fantasy fiction. ...

The Riders by Tim Winton, essentially tells the tale a one man's particular wild hunt, and men on horses pre-sage the beginnings and ends of the hunt. The Riders is a novel by Australian author Tim Winton. ... Timothy John Winton (born August 4th, 1960), known as Tim Winton, is an acclaimed Australian novelist. ...

Legends of the Wild Hunt have been used by science fiction author Julian May in her series Saga of Pliocene Exile (British series title, Saga of the Exiles)." Julian May (born July 10, 1931) is an American science fiction writer, best known for her Saga of Pliocene Exile (Saga of the Exiles in the UK) and Galactic Milieu books. ...

Black metal band Bathory used Peter Nicolai Arbo's painting Åsgårdsreien as the cover for their 1988 album Blood Fire Death. The instrumental intro track Oden's Ride Over Nordland, and portions of A Fine Day To Die include thunderous noise and wild horse cries to paint an aural picture of the Hunt. This article is about the musical genre. ... Bathory was a highly influential Swedish thrash metal/black metal/viking metal band, and were regarded as one of the forefathers of black metal and founder of viking metal. ... Peter Nicolai Arbo (1831–1892) was a Norwegian painter, who specialized in painting historical motifs and images from Norse mythology. ...

Peter Beagle's novel Tamsin has the Wild Hunt as one of the main themes, along with some other Celtic beliefs. Peter Soyer Beagle (born in 1939) is an American fantasist and author of novels, nonfiction, and screenplays. ... Tamsin is a female given name, which means twin. It can be used both as a name in itself and as the pet form of Thomasina. ...

Similarly, Nigel Kneale tied the legend to a racial memory introduced by prehistoric Martian attempts at colonizing Earth in the famous television serial Quatermass and the Pit. Nigel Kneale (born Thomas Nigel Kneale on April 18, 1922 in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England, UK) is a Manx television and film scriptwriter, who has worked mostly in the UK. He is best known for his creation of the character of Professor Bernard Quatermass, who has appeared in three... The concepts of racial memory and genetic memory refer to related hypotheses that an individual can inherit knowledge, memory, and/or motivational imperatives from his ancestors, even without contact with them. ... The opening titles of Quatermass and the Pit. ...

In the 1940s, Stan Jones encoded the story of the Wild Hunt in his country song "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" (song written some time around 1948), which transposes the story to a group of cowboys who chase the devil's herd of cattle through the night skies, tormented by madness and thirst. Stan Jones was an American songwriter. ... Country music, once known as Country and Western music, is a popular musical form developed in the southern United States, with roots in traditional folk music, spirituals, and the blues. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ...

In Susan Cooper's series The Dark Is Rising, the Hunt is led by Herne the Hunter and is responsible for driving back the Dark (the enemy in the series), after seeing the six signs collected by Will Stanton, one of the main characters. For the 2007 film based on the second book in the series, see The Seeker: The Dark is Rising. ... In English mythology, Herne the Hunter is a ghost or monster associated with Windsor Great Park. ...

In The Bitterbynde Trillogy by Cecilia Dart-Thornton the Wild Hunt is led by Huon, a powerful "unseelie wight" who chases with his hell-hounds through the skies of Erith in search of the main protagonist. There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Cecilia Dart-Thornton is an Australian author of fantasy novels, most notably the Bitterbynde Trilogy. ...

The Wild Hunt also appears in the classic computer game Darklands as a recurring event.

The Wild Hunt also appears in the RPG Morrowind in an in-game history book about elf mythology.

In Mercedes Lackey's urban fantasy novel The Chrome Circle, protagonist and human mage Tannim and his companion in the book, the half-kitsune, half-dragon Shar encounter the Wild Hunt in their attempts to escape the darker, more evil-controlled pockets of Underhill. Mercedes Lackey (born June 24, 1950) (also known as Misty Lackey) is a prolific American author of fantasy novels. ... Contemporary fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy, also known as contemporary urban fantasy, modern-day fantasy, or indigenous fantasy. ... Prince Hanzoku terrorized by a nine-tailed fox. ... For other uses, see Dragon (disambiguation). ... Underhill is a town in Vermont, USA. In the Lord of the rings trilogy of novels, Mr Underhill is Frodo Bagginss travelling name. ...

One of Franz Liszt's twelve piano studies, the Études Transcendantales (1838/51), is based on the Wild Hunt, and entitled Wilde Jagd. Liszt redirects here. ... The Transcendental Etudes (sometimes Études dexécution transcendante or Transcendental Studies) is a series of twelve compositions written for solo piano by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, begun in 1826 and finalized in 1851. ...

The Wild Hunt is also the focus of a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" novel, "Child of the Hunt"

In Dead Beat, Jim Butcher's seventh novel of The Dresden Files, the Hunt is lead by a malevolent wyldfae called the Erlking. Jim Butcher is a New York Times Best Selling author[1][2] most known for his contemporary fantasy book series The Dresden Files. ... This article is about the books. ... In German and Scandinavian folklore, an erlking is a mischievous or malevolent sprite. ...

In the Warhammer Fantasy milieu, the Wild Hunt is an aspect of the Wood Elves and their mystical king-in-the-woods, Orion (cognate with Arawn?). This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

In Guy Gavriel Kay's trilogy The Fionavar Tapestry the Wild Hunt appear as eight lawless kings traveling the universe. While their leader is Owein, they all follow a child rider. They bring randomness to the world, making freedom possible despite the Weaver's chosen patterns. Canadian author Guy Gavriel Kay Guy Gavriel Kay (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian author of fantasy fiction. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The book Lords of Chaos contains a chapter which attempts to make parallels between the myth of the wild hunt and the phenomenon of Scandinavian black metal. Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground is a book by Michael Moynihan & Didrik Søderlind. ... This article is about the musical genre. ...

In Arnold Schönberg's oratorium Gurrelieder the Wild Hunt appears in a third part. Danish king Waldemar was in love with Tove, who was murdered at jealous queen's bidding. Waldemar damned God and then Waldemar himself was laid under a curse to ride with his dead company until the day of judgement. Arnold Schoenberg, Los Angeles, 1948 For the American music critic and journalist, see Harold Charles Schonberg. ... The Gurre-Lieder form a massive oratorio for 5 soloists, reciter, chorus and orchestra, composed by Arnold Schoenberg, on poem texts by Danish novelist Jens Peter Jacobsen (translated from Danish to German by Robert Franz Arnold). ...

In the Meredith Gentry books by Laurell K. Hamilton, the Hunt appear as the Sluagh, led by a mixed-race Sidhe named Sholto. In the Meredith books, the Hunt are the legion of Fey too twisted and strange even for the Unseelie Court. They are Queen Andais' secret weapon, to be unleashed upon those Fey of her court who go into hiding to escape her wrath. Merry Gentry is the title of a series of books authored by Laurell K. Hamilton. ... Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American horror, magic, fantasy, erotica and romance writer. ... In Irish folklore, Sluagh were the spirits of dead sinners; sometimes the spirits of pagan ancestors; usually troublesome and destructive. ...

In Mistral's Kiss by Laurell K. Hamilton, the Wild Hunt is part of the Sluagh and is awakened as magic beings to return to the Unseelie Court. Mistrals Kiss is the fifth novel in the Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton, and was released December 12, 2006. ... Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American horror, magic, fantasy, erotica and romance writer. ...

In The Harlequin by Laurell K. Hamilton, the Wild Hunt is mentioned in relation to the vampire council and the only vampire policing group, the Harlequin. The Harlequin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American horror, magic, fantasy, erotica and romance writer. ...

In A Wizard Abroad by Diane Duane, Nita invokes the Wild Hunt as part of a plan to destroy the Fomori (also called Drow) in order to weaken the Lone Powery in the guise of Balor of the Evil Eye A Wizard Abroad is the fourth book in the Young Wizards series by Diane Duane. ... Diane Duane (b. ... In Irish mythology, Balor (Balar, Bolar) of the Evil Eye was a king of the Fomorians, a race of giants. ...

In Urban Shaman by C. E. Murphy, The Wild Hunt pursues the protagonist Siobhan Walkingstick (anglicized to Joanna Walker). Catie Murphy C. E. Murphy is a writer of fantasy novels and short stories. ...

In The Tir Alainn Trilogy by Anne Bishop, the wild hunt is led by Diana, the lady of the Moon- female leader of the Fea, and is comprised of Shadow Hounds, which go to the Human Realm to hunt prey, being non-human and human. Anne Bishop is a novelist of fantasy fiction. ...

In The Books of Magic run by Peter Gross the wild hunt is a group of hunters whose purpose is to slay weaker gods so new ones can take their place in the cosmic order of things. The Books of Magic is the title of a four-issue English-language comic book limited series written by Neil Gaiman, and later an ongoing series, published by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo. ...

In World's End, the first book of the Age of Misrule (series) by Mark Chadbourn, the characters are chased by the Wild Hunt, led by the Erl King. The Age of Misrule is a three-book modern fantasy series, written by Mark Chadbourn. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In Joan Vinge's Hugo award winning novel, The Snow Queen, a secondary character, in charge of the hunting of the exotic, valuable creatures called mers, is named Herne. Joan D. Vinge (born 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American science fiction author. ... Cover of a modern Danish edtion of The Snow Queen (Sneedronningen) Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Snow Queen The Snow Queen (Danish: Sneedronningen) is a fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen and first published in 1845. ...

In the role-playing game Exalted, "Wyld Hunt" is the term for the Realm's expeditions to destroy Celestial Exalts. Exalted is a role-playing game published by White Wolf Publishing. ...

In Mike Mignola's Hellboy, Hellboy is asked to tend to a lame a hunting dog of the beheaded ghost of King Vold as he hunts for a mermaid. Hellboy is a fictional Dark Horse Comics character created by Mike Mignola. ...

In Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, the Great Hunt has similarities, although it comprises great heroes of the past called upon by the magical Horn of Valere to aid the user of the Horn. Wheel of time may refer to: The Wheel of time or history, a religious concept predominant in Buddhism and Hinduism The Wheel of Time, a fantasy book series by author Robert Jordan The Wheel of Time (computer game), an action first-person shooter based on the series The Timewheel, a... The Great Hunt is the second book of The Wheel of Time series, written by Robert Jordan. ... The Horn of Valere is a fictional object in Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ...

In the computer RPG series The Witcher, The King of the Wild Hunt appears around Geralt to remind him of his mortality, and that his death is inevitable. The Wild Hunt appears to be a Grim Reaper figure in the computer game. RPG is an abbreviation with several different meanings: RPG programming language, is a native programming language for IBMs iSeries servers RPG Life Sciences, is an Indian Pharmaceutical Company Role-playing game, in which players assume the roles of characters and collaboratively create narratives Tabletop role-playing game, also called... This article is about the books by Andrzej Sapkowski. ...

See also

• Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
• Valkyrie

Albrecht Dürer, The Revelation of St John: The Four Riders of the Apocalypse, 1497-98, Woodcut, 39 x 28 cm, Staatliche Kunsthalle, Karlsruhe For other uses, see Four Horsemen. ... The Valkyries Vigil, by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Robert Hughes. ...

References

20. Margherita Lecco, Il Motivo della Mesnie Hellequin nella Letteratura Medievale, Alessandria (Italy), Edizioni dell'Orso, 2001 De Nugis Curialium is the major surviving work of the twelfth century Latin author Walter Map. ... Walter Map (fl. ...

Bibliography

• Jean-Claude Schmitt, Ghosts in the Middle Ages: The Living and the Dead in Medieval Society (1998), ISBN 0-226-73887-6 and ISBN 0-226-73888-4
• Kris Kershaw, The One-Eyed God: Odin and the Indo-Germanic Mannerbunde, Journal of Indo-European Studies, (2001).
• Carl Lindahl, John McNamara, John Lindow (eds.) Medieval Folklore: A Guide to Myths, Legends, Tales, Beliefs, and Customs, Oxford University Press (2002), p. 432f. ISBN 0-19-514772-3
• Otto Höfler, Kultische Geheimbünde der Germanen, Frankfurt (1934).
• Ruben A. Koman, 'Dalfser Muggen'. - Bedum : Profiel. - With a summary in English, (2006).

Otto Höfler (born 10 May 1901, died 25 August 1987, in Vienna) was an Austrian scholar of German studies. ...

External links

• Ari Berk and William Spytma, "Penance, Power, and Pursuit: On the Trail of the Wild Hunt"
• Sluagh Sidhe "Wild Hunt traditions in Ireland"
• Liam Rogers, "The Wild Hunt" 1999
• Kveldulf Hagen Gundarsson, "The Folklore of the Wild Hunt and the furious host" 1992