Wild Hunt
Undead
by @anton
The Wild Hunt is a narrative motif widely attested across Europe, characterized by the nocturnal passage through the sky or across the landscape of a moving supernatural host (ghosts, monsters, animals). This host is generally perceived as extremely noisy (barking, cries, bells, galloping, crashing sounds), and encountering it is considered an exceptional event, often dangerous for the witness.
Traditions attribute this hunt to a wide variety of figures: the souls of the dead, demons, fairy beings, cursed hunters, legendary heroes, or historical figures who gradually became mythologized, often riding on horseback or travelling in a chariot. Despite this diversity of interpretations, several features remain remarkably consistent:
collective movement; a spectacular auditory manifestation; a nocturnal passage; an identifiable or implicit leader; a potentially perilous encounter with humans.
Legends in this collection