WILD HUNT (Ger. wide or wilthende jagd; also wades or wiithendes peer, wild or maddening host; nachtjager, night huntsman, etc.), the name given by the German people to a fancied noise sometimes heard in the air at night, as of a host of spirits ing along over woods, fields, and villages, accompanied by.the shouting of huntsmen and the baying of dogs. The stories of the wild huntsman are numerous and widespread: although varying in detail, they are uniform in the essential traits, and betray numerous connections with the myths of the ancient gods and heroes. The root of the whole notion is most easily discernible in the expression still used by the peasants of lower Germany when they hear a howling in the air, " wode hunts" (Wode jaget), that is, Wodan or Odin marches, as of old, at the head of his battle-maidens, the Walkyries. and of the heroes of Walhalla; perhaps, too, accompanied by his wolves, which, according to the myth, along with his ravens, followed him, taking delight in strife, and pouncing upon the bodies of the fallen. The heathen gods were not entirely dislodged from the ation of the people by Christianity, hut they were banished from all friendly .cation with men, and were degraded to ghosts and devils. Yet some of the divine features are still distinctly recognizable. As- the celestial god Wodan, the lord of all -atmospheric and weather phenomena, and consequently of storms, was conceived as mounted on horseback, clad with a broad-rimmed hat shading the face, and a wide dark cloak; the wild huntsman also appears on horsebabk, in hat and cloak, and is by a train of spirits, though of a different stamp—by the ghosts of drunkards, suicides, and other malefactors, who are often without heads, or otherwise shockingly mutilated. One constant. trait of the stories shows how effectually t1 church bad sue. ceeded in giving a hellish character to this ghost of Wodan—when he comes to a cross road, he falls, and gets up on the other side. On very rare occasions, the wild huntsman shows kindness to the wanderer whom lie meets; but generally he brings hurt or destruction, especially to any one rash enough to address him, or join in the hunting cry, which there are many narratives of persons in their cups having done. Whoever remains standing in the middle of the highway, or steps aside into a tilled field, or throws himself in silence ou the earth, escapes the danger. In many districts, heroes of the
older or of the more modern legends take the place of Odin; thus, in Lusatia and (Me gan, Berndietrich, that is, Dietrich of Bern; in lower Hesse, Charles the Great; in Eng land, king Arthur; in Denmark, king Waldemar. The legend has also in recent thnes attached itself to individual sportsmen, who, as a punishment for their immoderate ad diction to sport, or for the cruelty they were guilty of in pursuing it, or for hunting on Sunday, were believed to have been condemned henceforth to follow the chase by night. In lower Germany, there are many such stories current of one Hakkelberend, whose tomb even is shown iu several places. Still, the very name leads back to the myth of Wodan. for Hakkelherend means literally the mantle-bearer (from 0. 11. Ger. hnichul; 0. Norse, Mull or kekla; Ang.-Sax. hacele, drapery, mantle, armor; and bern, to bear). The appearing of the wild hunter is not fixed teeny particular season, but it occurs frequently and most regularly in the twelve days between Christmas and Epiphany.
Another version of the wild hunt is to be found in the legend prevalent in Thuringia. and the district of Mansfeld. There the procession, formed partly of children who had_ died unbaptized, and headed by Fratt Holle or Holda (see BERCI:LTA), yearly through the country on holy Thursday, and the assembled people waited its arrival, as if a mighty king were approaching. An old man, with white hair, the faithful Eckhart. (see TANNHXIISER and VENILSBERG), preceded the spirit-host, to warn the people out of the way, and even ordered some to go home, so that they might not come to hurt. This is the benign goddess, the wife of 'Wodan, who, appearing under various names, about through the country during the sacred time of the year. This host of Holda or Berchta also prefers the season about Epiphany. In one form or other, the legend of the wild hunt is spread over all German countries, and is found also iu France, and even in Spain. In lower Germany, it has been preserved in an older and purer form than in. Upper Germany. It has probably some connection with Celtic mythology, but not ap parently with the Slavonic.—See Grimm, Deutsche Mythologic