According to a tradition current in Northern Germany, especially near
Holland, the Walriderske is a kind of a witch. Assuming the figure of
some rough-haired animal, she visits the sleeper in the night, and
presses herself upon his chest so as to prevent his moving any part of
his body, scarcely permitting him to breathe. She creeps up to the
sleeper from below, gradually crawling over his whole body. First he
feels a pressure on his feet; then on his stomach; and at last on his
chest. Meanwhile the tortured victim is unable to move even a finger.
All he can do is to sigh and groan in almost intolerable anguish.
The apparition sometimes resembles a poodle, sometimes a cat, and at
other times a strange-looking unknown beast particularly repulsive. Its
colour is most commonly black; there are, however, also brown, and even
white ones. Not unfrequently the sleeper feels the pressure without
seeing the figure. In short, this unwelcome visitor is as bad as the
worst nightmare, if not worse.
But, occasionally the Walriderske appears in the shape of a beautiful
girl, and sings more charmingly than can be described. Indeed, from the
oldest traditions still extant may be gathered that the Walriderskes
ought to be regarded as superhuman beings; for, although they
occasionally appear in human shape, and are in many ways like human
beings, they live subject to other laws, and are endued with powers
other than ours. It admits of no doubt that in the traditions respecting
them much is to be found which has been derived from the pagan mythology
of our ancestors relating to the Walkueren, who rode or sailed in the
clouds. The Walriderskes are frequently described as floating through
the air and singing most sweetly. In Ostfriesland, England is the home
assigned to these charming singers. They come from far over the sea to
seek their sacrifice. Their boat is a sieve, such as the peasants in
Ostfriesland use for straining milk, and which is called _Taehmse_. Their
oars are human shoulder-blades.
A peasant of Barssel once, while on a moonlight night he was mowing his
corn, towards midnight, became tired and threw himself down under a
sheaf to sleep. He had not lain long when he heard at a distance a
melodious song, which gradually came nearer and nearer until it was
above the field where he lay. He looked up and saw sailing in the air a
Walriderske who had come over from England. She descended, hid her
_Taehmse_ and oars under a sheaf, and went away in the direction towards
Barssel. The peasant lost no time in appropriating to himself the things
which the Walriderske had hidden. Towards morning she returned; and when
she missed her _Taehmse_ and oars, she began to sing so dolefully that
the peasant felt sorry for her, and gave her back the things.
In the following night, when curiosity led him to go again to the place
where this had happened, he found there, to his surprise, a large piece
of the finest linen, evidently a present of the Walriderske. He took it
home, and had it made into shirts. He wore the shirts without
experiencing any harm; although his neighbours had warned him that he
exposed himself to great danger by keeping the linen.[73]