By Shauntia Mettlin
Did you ever wonder how the legend of the Headless Horseman came about? I started getting curious about what sparked Washington Irving’s curiosity and gave him the inspiration for such a mysterious villain.
The most well known story comes from the german folklore and the Brothers Grimm. It is believe that the huntsman is Hans von Hacklenberg, the chief huntsman to the Duke of Lower Saxony. Hacklenberg was a man who was devoted to the hunt. When he was on his deathbed, he begged and pleaded with God that instead of going to Heaven, he would be allowed to continue his hunt in the forest until Judgement Day. The huntsman was buried in the Solling Forest. The legend states that four times every night you can hear the echoes of the hunting horn throughout the tree. If you heard the hunting horn and proceeded to go hunting the next day, legend has it that you will suffer great misfortune or injury during your hunting chase.*
One written account, from Hans Kirchof, says this about his encounter with the Wild Huntsman’s grave:
I became lost and chanced upon Hackelnberg’s grave. It was located in a clearing something like a meadow, but it was covered with a wild growth and with reeds. It measured about an acre and was somewhat longer than it was wide. Though the area was surrounded by trees, non grew on this clearing. Oe end extended toward sunrise, and at the other end there was a raised, flat red stone about eight or nine feet long, and about–as it seemed to me–five feet wide. The stone did not face toward the east as gravestones usually do, but instead one end pointed south and the other north. I was told than no one would ever be able to find this grave–whether from inquisitiveness or from a sense of purpose–no matter how determined and adventurous he might be. But if someone should chance upon the site, he would find a pack of frightful black dogs next to it. I, however, saw no such spooky apparition…
There are so many legends and folklore on the Wild Huntsman, I can understand why Irving would choose such a mysterious beast. I feel like I’ve just begun to scratch the surface. Stay tuned! Next week we will explore the more sinister and devilish stories of The Wild Huntsman!
*Haughton, Brian. Famous Ghost Stories: Legends and Lore. Rosen Pub., 2012