Bilwis

''Feldgeister'' ("field spirits"; singular: ''Feldgeist'') or ''Korndämonen'' ("corn demons"; singular: ''Korndämon'') are corn spirits from German folklore. ''Feldgeister'' often are also wind spiritsWolfgang Golther, ''Germanische Mythologie'', p. 200. causing lightning and rain.Wilhelm Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen: Beitrag zur germanischen Sittenkunde'', p. 1.

Numerous ''Feldgeister'' are known in German folklore, some shaped as animals, some in human form. The last grain heads and tree fruits are often left at their place as a sacrifice for the agricultural spirits. During harvest season ''Feldgeister'' flee deeper into the fields to escape the mowers. With the last cornstalks the corn spirit becomes trapped. Either it is killed by cutting the grain heads, threshing the corn or it is brought to the village in a ceremonial manner, shaped as a corn doll.Golther, ''Germanische Mythologie'', pp. 200f. Direct contact to the ''Feldgeist'' causes illness.Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 2.

Animal ''Feldgeister''

Carnivores

''Roggenwolf''

The ''Roggenwolf'' ("rye wolf"), ''Getreidewolf'' ("grain wolf") or ''Kornwolf'' ("corn wolf")Mannhardt: ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 3. is a field spirit shaped as a wolf. The ''Roggenwolf'' steals children and feeds on them.

Other names are ''Gerstenwolf'' ("barley wolf"), ''Haferwolf'' ("oat wolf"), ''Erbsenwolf'' ("pea wolf"), ''Kartoffelwolf'' ("potato wolf"), ''Graswolf'' ("grass wolf") and ''Pflaumenwolf'' ("plum wolf").Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 4.

Sometimes the ''Roggenwolf'' is equated with the werewolf.

''Erbsenbär''

The ''Erbsenbär'' ("pea bear") or ''Roggenbär'' ("rye bear") is a field spirit shaped as a bear.

''Kornhund ''

The ''Kornhund'' ("corn dog") is a dog-shaped wind spirit feeding on flour.

Other names are ''Roggenhund'' ("rye dog"), ''Heupudel'' ("hay poodle"), ''Schotenhund'' ("husk dog"), ''Scheunbetze'' ("barn dog"), ''Dreschhund'' ("threshing dog"),Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 6. ''Weizenbeller'' ("wheat barker") or ''Kornmops'' ("corn pug")Mannhardt, ''Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II'', p. 155.

The ''Kiddelhunde'' ("titillation dogs") look for children to tickle them to death.

''Kornkatze'' and ''Kornkater''

There are several cat-shaped field spirits. The ''Kornkatze'' ("corn cat"), ''Wetterkatze'' ("weather cat"), ''Heukatze'' ("hay cat") or ''Windkatze'' ("wind cat") is a female cat spirit.

The male equivalent of the ''Kornkatze'' is the ''Kornkater'' ("corn tomcat") ''Murrkater'' ("grumbling tomcat") or ''Bullkater'' ("bull tomcat") who steals children looking for cornflowers.

Hoofed animals

''Scheunesel''

The ''Scheunesel'' (''barn donkey'') or ''Baumesel'' ("tree donkey") is a corn spirit shaped as a donkey.

''Roggensau'' and ''Korneber''

There are also pig corn demons. One such pig is the ''Roggensau'' ("rye sow"). The ''Roggensau'' steals human children or perches itself on a hiker's back.Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 11. Other names are ''Windsau'' ("wind sow"), ''Kleesau'' ("clover sow"), ''Kornsau'' ("corn sow"), ''Aumsau'' ("chaff sow") or ''îserne Range'' ("iron sow").

The ''Korneber'' ("corn boar")Grimm, ''Deutsche Mythologie'', p. 1041. is a male pig-shaped field spirit.

''Kornstier'', ''Märzenkalb'' and ''Kornkuh''

The ''Kornstier'' ("corn bull") is a cattle-shaped corn spirit. At Christmas the bull fertilizes the fruit tree. In spring the ''Kornstier'' is called ''Aprilochse'' ("April ox") or ''Maiochse'' ("May ox").Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 9.

Another cattle-shaped spirit present in the fields in springtime is the ''Märzenkalb'' or ''Märzkalb'' (both "march calf").

Additionally, a cow is also present called the ''Kornkuh'' or ''Kornmockel'' ("both corn cow")Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 10.

''Haferbock '' and ''Habergeiß''

The ''Haferbock'' ("oat buck") or ''Erntebock'' ("harvest buck") is a he-goat spirit. This ''Feldgeist'' is also known as ''Austbock'' ("harvest buck"), ''Halmbock'' ("haulm buck"), ''Erbsenbock'' ("pea buck"), ''Kornbock'' ("corn buck"), ''Roggenbock'' ("rye buck"), ''Arftenbuck'' ("pea buck"), ''Bohnenbock'' ("bean buck"), ''Nickelbock''Mannhardt, ''Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II'', p. 158. ''Haberbock'' ("oat buck"),Mannhardt, ''Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II'', p. 165. ''Grasbock'' ("grass buck"), ''Heubock'' ("hay buck") or ''Baumbock'' ("tree buck").Mannhardt, ''Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II'', p. 171. At Christmas the buck fertilizes the fruit tree.

The female equivalent of the ''Haferbock'' is the ''Habergeiß'' ("oat goat"), also known as ''Korngeiß'' ("corn goat"), ''Weizengeiß'' ("wheat goat") ''Roggengeiß'' ("rye goat"), ''Hobagoaß'' ("oat goat") or ''Heugeiß'' ("hay goat"). The ''Habergeiß'' is sometimes said to have only three legs. It is sometimes also described as a three-footed bird, as a yellow bird with goat voice, as half a goat and half a bird, as a goat with horse feet and a mouth like a half-opened scutcher or as a young chamois with wings. The cry of the ''Habergeiß'' pronounces springtime as well as bad luck. Someone who imitates the cry of the ''Habergeiß'' will get punishment. The ''Habergeiß'' hunts, scratches or even eats the meddlesome one. If not, it will hang itself as a bloody coat at the crier's door. This corn demon also slaps people looking out of the window at night or takes part in the wild hunt, is also the mount of the devil. In heavy thunderstorm the ''Habergeiß'' bring cut grain from one field to another foreign field. The appearance of the ''Habergeiß'' causes bad luck. The corn will spoil, the cows will lose weight, give no milk and felt. When the cry of the ''Habergeiß'' is heard in autumn this means a long winter and lack of hay.

Both ''Haferbock'' and ''Habergeiß'' steal, hit or kill children.

Birds

''Weizenvogel''

A corn spirit shaped as a bird is the ''Weizenvogel'' ("wheat bird") or ''Rätschvogel''.

''Getreidehahn'' and ''Erntehenne''

The ''Getreidehahn'' or ''Troadhân'' (both "grain rooster") is a rooster-shaped corn demon who sits in corn field and waits for children to peck out their eyes. Other names are ''Arnhahn'',Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 14. ''Erntehahn'', ''Bauthahn'' (all "harvest rooster"), ''Herbsthahn'' ("autumn rooster")Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 13. ''Schnitthahn'' ("cut rooster"), ''Stoppelhahn'' ("stubble rooster"), ''Kornhahn'' ("corn rooster") or ''Saathahn'' ("seed rooster").Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 18.

The female equivalent of the ''Getreidehahn'' is the ''Erntehenne'' or ''Aarhenne'' (both "harvest hen").

Others

Other corn spirits are shaped as rabbits, deer, sheep, horses, foxes, mice, geese, storks, swans, dragons or toads.

Therioanthropomorphic ''Feldgeister''

Some ''Feldgeister'' show mixed animal and human features. One example is the ''Katzenmann'' ("cat man") who shares feline and human features. The ''Bockmann'' or ''Bockelmann'' (both "buck man") instead is a human-goat hybrid who steals children. He is also known as ''Bockkêrl'' ("buck guy") or ''Bockemâ'' ("buck man").

Anthropomorphic ''Feldgeister''

''Roggenmuhme''

The ''Roggenmuhme'' ("rye aunt") is a female corn demon with fiery fingers. Her bosoms are filled with tar, and may end in tips of igneous iron. Her bosoms are also long, and as such must be thrown over her shoulders when she runs. The ''Roggenmuhme'' is completely black or white, and in her hand she has a birch or whip from which lightning sparks. She can change herself into different animals; such as snakes, turtles, frogs and others.Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 20f.

The ''Roggenmuhme'' is well known for stealing human children which are looking for cornflowers. The ''Roggenmuhme'' is also known to replace children with changelings.Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm, ''Deutsche Sagen'', p. 134f. She forces children to suck at her deadly bosom, and may strike the children with her bosom. The ''Roggenmuhme'' also chases children at speeds simultaneous to a running horse. She blows the eyelight of children out, and pounds children in her iron butter churn. The ''Roggenmuhme'' is said to be the mother of the ''Roggenwölfe'' ("rye wolves") and can, herself, also be in the form of a wolf. Sometimes the ''Roggenmuhme'' is accompanied by little dogs who lead children into her iron hug.

The ''Roggenmuhme'' walks through the corn field looking for food. She eats the grain, either all or just the very towering spikes. When the corn is bad or dried up, the ''Roggenmuhme'' punishes the farmer. A ''Roggenmuhme'' striding the fields is an indicator of a good harvest.Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 21. The ''Roggenmuhme'' is also known to pester the maidservants who were not fully spinning their distaffs until Twelfth Night.Grimm, ''Deutsche Mythologie'', p. 370.

Other names for the ''Roggenmuhme'' are ''Roggenmutter'' ("rye mother"), ''Regenmöhme'' ("rain aunt"), ''Kornwyf'' ("corn woman"), ''Kornmutter'' ("corn mother"), ''Kornfrau'' ("corn lady"), ''Kornmuhme'' ("corn aunt"), ''Kornweib'' ("corn woman"), ''Roggenmöhme'' ("rye aunt"), ''Preinscheuhe'', ''Tremsemutter'' ("cornflower mother"), ''Rockenmör'' ("distaff mother"), ''Kornengel'' ("corn angel"), ''Weizenmutter'' ("wheat mother"), ''Gerstenmutter'' ("barley mother"), ''Flachsmutter'' ("flax mother"), ''Erbsenmuhme'' ("pea aunt"), Großmutter ("grandmother") ''wilde Frau'' ("wild lady"), ''Weizenmuhme'' ("wheat aunt"), ''Gerstenmuhme'' ("barley aunt"), ''Tittewîf'' ("bosom woman"), ''Buttermuhme'' ("butter aunt"), ''Erntemutter'' ("harvest mother"), ''die Alte'' ("the old one"), ''Heimmutter'' ("home mother"), ''große Mutter'' ("big mother"), ''alte Hure'' ("old prostitute"), ''große Hure'' ("big prostitute"). and ''Haferfrau'' ("oat lady").Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 23.

''Kornmaid'' ("corn maiden"), ''Getreidemagd'' ("grain maidservant"), ''die Magd'' ("the maidservant"), ''Kornjungfer'' ("corn damsel"), ''Haferbraut'' ("oat bride"), ''die Braut'' ("the bride") and ''Weizenbraut'' ("wheat bride") are younger ''Roggenmuhmen''.Mannhardt, ''Die Korndämonen'', p. 30.

''Hafermann''

The ''Hafermann'' ("oat man") is a male corn demon who steals children. He throws an iron shillelagh. Wearing a big black hat and having a giant stick in his hand, the ''Hafermann'' waits for passants to kidnap them through the air.

Other names for the ''Hafermann'' are ''Getreidemann'' ("grain man"), ''der Alte'' ("the old one"), ''Heidemann'' ("heath man"), ''Heidemänneken'' ("little heath man"),Felix Dahn, Therese Dahn, ''Germanische Götter- und Heldensagen'', p. 593. ''Kornjude'' ("corn Jew"), who is said to be Jewish, ''Kornmann'' ("corn man"), ''der schwarze Mann'' ("the black man"), ''der wilde Mann'' ("the wild man"), ''Grummetkerl'' ("hay guy"), ''Getreidemännchen'' ("little grain man"), ''Kleemännchen'' ("little clover man"), ''Grasteufel'' ("grass devil"), ''Roggenmann'' ("rye man"), ''Weizenmann'' ("wheat man"), ''Gerstenmann''("barley man"), ''Erntemann'' ("harvest man"), ''Schewekerl'', ''de grîse mann'' ("the grey man") or ''Erdäpfelmann'' ("potato man").

A creature of similar name if not identical is the ''Heidmann'' ("heath man"). This ghost looks at night through the windows of a house and the person he looks at must die in year and day.

''Der böse Sämann'' ("the evil sower"), another male corn demon, can be cast out by going over the fields with burning wisps of straw at the first day of fasting period. It is said that the ''Säemann'' ("sower") is the owner of the ''Saathahn'' ("seed rooster"), a bird which is associated with seed. The ''Saathahn'' is to be gathered by going out on the fields with a bag full of green shrubbery.

The ''Haferbräutigam'' ("oat bridegroom") is a younger ''Hafermann''.

''Kornkind''

The ''Kornkind'' ("corn child") or ''Ährenkind'' ("grain head child") is a corn spirit shaped as a child. It is identical with the fruit of the field which is "born" by harvest. Other names for the ''Kornkind'' are ''das Kind'' ("the child"), ''Erntekind'' ("harvest child"), ''Hôrputtel'', ''Hôrkind'' and ''Hurenbalg'' (all "prostitute's child") and ''Reppekindchen''.

''Haferkönig'' and ''Haferkönigin''

The ''Haferkönig'' ("oat king") and ''Haferkönigin'' ("oat queen") are the rulers of all field spirits. Other names are ''Kong'' ("king"), ''Lattichkönig'' ("lettuce king") and ''Maigraf'' ("may earl").

''Bilwis''

:''See also the North Germanic goddess Bil'': Hjúki_and_Bil#Bilwis
The ''Bilwis'' is a male or femaleGolther, ''Germanische Mythologie'', p. 201. corn spirit of sometimes demonic or sometimes human origin. It has flying hair, is wrapped in white linen and wears a little triangular hat. The ''Bilwis'' rolls through the corn shaped as a destructive giant ball or appears as a whirlwind to steal grain during harvest season. Both can be repelled by throwing a knife with three crosses on its blade on the ''Bilwis'', shouting: ''"Da hast du es, Bilbze!"'' ("There you have it, ''Bilwis''!").Bechstein, ''Deutsches Sagenbuch'', p. 381f.

Sorcerers acting as ''Bilwis'' and helpful methods against them are described by Ludwig Bechstein:

"Even today, and this is popular belief, there are also such ''Bilsenschnitter'' (''Bilwisse''), that are people, going out to the fields very early at the days of ''Himmelfahrt'' (either Ascension of Jesus or Mary), Saint John's Eve or Trinity Sunday, barefooted, a little sickle-shaped knife bond to the big toe of the right foot. They step through the seed and cut a line with the knife through it. At the time of harvest and threshing the tenth part of the fruit of such a field must bestow on the ''Bilsenschnitter''. However, the business is associated with great danger. Will the ''Bilsenschnitter'' be called by someone or will be shot over him with a shotgun, then he has to die in the same year. When he notices and addresses the arrival earlier, the fate of death comes upon the other. Most farmers try to save themselves against the damage threatening their fields in such a way by plowing and sowing the field from outside first, because in grain cultivated in such a way no ''Bilsenschnitter'' can break in. When threshing the grain which was cut, the ''Bilsenschnitter'' comes, giving good words, that something in the farmstead may be borrowed him, which must not happen. For revenge at the ''Bilsenschnitter'', twigs of juniper are added during threshing of the tithed grain. Every beat with the flair then strikes the ''Bilsenschnitter'' until he comes running at the end and requests, for all in the world, threshing may be created in another manner." (Translated from the German text)

Additionally, ''Bilwisse'' also can be punished by hanging some of the grain heads, which are cut by a ''Bilwis'',into the chimney. The ''Bilwis'' will dry out as the grain heads will do, becoming a mummy alive, finally dying woefully.
The ''Bilwisschnitt'' ("''Bilwis'' cut") can also be done by riding on a billy goat, then called a ''Bocksschnitt'' ("buck cut").

A ''Bilwis'' also muddles hair and beard, causes illness and nightmares. Non-human ''Bilwisse'' live in mountains and trees.

Other names for the ''Bilwis'' are ''Bil-wiss'', ''Bilbze'', ''Bilbsenschnitter'' (''Schnitter'' = mower), ''Bilsenschnitter'', ''Binsenschnitter'', ''Belwit'', ''Belewitte'', ''Pilwis'', ''Pilbis'', ''Bilverschnitter'', ''Bilmes'', ''Bilgenschneider'' (''Schneider'' = cutter) and ''Bilwiss''.

''Windsbraut''

The ''Windsbraut'' ("wind's bride") is an (originally female, but occasionally also male) spirit of the whirlwind.Grimm, ''Deutsche Mythologie'', p. 479.

''Windsbräute'' steal the earnings of fieldwork. They can be disarmed by throwing a knife into the whirlwind. A ''Windsbraut'' is unable to remove the knife by her own power and therefore needs the help of the knife's owner.Edmund Mudrak, ''Das große Buch der Sagen'', p. 214f.

A ''Windsbraut'' is not always a demon but also can be a sorcerer or sorceress.

Other names for ''Windsbraut'' are ''Windschbrauß'', ''Windbrauss'', ''Windsprauch'', ''Windgelle'', ''Windschbrach'', ''Windgäsperl'' ("wind Kasperle") and ''Windgäspele'' ("wind Kasperle").Grimm, ''Deutsche Mythologie'', p. 1077.

Literature

* Ludwig Bechstein: ''Deutsches Sagenbuch''. F. W. Hendel Verlag, Meersbusch, Leipzig 1930.
* Felix Dahn, Therese Dahn: ''Germanische Götter- und Heldensagen''. Marix-Verlag, Wiesbaden 2010, .
* Wolfgang Golther: ''Germanische Mythologie: Vollständige Ausgabe''. Marix-Verlag, Wiesbaden 2011, .
* Jacob Grimm: ''Deutsche Mythologie: Vollständige Ausgabe''. Marix-Verlag, Wiesbaden 2014, .
* Wilhelm Grimm, Jacob Grimm: ''Deutsche Sagen: Vollständige Ausgabe mit Illustrationen von Otto Ubbellohde''. Nikol, Hamburg 2014, .
* Otto Holzapfel: ''Lexikon der abendländischen Mythologie''. Anaconda, Cologne 2000, .
* Edmund Mudrak: ''Das große Buch der Sagen''. Ensslin, Würzburg 2007, .
* Wilhelm Mannhardt: ''Die Korndämonen: Beitrag zur germanischen Sittenkunde''. bremen university press, Bremen 2014, .
* Wilhelm Mannhardt: ''Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II''. Elibron Classics, 2005, {{ISBN, 1-4212-4778-X.

References

German legendary creatures
Agricultural deities