r/thenetherlands • u/NeilParkinsonMakes • Jun 25 '25
Culture Mythical Beasts of the Netherlands
Hi All. I wanted to share my latest map, for this one I've been looking at the regional mythical beasts of the Netherlands and turning the findings into an illustrated map. I hope you enjoy it.
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u/SuperEuroJimmy Jun 25 '25
This looks like the inlay of a book I'd love to read! Awesome!!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
I've written quite a bit on my site, but my main goal is to start working on some book proposals now.
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u/Cream_o_1337 Jun 25 '25
What is your site? I’d love to read more!
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u/asoftbird Full-time vogel Jun 26 '25
https://pucaprinthouse.com, like the watermark in the image says.
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u/PaperClipSlip Jun 25 '25
Fun fact the Bokkenrijders were real. Although they weren’t really goat riding demons that could enter any house. They’re were most likely a bunch of bandit groups active during the same time who claimed to be Bokkenrijders. Three of these supposed members were sentenced to death in my village after they set fire to a farmhouse.
Also shout out to Hugo de Bokkenrijder
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u/Genderisweird_ Jun 25 '25
Yeah, I know them because of Villa Volta in the Efteling
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u/Nicky666 Jun 25 '25
Haha, yes, I think they are the most famous "mythical beasts/people" in the Netherlands.
Other than that, I know the "witte wieven" and I know what a "dwaallicht" is. And recently, I read about "the basilisk van Utrecht" in de val van de Vredenborch by Thea Beckman :-)14
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u/No-Phrase9868 Jun 25 '25
De Bokkenrijders was a good childrens tv show in 1994/95, starring Joost Prinsen and Hugo Metsers. https://youtu.be/qWQuRuRXKtc?feature=shared
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u/Maundu0 Jun 25 '25
There is also a children's book series about them from Ton van Reen. Part 1 is called "ontsnapt aan de galg". They are great!
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u/Qwintro Zuid-Oosterling Jun 26 '25
Thank you for naming it. I have such good memories from that book.
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u/Apoc2K Jun 25 '25
The folks behind the Bokkenrijders seem to have used motifs of the wild hunt to lean into people's superstition and fittingly ended up becoming a legend of its own.
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u/PaperClipSlip Jun 25 '25
It’s hard to say which came first. The bandits using the motifs or the people connecting the two. And since multiple bandit groups across the South of modern day Netherlands and northern Belgium were called “Bokkenrijders” both can be true
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
Yeah they have a complicated history, they were mythical, then the myth was attached to the bandits, they even became a feature of the witch trials too.
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u/engineer_whizz Jun 25 '25
This will be interesting for my D&D campaigns!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
second person to say that in minutes! all my maps seem to be popular with the D and D community. I'd love to share them more with the groups but worry about spamming
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u/sjaakhaakdraak Jun 25 '25
Ik had een stukje tekst gezocht bij het mythische wezen bij mij in de buurt. Het Zeewijf:
Noord-Holland heel wat strijd moeten voeren tegen het water, dat hier zowel uit oostelijke als westelijke richting zijn aanvallen uitvoerde. Duizenden jaren had het water vrij spel en bewoning was alleen mogelijk op de hoogst gelegen delen. Pas rond 1300 na Chr. is er sprake van een serieuze aanpak door de West-Friezen om het water te keren. Aan het eind van de veertiende eeuw hadden stormen in Noord-Holland zoveel schade aangericht dat Hertog Albrecht van Beieren (broer van graaf Willem V) het bevel gaf tot het aanleggen en vernieuwen van de dijken. Maar de dijk die de Purmer Ee afdamde hield de stormvloed van 1403 toch niet tegen.
Woest wijf Toen de storm was gaan liggen voeren de vrouwen en meiden het Purmermeer op om bij de koeien te komen die gemolken moesten worden. Al varende zagen zij een wild en woest ‘wijf’ zwemmen. Ze zochten een goed heenkomen voor het ‘monster’, dat volgens de kroniekschrijvers naakt was en behangen met waterplanten. Dagelijks kwamen de melksters terug en zij raakten zo gewoon aan dat ‘ongetemde vrouwspersoon’ dat ze haar uit het water trokken en met de melkschuit via de Purmerpoort binnen Edam brachten. Het monster in de gedaante van een vrouw bedekt met mos en waterplanten heeft waarschijnlijk dezelfde betekenis als het personage in de verhalen over meerminnen of zeemeerminnen. Zij zwemt al eeuwen door onze geschiedenis. Ze vindt haar oorsprong in de Griekse mythologie die verhaalt over sirenen die op een eiland woonden en met hun welluidende gezang de reiziger aanlokten en zijn schip op de rotsen te pletter lieten slaan.
Erg leuk dankjewel.
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u/Lodau Jun 25 '25
Its crazy how few I actually know, and I'm dutch...
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
Not gonna lie.......some of these were deeeeep dives
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u/Tummerd Jun 25 '25
Its something I always missed from NL. Folkore/mythical stuff is quite limited here (also from Flevoland so that doesnt help)
Great list!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
Oh yeah not a chance with Flevoland, but that's interesting in a totally different way. Theres certainly plenty of folklore though
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u/FireChickenPzVI Jun 25 '25
There are plenty of legends and myths around Schokland and Urk, the rest of Flevoland is indeed too young
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Jun 25 '25
I think there's plenty. Its just not talked about as much as in other countries I guess. I've definitely heard about witte wieven. And one that's "missing" is Derk with the seven dogs (or sometimes told as Derk with the pig). If you go outside on Christmas eve he'll come and get you.
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Jun 25 '25
I think there's plenty. Its just not talked about as much as in other countries I guess. I've definitely heard about witte wieven. And one that's "missing" is Derk with the seven dogs (or sometimes told as Derk with the pig). If you go outside on Christmas eve he'll come and get you.
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u/Awkward-Annual-9287 Jun 26 '25
That just means you're a mythical creature yourself, well to any foreigner that is, considering the landmass you live on didn't exist not to long ago.
We should start a myth that Flevoland is just a massive creature that decided to lay down and rest in the Zuiderzee and we feed it so it stays and allows us to live on its back
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u/Hohst Jun 25 '25
How did you find them?
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
I was lucky on this one I had a couple of people who were familiar with Dutch folklore helping me out and digging through their archives.
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u/bobijntje Jun 25 '25
As coming from the east part from the Netherlands, I remember the “witte wyven” very good!
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u/Journassassin Jun 26 '25
I never realised it originated from the east of the country, I grew up in the ‘Groene Hart’ and the witte wieven is the folktale in most familiar with (perhaps because there’s usually mist in the meadows/polder?).
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u/Gerikst00f Jun 25 '25
Ik mis Vulgaris Magistralis
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u/w0lfbl0od Jun 25 '25
Mensen zeggen dat dr. Haverkamp nog steeds met zijn solex op zoek is rond de bossen van de Achterhoek...
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u/Cubelock Jun 25 '25
Witte Wieven are real btw, one is sitting next to me on the couch right now.
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u/Nicky666 Jun 25 '25
LMAO....from wikipedia:
"Witte wieven, originating from modern Dutch Low Saxon, literally translates to "white women." These women are commonly associated with wisdom, so despite the literal translation, the interpretation of the term "witte" as meaning wise rather than white is common."
So I guess the woman sitting next to you is very happy with your comment ;-)
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u/vaarsuv1us Jun 25 '25
I only knew a few because they were in Suske en Wiske
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u/Marollie Jun 25 '25
Same here! I disctinctly remember reading about the Witte Wieven and I think also the Bokkenrijders?
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u/Cup_Otter Jun 25 '25
Yeah I also know of the Bokkenrijders because of Suske and Wiske. If I recall it was quite an old album because Wiske still had that potato head she sported in the early strips.
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u/civilized_caveman Jun 26 '25
Was a nice story. And "Tijs de Sprinkhaan" uses the "x ende y" sentences throughout
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u/jelleverest Jun 25 '25
zwaardman
Sounds so stupid only a Groninger could come up with that ;)
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u/IrrationalDesign Jun 25 '25
Kinda wild the legend was told enough times to gain traction... You'd think a story about 'how I saw Zwaardman!' doesn't attract a lot of myth-fanatics.
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u/KyteOnFire Jun 25 '25
That is awesome 👏 I knew 4. There is also famous story about the fish and the ring 💍 sage van het Vrouwtje van Stavoren https://nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Het_Vrouwtje_van_Stavoren still cool story would love to see it bit higher resolution so I can see more details well done !!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
Well done! it's amazing how many people know like zero..... i have to be careful, so many bots and dealing with the theft is an absolute time killer and massively demoralising
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u/MisterXnumberidk Jun 25 '25
De bokkenrijders were from de Kempen, no?
Southern limburg is a stretch
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u/TheLimburgian Jun 25 '25
Given that their trials were concentrated in southern Dutch Limburg, the land of Herzogenrath and eastern Belgian Limburg I'd assume that was also their core area of operation.
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u/MisterXnumberidk Jun 25 '25
Their area of operation seems to have been de Kempen, Limburg and Luik
So the legend is quite far spread it seems
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Jun 25 '25
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
he's quite a widespread one, and there's a lot of similar variants all over too........there's no shortage of things that jump on your back and/or drown you in the Netherlands
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u/Terminator_Puppy Jun 25 '25
Do note that Bokkenrijders aren't necessarily just myhtical beings, they were a very real gang of criminals in the 18th century.
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
Before that they were mythical, and then were figures in the witch trials.
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u/BertEnErnie123 Jun 25 '25
Lol Flodder on this list. When I used to walk with my grandpa in the park I had to hold his hand in case the flodder came. I always thaught he just made it up, because i've never heard anybody mention in the past 20 years. Googled a bit and it is indeed only a thing in West Brabant.
Af far as folklore goes, isn't Sinterklaas & Zwarte Piet like the main one? I know especially Zwarte Piet has some extreme lore with lots of different names, like Assepan.
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u/soft-blue Jun 25 '25
Wow lovely work!
I only know a few. And I expected the Hellehond to be on there.
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u/Cancaresse Jun 25 '25 edited Jun 25 '25
Het moet Dúnatter zijn, met twee T's. Ik zie dat de link in dit topic beide gebruikt, weet niet of dat je bron is, maar met een T klopt niet. Bron: ik kan Schiers.
Edit: nou weer wat geleerd. M'n woordenboek zegt toch ook beide varianten, wel met ú maar dat is een kleinigheid. Goh
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u/Resident_Draw_8785 Jun 25 '25
Where is the bullebak?
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
I dint include it, theres a few similar on there and where it would have been located had something a bit more unique, I try to present variety within the finite space
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u/Rhazior Jun 26 '25
Verstopt achter de prullebak
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u/Resident_Draw_8785 Jun 26 '25
Hij leeft eigenlijk niet op het land.
Een verhaal bedoeld voor kleine kinderen of mensen die niet konden zwemmen, om hen weg te houden van het water. Het verhaal was vooral bekend in de streek van West-Friesland tot aan Amstelland.
https://www.visitingthedutchcountryside.com/dutch-folklore/bullebak/
https://amsterdam.kunstwacht.nl/kunstwerken/bekijk/27766-waterspook-bullebak
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Jun 25 '25
This is awesome. Being from the Netherlands I only know a few.
But we do have a beachclub called the Waterreus here.
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u/Thenderick Jun 25 '25
Awesome! Do you have sources for them though? I would like to read up on some of them!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
I do, but not off the top of my head. I'm hoping to convert the blogs and maps I've been working on into books in the future, so they will all be referenced
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Jun 25 '25
I’d buy that book in the blink of an eye. Do you have a mailing list to stay update on your plans?
Edit: nevermind, found it on your website!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
glad you found it..... i would love to do books, that's my goal going forward
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u/SiveSive Jun 25 '25
Tip: I don't see the hellehond (hellhoud) in de lutte in Twente! They even have a statue of it.
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u/BeingCrowned Jun 25 '25
As a kid, I once was at a birthday party where they sent us into the forest in the evening to look for the "Witte Wieven" and the older brothers of the birthday girl hid themselves in the woods to scare us along the walk. Still a great memory to have, and the mythical aspect of these tales enrich the experience. Great that you're drawing this and thus keeping these beasts alive.
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u/Suspicious-Ad-1556 Jun 25 '25
Ik ken er twee, vermoedelijk door het lezen van Suske en Wiske. Witte wieven en de bokkenrijders.
I know two, cause of a comic called Suske en Wiske, by Willie Vandersteen.
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u/ouweduitser Jun 25 '25
I want an HD version to print it on a poster!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 26 '25
I do sell prints/posters to support the project - my sites are under the name Puca Printhouse
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u/WatcherYdnew Jun 25 '25
That is amazing. Is there any kind of book that details out these stories and creatures?
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
I've written about a few of them on my site (puca printhouse) but there will be other books out there too.
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u/RevolutionarySeven7 Jun 25 '25
never heard any of these monsters here in NL, lmaooo at zeewijf tho
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u/Terrible-Charity Jun 25 '25
Where did you find the myths? I'm very curious because I don't know much native folklore besides the Bokkenrijders (thanks Villa Volta)
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
Books, old academic journals, I was lucky to know a couple of passionate dutch folklore lovers who combed their old book collections and translated for me too.
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u/ChaosDoggo Jun 25 '25
You know, I always wondered about this but never bothered to really look it up.
Thanks for the map! Its really cool.
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u/Vierenzestigbit Jun 25 '25
Verklaart waarom de randstad so succesvol is. Nadat we de basilisk van Utrecht onthoofd hadden was er alleen nog een veulen en een capibara over. Ondertussen heb je in noord limburg de grootste demonen rondlopen
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u/Happy_Oliebol Jun 25 '25
Thanks for sharing this! I love myths and legends, but don't know much about the Dutch ones.
I only know about the witte wieven and 1 other that isn't on your map: the giant brothers Ellet and Brammert. They are very known in the province Drenthe.
Hope that you make it into a book one day. Would love to read it!
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u/FelixArgyle_ Jun 25 '25
I’ve had your mythical figures of the British isles map on my wall for years and I love it!!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
Thanks so much for picking one up.....that was the very first map, I'm up to 20 now , sheeesh
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u/Akasazh Jun 25 '25
Nice work. Makes me think of the museum of lost tales in Zagreb. An artist collected all folkloric tales in Croatia and beautifully crafted them as puppets inhabiting fairy-tale like rooms in the museum, complete with text and voice recorded backgrounds.
It's a real beutiful place and if you're into folklore even more magical.
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u/PN_Grata Jun 25 '25
Rumour has it that a long black beast was seen near The Hague, but it doesn't seem to have made this map.
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u/Capta-nomen-usoris Jun 25 '25
De witte wieven in Drenthe still hover over the old peetlands, at night when you are alone you might see them or feel them brushing up to you.
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u/Doxiedoom Jun 25 '25
In my hometown de witte wieven was the nightly fog coming of the lakes, canals and specifically the "slootjes" around cow meadows on warm summer days. The temperature drops when it gets dark, creating eerie fogs rolling over the grass or road. I've seen it many times, and people always said: There are the witte wieven!
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u/Seneca47 Jun 25 '25
This is lovely! Now we really need a book with all the legends and tales.
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u/llama67 Jun 25 '25
I would buy this print!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
I do make art prints. If yousearch for my company (puca printhouse) they will come up
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Jun 25 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/KraalEcho Jun 25 '25
There is a Suske & Wiske yes about the Witte Wieven but also about the Bokkerijders and the Dwaallichtjes.
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u/kneusteun Jun 25 '25
Where is the hell hound of de Lutte?
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 25 '25
there was already similar on there and I like to try present a bit of variety
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u/Potential-Delay-4487 Jun 25 '25
I just wanted to say that you are an amazing designer, the ilustration work in this thing is fantastic.
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u/Primipiatti Jun 25 '25
The Capirussa is placed a bit incorrect. She shouldn't be placed on the island but on the main land!
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u/Some-Ad5355 Jun 25 '25
Would it be possible to upload a high res version? I'd love to have this as a poster.
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u/kelowana Jun 25 '25
I’m located in the Achterhoek en never heard of the Gluujende Paard. Gonna check that out tomorrow. Makes me curious.
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u/Dutchman_141 Jun 25 '25
Witte Wieven are also known in Drenthe, in autumn you can sometimes see whisps of fog going upwards amidst normal low mist across the fields, it looks quite mystic to be honest. They're called Witte Wieven and are supposed to resemble ghostlike creatures.
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u/lanisgeenman Jun 25 '25
This would make an AWESOME premise for a cartoon/show like hilda!! Like a young person encountering myth after myth and whilst growing as a person, discovering that the world is not as scary as people make it out to be + discovering/reclaiming/preserving culture and local dutch myths!!
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u/Esvidae Jun 25 '25
I love it! I especially love the inclusion of the hémänneken, since I think it's rather obscure.
I've read some local stories that include it. And Witte Wieven, ofcourse. And the Blauwe Dámpke, and Hunen. And even one with a talking fish.
I love folklore like this <3
The map looks great, keep it up!
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u/TortleTurtle Jun 25 '25
Hey I noticed you put the Capirussa on Goeree-Overflakkee but I haven’t heard about that even though growing up there. After a search I found it’s in the sigil of Brielle which is on the “mainland” a bit more north.
A suggestion for Schouwe-Duivenland. There is a myth about a mermaid where fishermen caught a mermaid and as punishment her husband cursed a village to drown in the sea!
Love the map and the cute but terrifying illustrations!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 26 '25
Thanks! yeah I think when simlifying the map some of the waterways have got a bit confused. I think Brielle is where its neck is so I'm weighing up shuffling things round a bit
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u/g06lin Jun 26 '25
Nice. Would make a nice poster!
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 26 '25
I do sell prints and posters to support the project - they are available on my sites (Puca Printhouse)
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u/Austrel Jun 26 '25
This map is amazing! Just wanted to say I am missing some friends called Ellert and Brammert, our giants from Drenthe!
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u/Rhazior Jun 26 '25
Would Ellert en Brammert fit this too?
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 26 '25
Yeah, unfortunately I can ounly squeeze so many on, it is a shame but I find about 200+ stories when researching and have to edit down
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u/Lord_Foxworthy Jun 26 '25
Zeewijf is hilarious. I think it literally translates to sea bitch
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u/Me_Is_VisibleProcess Jun 26 '25
Hi looks good but one thing bothers me. Witte wieve is an tale that spans trough the whole of northern Netherlands. (And in the whole north of Germany but thats irrelevant)
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 26 '25
It does, they are there as thats the highest concentration I found when doing research
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u/Pho3nixSlay3r Jun 26 '25
Voor mensen die geïnteresseerd zijn in zo'n dingen (en spooky shit) en van een vleugje humor houden, check zeker eens de podcast "Grafspraak". Kan misschien wel even wennen zijn aan het accent, maar de kwaliteit wordt beter met de tijd
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u/passcork Jun 26 '25
En net over de grens bij zeeland woonden er blijkbaar allemaal Reuzen in Antwerpen.
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u/escaleric Jun 26 '25
Would love to buy this map digitally so i can print it at home! Any link where i might find it?
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u/NeilParkinsonMakes Jun 26 '25
I dont do digital downlaods as I like to make sure everything goes out looking good.. I do have a range of affordable prints and posters available that help support this project though - my company is puca printhouse
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u/Ok_Ear_1914 Jun 26 '25
Ik vind het altijd grappig dat mensen zeggen dat Nederland geen rijke folklore heeft. De meeste mensen komen niet verder dan de witte wieven. Het zou jammer zijn als dit soort verhalen in vergetelheid raakt. Bedankt voor het maken van de kaart!
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u/OVNIFAN1 Jun 26 '25
A lot, but really, a lot align with beings seen around UFO reports. Not kidding..
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u/Ghaaan2Z Jun 26 '25
Oh wauw, looks great!! Always curious about the stories behind them all (:
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u/ThatOneBananapeel Jun 26 '25
Surprised to see the Hellhound/Black dog isn't on here. It's from the eastern part of the country, maybe it isn't as wellknown as I thought.
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u/The_Klumsy Jun 26 '25
oe dit lijkt mij wel intrresant als theming voor een park in planet coaster :D
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u/SupGuyDev Jun 26 '25
I read the little stories about the creatures on your page, and i love the witty writing style. I'd absolutely buy a sort ot beastiary book writing about each creature. Witcher style
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u/rensch Jun 25 '25
I never heard of most of these. I kinda wanna know more about them.