Feldgeister ('field spirits'; ; singular: Feldgeist) or Korndämonen ('corn demons'; ; singular: Korndämon) are corn spirits in German folklore. Feldgeister are often also wind spirits,Wolfgang 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.Felix Dahn, Therese Dahn: Germanische Götter- und Heldensagen, p. 171. 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.Mannhardt, Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 319.
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.Jacob Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, p. 1079.
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")Mannhardt, Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 172. is a female cat spirit.
The male equivalent of the Kornkatze is the Kornkater ("corn tomcat")Mannhardt, Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 173. Murrkater ("grumbling tomcat")Mannhardt, Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 156. 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")Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, p. 1209. 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"),Mannhardt, Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 157. NickelbockMannhardt, 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")Mannhardt, Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 162. Roggengeiß ("rye goat"), Hobagoaß ("oat goat")Mannhardt, Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 167. or Heugeiß ("hay goat"). The Habergeiß is sometimes said to have only three legs.Mannhardt: Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 169. 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.Mannhardt,Wald- und Feldkulte: Band II, p. 181f.
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"),Mannhardt, Die Korndämonen, p. 19. 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").Mannhardt, Die Korndämonen, p. 22. 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.Mannhardt, Die Korndämonen, p. 23f.
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 according to historical anti-Semitic sentiment,Otto Holzapfel, Lexikon der abendländischen Mythologie, p. 239. 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")Mannhardt, Die Korndämonen, p. 24. or Erdäpfelmann ("potato man").Mannhardt, Die Korndämonen, p. 25.
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.Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, p. 870.
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.Grimm, Deutsche Mythologie, p. 1321. 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