Walrider - A Victim’s Tale

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A woman from the parish of Holle describes the plague as follows: “Because of those beings, I left the service of the Meher family, as I was constantly plagued by a walrider in their house for two years. Only when there were heavy winds and rain outside did I get some quiet. When I moved away, the mistress told me that the walrider would follow me to the new household I was going to serve in. This did indeed take place, but I was only bothered by her for a few times — apparently the way was now too long for her.

I’ve always clearly heard the walrider approach, but I never saw her. When she came, I first experienced soughing and roaring sounds in my ears, then there were a few punches against my bedsheet, and then she had caught me. Then I could not move any of my limbs. I could utter no sounds, except for a slight whimpering. I had hardly any air left to breathe, and I was overcome with such terrible dread that I sweated all over my body. I felt the pressure from my chest to my knees, and I was terribly frightened. I frequently cried because of this.

The walrider not only visited me in the evening or during the night, but even ambushed me during the day, whether I was asleep or awake, in my bed or away from it. When I sat down in the main chamber in the evening and leaned my head on a cradle, she pushed me down as well. Those who were in the chamber with me also noticed this, and I could hear them say among each other that “the walrider is pushing her down again”. At another time, I was sleeping on the open field in the summer, and I felt that she wanted to drag me away — she wanted to heave me into the swamp. When I was sleeping on my back I was pestered far more than when I was lying on my side.

'Source: Strackerjan - Aberglaube und Sagen aus dem Herzogthum Oldenburg - Erster Band, p. 376

caption Note: This story was published in the book Sunken Castles, Evil Poodles: Commentaries on German folklore. Get the book for further context and explanatory commentary!