A European phenomenon, the Wild Hunt is a supernatural event crossing several cultures including German, Norse, Roman, French, English and Celtic. The Hunt occurs sporadically, as a tempestuous gathering of gods and legendary creatures.
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It grows into a raging host known in the south of Germany as Wütendes Heer. Among the participants are historical or mythological warriors and heroes, kings, satyrs, centaurs, three, six and eight-legged horses, elves, dwarfs and spirits of all persuasion. In Christian lore, like Hexennacht the Wild Hunt comes to be associated with the Devil.
Three major goddesses Frau Holle, Diana and Frigg have leadership roles in the Wild Hunt. The goddesses are often cognate in mythology. They're all linked to fertility, women and nature. In Switzerland the hag Sträggele might lead the Hunt.
German Goddess Frau Holle
Frau Holle (Holda, Hulda) is a deity of home, trees, snow, women, spinning and weaving. Equated with Diana of the Romans and Frigg of the Norse, she's a leader of the Wild Hunt. She embodies both dark and light qualities with roles as White Lady and Dark Grandmother.
Her favored trees are apple and elderberry, and the flowers of these. Like Diana and Frigg she relates to silver. A feminine metal and color, silver's one of the metals of antiquity, representing the moon and moonlight.
Frau Holle makes snow by fluffing her bedding out the window from her home in the clouds. She can create a soft downfall or blinding blizzard. She's a kind-hearted goddess but punishment is swift for those who break rules, such as being rude or spinning on a feast day.
Frau Holle's feast covers den Zwölften, or the Twelve Days of Yule. Although she's associated with Solstice as a goddess of light, her official feast begins 25 December and goes to Jan 5 or 6, known to practicing Christians and Shakespeare buffs as Twelfth Night.
Symbols of Frau Holle include the round shield, spinning wheel or wheel of life; moon, dogs and apples. Leading the wild hunt she often runs with a pack of dogs. A spear represents her warrior aspect.
In the South of Germany, warrior Hulda's equivalent is Perchta or Wild Berchta. She's often a leader of the Wild Hunt as a terrifying hag goddess. One who beholds her is thought to sink into trance, and upon awakening can predict the yield of the next harvest.
As one continues south, Swiss dreadful huntsman der Türst and his witch hag wife Sträggele race through the skies with a pack of three-legged dogs and a bevy of spectral hunters. People are warned to leave their barn doors open, or the mob will break them down.
Roman Goddess Diana the Huntress
Diana's origins go back to ancient Greece and Rome. She's a Goddess of the Hunt, both the countryside and wilderness, wild animals, fertility, childbirth and the Moon. Also called Divine Huntress, she's equated with the Greek Artemis.
Dogs, deer and apples are sacred to Diana. She shares the sanctity of the apple with Roman Venus, goddess of love, and Frau Holle. Her symbols include the bow and/or arrow, and the crown of the crescent moon. A sacred virgin, Diana is also a fertility goddess.
Women wanting children, or those needing help in childbirth, pray and make offerings to her. In Rome, Diana is also considered protector of lower classes, especially slaves.
Diana's tree is cypress or cedar. She often wears the color white. Equated with light, white reflects Diana's status as a divine virgin.
Silver is sacred to her as is the moon, both also symbols of Frigg and Frau Holle. In ancient writings she's Diana Lucifera ("light-bearer"). In alchemy Diana means silver or the moon.
Also in alchemy, Diana's Tree (Latin: Arbor Diana or Dianae), or the Philosopher's Tree (Arbor Philosophorum), is a combination of crystallized silver produced from mercury in a silver nitrate solution. As it grows and forms it seems to be alive.
The tree structure of the amalgam, complete with fruit-like shapes on its branches, inspires ancient chemical philosophers to consider the possibility of mineral life. Stones, gems, crystals, rocks and cave formations all grow and change.
Diana is an aspect of a triple goddess, known as Diana triformis. The cosmic triad is composed of Diana, Luna, and Hecate. Luna, a moon goddess, is sister of the sun Sol and the dawn, Aurora. Her crescent moon crown is often applied to Diana.
Hecate first appears in writings of 8th century BCE as a goddess of crossroads, night, light, doorways, magic, protection and the Moon. She knows herbs and poisons, She relates to graves, ghosts, necromancy and sorcery. Her name may be based on Heka magic of Egypt.
Diana is also a Goddess of Triads or groups of three. Besides the triple goddess aspect Diana, in earlier times she's part of a divine triad with Egeria the water nymph and Virbius the woodland god.
This, and her involvement as one of three women who lead the Wild Hunt, associate her with triangles, triples of triples and number nine. Unlike Holle and Frigg, Diana is by no means a domestic goddess. She speaks to the wild untamed nature in all humans.
Norse Goddess Frigg
Frigg is one of Aesir (Old Gods) of Norse mythology. She belongs to the Vanir group of deities, those relating to fertility, wisdom and prophecy.
The Norse have a complex mythology, partly due to the long cold winter nights in the north when the sun barely peeks over the horizon. Stories develop as they are told, enriching the culture of the people.
When the Norse settle up north they bring history and mythology of Denmark with them, and incorporate parts of the existing Sami culture into their religious philosophy as well. German Frau Holle and Danish Hulondermutter relate to the Norse Goddess Frigg.
In Norse mythology Frigg is the wife of Odin and mother of ill-fated Baldr. If dedicating an altar or tree to Frigg be careful with mistletoe, as this is the plant who (mistakenly) killed her son, and it's a symbol of motherly grief.
Frigg often holds a distaff, a symbol of spinning and women, corresponding with her aspect as a domestic deity. In her warrior phase Frigg unleashes her heavenly powers with the leaders of the Wild Hunt. Clad in plate armor she rides a many-legged steed.
Like other Mother Goddess figures she is associated with dogs. Her symbolic animal, however, is the falcon, a bird of the hunt. In battle she carries spear and round shield.
According to the 14th century Prose Edda, Frigg dwells in a splendid realm, Fensalir (Old Norse "Fen Halls"). Four female deities attend her. They are
Fulla, who carries Frigg's ashen box, looks after her footwear and shares her secrets
Lofn, given permission by Frigg and Odin to arrange unions among men and women
Hlín, a protector of those Frigg deems worthy
Gná, a messenger sent by Frigg into various worlds to carry out her business
In quieter times Frigg is associated with birch and elder trees. She wears a large blue cloak symbolizing the sky, and is also a goddess of the Moon. The English weekday name Friday comes from Old English Frīġedæġ, meaning 'day of Frigg'.
Especially in the Germanic countries, a messenger or forerunner appears before the arrival of the Hunt, shouting, "Mitten des Wegs!" meaning "middle of the way". A person should lie in the middle of the road and let the clamor of the raging host pass above.
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