Especially in the Middle Ages, there wasn’t much knowledge about all kinds of natural phenomena. People saw the hand of God in everything. That way of thinking was, of course, encouraged by the Catholic Church. Thanks to that superstition, it was easy to keep the faithful in line.
One of these malevolent phenomena was the water spirit. It was mainly used to scare children away from wells and lakes. Water spirits were given different, terrifying names in different places. Many of these stories were still being passed down well into the 20th century.
Water is a source of life; it is generally soothing and healing, and is used for relaxation. It is also often said to possess healing powers. That is why it is so appealing. In psychiatry, “bath therapy” was a widely used treatment for a long time. But water can also be dangerous. The water spirits were there primarily to warn children of the danger of drowning.
But adults, too, saw water spirits. For example, in the Zevenbergenbos in Ranst, you can still visit the “Devil’s Well.” According to legend, the devil appeared there one night to a farmer from Ranst who had had a little too much to drink at the local inn.
There are “Devil’s Holes” everywhere. It’s also the name of a large pond in Oostduinkerke where things have been disappearing for a thousand years. Legend has it that the remains of a wealthy, conceited farmer, along with his horse and carriage, lie at the bottom. These days, you can play golf there. It’s no coincidence that Hole 18 is called The Devil’s Hole. And yes, many golf balls disappear into the water there, never to be found again.
Superstition played an important role in one of the first Suske en Wiske comic books. *De Zwarte Madam* first appeared in 1947. It’s a somewhat dark story in which two figures from Flemish folklore play major roles. One is Lange Wapper, a tormentor from Antwerp. He teams up with Kludde, a water spirit who appears in the Scheldt region. Lange Wapper is a giant who mainly makes life miserable for drunks. Kludde, on the other hand, can disguise himself as a dog, cat, or bird to deceive people.
This story was created by OKV for FAAM - Virtual Museum.
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