The headless horseman is a popular figure in German folklore and is said to have appeared in a forest of my home region. Often he is also described as a member of the Wild Hunt.
Washington Irving most likely wrote his draft for Sleepy Hollow on a tour through Europe and got inspired by the folklore he collected during his travels. The figure also appears in Ireland and other countries within Europe.
Since seeing a headless performer on a funfair when I was a small child, I became obsessed with the possibility to live without a head (and maybe with heads in general).
In Scandinavia, Oskoreia (also called Åsgårdsreia, Julereia or Odens Jakt in other regions) meaning “Asgard Riders” is the modern folk belief related to Christmas that traces its roots back to the Old Norse tradition commonly known as The Wild Hunt.
Oskoreia is a Yuletide tradition viewed as a phantasmagoria of dream-like images of hunters (usually led by Odin) and hunted engaging in battle, typically signalled by the howling of Odin’s wolves, always one louder and the other quieter. The group of riders may be alive or dead, real humans or deities, insignificant or noble, male or female and with many regional variations. It is said to have foretold changing weather in many regions but it could also mean imminent war and unrest. According to some reports, the forest turned silent and only a whining sound along with dog/wolf barking could be heard.
The pursuit can span across the sky but it is said that the hunt may never get closer to the ground than an “ox can wear its yoke”. If caught in the path of Oskoreia it is believed that a person may be swept up into the mayhem and so a good strategy to keep safe is to jump to the ground, thus making oneself lower than the height of an ox’s yoke and allowing the hunt to pass above.
In some regions, folk wisdom advised that people should carry some iron/steel and some bread with them as they walked during the Yule season in case they might encounter Oskoreia. If one should find themselves face to face with Odin, then they should throw down the iron/steel in front of them to ward off trouble. Further, if the person should meet his wolves then they should throw the bread, which they will eat instead of the person.
Another tradition stemming from Oskoreia is the “Christmas goat walk” (”Gå julebukk” in Norwegian) in which masked and costumed people (now usually children) go from door-to-door, singing carols for rewards of sweets.
“Attention Customers! This is a reminder that the store will be closing early today for the Annual Wild Hunt Employee Appreciation Party. Please ensure you have enough time to finish checking out and vacate the premises. Especially since we are a bit short on prey this year. Thank you!”
