Dutch Mythology - Legendary People

Legendary People

• Arumer Zwarte Hoop (The Arumer Black Gang), a select group of highly specialized and legendary warriors, led by Grutte Pier
• Beatrijs - an errant nun alleged to be saved by Mary (mother of Jesus). See tales of saints & miracles.
• Brandaen - a monk from Galway who takes a voyage around the world for 9 years (epic poetry).
• Dulle Griet (Mad Meg) - the legendary mad woman
• Duchess Marie of Brabant, Genevieve of Brabant
• Finn (Frisian) - Frisian lord, son of Folcwald
• Flying Dutchman - A pirate and his ghost ship that can never go home, but is doomed to sail "the seven seas" forever. Note this legend originated in England theater. According to some sources, the 17th century Dutch captain Bernard Fokke is the model for the captain.
• Jan van Hunks - Alleged Dutch pirate whose soul was taken by the devil after beating the devil at pipe-smoking contest on Table Mountain, and Devil's Peak (Cape Town), South Africa. Whenever the a cloud appears of Table Maintain it is said that van Hunks and the devil are at it again.
• Ing (Ingwaz, Yngvi) - founder of the Ingaevones, son of Mannus
• Istaev, founder of the Istvaeones, son of Mannus
• Kobus van der Schlossen, a Robin Hood-like character
• Little Dutch Boy - or Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates or Edward Patson, who plugs a hole in a dam with his finger. This is from American fiction, but has roots in Dutch flood legends.
• Little Father Bidou
• Lady of Stavoren - a proud woman, sea legends
• Dorus Rijkers, the legendary sailorman, lifeboat-captain and savior of over 500 people from drowning at sea
• Lohengrin - the son of Parzival (Percival), in Arthurian legend.
• Liudger - a missionary among the Frisians and Saxons
• Mannus - ancestor of a number of Germanic tribes, son of Tuisto
• Saint Martin of Tours
• Pier Gerlofs Donia "Grutte Pier"- a Frisian pirate and freedom fighter (known for wielding a 2.15 meter sword, and able to behead several enemies at the same time), who was around 7.5 feet in tall.
• Saint Radboud - bishop of Utrecht from 900 to 917, grandson of the last King of the Frisians.
• Sinterklaas (Dutch for St. Nicholas)
• Tuisto (Tuisco) - the mythical ancestor of all Germanic tribes.
• Thyl Uylenspiegel
• Zwarte Piet (Dutch for Black Pete) - the assistant to Sinterklaas.
• Walewein (Dutch for "Gawain") - a knight in Arthurian legend.