Product Code Database
In German folklore, a Wolpertinger (, also called Wolperdinger or Woiperdinger) is an animal said to inhabit the Alps forests of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Southern Germany.
According to folklore, Wolpertingers can be found in the forests of Bavaria. The folklore states that Wolpertingers only show themselves to beautiful maidens on a full moon if they are taken into secluded parts of the Bavarian forests by the right man.
Stuffed "Wolpertingers", composed of parts of real animals that have been stuffed, are often displayed in inns or sold to tourists as souvenirs in the animal's "native regions". The Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum in Munich, Germany features a permanent exhibit on the creature.
It resembles other creatures from German folklore, such as the Rasselbock of the Thuringian Forest, the Dilldapp of the Alemannic region, and the Elwedritsche of the Palatinate region, which accounts describe as a chicken-like creature with antlers; additionally, the American Jackalope as well as the Swedish Skvader somewhat resemble the wolpertinger. The Austrian counterpart of the Wolpertinger is the Raurakl.
Variant regional spellings of the name include Wolperdinger, Woipertingers, and Volpertinger. They are part of a larger family of horned mammals that exist throughout the Germanic regions of Europe, such as the Austrian Raurackl, which is nearly identical to the German Wolpertinger.
|
|
