What is a mare demon? A Mare is an evil spirit or goblin in Germanic and Slavic
Slavs
Slavs are Indo-European peoples who speak the various Slavic languages of the larger Balto-Slavic linguistic group. They are native to Eurasia, stretching from Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe all the way north and eastwards to Northeast Europe, Northern Asia, and Central Asi…
What is a mare in the Nightmare?
The Nightmare, by Henry Fuseli, 1781 A mare (Old English: mære, Old Dutch: mare, Proto-Slavic * mara; mara in Old High German, Old Norse, and Swedish) is a malicious entity in Germanic and Slavic folklore that rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on nightmares.
What is the name of the mare in Paranormal Entity?
Sleep paralysis, medical term for the condition the mare is thought to originate from. Paranormal Entity, a 2009 found-footage film featuring a mare named Maron as the antagonist. Marianne, a 2011 Swedish horror film featuring mares.
What does the mare represent in the legend of Zelda?
The Mare would accompany another nightmare-inducing spirit known as an Alp, with latter riding the Mare into a sleeping mortal's dreams. The Mare is often portrayed as ghostly black horses often with manes of flame or smoke to represent their malevolent nature. Even trees were thought to be ridden by the mare, resulting in branches being entangled.
What does it mean to be a mare?
It could be a soul of a person (alive or dead) such as a sinful woman, someone wronged or someone who died without confession. Other signs of someone being a mare could be: being the seventh daughter, having one's name pronounced in a wrong way while being baptised, having multicoloured eyes or a unibrow (exclusive to Kalisz region, Poland).
What does mare mean in nightmare?
female horseMost English speakers know mare as a word for a female horse or similar equine animal, but the mare of nightmare is a different word, an obsolete one referring to an evil spirit that was once thought to produce feelings of suffocation in people while they slept.
What is a Mara ghost?
In Croatian, "mora" refers to a "nightmare". Mora or Mara is one of the spirits from ancient Slav mythology. Mara was a dark spirit that takes a form of a beautiful woman and then visits men in their dreams, torturing them with desire, and dragging life out of them.
What are nightmares horses?
Nightmares, sometimes called hell horses or demon horses, were fiendish equines named after the terrible dreams suffered by those that encountered them. They were wicked creatures best known for serving as mounts under a variety of malevolent beings throughout the Lower planes.
Where does the mare come from in nightmare?
The “mare” of “nightmare” comes from mære, an Old English term for an evil spirit that was supposed to settle on a sleeper's chest and cause a feeling of suffocation. The “mare” that means an adult female horse was a merging of two Old English words: mearh (horse) and mīre (mare).
What is a mare monster?
A mare (Old English: mære, Old Dutch: mare, Proto-Slavic *mara; mara in Old High German, Old Norse, and Swedish) is a malicious entity in Germanic and Slavic folklore that rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on nightmares.
What is a shade spirit?
In literature and poetry, a shade (translating Greek σκιά, Latin umbra) is the spirit or ghost of a dead person, residing in the underworld.
What is the name of the demon that sits on your chest?
The night hag or old hag is the name given to a supernatural creature, commonly associated with the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. It is a phenomenon during which a person feels a presence of a supernatural malevolent being which immobilizes the person as if sitting on their chest or the foot of their bed.
Is a nightmare a dark female horse?
Definitions. The mare in nightmare is not a female horse, but a mara, an Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse term for a demon that sat on sleepers' chests, causing them to have bad dreams.
Is having a nightmare good?
Nightmares may seem totally negative, but research suggests they may have a few surprising benefits. Nightmares could help relieve stress, prepare for real-life threats, and provide insight into suppressed emotions, say experts.
Why do they call her mare?
“Mare” is short for “Marianne,” the latter of which befits Kate Winslet's scruffy, vape-slurping Delaware County detective about as naturally as the ancient, crumb-encrusted lipstick she digs out of a drawer in the second episode.
What does the name mare mean?
Star of the seaMeaning:Star of the sea. A beautifully unique girl's name of Irish and Latin origins, Mare holds the meaning “star of the sea.” Mare may come from the Gaelic term na mara, meaning “of the sea.” Other forms of this unique title include Mair, Maire, Maree, and Maura.
Are you having a mare?
mare noun [C] (SITUATION) a difficult or unpleasant situation or experience: I had a real mare trying to get the printer working again.
What is a mare?
A mare ( Old English: mære, Old Dutch: mare, Proto-Slavic * mara; mara in Old High German, Old Norse, and Swedish) is a malicious entity in Germanic and Slavic folklore that rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on nightmares.
What did the people believe about the mare?
People believed that the mare drained people - as well as cattle and horses - of energy and/or blood at night. Protection practices included: drinking coffee before sleeping, taking the mare's hat, throwing a piece of a noose at the demon, sleeping with a leather, wedding belt or a scythe,
What is the root of the word "mara"?
In Norwegian and Danish, the words for "nightmare" are mareritt and mareridt respectively, which can be directly translated as "mare-ride".
What happens if a woman is promised to marry a man but then he married another?
If a woman was promised to marry a man, but then he married another, the rejected one could also become a mare during the nights. A very common belief was that one would become a mare if they mispronounced a prayer - e.g. Zmoraś Mario instead of Zdrowaś Mario (an inverted version of Hail Mary ).
What is Mare in Polish folklore?
Poland. Mare from Polish folklore - graphics by Kasia Walentynowicz. Etymologically, Polish zmora/mara is connected to Mara/ Marzanna, a demon/goddess of winter. It could be a soul of a person (alive or dead) such as a sinful woman, someone wronged or someone who died without confession.
What does the name "Mareridt" mean?
the Swedish word "mardröm" literally meaning mara-dream, the Norwegian word "mareritt" and the Danish "mareridt", both meaning mare-ride or the Icelandic word "martröð" meaning mara-dreaming repeatedly).
What is the name of the horse that entangles the hair of the sleeping man?
The mare was believed to ride horses, which left them exhausted and covered in sweat by the morning. She could also entangle the hair of the sleeping man or beast, resulting in "marelocks", called marflätor ("mare-braids") or martovor ("mare-tangles") in Swedish or marefletter and marefloker in Norwegian.
What is a Mare?
A Mare. A Mare is an evil spirit in Germanic and Slavic folklore which rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on bad dreams. The Mare would accompany another nightmare-inducing spirit known as an Alp, with latter riding the Mare into a sleeping mortal's dreams.
What is a Mare horse?
The Mare is often portrayed as ghostly black horses often with manes of flame or smoke to represent their malevolent nature. Even trees were thought to be ridden by the mare, resulting in branches being entangled. The undersized, twisted pine-trees growing on coastal rocks and on wet grounds are known in Sweden as martallar ("mare-pines") or in German as Alptraum-Kiefer ("nightmare pine").
What is the evil spirit that rides on people's chests?
A Mare is an evil spirit in Germanic and Slavic folklore which rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on bad dreams. The Mare would accompany another nightmare-inducing spirit known as an Alp, with latter riding the Mare into a sleeping mortal's dreams.
What is the German word for a demon horse?
A nightmarish vision of a demon horse (CC BY-SA 2.0) The German word is Mahr. This is seldom used and sometimes rendered as Nachtmahr, but there is no confusion with a female horse because modern German has lost the corresponding cognate of ‘mare’ or merrie.
What is a mare woman?
In many cases the mare was a real person who suffered from a certain affliction which involved her travelling out-of-body to attack horses or people. The victim was usually known to the ‘mare woman’. When the mare woman attacked someone, she became very still—even in the middle of an activity.
What is the Nightmare?
Then what is the nightmare exactly? Nowadays, the word designates a bad dream. When we experience strong, frightening emotions while dreaming, the sensation is so overwhelming that we wake up from the dream. The impression is so strong that we have trouble sleeping again. Some of the dream sensation lingers and makes us experience presences in the room, regardless whether this is true or not. The whole phenomenon is explained psychologically.
What is the night demon called?
In Swedish, the night demon is called mara. Old Icelandic has the same word. The being appears in Ynglingasaga and causes the death of king Vanlandi. Although the motif is particular to Germanic folklore, the mare’s name forms the basis of the French word for nightmare, cauchemar.
What happens when a mare attacks you?
When the mare attacks him in the night, she screams and disappears. On the following morning, the woman who is the mare is found injured or dead. She is usually the one who gave the advice about the knife in the first place. The motif with the knife is very common in Belgium.
What happened when a mare woman attacked someone?
When the mare woman attacked someone, she became very still —even in the middle of an activity. There is an account from Belgium in which a girl worked for a bakery and while she was kneading dough she suddenly stopped. Miles away someone familiar to her was ridden by the mare.
What does it mean when you are hg-ridden by the night mare?
Either people or horses are ridden by the nightmare. When a person goes to bed, he suddenly feels a pressure on the body, usually in the area of the chest. Sometimes the pressure travels from the feet to the head. The person cannot breathe.
What is the legend of the mara?
The legend of the mara is also connected to the mythos of the old had or night hag, a story used in many cultures to explain sleep paralysis. The first definition of sleep paralysis appears in Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary under the term “nightmare”:
What is the mara in Slavic folklore?
Other mentions of mara in Slavic folklore include descriptions of the mara as a succubus-like creature who invades men’s dreams and lead them to their doom (Croatia) and as a spirit who enters through the keyhole and strangles you while you sleep (Serbia).
What is the Mara legend?
The mara is described as a being who would sit on the chest of a sleeping person and bring them nightmares.
What does Mardrom mean?
Mareitt and martroo roughly translate as “mare-ride”, referencing the original use of the term, while mardrom translates as “mare-dream.”. The story of the mara originated in the Norse Ynglinga saga, a 13 th century saga written by Snorri Sturlson, an Icelandic poet. In the saga King Vanlandi Sveigoisson of Uppsala is killed by a mara which is ...
What is the meaning of the word "Mara"?
Amen! -Charm Against Night-Mares. In Polish folklore the mara is described as a soul of a living person who leaves their body at night and are seen by others in the guise of wisps of hair or moths. In Czech lore there are mentions of a “night-butterfly,” also thought to be linked to the mara legend.
What is the meaning of Nightmare?
[night, and according to Temple, mara, a spirit that in the heathen mythology, was related to torment to suffocate sleepers.] A morbid oppression in the night, resembling the pressure of weight upon the breast. A female Mare riding on a sleeping man’s chest. (Andy Renard Artwork)
Where is the Kana Tevoro legend?
The legend of the kana tevoro in Fiji where it is seen as a recently deceased family member with unfinished business.
What is a mare?
A mare or nightmare (Proto-Germanic: *marōn; Old English: mære; Old Norse: mara; German: Nachtmahr; Dutch: nachtmerrie; Swedish: mara; Icelandic: mara; Faroese: mara; Danish: mare; Norwegian: mare/mara; Proto-Slavic * mara "ghost") is an evil spirit or goblin in Germanic folklore which rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on bad dreams (or "nightmares"). The mare is attested as early as in the Norse Ynglinga saga from the 13th century, but the belief itself is likely to be considerably older. As in English, the name appears in the word for "nightmare" in the Nordic languages (e.g. the Swedish word "mardröm" literally meaning mara-dream, the Norwegian word "mareritt" and the Danish "Mareridt", both meaning Mare-ride or the Icelandic word "martröð" meaning mara-dreaming repeatedly). The mare is often similar to the mythical creatures succubus and incubus, and was likely inspired by sleep paralysis.
What is a Mare in Serbia?
In Serbia, a mare is called mora, or noćnik/noćnica ("night creature", masculine and feminine respectively). It is a common belief that mora enters the room through the keyhole, sits on the chest of the sleepers and tries to strangle them (hence moriti, "to torture", "to bother", "to strangle"). To repel moras, children are advised to look at the window or to turn the pillow and make a sign of cross on it ( prekrstiti jastuk ); in the early 19th century, Vuk Karadžić mentions that people would repel moras by leaving a broom upside down behind the door, or putting their belt on top of their sheets, or saying an elaborate prayer poem before they go to sleep.
What is the Mara horse?
The mara was also believed to "ride" horses, which left them exhausted and covered in sweat by the morning. She could also entangle the hair of the sleeping man or beast, resulting in "marelocks", called marflätor "mare-braids" or martovor "mare-tangles" in Swedish or marefletter and marelokker in Norwegian. The belief probably originated as an explanation to the Polish plait phenomenon, a hair disease. Even trees could be ridden by the mara, resulting in branches being entangled. The undersized, twisted pine-trees growing on coastal rocks and on wet grounds are known in Sweden as martallar "mare-pines" or in German as Alptraum-Kiefer .
What was the Mara's belief?
Beliefs. The mara was also believed to "ride" horses, which left them exhausted and covered in sweat by the morning. She could also entangle the hair of the sleeping man or beast, resulting in "marelocks", called marflätor "mare-braids" or martovor "mare-tangles" in Swedish or marefletter and marelokker in Norwegian.
What is the name of the mare in Turkey?
In Turkey the mare is known as Karabasan.
Where does the name Mare come from?
The mare is attested as early as in the Norse Ynglinga saga from the 13th century, but the belief itself is likely to be considerably older. As in English, the name appears in the word for "nightmare" in the Nordic languages (e.g. the Swedish word "mardröm" literally meaning mara-dream, the Norwegian word "mareritt" and the Danish "Mareridt", ...
Do Mora witches have cauls?
Like other trance practitioners, mora witches traditionally owed their abilities to being born with a caul. In their metamorphosed form they could fly through the night, walk on or hover above water and travel in a sieve. Dead mora witches were said to return as ghosts.
What is a Mare?
A Mare (Old English: mære, Old Dutch: mare; mara in Old High German and Old Norse) is a malicious entity in Germanic and Slavic folklore that rides on people's chests while they sleep, bringing on bad dreams (or "nightmares").
What is a nightmare mare?
The term nightmare evokes therefore a term for a female horse but the terms are not in any way related. In popular belief it was once thought that a night mare was when the dreamers awoke and assumed they had been riding a demonic horse.
Where does the word "nightmare" come from?
The word "nightmare" is derived from the Old English "mare", a mythological demon or goblin who torments others with frightening dreams. Subsequently, the prefix "night-" was added to stress the dream aspect. The word "nightmare" is cognate with the Dutch term nachtmerrie and German Nachtmahr (dated).
What is sleep paralysis?
Sleep paralysis is the experience of waking up from deep sleep and being unable to move. A menacing figure or presence usually accompanies the condition, often called a ‘Sleep Demon,’ and the sleeper either feels that the Demon is resting on top of them or lurking next to them near the bed.
The long history of sleep paralysis
We have a complete and reasonable explanation for sleep paralysis, thanks to science. However, our ancestors had to rely on spiritual and cultural explanations for what was going on.
Sleep paralysis across different cultures
The sleep paralysis demon has taken on many names and forms in other cultures, most associated with the paranormal.
What causes sleep paralysis?
According to sleep research, sleep paralysis occurs due to sleep deprivation, poor sleep quality, sleep apnea, and a whole host of other sleep disorders.
How can sleep paralysis be treated?
There is no known cure for sleep paralysis. Still, experts suggest that maintaining good sleep schedules, applying relaxation techniques, and sleeping in a supine position can assist in keeping the Sleep Demon at bay.
Conclusion
The Demon of Dreams has been haunting our bedrooms for centuries. Attributed to the supernatural, demons, ghosts, shamans, or wayward Buddhists, sleep paralysis is an authentic and common experience shared between cultures and generations.
Overview
By region
The mare is attested as early as in the Norse Ynglinga saga from the 13th century. Here, King Vanlandi Sveigðisson of Uppsala lost his life to a nightmare (mara) conjured by the Finnish sorceress Huld or Hulda, hired by the king's abandoned wife Drífa. The king had broken his promise to return within three years, and after ten years had elapsed the wife engaged the sorceress to eithe…
Etymology
The word mare comes (through Middle English mare) from the Old English feminine noun mære (which had numerous variant forms, including mare, mere, and mær). These in turn come from Proto-Germanic *marōn. *Marōn is the source of Old Norse: mara, from which are derived Swedish: mara; Icelandic: mara; Faroese: marra; Danish: mare; Norwegian: mare/mara, Dutch: (nacht)merrie, and German: (Nacht)mahr. The -mar in French cauchemar ('nightmare') is borrowed from the Ger…
Beliefs
The mare was believed to ride horses, which left them exhausted and covered in sweat by the morning. She could also entangle the hair of the sleeping man or beast, resulting in "marelocks", called marflätor ('mare-braids') or martovor ('mare-tangles') in Swedish or marefletter and marefloker in Norwegian. The belief probably originated as an explanation to the Polish plait phenomenon, a hair disease.
See also
• Alp (folklore)
• Basty
• Batibat
• Lietuvēns
• Madam Koi Koi
General references
• Bjordvand, Harald and Lindeman, Fredrik Otto (2007). Våre arveord. Novus. ISBN 978-82-7099-467-0.
• Devereux, Paul (2001). Haunted Land: Investigations into Ancient Mysteries and Modern Day Phenomena, Piatkus Publishers.
• Grimm, Jacob (1883), "XVII. Wights and Elves", Teutonic Mythology, vol. 2, James Steven Stallybrass (tr.), W. Swan Sonnenschein & Allen, pp. 439–517
Further reading
• Barešin, Sandra. "Mora kao nadnaravno biće tradicijske kulture" [Mare as Supernatural Being of Traditional Culture]. In: Ethnologica Dalmatica br. 20 (2013): 39-68. https://hrcak.srce.hr/107477
• Batten, Caroline R. “Dark Riders: Disease, Sexual Violence, and Gender Performance in the Old English Mære and Old Norse Mara.” In: The Journal of English and Germanic Philology 120, no. 3 (2021): 352–80. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/jenglgermphil.120.3.0352.