Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Myths about the Alp #1

There are so many myths about the Alp and I thought I would collect some.
99% of them are rubbish but they are quite entertaining.
As of many myths they come from something and somewhere among these there are
a grain of truth.




How to Ward an Alp off
  • In the still of the night one can hear the sound that they make in the wall while getting in. If one gets up quickly and plugs up the hole, then they must stay in the room and cannot escape, even after the doors have been opened. Then, before setting them free, one must make them promise to never disturb the place again. On such occasions they have complained pitifully that they have little children at home who will perish if they do not leave.
  • Some people have laid a hackle (iron-toothed comb for the preparation of flax) on their bodies in order to keep alps away. Alps are said to be able to turn it over, pressing the points into the sleeper's body.
  • A better precaution is to turn one's shoes around at the side of the bed, so that the hooks and the laces are next to you.
  • If attacked by an alp, in order to keep it away the victim has to put its thumb in its hand, and the alp will have to retreat.
  • They can also be repelled with horse heads.
  • When a nurse diapers a child, she must make the sign of the cross and open up a corner. Otherwise the alp will re-diaper the child.
  • If an alp is pressing upon, the victim has to think, "Trud, come tomorrow, and I will lend you something!". The alp will immediately retreat and come the next day in the form of a human, in order to borrow something.
  • It is believed that by stopping up the keyhole, placing one's shoes with the toes facing the door, and then getting into bed backwards one can protect oneself against nightmares or "Mortriden."
  • Further, one can put something made from steel, for example an old pair of scissors, in one's bed straw.