Angel Korolyk

Oude Rode Ogen [Flemish/Belgian folktales]

When it comes to Belgian folktales, ‘Oude Rode Ogen’ is in a bit of a weird position. The story is common on online blogs about folklore or mythology, usually hailed as one of the most well-known Belgian monsters. But if you actually try to find Belgian sources or ask Belgian experts, you’ll find that the story is virtually unknown there, only being mentioned by a handful of authors. Therefore, I suspect that this was a very niche tale that only recently gained traction via the internet.

The name ‘Oude Rode Ogen’ literally translates to ‘Old Red Eyes’ which is fitting because the monster is a giant black dog with brightly burning red eyes. He can transform into a very tall man, about 2m10 (6’ 11”). According to art historian Hilde van Gelder, tales of this creature were told in Mechelen (Flanders) in the late 17th century. In these folktales, Oude Rode Ogen is a swamp-dwelling monster that takes children who venture too close to the marshlands. It hunts at night and sometimes attacks adults as well. Oude Rode Ogen is a bogeyman, meaning this story was told to dissuade children from playing near potentially dangerous places (and from staying up late, for the monster was said to eat kids who are awake at night). Vincent Menten, author of ‘The Beast of Flanders’, additionally claimed that the creature had the power to take away the ability to hear, see and talk of anyone who looks directly at it, leaving its victims mute, blind and deaf.

This creature was also known in Wallonia (the southern part of the country) where it was called “Le Tchén al Tchinne” which is a regional dialect for “Le Chien à la Chaîne” which translates to “the dog on a chain”. Hence, the monster supposedly dragged a heavy metal chain behind it.

The story claims that after several children had inexplicably gone missing in the region, locals began to suspect that these disappearances were connected. Rumors began to arise that the kids were taken by a werewolf. Eventually, a tall man was caught in an attempt to kidnap a young girl. He was naked and tried to run away when his attempt was foiled, but got shot. Instead of dying, however, the man transformed into a large black dog, which quickly fled the scene. With no other option, the people of Mechelen combed the city for suspicious individuals and found a poor homeless man. Though his connection to the city’s unnatural enemy could not be proven, he was found guilty and executed. To make sure the monster wouldn’t come back, the body was skinned entirely and the skin was buried underneath the local cathedral.

But the vengeful spirit of the creature continued to roam the area at night, in the form of a large black dog with glowing red eyes. Oude Rode Ogen is searching for his skin, so he can put it on and be reborn again.

This monster is thought to be related to (or to be the same creature entirely) as the Nekker, a Flemish aquatic bogeyman that attacked people who ventured too close to wells and rivers. Its name is derived from an old Germanic verb meaning ‘to wash’, referring to the aquatic nature of the monsters. Though the name ‘Oude Rode Ogen’ is very rarely mentioned in offline sources, myths and folktales of Nekkers are well documented.