Kardoes

Kardoes
Also Known As	Hellehond, Helhond, Kardoeshond, Verkeerde Hond, Wodanshelper
Province	Overijsel
City	De Lutte
Natural Habitat	Cemeteries, Duivendal, Paasberg

De Kardoes from De Lutte in Overijsel was a hellhound commonly said to be around the Duivendal and the Paasberg, but also on cemeteries. This beast was also known as Kardoeshond, De Verkeerde Hond, Wodanshelper or simply Helhond or Hellehond. Equipped with pointy ears, curling fur and glowing eyes, the sight of Kardoes foreshadowed death or injury of an acquaintance, especially when it was seen right in front of their doorstep.

Relation To Germanic Mythology

While there is no direct proof of these Germanic gods having any relation to dogs at all, folklore claims the Kardoes is loyal to both Wodan and Holda. Holda was the leader of a pack of ghosts, but also godess of fertility. New souls were born from her well, and souls of the recently deceased were supposedly brought back to her side by the hellhound from De Lutte. When the Kardoes barked, it signified certain death, or so it was told. Kardoes supposedly accompanied Wodan on his wild hunt as well. These ties to Germanic mythology seem to suggest these stories of the Kardoes have been around for centuries.

History Behind The Monument

De Lutte thanks it's major attraction to a simple civilian whose fascination with the almost extinct regional folklore led him to commission an anubis-inspired piece of art. This statue was eventually sold to the commune when he moved to a different place and has since become a mascot of De Lutte, where they have claimed the hellhound lore as their own and now celebrate the Hellehondsdagen (translation: Hellhound Days) annually.

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