the wild huntsman
Preserved but no longer current.
A spectral hunter of mediaeval legend who, with a pack of spectral dogs, frequents certain forests and occasion- ally appears to mortals. One account has it that he was a Jew who would not suffer Jesus to drink out of a horse-trough, but pointed to some water in a hoof-print as good enough for "such an enemy of Moses.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “the wild huntsman” mean?
A spectral hunter of mediaeval legend who, with a pack of spectral dogs, frequents certain forests and occasion- ally appears to mortals. One account has it that he was a Jew who would not suffer Jesus to drink out of a horse-trough, but pointed to some water in a hoof-print as good enough for "such an enemy of Moses.
Is “the wild huntsman” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.