Last night I dreamt I was going someplace with a friend. I stood outside by the car waiting for her to come out of the house. She walked out and I heard her say, “Go away!” to something I couldn't see. Then, from around the back of the house, a decorated bull with large horns came rushing towards me. It hit me in the chest, and everything went black. I woke up.
But get this, it was decorated like a Hindu sacred cow. The only thing it had in mind was to slam into my chest. Why? If it was real I would say it is simply a bull's nature. However, it was a dream, and I'm of the opinion dreams are our unconscious mind trying to tell us something super freaking obscure.
Today is December 6th, St. Nicholas Day. As a child, I put my shoes by the front door the night before, and lo and behold they were filled with candy, nuts, and fruit the next morning. St. Nicholas had visited our house while we slept!
My mother's grandparents were from Lorraine, France. This is a tradition that has been maintained in my family. St. Nicholas is the patron saint of Lorraine, and popular in Germany and Austria.
Krampus is part of that medieval tradition, too. He is a companion of St. Nicholas. They represent a duality, good and evil. Good behavior is rewarded, and bad behavior is punished. Very effective message.
Because I have both a ridiculous sense of humor and a wild imagination, I think I was visited by Krampus last night. Darn!
Obviously, French children are much tougher than North American children. But it seems to match your dream:)
ReplyDeleteFairy tales and folk tales often do not have happy endings. I fear Disney's happy ending versions have given our children an unrealistic expectation of reality. This sounds harsh, but I think there's some truth to it.
DeleteEither/Or. Both/And. The Lady or the Tiger! Krampus or a sacred cow! Ha! Such a dream! Love your sense of humor (-:
ReplyDeleteKrampus is scary! Interesting sound effects.
Happy St. Nicholas Day!
Same to you!
DeleteWe kids were terrified by the Nikolaus when we were small. I did recognise my father's red dressing gown and his large Greek school dictionary but not the man who came to our house (it was our neighbour). My little brother was inconsolable afterwards despite he fact the we all got gifts and sweets. I had to recite a poem and did it in a whisper. Krampus (or Knecht Ruprecht as he was called in Franconia) did not come along but Nikolaus carried his rod as a warning. The assembled adults thought it was cute. They had martinis and sherry. Years later when I no longer believed any of it, Nikolaus came to the horse riding club my mother insisted we joined. He arrived on horseback and had a microphone and read out the names and the good and bad deeds of the various kids. The entire club was thus informed that me and my sister were very untidy and rarely did our chores. I didn't talk to my mother for days after that. I tried to not get involved in any of it with my own child, But could not avoid the ( thankfully benign) version from the Irish grandparents.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all that.
DeleteThat DOES sound like a visit from Krampus! Have you been naughty? LOL. :)
ReplyDeleteHa! Do I really have to answer that? Let's just say I've been as good as I can be.
DeleteYou call that a dream? I would call that a nightmare!
ReplyDelete- 8dayplanner
It was a bit of a nightmare. But it all happened so fast at the end of a reasonably entertaining long dream. It made me think, which I'm always grateful for.
DeleteFascinating! What a great dream and interpretation.
ReplyDeleteI usually don't remember my dreams, so this one was fun to play around with.
DeleteKrampus is a new one on me, though given my name if he's a companion of St Nicholas I ought to have heard of him by now! I'm glad I haven't dreamt of a bull with large horns hitting me in the chest. Come to think of it, I never dream of animals of any sort.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's an interesting connection! If Krampus usually has horns I can totally see how you'd dream him up and turn him into a bull. I've never heard of St. Nicolas Day. Not something we Presbyterians ever paid attention to. :)
ReplyDelete