Slender Man Part II

 The main reason most people think there are no folkloric ties to the Slender Man is because the modern day version of the Slender Man started on the Something Awful forums. However, if you really dig deep into some of the folklore out there, you will find there is more to it than meets the eye.

In Germanic folklore there is a figure called Der Großmann which, translated from German, literally means ‘The Tall Man.’ Der Großmann is depicted as a fairy who lurks in the Black Forest, preying upon children. It will haunt children, or whisper thoughts into their minds in order to lure them into the woods to a fate unknown. Der Großmann is said to have many distinct features such as being very tall and thin, and having a lack of facial features—though in some versions of the legend it has orb-like eyes, but no other facial features. It is also said to posses multiple handless upper limbs, often compared to branches. It is said that it uses these branch-like appendages to blend into the trees and ensnare unsuspecting children. In some cases Der Großmann is said to wear the apparel of a nobleman.

The following story is from Romanian folklore. The creature in the story is called Der Grossman. The story begins when two twin sisters named Sorina and Stela, are led into the woods by their mother:

They could see it (Der Grossman) close by, dressed as a nobleman, it’s arms boneless as snakes and sharp as swords. The mother, under the order of the creature, told her daughter Stela to cut a circle in the ground with a knife and have Sorina lay down in the middle to be cut open. Stela refused and ran home to hide under her bed. When their father returned home, his terrified daughter told him what had transpired and he then went into the forest to track down the twins’ mother. The girl fell asleep to be awakened by a knock on the door.

“Open the door, it’s your father,” a voice said.

The girl refused.

“Open the door it’s your mother,” the voice continued.

Upon refusing once again, the door flew open to reveal the horrible sight of her mother holding the severed head of her sister Sorina in one hand and the head of her father in the other. “Why?” cried Stela.

“Because,” said her mother, “There is no reward for goodness in this world, nothing but cold steel teeth and scourging fire for all of us. And it’s coming for you now.” At that moment, the fiend emerged from the fireplace and swept up the surviving twin in his burning embrace.

In 18th century Wales it was said that a being known as ‘The Faceless One’ lived in the forests. If a child went into the woods alone, they would be found days later mutilated beyond recognition. The legend even inspired a lullaby:

Hush, thy childe, do not stray from the path,

Or The Faceless One shall steal you away to Fairieland.

He preys on sinful and defiant souls,

And lurks within the woods.

He has hands of ebony branches,

And a touch as soft as silk.

Fear The Faceless One thy childe,

For he shall take you to a dark place.

And what shall become of thou?

No one knows, so be good, thy little one-

Alas! He is here to take thou away!'

While many people suggest this verse is fake, is it reported to date back to at least the 18th century.

In World of Warcraft there is a character known as The Faceless One. In Dr. Who, the fourth season of the original series, the Doctor meets a Faceless One who is a shapeshifter. There are many other similar stories that pre-date the Slender Man but appear to have similarities to the Slender Man mythos. I feel the ones above are the most noteworthy.

Little is known about how to kill the Slender Man, or any of the other creatures mentioned in the folklore surrounding it, however, in all these stories there is a very strong connection to fairies. The best known way to harm or even kill a fairy is with pure iron, preferably fashioned into a blade of some kind. 

What is the Slender Man? Is it simply an urban legend born on the internet? Or is it something more? Is it a kind of fairy? Perhaps it’s a Tulpa. You decide!

If you ever see the Slender Man tell us all about it…and be sure to let us know if you can ever bring yourself to go back in to the woods again....