In the middle of the last century, just after the war (about 65 years ago), a Frenchman, André C. Bertoni, on his way back to Paris, spent some nights at the inn in Ravenstein.
Over a good glass of wine, the Frenchman is told a story in the town inn that he initially thinks is a fabrication The story takes place in 1360, during the construction of Ravenstein Castle, which is being built from the “second-hand” stones of the castle in Herpen.
A local fair lady, turns out to be a witch and, according to custom, is tested for her buoyancy in the new town moat. Like a goddess, she seems to float over the water, almost weightless. She disappears from sight, but then sometimes wants to emerge from the city moat on foggy evenings. Thus is born the myth surrounding the monster of the Ravenstein canal.
When the Frenchman leaves the café and wants to take another late evening walk along the canals, a life-size fish soon looms before him out of the fog. Quickly the man, as a true designer always adorned with a pencil and paper, made a quick sketch of the monster, as proof of the encounter.
The next day he told everyone of the apparition that reminded him of a life-size pike.
Laughing, the man was waved goodbye.
For years the apparition continued to haunt his mind and gave him impetus for many great designs. For years to come, the apparition continued to haunt his mind and gave him impetus for many great designs. For us, proof that ‘the monster of Ravenstein’ does exist.
Het domme van een wrak
is dat het zich laat zien
op open water
dat het niet zinkt
is nog maar een kwestie van seconden.
Maar wij staan aan de kant,
kijken naar het noodlottig spektakel,
uit een kwaadaardigheid
die ook niet zo best is
als wij denken
– Poem by Kees Rood, from the collection “Dichter bij de kunst ” over Het Monster van Ravenstein.
