Aka : Mare, Trud
Nature
Lore
Germany
Description
a rather invisible but demonic creature that can penetrate a house by sneaking into the smallest hole.
Element
Air
Friends/Predator/Preys
The Alp is an evil creature that may be attached to a witch who send it to cause mischief
Behavior
He presses upon sleeping people so that they cannot utter a sound. These attacks are called Alpdrücke (nightmares). Alps often ride your horses during the night, and the next morning you can see how exhausted they are. It is also believed that the alp crushes animals to death.
Powers
When an alp is pressing against you, you can put your thumb in your hand, and he will have to retreat. In Zwickau they claim that the alp will go away if one invites him for coffee the following morning. They can also be repelled with horse heads. When a nurse diapers a child, she must make the sign of the cross and open up a corner, otherwise the alp will re-diaper the child. There are some witches who can send an alp to those they hate or are angry with merely their thoughts. He comes out of their eyebrows, looks like a small white butterfly, and sits on the breast of a sleeping person.If you say to an alp that is pressing upon you, "Trud, come tomorrow, and I will lend you something!" then he will immediately retreat and come the next day in the form of a human, in order to borrow something. Or you can call out to him, "Come tomorrow and drink with me," then the person who sent him will have to come. [[Category:Fairy creatures]