People frequently saw a great light burning in a cherry tree near Odenthal which took the shape of a large man. Two young men from the area, who had frequently seen this apparition, finally decided to explore the cause of this matter and intended to shoot the uncanny light. But as soon as they had stepped on the plot of land where the cherry tree was located during the agreed-upon evening, they were pushed away from the plot by an invisible, irresistible force. They only recovered their senses when they were on a neighboring field. But now they were overcome by a nameless dread, and they fled back to their home in wild haste. They also never again dared to examine the mystery of the glowing man in the cherry tree.
This is a translation of a German folktale contributed by Jürgen Hubert.
It is a part of our series, Folklore Worldwide. We are currently open to submissions from around the world, and you are welcome to send us your stories!
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