Hödekin

Multiple medieval and early modern prose narratives place the sprite in castle and manorial contexts around Hildesheim and Winzenburg. The name appears in Latin sources as pileatus/pilleatus ("the capped one") and in German dialectal forms; authors record it as a local, personal spirit tied to particular seats rather than an abstract force. Sources differ on episodes and exact haunt but consistently treat the being as a localized household/castle spirit recorded by writers such as Trithemius and later editors and collectors.

Accounts consistently describe the spirit wearing peasant clothing and a distinctive small felt hat (the 'little hat' reflected in many dialectal name forms and the Latin gloss). It could appear visibly or remain invisible; the supplied texts do not give consistent details on size or other bodily features beyond clothing and the cap.

Reported behaviors include speaking familiarly with people (both visibly and invisibly), giving tidings or warnings (one account has it foretell impending danger to Bishop Bernhard), protecting individuals (it chased off men from a man's wife when treated as guardian), and bestowing a singular helpful object in one tale (a laurel-leaf ring given to an 'idiot clerk' that was said to grant knowledge). Sources emphasize it 'did not initiate harm, and only reciprocated' but would remember insults and retaliate severely, including mutilation and fatal attacks in narrative episodes. Its agency is also linked to political advantage in at least one version (enabling seizure of Winzenburg by warning a bishop).