Kludde or Kleure is the name of an evil spirit which plays its pranks in a great part of Brabant^* and Flanders^*. With respect to its form it is a perfect Proteus; for which reason the peasants are so fearful of him, that they will not for any consideration venture into a forest, a field, or a road, which, according to common report, is haunted by Kludde.

Northern Mythology by Benjamin Thorpe (1247: T.3, p.193)

This spirit often transforms himself into a tree, which at first appears quite small and delicate, but soon raises itself to an immeasurable height, and is lost in the clouds, while everything around it on earth is thrown into confusion. Another time he will clothe himself with the skin of a great black dog, and so run on his hind legs, at the same time rattling a chain that is round his neck, and will spring suddenly on the neck of the first person he meets; and when he has thrown him on the ground, entirely vanish. But Kludde oftenest appears as an old, half-starved horse, and as such is a bugbear to all grooms and horse-boys, who relate that when they leave their horses in the field at night, it frequently happens that, instead of their well-known horse or mare, they set themselves on Kludde, who instantly runs off with them at full speed, until he comes to some water, into which he pitches his terrified rider. While the poor fellow is struggling to save himself, Kludde lays himself with his belly flat on the ground and sets up a fiendish laugh, until his victim, sullen and angry, shall have worked himself out of his bath.

Occasionally Kludde assumes the form of a cat, a frog, a bat, or any other animal. His approach may be known by two little blue flames, which fluttering and dancing go before him. These flames are, as far as can be ascertained, the eyes of the spectre. It is difficult to escape from Kludde, even by running from him at the utmost speed m a zigzag; for, like a snake, he will wind in all directions with equal rapidity.

When this spectre takes his flight, he cries: "Kludde, Kludde!'' whence comes his name (1247: T.3, p.193-194).

As two young men and a girl were going along in the country, one of them, who was the lover of the girl, said to his comrade: "Stop for a moment, I see something yonder." "What dost thou see?" asked the other. "Kludde," was the answer. "See, now he is a dog — now he is growing up high — now he is little again — a sheep — no, a cat..." and thus he went on talking, while neither his companion nor the girl could perceive anything. His friend at length said: "If thou seest Kludde again, let me know, and I will go up to him." "Then go now," eaid the other, "he is just running before me." His friend went accordingly, but could see nothing of Kludde.

So it lasted until they came to the house of the young man who had all along seen the spectre running before him. Before the house there lay a flat stone, under which the young man's father was in the habit of placing the key of the house, that he might not be under the necessity of rising from his bed, when his son happened to stay late at the public house. "Don't you now see him?" cried the young man, "he is sitting on the stone, to prevent me from getting the key." Saying these words, he took his lass by the arm, adding: "Come, Mieken, we will accompany you home, for you are frightened." On his return he still saw Kludde sitting on the stone. The other then took courage and went to the stone, when Kludde sprang aside, so that he could take the key, with which he opened the door for his comrade, who hurried in, lest Kludde should be at his heels, while the other quietly went his way, without having seen a trace of the spectre.

Northern Mythology by Benjamin Thorpe (1247: T.3, p.194-195)

In the neighbourhood of Ostend^* Kludde is known as a Water-necker (Water-nix), and in the flat country about that town as a Werwolf (1247: T.3, p.194).