The Malcanis Guarding the Fortress

In medieval times it was a kings castle were Akershus fortress in Oslo is today. Under the building of the castle the workers bricked in a living dog. It was a relative normal custom in those days. According to them, they meant that it would bring good luck. Coincidentally, it was also mean to warn about accidents.

But when the castle was done around 1299 the “Malacanis” as they called it, “the evil dog” haunts the place.

The Dark Hallway

Among its first victims was the commander at the fortress. around 1550 the hallway were the dog was bricked in collapsed. Unrest crept into the guards at the fortress. “What about the Malcanis? It was right there the collapse happened”, they whispered among themselves. Everyone knew about the legend. And reports about people spotting it was plenty of.

A sound was heard in the hallway under the fortress and everyone feared that the castle was under attack. No one was brave enough to investigate the cause of the ruckus. Not even if the intruders was Swedish forces. The Malcanis put fear in the soldiers.

In the end, commander Peder Hanssøn Litle walked down Mørkegangen (The dark hallway) himself, as the rest of the guards refused. With a single torch he closed in on the fallen stones and started investigating the dark hallway. From the shadows a dog, red-glowing eyes appeared with fangs and a chain around its neck. He got into a bloody fight with the ghost dog, that didn’t disappeared until Peder threw a torch right at it. The commander came crawling out on all four, more dead than alive, stuttering only one word: The Malcanis!

The Bad Omen

The hero survived — but around a month later he died after being thrown off the horse. Others that have seen the Malcanisen in the eyes suffered a similar fate, according to legends.

It was also spotted a ghost hound in 1550, then called Malcanisten in the same hallway under the Virgin Tower that was built at that time, and after a soldier was killed by a horse in 1567 it is said it was observed several times under the same tower, and those who observe it, wont live the year.

Originally published at https://moonmausoleum.com on September 23, 2020.