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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 6466456" data-attributes="member: 92511">My understanding is that it was simply another version of the old incubus/sucubus/night hag folklore kind of thing of a spirit (usually a &quot;demon&quot; by medieval texts) that came to you in the night and pressed/sat on your chest, to prevent you from breathing or [at the least] having a comfortable sleep.Perhaps there might be something to find for the horse imagery in medieval French sources, given their [still/current] word for a nightmare (both dream or situation), cauchemar, which literally translates as something like a &quot;spirit that tramples [one in their sleep].&quot;Or it could be the similarity of the piece of the word &quot;-mar&quot; to the English &quot;mare&quot; that brought about the idea that this demonic being/spirit that assaulted you as you slept might be horse-shaped. Now, whether that is at all substantiated in folklore or myth or the assumptions/creations of D&amp;D's creator, I really don't know.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 6466456, member: 92511"] My understanding is that it was simply another version of the old incubus/sucubus/night hag folklore kind of thing of a spirit (usually a "demon" by medieval texts) that came to you in the night and pressed/sat on your chest, to prevent you from breathing or [at the least] having a comfortable sleep. Perhaps there might be something to find for the horse imagery in medieval French sources, given their [still/current] word for a nightmare (both dream or situation), cauchemar, which literally translates as something like a "spirit that tramples [one in their sleep]." Or it could be the similarity of the piece of the word "-mar" to the English "mare" that brought about the idea that this demonic being/spirit that assaulted you as you slept might be horse-shaped. Now, whether that is at all substantiated in folklore or myth or the assumptions/creations of D&D's creator, I really don't know. [/QUOTE]

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