The man from the Mane - Diksmuide

't Manneke uit de Mane is first of all a West Flemish folk almanac for Flanders that was created in Wijtschate in 1880 by assistant pastor Alfons Van Hee. The first almanac edition was that of the year 1881.

2 Priests, Amaat Vyncke from Zedelgem and Karel Blancke are members of De Swighenden Eede . This was a secret society of West Flemish Flamingants, of which Hugo Verriest was the driving force and central figure. It arose – probably in 1880 – as a reaction to the suppression of the Blauwvoeterij and its organization and working methods mirrored those of Freemasonry to some extent. They surrounded themselves with an air of romantic secrecy. For example, the members sometimes called themselves the Knights of the Green Tente because they gathered under the trees in the summer.

Suffocating and clapping from one thing to another, the six decided to publish an almanac – following the student almanac De Tassche – a small folk almanac published in Leuven – but for a wide audience.

In 1886 the property rights were taken over by De Swighenden Eede. After 1930 a long hiatus followed. It was not until 1963 that the almanac was reissued in the style and tradition of the earlier edition.

Also in the tradition of 'De Swighenden Eede', the idea arose in 1964 to create the Ridderorde van 't Manneke uit de Mane . Since 1965, a few deserving West Flemish people have been admitted to the order every year . This happened for the first time in 1965. Initially, the annual knight's session took place in Lo. Due to the growing success, they had to move to Diksmuide.

The name is said to have been coined by priest Karel Blancke: 't Manneke uit de Mane after a folktale known at the time. This story appeared in Rond den Heerd in February 1867:

It snowed fiercely: the land lay as under a blanket, and the trees bowed down from their white burden; all was silence and the fields remained lonely. A middle-aged man moved with difficulty on the road that led to the wood; a thick cord hung over his shoulder, for he was out to gather wood: this was forbidden. “But,” said the fellow, “necessity compels!” When he arrived in the woods, he searched everywhere, but found nothing that could serve him. “That I should pull off some branches; It will be fine, because the wood is dry. The forester won't be aware of it, and even then, when I'm gone, let him search!” So said so done. He throws his cord over a thick branch and starts to pull . Crack! The naked one comes down and in her fall she drags smaller branches with her. “I have one for about four days!” thought the thief, and he gathered up his wood, tied it in a bundle, and hey, he was lying on his back. It's pretty hard , he thought, but I'll be home soon, it's just manesching, I'll find my way well , holy virtue, what a four that will be to me! And I shall not be able to laugh a little with the forester when I sit round my lord.

But suddenly someone tugs at his bondel , and a well-known voice makes him almost feverish with fright.

“Stand, friend! You walk so much; could you not tell me where you got this wood from?”

"Well sir, I found it."

“Wow, found! That's hard to believe! To find a bondel of wood that is three warts on a track! Thou stole it!”

“Me, stolen… but…”

"Enough, enough, you come with me to the castle."

“I say I didn't steal it and didn't have it, and if it isn't true, then I can fly straight into the moon … there!”

The forester went to answer, but oh miracle! He notices that the guy's feet are off the ground and he's moving slowly, between heaven and earth. The branches of the trees leave an opening and the wood thief jumps through, sailing higher and higher. And what happens! It flies into the mane and it gets stuck there . He had wished it and it had become him! And he's still there, rather watch!

In other versions the wood gatherer is out on Sundays and of course working on Sundays was not possible then.

Willem Vandenameele