The Flying Dutchman and Other Folktales from the Netherlands

Copyright © 2008 by Theo Meder

Granddad went to Italy on holiday with his son and his family by caravan. On the way back, granddad died of a heart attack. In order to avoid a lot of problems, the family decided to leave immediately, hide the body in the caravan, and transport it across the borders illegally, so that the death could appear to have taken place in their own country. At the Swiss border, it appeared that the son had left his passport with the owner of the camping site. In order to gain time, the caravan was temporarily detached from the car while the family hastened back to the camping site. On their return to the border, the caravan (including the dead body) appeared to have been stolen. They never heard about it again ....

This urban legend is a version of BRUN 01100, The Runaway Grandmother. The story was sent to the Meertens Institute in 1991 by teacher Jan Naaijkens from Hilvarenbeek (North Brabant). The translation is based on T. Meder, De magische vlucht (Amsterdam, 2000), p. 167.