The Dancing Cats

Even today, you’ll still find the ‘keien’ (witches) all over Bergeijk. And on some nights, sounds can still be heard coming from the Kattendans Theatre. Who do you think is dancing there? Cycle the route, enjoy the legend and learn even more about the stories of Bergeijk at the Cultuurhuis. This 22-kilometre cycle route, following the junction points, takes you through this fascinating tale.

Nestled in the heart of the Bergeijk woods lies the Kattenberg. In days gone by, witches used to dance here, foot-to-foot. To avoid being recognised, the witches would transform into black cats. So there was certainly plenty of ‘witchcraft’ going on there. If you were a man walking past on your own, the witches would lure you into their circle and force you to dance with them. Sometimes this had fatal consequences. As a result, every man avoided this spot – except Dorus, the miller. Follow in his footsteps and discover why he danced ‘paw-to-paw’ with the black cats.

A sinister dance on the Kattenberg
The Kattenberg lies in the heart of the forests of Bergeijk. In days gone by, this burial mound was the scene of some truly gruesome ‘witchcraft’. Here, the witches danced hand in hand. Or rather, paw to paw. For, to avoid being recognised, the witches turned into black cats. If you were a man walking past on your own? Then the witches would lure you into their circle and force you to dance with them. Sometimes with fatal consequences. That’s why every man avoided this place. Except for Dorus, the miller. Read his story and the legend of the dancing cats here.

A long, long time ago, Bergeijk had a miller: Dorus. He ground the grain to make the most delicious bread. Day in, day out, until one day the wind died down. It only blew at night. Dorus knew what that meant: grinding at night. His worst nightmare, because then it would ‘hiss’ all around his mill.

Midnight: time to get up. Dorus climbs out of his box bed and lights a torch. Bravely, Dorus steps inside his mill. For a whole minute… silence. But then black cats spring out from every nook and cranny. They attack Dorus. Scratching, screeching and biting. Terrified, Dorus runs out of his mill. ‘If this is how it’s going to be, I’m not going to grind any more!’ It’s terrible, because now Bergeijk is left without bread. 

Jan, the miller’s assistant, doesn’t believe in witchcraft. ‘I’ll be grinding the grain tonight. And I’ll teach those cats a lesson!’ The evening passes quietly. Then a little black kitten appears. Jan lures the little creature towards him. ‘See, nothing to worry about.’ But then he too is surrounded. Forty-one cats dance in a circle around the miller’s assistant, paw to paw. He is startled, grabs an old sabre and swings it at them. The cats scatter. But they leave something behind… 

The next morning, Dorus finds something horrifying: a severed finger with a ring on it. The miller is so shocked he collapses. ‘This is my missing wife’s ring!’ He forgets his fear and runs into the woods. There he searches: under the trees, in the ponds, by the Heksenbusselke, in the sky and by the (fairy-tale) castle. But to no avail. Dorus knows: ‘There’s only one place left where my wife could be: the Kattenberg.’ 

The miller plucks up all his courage and goes to the burial mound in the evening. And guess what he sees there? 41 black cats. They’re dancing paw-to-paw in a witch’s circle. The miller is determined: ‘This is where I’ll find my wife’. He steps into the circle and dances along with the cats. All night long. And then he feels something strange. A cat missing a toe...

The sun rises. As if by magic, all the cats vanish. Without a trace. Dorus is distraught. He goes to the church and asks the priest of Bergeijk for help. The priest knows that the witches are drawn by the sound of church bells; to capture souls. And so he decides to ring the bells of the Luihuis. The bells ring out and Dorus waits. Then the sky turns black. Forty-one witches approach the church on their broomsticks. The priest sprinkles holy water high into the air. And as soon as the holy drops touch the witches, they fall to the ground. There they turn into large boulders. So does Dorus’s wife…

The miller has lost his wife for good. In her memory, he has placed a plaque depicting a black cat in his mill. For whether she was a wife, a witch or a cat, Dorus loved her. 

Even today, you’ll still find the ‘keien’ (witches) all over Bergeijk. And on some
nights, sounds can still be heard coming from Theater de Kattendans. Who do you think is dancing there? Cycle the route, enjoy the legend and learn (even) more about the stories of Bergeijk at the Cultuurhuis.

Get off the beaten track and discover...
Fancy a bit of a rest after all the excitement? You’re very welcome at one of the cosy cafés or other eateries at ‘t Hof. Relax and chat about your adventures whilst enjoying a tasty snack or drink. Along the route, there are various businesses and organisations offering special products, promotions and packages themed around this route. 

• Speciality beer ‘Dansende Katten’. This beer has been specially developed by Grensgeval Brewery for this route and is available to buy at the Cultuurhuis in Bergeijk.
• The children’s book ‘De Dansende Katten van Bergeijk’ (The Dancing Cats of Bergeijk), written by Ad Grooten, a fairy-tale writer for the Efteling. Available from the Visit Bergeijk shop. 

You can also explore the village’s iconic architecture on the Rietveld Safari or enjoy a night out at Theater de Kattendans.