Editor’s Note: Jenny Greenteeth was a water demon from Lancashire, one writer tells us she didn’t even make it into the West Riding. But this reference from the east is one of a handful of clues that a water demon named Jenny may have had a wider sphere of action.

Near Flambrough is a circular hole, resembling a dry pond, in which a Flambro’ girl committed suicide. It is believed that any one bold enough to run nine times round this place will see Jenny’s spirit come out, dressed in white; but no one yet has been bold enough to venture more than eight times, for then Jenny’s spirit called out —

‘Ah’ll tee on me bonnet,

An’ put on me shoe,

An’ if thoo’s nut off,

Ah’ll seean catch thoo!’

A farmer, some years ago, galloped round it on horseback, and Jenny did come out, to the great terror of the farmer, who put spurs to his horse and galloped off as fast as he could, the spirit after him. Just on entering the village, the spirit, for some reason unknown, declined to proceed farther, but bit a piece clean out of the horse’s flank, and the old mare had a white patch there to her dying day (Nicholson 1890).