Tyl Uylenspiegel
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"The Legend of Thyl Ulenspiegel and Lamme Goedzak", an 1867 novel by Belgian author Charles De Coster.
The novel follows many historic events in the Eighty Years’ War.
In this version, Uylenspiegel was born in Damme, West Flanders and became a hero of the Dutch Revolt. The author gives him a father, Claes, and a mother, Soetkin, as well as a girlfriend, Nele, and a best friend, Lamme Goedzak.
As a child Tyl already exhibits the naughty behaviour he will become infamous for as an adult. He likes to play tricks and practical jokes, particularly on corrupt Catholic priests.
Eventually the Spaniards arrest his father because of his lutheran sympathies and burn him at the stake. Tyl collects his father’s ashes and puts them in a bag he wears on his chest.
From that moment on he is destined to fight back against the Spanish oppression.