The Mare is based on the Norwegian tale of a female shape-shifter who visits her male sleeping victims in the form of a beautiful woman or animal. The Mare can fit into a keyhole in a door, a crack in the wall or blow through an open window. Once she is in the victims room, she climbs onto their chest causing difficulty in breathing, tightness, pain and horrible dreams.

By day, the Mare appears as a normal human women, she is overcome by the urge to prowl and torment at night. To protect yourself against a Mare, never sleep with your mouth open, for it's said that if she can count all of your teeth, you will die in your sleep. Interestingly enough, if you've ever heard of the superstition of pointing your shoes away from your bed (I have), it comes from the belief that a Mare can follow your tracks and determine where you are sleeping if your shoes are pointed to your bed.