Unrecorded edition of a Dutch chapbook on the prophetic meaning of various symbols and situations encountered in dreams. For example, according to the text, dreaming about fishing nets means that it is going to rain, and dreaming about walking in a forest means the dreamer will experience misfortune. At the end a complicated dream-example is told, of a young man from Dordrecht who visits Kampen because he dreamt that someone there would give him good advice, which does indeed come true.
The present work is a chapbook, which is a work of popular literature, printed as a small booklet, and typically sold on the streets. They were often thrown away after reading and therefore rarely survive. The present example is most likely a shortened version of Droomboeck, waer in uyt natuerlijcker oorsaken... (1645), which in turn was a translation of Traumbuch, darinnen ursprung, unterscheid und bedeutung, a work that was written by the Greek dream interpreter Daldanius Artemidorus (2nd century CE), and became very popular in Germany in the 15th and 16th centuries. The work apparently became quite popular in the Netherlands as well, as the STCN records 7 editions, including 2 other chapbooks. All editions of this work appear to be very rare. The present edition, however, is exceptionally rare, as we have not been able to trace any other copies, nor has it been mentioned in any of the relevant reference works.
The work is slightly browned throughout, especially the outer leaves, the sewing thread is almost gone and the glue holding the leaves together is starting to crack, but the work is still complete. Otherwise in good condition. This edition not in the STCN; WorldCat; cf. Waller 483-484 (ed. Amst., Ot Barentsz. Smient, 1645, and J. Kannewet, ca. 1770); Muller 544-545 (idem); De Vries 535 (ed. J. Kannewet, ca. 1770); Bibelebontse Berg p. 472 (belonged to the favoured literature of the young Stijn Streuvels).