Comment on Wild Hunt by IrenHorrors
Hungarians have a cool version of this as well. Transylvanian Hungarians had a beloved prince, Csaba (the myth tells he was the one to settle them down), and from then, when enemies are attacking them, they prey to him to come down on the Milky Way with his ghostly army and protect them. (Additionally, it of course isn't called the Milky Way in Transylvania - that's the Way of Armies, and the stars are actually the footsteps of the ghost soldiers' horses.)
It would not be surprising if this myth would have originated in one of the northeastern Wild Hunt-myths (since there is a proven connection between Celts and Hungarians, they lived here in the Carpathian Basin when we came), but along with many other pagan myths and legends, this one had to get a Christian cover, too. Probably that's why the Hunt became a helping entity summoned by praying, and led by a famous prince instead of a god.
It would not be surprising if this myth would have originated in one of the northeastern Wild Hunt-myths (since there is a proven connection between Celts and Hungarians, they lived here in the Carpathian Basin when we came), but along with many other pagan myths and legends, this one had to get a Christian cover, too. Probably that's why the Hunt became a helping entity summoned by praying, and led by a famous prince instead of a god.