(...) the dark or wailing apparitions represent the unredeemed dead who were guilty of some sin or omission during life. From the psychological point of view they may be considered as personified projections, or exteriorizations of psychic contents, the "projector" being the person who encounters the ghost. The parallelism between the behavior of the ghosts and that of unconscious contents (...) again becomes evident: the "ghosts" require for their redemption a positive relationship with man - a relationship which is expressed [for example] in the act of forgiving. On the other hand, it is the unconscious complexes or contents of the psyche which force their way into consciousness, and only when they are accepted, when man has become conscious of them, is the "complex" dissolved and man at peace with himself. In the particular case of dark and unredeemed ghosts the psychological analogy is a challenge to become conscious of one's dark and undifferentiated sides or of one's own "shadow" and to feel compassion for the guilty ones.

Yet a positive relationship with unredeemed ghosts is not always expressed un such friendly acts as forgiveness, praying, reading masses etc. Now and again we encounter the rather strange motif of a redeeming punishment for the guilt which had remained unpunished or unexpiated during life and for which no forgiveness had been asked. The legend tells of the little boy whose hand grew out of the grave because he had struck his mother and had not been punished nor did he even ask to be forgiven. A few strokes with a rod brought peace to the child's soul.