(poetic translation from Wikipedia)
The money is gone, the man is gone, Everything is gone, Augustine!
Oh, dear Augustine, Everything is gone. The dress is gone, the family is gone, Augustine is lying in the dirt.
Oh, dear Augustine, everything is gone.
And even rich Vienna disappeared, like Augustine;
Cry with me, Everything is lost!
Every day was a holiday
So what now? Plague, one plague!
Just big burials, that's all.
Augustine, Augustine, in short, go to your grave!
Oh, dear Augustine, Everything is gone!
Oh, dear Augustine, Augustine, Augustine,
Oh, dear Augustine, Everything is gone!
LEGEND ONE - "BASILISK"
On one of the old streets of Vienna in 1212, on June 26, in the early morning, a terrible scream and scream is heard from the baker’s house across the yard, residents of nearby houses jumped out into the street and knocked on the baker’s gate, a young man with a deathly pale face looks out and says the following: as usual In the morning, a young maid was drawing water from the well and, lifting the bucket, she saw that there was no water in the bucket and, looking into the well, she saw something terrible there - a monster with the head of a rooster, the eyes of a toad and the tail of a snake and fell unconscious to the ground.. Deciding to check the well alone One of the brave souls of the assembled crowd dares to go down and a minute later, exactly the same terrifying scream is heard. The terrible story quickly attracted a crowd from all corners of the city, and among them happened to be a stranger who was a doctor and happened to be in the city. He was a very smart and educated doctor and explained to people that since ancient times, the famous scientist Plinius had mentioned this animal in history, this is the so-called Basilisk, a mixture of a mole and a rooster (the Basilisk was hatched from an egg hatched by an old rooster and hatched by a mole), emitting a fetid odor and turning everyone who saw him into stone. According to legend, the Basilisk can only die if it sees its own reflection in a smooth mirror stone... That’s when the young baker decided to go down the well and show the monster the stone, he killed the monster, but he himself didn’t even live to see the morning and died in coma..
LEGEND TWO – “TURKS AT THE GATES OF THE CITY!!”
In the autumn of 1529, when the Turks were besieging the city and their tents stood at the gates, the entire population of the city was busy fortifying Vienna in order to prevent the enemy from entering the city. It was hot in the baker’s house (again), after a hard day of work on fortifying the city, the young man still had to bake bread, because the next day he had to feed the city, and tired to the point of exhaustion, the young baker took tray after tray out of the hot oven, dreaming in his thoughts of a quiet evening over a wonderful dinner, when suddenly the earth swayed under his feet and began to fall somewhere. Wild fear seized the young man and his first thought was that he needed to run away quickly. A large hole with sounds barely coming from there opened in the floor and with a shudder the baker imagined the Turks crawling out of the hole. But having pulled himself together, he realized that he urgently had to inform people about the impending danger, he called the men and all night they flooded the underground passage water, until then the noise did not disappear. And in the morning, the population of the city watched with their hearts sinking with happiness as the Turks left the city.
LEGEND THIRD – “DER STOCK-IM-EISEN...”.
It was one of Sunday days. In one small castle atelier, already in the morning there was an incredible stuffiness and the hot air was heating up the already restless situation.. “Me again!” - exclaimed the young man. “Why me again?” , but no one listened to his voice and the master almost forcibly pushed the student out of the workshop: “Bring more clay!” “It’s all over already,” the man ordered almost angrily. As soon as the student went out into the street and slowly walked towards the ditch, where he was supposed to take clay, nearby he saw children playing counting rhymes: “Oanihi, boanihi, Siarihi, sairihi, Ripadi, bipadi, Knoll...” And the teacher’s entire order instantly flew out of my head, the children were playing too hard and didn’t notice how it got dark and, waking up, quickly hurried home. The student quickly collected clay and headed to the city gates, but they were already locked and, upset, he sat down near the wall.. -Devil, devil..how could I.., it will fly in from the master, I wish I could be this devil now, so that I could end up in the workshop.! And at that very moment a little man appears in front of him in a dirty red cloak and with three slightly frayed feathers on his hat. “You have the key to the gate and you will not be punished for being late..” - came after the giggles. “And you will be a famous master, very famous!!” And the young man, after thinking, asked what the devil would like in return. “Your soul,” the man with feathers said, barely audibly.. Slowly thinking, the young man thought and said: “Why not, only on my part there is also a condition, if I never miss a service in the Cathedral of St. Stephen, you will serve You will always be with me.!!!.” “Agreed,” the man in red hastily answered.. The next morning, a lot of people crowded around the workshop, and among them, a very fashionably and elegantly dressed man clearly stood out. “This is yesterday’s man in red,” the young man thought, seeing the same tattered feathers on his hat. “I am ordering a chain with a lock that no master can open,” orders this seemingly very rich man. The drooping master answers with disappointment that even the most famous key holders cannot do this. “Your student is much more talented and smarter than all of you. “- the man with feathers objects... To which he hears the evil voice of the master: “If he does this, he will become my apprentice at that very moment..!” Less than an hour had passed when the happy young man handed the castle to his teacher who could not believe his eyes... Time flew by very quickly, the young man wandered a lot, and became known everywhere for his golden hands. .returns to Vienna, where after a while he was forgotten so much that no one remembered the student who made the castle and throughout the city it is said that whoever opens the castle will receive all the highest privileges of the city... And now the young man is already revered by everyone, having everything that he wishes, sitting in a tavern, fairly drunk, reluctantly looking at his watch, getting ready for a church service... “You’ll make it!” friends reassure and, having stayed longer than expected, he runs out of the tavern. Not far from the Church of St. Peter, he notices with surprise and fear that people do not go to church. Seeing an old woman slowly trudged away from the church, she asks her with horror what time it is and why people don’t go to church services, to which the old woman nods and replies, “It’s over a long time ago!” - the old woman said in a creaky voice... And the young man sadly trudged back to the tavern, noticing that people were slowly moving towards the Cathedral of St. Stephen... The old woman who had confused the young man was none other than a witch, in collusion with the devil. Returning from a tavern, drunk and upset, near the cathedral he sees a man in red, only huge horns unexpectedly grow on his head, he picks up the young man and carries him high into the sky, and in the evening near the cathedral people see a dead young man... And the tree that we see on the building Der Stock-im-Eisen..., almost everything is pierced with nails, this was done in memory of this sad story by wandering masters - key holders..
LEGEND FOUR - "LUCIFER AND THE TWO DEVIL"
Lucifer, Spirifanker and Springinker. Since a very long time, a lot of black forces gathered around the Cathedral of St. Stephen in the square, large and small devils circled around the cathedral, looking for people, trying to seduce them. They used all the tricks to make people commit sins and then calmly took possession of human souls.. One fine day they got tired of being outside the church and the three little devils began to think about how they could get inside the cathedral, where they could roam.. Flying around the church and examining every corner, Lucifer discovered a small hole in the stained glass windows of the church and three lucky devils quietly entered the cathedral. They were attached to the capitals of the columns, to the key of the church vault and never tired of admiring the golden decoration of the church. The inner beauty of the church, the spiritual purity of the temple in one short moment even awakened in them the desire to be kind, loving, tolerant... But this was a momentary desire, which quickly disappeared again and later a short time they again indulged in tempting games... The temptation of the people in the temple was so strong that the church minister, hearing croaking, quacking, and cackling, turned to stronger preachers asking for advice and help in this situation, and it was decided to catch the black forces, imprison them in a cage and walled up on the north side of the cathedral.. And to this day we see small strange creatures depicted in bas-relief on the wall of the cathedral..
LEGEND FIFTH – “DEATH SERVICE...”.
As the chronicle of 1363 tells us: On Sylvester 1363, the priest of the church of St. Stephen stayed up past midnight, working on his sermon for the next year. Suddenly, voices, hurried steps, and the muffled sound of an organ are heard outside the window, as if people were gathering around the cathedral for an evening service. A little surprised that it could be at such a late hour, the priest leaves the house, approaches the church and looks inside through the stained glass windows..... The consecrated cathedral is full of people... Hastily returns, takes the keys to the church gates and passes through the cemetery heading towards the entrance to the church. Suddenly someone grabs the priest tenaciously, the priest looks around in bewilderment. .....No one... “Strange..” the priest thinks, it’s quiet in the cemetery..and instantly forgetting about it, he goes to the gates of the cathedral. “What could it be, the gates are open, the cathedral is full of people... and, escaping the cold, he quietly enters the church... And only he opened his mouth to ask a parishioner standing nearby: “What are you doing here at such a late hour?” - how that hour hundreds of faces turned and stared at him with anger and reproach... Having looked closely at the priest who was reading the sermon, he recognizes himself in him with horror and, looking around, sees more and more familiar faces... at that moment the sound of a bell resounds and in one Within seconds the church was empty, as if there had been nothing. Returning to the house, he sits down to work again and notices with horror that he cannot finish the sermon... The year that followed was a terrible year - the year of black smallpox... and all the people he saw there were victims of this black death, including himself..
LEGEND SIX – “LUNCH...”.
Once King Rudolf the First of Habsburg passed through the town of Lindau and a local resident invited him to try fish from local rivers... - pike... In the kitchen, cutting up fish, as soon as the cook cuts off the head, a mole falls out of his mouth, the surprised cook wants to throw out the pike, and orders bring another one. Meanwhile, the king, having waited for dinner, sends for the cook and indignantly asks what’s the matter. And then the cook tells him this unpleasant story, to which the king replies: “The mole is the food of the pike, and this was supposed to be food for my entourage, and the pike for me... cook the fish and bring this dish!” This is how a dinner for the king was prepared from fish with mole...
LEGEND SEVEN - "MEASURES".
On the portal of the cathedral, on the left side at the corner, we see metal slats, one 77.7 cm, the other 89.7. Why, was it really true that they measured the fabrics of merchants, what is the circle for??? Maybe this is a measure for a baker’s bun??? And if there was less, they threw the poor into the Danube..
LEGEND EIGHTH - "JUDGE..".
Again, on the portal above, there is one person sitting in a niche, who is pulling out a splinter. This character is very often found in art, in our case it means the following: In front of the cathedral on the square in the Middle Ages (the time of the Babenbergs), legal acts were read out..
LEGEND NINE - “DIE SPINNERIN AM KREUZ” (“THE SPINNER AT THE CROSS”).
Far from the fortress wall of the old city of Vienna, on a small mountain there stood for a long time one stone cross, and whoever left Vienna from the southern side always drove past it (and today, in fact, too). One day there was a beautiful young girl, passionately hugging her beloved, who did not want to let him out of her arms. It so happened that this couple, who had recently just gotten married, were facing separation, because the young man, who had dreamed of exploits for so long, was finally accepted as a knight and was preparing to go on a crusade.. Tears welled up every now and then in the eyes of his wife... But then he sounded the last click and the young man, with difficulty, escaped from the embrace of his beloved.. “Come back, come home soon, I will be waiting for you, really waiting for you. ..” - she whispered and watched the knights for a long time until they disappeared from sight and, heartbroken, she went home... She was alone and cold in their orphaned house... and every day she returned to the place to the cross where the last once she kissed and hugged him so passionately... Over time, she came more and more often. Bringing with her threads, a spinning wheel, she was engaged in spinning from morning to night, not noticing when the sun set, not paying attention to the freezing wind or the scorching sun... Merchants, coming to Vienna, became so accustomed to her that they fell in love with this young spinner, they always bought her products, and could no longer imagine this mountain with a cross without this beautiful girl... Spring came and the knights were returning from a campaign. Peering into the face of each young man, she tremblingly expected to see her beloved... but days and nights, months flew by, and her husband never came to his beloved wife. In a fit of pain and suffering, she swears, turning to God, that if her beloved returns, with all the money she earned from her work, she will hire a good craftsman and put up the most beautiful cross in the world.. Literally a few days later, when it was already dark and she was collecting her spinning wheel, getting ready to go home, the silhouette of a man appeared in the distance and the closer he approached, the slower his steps became. Her heart suddenly began to beat faster and faster, she threw down the spinning wheel and almost ran towards him. A little short of reaching the mountain, he fell exhausted and exhausted to the ground.. She ran up and tried to help him get up, and screaming, she recognized the man as her husband and her tear-filled eyes filled with tears of happiness.. The next day he says that he was in captivity and only love gave him strength and hope... He takes her out of his worn, blood-soaked and sweat-soaked shirt an amazingly beautiful package containing thin orange-red plants that emanate an incredible aroma. . and it was Saffron. The column, which was built by the best master with the money of a spinner, amazes with the subtlety of its architectural work even today..
LEGEND TENTH – MINNENSINGER NEIDHART (NEIDHART) AND THE HOLIDAY OF “VIOLETS”.
A long time ago, when candles still burned in houses, because people did not know what a light bulb was, and warmed themselves from an open fire in the stove on which they cooked dinner, and even very rich people heated their castles and palaces with fireplaces, everyone was looking forward to spring, which already with early cheerful rays, at least a little, but it warmed the cold houses and the nights became shorter... Then in Vienna they really loved the spring festival, which was called the Violet Festival. Whoever was the first to find a violet in the forest had to cover the flower with his hat, hurry to the palace of the Duke and Duchess, report the joyful event, to which all the city people, dressed up and happy, with music and dancing, headed to the forest, where the young man showed the place with the hat, under which the treasured flower was hidden... and a holiday began in which everyone participated and the lucky one who found the flower even had the right to invite the duchess or princess to a dance and secretly every young man cherished the hope of someday being the first to find a violet... And then one day in early spring a young man Minnesinger - Neidhart, having accidentally found the first violet in the forest, and already dreaming of how, having informed the Duke first about this joyful event, he could approach the Duchess and invite her to dance, he did not notice how a young man was standing behind a neighboring tree and secretly watching him. Happy and cheerful Neidhart, covering the violet with his hat, almost skipped into the city. Meanwhile, the young man, hiding behind a tree, collecting brushwood and quite by chance seeing Neidhart, was from a village that was not far from Vienna and had harbored a grudge against Neidhart for so long, because the young Minnensinger did not miss a single pretty village girl and all the village boys they only dreamed of getting back at him, finally they could answer him... As soon as the Minnensinger disappeared behind the trees, the village youth went up to the hat, cut a flower and relieved himself in this place, then covering it with his hat... and very soon the bugles were blowing somewhere at the edge of the forest forest, music is heard and then a procession appears, led by the Duke, Duchess and Neidhart, who proudly heads towards this place. Approaching and raising his hat, he raises his head in horror and looks at the Duke and Duchess, encountering a surprised and then angry look.. Looking around the crowd, he sees a crowd of guys to the side, among whom he recognizes the village guys looking at him from under their brows with laughter and... In almost one jump he reaches the guys, crashes in and hits with his sword right and left. Observing this scene, the Duke understands what is going on, forgives Minnesinger and the herald announces the beginning of the holiday. .....
Medieval castles of Austria Part 1Medieval castles are the undisputed adornment of Austria. This country unites nine feudal lands, each of which is interesting in its own way. Picturesque nature, clean lakes and majestic mountains attract numerous tourists to this country. Last but not least, this tourist destination is in high demand at any time of the year due to its medieval castles - silent witnesses to historical vicissitudes.
Castles are scattered throughout Austria and each of them has its own historical value. For example, Herberstein Castle, whose owners to this day are the Counts of Herberstein, amazes with its luxury and beauty. But this castle is more than 700 years old. The architecture of this medieval building harmoniously intertwined: Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance. In every medieval castle Austria had a prayer room or a separate small chapel. Herberstein Castle was no exception.
Another Austrian castle was erected in 1190 by order of Count Hugo I of Montfort. Descriptions of the majestic Bernstein Castle were first found in written documents from the 13th century. This castle was defensive fortress and defended the borders of Austria from attacks by Hungarian and Bohemian troops. In the endless corridor labyrinths, according to the Austrians, today you can find the spirit of the sad “White Lady”. According to legend, this is none other than Countess Catarina Frescobaldi herself, who died in this castle in 1480.
And during the Crusades, another Austrian castle was built - Schobak Castle. It was erected by order of the first king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem. You can talk endlessly about Austrian castles. After all, each of them has its own history and breathtaking legend.
Today, Austrian castles hospitably open their gates to numerous guests. Castles host all sorts of cultural events; some castles host real balls and knightly tournaments.
In the Ambras Castle, in the portrait gallery you can see beautiful paintings by Titian, Rubens, and Cranach. Van Dyck, and in Shattenburg Castle visit the city museum and try the “Shattenburg schnitzel”.
Many Austrian castles have now been converted into hotels. However, despite this, the medieval flavor is completely preserved in the castles. For example, at Bernstein Castle, magnificent candlelit dinners are served in the Knights' Hall. The amazing gardens that are located on the territory of almost all castles invite contemplation and reflection. In an Austrian castle, you can’t help but feel like royalty. Cozy rooms-chambers with fireplaces and tiled stoves create fabulous atmosphere in any season.
The medieval castles of Austria have a rich history, they have survived many wars and attacks, but they are still majestic and mysterious. Austrian castles rightfully deserve your attention.
Arnulfsfeste Castle
The first written mention dates back to 879. It belonged to the Palatines of Goritsi in the period after 1100 until the second half of the 15th century. Then the castle passed to the Habsburgs, after the Ernau family in 1501 and belonged to them until 1630. Then it belonged to the barons from Kronegger from 1633, and in 1733 it came into the possession of the noble Goss family. Situated on three connected hills, this Carolingian castle was protected by marshes and forests
The old castle of Moorburg was the main fortification of the Carolingian prince Arnulf of Carinthia.
Arnoldstein Castle
Founded as a Benedictian monastery in 1106. Due to its location on a commercial street, the monastery was used as a defense against enemies, that is, as a fortress. 
During the almost 800-year history of the monastery, there was a powerful earthquake (1348), as well as several Turkish invasions. With the dissolution of the monastery in 1783, the influence of Benedict ended and the ancient walls were left to themselves. Exactly 100 years later, Ver-Vested Arnoldstein and his monastery burned down in a fire. Over the years there continued to be weathering of the Maisel on the walls, so that after many decades, only ruins remained of the once mighty fortress of the monastery
Araburg Castle
Araburg Castle, located in Kaumbeg, Triestingtal, is at an altitude of about 800 m above sea level, and is the highest castle in Lower Austria.
The castle was built by the Araburger family and belonged to them from the 12th to the 17th centuries, and during this time it was constantly expanded. During the first Turkish siege in 1529, it became a refuge for the local population. In 1625, the Ruckendorfferns became the new owners of the castle. During the second Turkish siege in 1683, it was destroyed. And only in 1960 it was restored for tourists to visit.
Aggstein Castle 
Built in the 12th century, Aggstein Castle cannot be seen today. It was completely destroyed and burned at the beginning of the 16th century during the first Turkish war. The new castle built in its place has stronger walls, designed to withstand artillery strikes. It was the later construction that has survived well to this day. Only an impregnable fortress located on the top of a mountain could serve as protection from enemies and control merchant ships passing along the Danube. 
The gray walls of Aggstein Castle merge with the top of the mountain, and just like it are covered with bushes. Outside and inside the castle, the restoration did not affect the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. An amazing view opens from the windows of the “prison” chambers of the castle to the valley below and the Danube River. Here you can touch history by examining the external buildings, left by archaeologists in their “pristine” form, and the internal rooms filled with antiques. Audio guide in German and English languages in 25 minutes he gives a brief historical background about Aggstein Castle and talks a little about the purpose of certain rooms. 
The modern Aggstein Castle is not used as a residential premises, so tourists do not have the opportunity to stop and spend time in the medieval chambers. But even a one-day excursion to this romantic place will bring a lot of impressions to adults and children. The castle invites you into a world forgotten for centuries. Hidden staircases, courtyards and towers, dungeons and a chapel, a banquet hall and a tavern lead into it. The kids will appreciate a trip to a real ancient fortress, where in one of the rooms there are knights in armor, stuffed bears, moose, and eagles on the walls. Adults will enjoy the huge wooden tables, open fireplace, wooden ceilings and views of the valley from the many windows. 
Legend says that Aggstein was built in the 12th century by Menegold III of Aschispesh. In 1181, the castle received a new owner, Kuenringer Aggsbash-Ganbash. From 1230 to 1231, the castle was besieged and conquered by the vassals of Duke Frederick II. Aggstein changed owners many times, because uprisings and conquests make up the history of the Middle Ages: 1295-1296 Aggstein passed to Duke Albrecht, from 1348 to 1355 it was in the power of Leuthold II Kuenringer. 
Duke Albrecht V of Austria or King Albrecht II of Germany bought the castle in 1429 and thoroughly rebuilt its dilapidated frame to protect the Danube. 
Only in 1477 did Duke Leopold III and his associates manage to protect the castle from robbery. Leopold III became the patron saint and margrave of Austria, expanding its borders on the path to independence. But already in 1529, Aggstein Castle was consumed in flames by the first Turkish war. The tragic fate of Aggstein Castle, its captives and owners reflects the features of the Middle Ages. The owners of Agstein were famous for their cruelty, greed, treachery and often used the castle as a prison for those who refused to obey them and pay taxes. 
Nowadays, Aggstein Castle is under UNESCO protection and is open to the public. Archaeologists carefully restored the picturesque ruins to preserve the romantic spirit of the Middle Ages and make Aggstein Castle attractive to tourists. 
On the territory of the castle there is a souvenir shop, a cafe and a small chapel where you can hold a very unusual and memorable wedding ceremony. The vow to love each other until the end of days, spoken in this amazing place, will truly become unbreakable. 
The most convenient way to get to Aggstein Castle is by bicycle. But the main part of the path, along an almost vertical stone staircase, invites you to take a walk, full of impressions from the surrounding area. Tourists who venture to Aggstein should be prepared for some physical exertion. Sportswear and shoes will be a salvation for tourism workers.
Anif Palace
The castle stands on an artificial pond in the same Austrian city of Anif on the southern outskirts of Salzburg. Its origin can no longer be precisely dated, but there is a document from 1520 that proves that at that time a pond had already been created in the same place. Its owner was the former serf Lienhart Praunecker.
In 1852
Since 1530, the Archbishop of Salzburg himself was awarded lands. Already in 1693, the building was received in the same way after restoration by Johann Ernst Graf von Thun, Bishop of Chiemsee, who subsequently used it as a summer residence until 1806. The last of them, Sigmund Christoph von Zeil of Trauchburg, designed the large garden of the English castle. 
Ambras Castle
Ambras Castle (German: Schloss Ambras) is a castle museum in Innsbruck, Austria. It is one of the main attractions of the city. Its cultural and historical significance is closely related to Archduke Ferdinand II.
View of the castle in an engraving by Matthäus Merian
The construction of the castle dates back to the time of Ferdinand II, the second son of Emperor Ferdinand I. When the Archduke became sovereign of the province of Tyrol in 1563, he hired Italian architects for the reconstruction of a medieval fortress into a Renaissance castle.
Ferdinand II was one of the most generous patrons of the arts in the Habsburg family. At Ambras Castle he collected magnificent collections of paintings, sculptures, weapons, jewelry, etc.
Today Ambras is one of most popular places among tourists visiting Innsbruck.
Brook Castle, Lienz
The Austrian Bruck Castle is located in the southern part of East Tyrol, on the territory of the district center of Lienz. The castle was built on a hill adjacent to Mount Hochstein, on which Lienz itself lies. 
The castle received its name in honor of the stone bridge (German: Bruecke), which connected the castle with the outside world and was the most important structure in the Middle Ages. The main tower and powerful walls of the castle have been preserved to this day and are visible from afar. The castle courtyard has a regular rectangular shape and is crowned by an entrance gate with a semicircular arch. 
Previously, a narrow staircase led up from them, which, like most buildings, has not survived to this day. Only scattered parts of the old castle have survived. A tin wreath frames the outer castle walls, and with main tower in the Romanesque style there is a surrounding wall, which has two rotundas. They offer beautiful views of the city of Lienz, the valley and the Isel River. 
On the territory of the castle there is also a two-story chapel in the Romanesque style with frescoes by Simon Tysten (XIII-XV centuries). It played the role of a room for church services, which was required in every medieval castle. The furnishings of the chapel at Brooke Castle consisted of a small altar, simple benches, and the only decoration was frescoes with biblical scenes. 
Since 1943, the museum of the city of Lienz has been located here - the Museum of Creativity and Traditions of East Tyrol. Collections of paintings are exhibited in its 40 halls. Among them are about 100 works by the internationally acclaimed local artist Albin Egger-Lienz, who lived here from 1868 to 1925. The museum has an archaeological department, where exhibits are exhibited that were found during the excavations of Aguntum. They tell the history of East Tyrol from the primitive period. 
In addition to permanent exhibitions, the museum annually hosts various thematic exhibitions dedicated to the culture, history and nature of East Tyrol. Which is one of the reasons for the popularity and attendance of this castle. In addition, there is a summer terrace with beautiful views of the Dolomites, where you can dine in a cozy atmosphere 
Brook Castle was built from 1250 to 1277 as the residence of the Counts of Hertz (Goritsyn). The ancestor of this Goritsky-Tyrolian dynasty was Meinhard II, who is the eldest son of Count Meinhard of Goritsky and Countess Adelheid of Tyrol. After the death of his father, he becomes the ruler of both powers and very quickly gains great influence in Germany. 
Especially after marrying the widow of Emperor Conrad IV. Meinhard II freed himself from the power of Salzburg and entered into a struggle with the spiritual princes, primarily with the Archbishop of Brixen, who laid claim to the territory of the Tyrol. Thanks to his military talents, he won this struggle, acquired the desired lands, and also received the hereditary position of vicar. 
Later, he divided all the lands acquired in battles with his younger brother Albrecht. He kept Tyrol for himself, and gave Gorizia to his brother, thereby breaking the dynasty into two parts. 
Having finished with the wars, Count Meinhard II began to engage in economic affairs no less successfully. Under his rule, rapid development of the region began, the count encouraged trade and the development of art, kept the construction of roads under personal control and encouraged the development of mining. During his reign, Tyrol gained the right to mint its own coin. 
Around 1480, the counts of the Hertz family became rulers of Tyrol. Thanks to the increased prosperity, the family castle expanded greatly. A two-story chapel with ribbed vaults was built. They commissioned wall paintings from local artist Simon von Teisten. New living quarters appeared on the castle grounds, where one could comfortably survive the winter without fear of freezing 
In 1500, the last Count von Hertz died and the castle became the property of the emperor. Emperor Maximilian I was always short of money, and he liked to pledge his property to creditors. Thus, Brook Castle fell into the hands of the von Wolkenstein family and remained in their possession until the end of the 16th century. They preserved all the buildings that were on the territory of the castle, and in addition they built another wall with two rotundas and made a second entrance. 
In the 17th century, Brooke Castle had an armory and it was used for the meeting of city judges. Later, nuns began to live in it. But in 1783, the reigning Emperor Joseph II declared the castle state property, dispersed the monastery and placed barracks and a hospital in the castle. 
Then in 1827 the castle was purchased by the governor of Lienz for use as a country house. But the son of the founder laid out an inn and a brewery in it. The castle was used in this way until the outbreak of the First World War, when its last owner died and it again became imperial property. It was rebuilt on the model of royal castles in Bavaria, which gave it a romantic appearance. In 1942, the authorities of the city of Lienz bought the castle and made it a museum, which is still located there
Bernstein Castle, Burgenland ,
High above Tauchental stands the tallest castle in Burgenland.
For lovers of knightly romance and castles, there is the country of Austria. If you have watched the Oscar-winning film “The English Patient”, if you love knightly romance, leisurely relaxation and pristine nature, then the Bernstein Castle Hotel will definitely appeal to you. This living piece of history is located in Western Austria. And the places where it is located deserve special attention. On the way from Vienna to Graz, near the beautiful picturesque lake Neusiedler See, this castle is located. It is run by the hospitable couple Berger and Almazi. These people treat guests not as guests, but as long-time friends, and almost like family members
Bernstein Castle is a true masterpiece of bastion architecture. The castle looks like an oval, wide, almost fortress walls, with narrow windows, and a very small number of turrets. The incredibly beautiful garden is located inside the castle. The castle is surrounded by pristine nature and there are also golf courses here. Golf, by the way, is another reason that attracts visitors here. The famous golf club is located nearby.
The owners of the castle managed the almost impossible. They preserved the castle in almost its original form. The furnishings and furniture here are the same as they were during the “tsarist regime,” so to speak. Visitors to this hotel are transported to the knightly era from the first step in the castle.
High ceilings, heavy wooden chairs with high backs, a real fireplace of those times, and in working order, porcelain tile stoves. That is, in fact, the castle looks like a museum, but it is a hotel. The fundamental rule of the hotel owners, the Almazi family, is that there are no signs of civilization in the form of televisions or telephones. It’s more pleasant to communicate here, sitting by a burning fireplace, sipping whiskey, and talking about everything in the world. It's not just breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is a real meal. By candlelight, in the huge “Knight's Hall”, on a chair where the Emperor of Austria Frederick the Third might have sat.
All the dishes in this castle hotel are prepared by the hostess herself, and cooked in a real wood-burning oven. Especially popular among guests are her spinach cream soup and delicious chocolate mousse. 
The hotel has a huge library, which contains about 30,000 volumes. Among them there are very rare specimens, for example, a rare map from the 1500s. The guest book of this hotel is also of particular value. Franz Joseph von Habsburg, Emperor of Austria, Regina von Habsburg, Otto von Habsburg and other popular personalities and politicians left their signatures of gratitude here. 
Each room in the castle has its own story. The famous desert explorer Laszlo Almasy, the prototype of the hero of The English Patient, lived in one of them. The Hungarian Ambassador to Turkey, Countess Esterhazy, lived in other rooms. One of the bathtubs in these rooms dates back to 1922! 
A special flavor and attraction for tourists in Bernstein Castle are local legends about ghosts. It is quite possible that even now you will be able to meet the ghost of the son of the first owner of the castle - John von Güssing. John was a tall giant with a bright red beard and hair, for which he received the nickname “Red Ivan.” He died in 1279, but his ghost still haunts the castle. The castle is also visited by the sad “white” woman Catarina Frescobaldi, who, according to legend, drowned herself in the bathtub, and the vaults of the castle sometimes resound with her plaintive moans. 
Bernstein Castle has rich history, but throughout its existence, it changed hands so many times that history has not preserved either the name of the author-creator or the exact number of owners. 
The first mention of Bernstein Castle dates back to 860. In the 13th century it already appears as a border fortress. Since the castle stands on the border of the intersection of the limits and interests of three states - Bohemia, Austria and Hungary, it was constantly a stumbling block between their rulers. In 1199, the fortress still belonged to Hungary, and in the thirties of the 13th century the castle fortress belonged to the Austrian Emperor Frederick the Second. Since 1236, the fortress again came into the possession of Hungary. 
. Until 1388, the castle belonged to royalty. The Dukes of Anjou laid down the fortress this very year due to huge debts. Then, for seventy years, there were again constant changes of owners. In the 16th century, Bernstein was subjected to repeated siege by the Turks. In 1532, construction of additional fortifications began, and the castle took on its present appearance. This is already a whole bastion. The walls alone are 120 feet high, what are they worth! At this time, Ludwig Koenigsberg was engaged in the arrangement inside the fortress. The Gothic style is gradually being destroyed, giving way to the soft lines of the Baroque. 
In 1703, the southern part, down to the cellars, was rebuilt by the architect Lori Basiani. In 1892, Bernstein Castle came into the possession of the Almasi family. And three years later, he is born here great traveler and the conqueror of the Sahara Desert - “The English Patient” - Laszlo Almasy. 
There are many rooms dedicated to this man in Bernstein Castle. Here he was born, here he grew up, here he returned after expeditions. He was a very progressive person for his time. Received a pilot's certificate and a license to drive a car. He was the first to drive a car along the Nile. 
To demonstrate the endurance of the cars of the Steyr company, where he actually worked, he went on a trip through the desert. It was on the basis of this first adventurous trip into the deep desert by car that the film “The English Patient” was conceived. 
In 1932, the Almazi-Clayton expedition sets out for the Sahara to search for the ghostly oasis of Zerzura. But the oasis was not discovered the first time. Laszlo had to travel a lot of roads before the goal was achieved. The main achievement of his expeditions is considered to be the discovery of prehistoric rock paintings in the Kebir area. During the Second World War, he served under the leadership of General Rommel, although he was not considered a Nazi. Makes a daring escape through the desert in a car and ends up deep behind Allied lines. 
After the war, he was captured and tried by the people's court in Budapest. After repeated torture and beatings, Laszlo was found not guilty and released. After this, he was allowed to continue his scientific activities. But, alas, it didn’t work out. In 1951, after visiting Europe, Laszlo fell ill with dysentery and died without realizing his long-time dream of finding the lost army of the Persian king Cambyses. The story of his life contains many ambiguous facts and awaits critical study. After the First World War, Western Hungary was annexed to Austria, Bernstein Castle became Austrian. After World War II in 1953, the castle was finally turned into a hotel and officially began to operate in this status.
Weissenegg Castle
Weissenegg Castle - located in the northeast of Ruden on a rocky hill in the forest, in Carinthia. The first documentary mention of the castle dates back to 1243. The castle belonged to Dietmar Weissenegg and the Lords Wolsey from 1363 to 1425, then passed into the hands of the Counts of Cilli, who sold it to Bamberger in 1759.
Initially, there were fortifications (walls) on the territory. In the 13th century the walls were enlarged and towers were built. To the northwest of it there is a deep ditch. Afterwards it was increased to 3 floors. There is a fountain in the courtyard.
Weissenberg Castle
Weissinberg Castle - located on a cliff in the Trichner Valley. From 1167 to 1550 the castle was in the possession of the Gurk diocese. Then the owners changed several times until 1713, until it passed to the Christonigg family. In 1790 there was a fire in the castle, after which it gradually collapsed. In 1992, restoration of the castle began. 
Nowadays the castle is used for celebrations and celebrations for hire. Today the castle belongs to Maria Teresa Sigolotti-Christonigg.
Wilhelminenberg Castle
Wilhelminenberg Castle is located in the Ottakring district (or district N16 according to the city plan) in the mountainous part of Vienna, Austria; this is practically the edge of the Vienna Woods, the ancient hills of the Wienerwald. 
The castle was originally an 18th-century hunting palace in the late Baroque style with a huge park covering most of what is now Ottakring. Nowadays, only 12 hectares remain of the former vast park, surrounding the castle on the hill, and Wilhelminenberg was rebuilt by one of the last owners at the beginning of the 20th century in the neo-empire spirit, and this is how it has survived to this day. However, it still offers magnificent views of the surrounding landscapes and city districts of Vienna, and the castle itself still captivates with its elegance. 
During its history, Wilhelminenberg Castle served as the residence of many noble and prominent people of the period of the 18th-20th centuries; the high society of the Austrian (and not only) capital visited here. Therefore, today it seems quite natural that the palace houses one of the most romantic and prestigious hotels in Vienna. 
In the second half of the 18th century, land on Ottakring Hill was acquired by Field Marshal General of the Austrian Army, Count Franz Moritz von Lassi (1725-1801). His father, Peter Lassi, was a native of Ireland, a Russian field marshal and hero of the Battle of Poltava. The count built for himself a hunting castle on the new lands with a spacious park, which included the surrounding hills, several ponds and even authentic ruins of times Ancient Rome, found on the acquired site. The country residence soon became known in Vienna as Lassi Castle. 
In 1780, the Russian ambassador in Vienna, Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn, purchased the castle from his friend Franz. The son of Mikhail Golitsyn, Governor General of Finland, senator and member of the Supreme Privy Council, was born in Turku on May 15, 1721. His father, who was one of the closest associates of Peter the Great, fell into disgrace under Anna Ioannovna and lost all government posts, while his son under Catherine II had an excellent diplomatic career. 
At first he was an adviser to Count Bestuzhev-Ryumin in Paris, and after his death, from 1760, he was the ambassador of the Russian Empire to France. Then in January 1762 the prince was transferred to Vienna, where he worked for the good of the fatherland for more than thirty years until his death. Today, the street leading to the castle, Galitzin Strasse, is named in his honor, and the hill itself on which Wilhelminenberg stands is named Galitzinberg. The castle had previously been called the same, but the new owners diligently renamed it and, in the end, ensured that the old name of the palace was forgotten. 
After the death of the prince in 1793, his possessions, including the castle, were inherited by Count Nikolai Petrovich Rumyantsev. Galitsinberg was sold by him, changed several owners and, finally, in 1824 became the property of the French Count Jules Thibault de Montleart. The castle was in a deplorable state due to the fact that no one lived here for a long time. Montleart completely renovated Galitzinberg and added two side wings to it in 1838. 
After the death of Jules Thibault and his wife Maria Christina, the relatives staged a lengthy battle for the inheritance, which their son, Duke Moritz de Montleart, was able to win in 1866. He presented the resulting castle as a gift to his wife Wilhelmina, and ordered signs with the new name: “Wilhelminenberg” to be posted on all access roads to the palace. This name remains locked to this day. Moritz and Wilhelmina became famous as compassionate and generous people who constantly helped the poor. At the request of his wife, after his death in 1887, Moritz was buried in a neo-Gothic mausoleum next to the castle. 
Wilhelmina also rested there in 1895, long remembered by local residents as the “angel from Ottakring.”
The castle was inherited by Archduke Rainer Ferdinand von Wittelsbach, Prince of Bavaria and Infante of Spain, a relative of almost all the royal houses of Europe and the future Prime Minister of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. From 1903 to 1908 On his instructions, a complete restructuring of Wilhelminenberg was carried out. 
The work was led by architects Ignaz Sowinski and Eduard Frauenfeld, the event cost the Archduke almost one and a half million crowns, as a result of which the castle received a look in the spirit of neo-empire (the architectural style of the era of Napoleon III in France), the park was significantly transformed, and new service buildings appeared. Although the marriage of this illustrious prince was for love and he and his wife lived in happiness all their lives, the family remained childless. 
Therefore, after the death of Rainer von Wittelsbach in 1913, the castle was inherited by his nephew, Archduke Leopold Salvator von Assisi of Habsburg. However, he owned Wilhelminenberg for literally one year: the war began. 
During the First World War, the castle housed a hospital, then a rehabilitation center for combat veterans. In 1922, the castle was purchased by a banker from Zurich, Wilhelm Ammann, but in 1927 the city authorities bought the palace from him and opened an orphanage here. Since then, Wilhelminenberg has almost constantly hosted various state and public organizations, and has never returned to private ownership. 
. From 1934 to 1938 The castle housed the world famous Vienna Boys' Choir. After the Anschluss of Austria in 1938, Wilhelminenberg was transferred to the Austrian SS Legion. In the Second world war the castle again housed a hospital, then temporary premises for former concentration camp prisoners, then again an orphanage, which was replaced by a biological station led by the famous researcher, zoologist and ethologist Otto Koenig, and finally a shelter for children with deviant behavior (in 1961- 1977)
Gessing
Burg Hessing is a castle in the south of Burgenland, Austria. On June 30, 1524, the castle was acquired by the Battyany family as personal property, which remains to this day thanks to the historical foundation, which provides for the care and maintenance of the castle. 
Around 1157 it was a small wooden fort and was built by Count Wulfer. Information in documents preserved in the chapel mentions a building from a specified time, which indicates that there was an abbey or monastery on this site. Ownership of the property was later transferred to King Béla III, who reinforced the original wooden structure with stone walls. Beginning in 1198, Hessing became known as New Castle.
Groppenstein Castle
Groppenstein Castle is located northwest of Oberwellach, near the mouth of the Mallnitzbachs in Moll, on three sides of a sloping cliff above the town. Currently the castle is privately owned property dr Robert Schobel. 
The first mention of Groppenstein Castle was in 1254. The castle tower most likely could have been built earlier.
At the end of the 13th or beginning of the 14th century, Groppenstein came to belong to Besitz Gorizia.
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Tannen-E - a city under eternal ice
Legends of Austria
Compiled by I. P. Streblova
ETERNAL ICE OF LEGENDS
Have you ever heard about the rich city of Tannen-E, high in the mountains, which was once covered with thick snow, and the city remained under forever? eternal ice? The inhabitants of this city were overcome by greed and vanity, not only did they have nowhere to put their money, but they also decided to build a tower to the sky, a tower higher than all the snowy peaks, and hang a bell at the top so that all the peoples of the world would know about this city. That’s when nature acted in its own way - and punished its disobedient children who tried to disrupt its harmony. And this happened not somewhere in a magical distant kingdom, but in a real place that can be found on the map: in the Alps, in the Austrian state of Tyrol, in the Etzthaler Fernern mountain range, where a rocky spire rises above the peak of the mountain covered with the Eiskugel glacier - this is a tower , not completed by the inhabitants of Tannen-E.
There is something surprisingly familiar about this story. She immediately reminded us of the Russian fairy tale about the fisherman and the fish and dozens of other fairy tales of the peoples of the world, telling about punished arrogance. But stop! Do not rush to conclude that the Austrian legend about the city of Tannen-E is the sister of these tales! There is a difference between a legend and a fairy tale.
Firstly, the location. In a fairy tale, everything happens in a kingdom far away, in one village or somewhere unknown at all: once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman, but we don’t know where they lived - and this is not so important in the fairy tale. The legend clearly states the location of the action. Look at the beginning of the Austrian legends: “A peasant from Obernberg, on the Inn River...” or “Once upon a time there lived Hans the Giant in the Upper Mühlviertel...” - all these are completely reliable names of specific geographical places that exist today. Cities, villages, valleys, rivers, streams, lakes, mountain peaks, individual rocks are named - and an amazing and instructive story is associated with each place. Gradually, as we become acquainted with Austrian legends, we develop a complete picture of the nature of this country, where every corner is covered in poetry. This is a kind of poetic geography. This is the geography of Burgenland, with its famous lowland lakes and picturesque castles. And here is the geography of the land of Styria: mountain lakes, glaciers, steep cliffs, caves.
We have arranged the legends as is usually done in Austrian collections of legends - by land. Nine sections of the book are nine pieces geographical map, together making up one country - Austria. The geography of legends is peculiar. She doesn't set priorities. The center of the action may be a small village, an inconspicuous stream, or a local mountain cliff. And in this the legend is very modern. After all, it is high time to abandon the method of getting to know geography based on the principle of marking: this city is worthy of mention because it is large and economically important, and that one is small and insignificant and is not worthy of being known about. Modern knowledge is humanistic, for modern man every corner on earth is valuable - to the same extent that the ancient creator of the legend was important to his only corner, which he described in detail and lovingly - after all, once it made up his entire world, he did not have other corners knew.
So, in a legend, unlike a fairy tale, a specific place of action is named. Of course, it happens that in a fairy tale the location of the action is known, as, for example, in the famous “Musicians of Bremen” by the Brothers Grimm - such fairy tales are similar in their characteristics to legends. A legend not only names a specific place, but often also names specific natural features: if in a fairy tale the sea is a conditional phenomenon, then in the legend each lake has not only a name, but also a description of what kind of water is in it, what shores it is, what grows around it. Glaciers, snowfalls, caves, mountain paths are described in detail, and in urban legends - streets, alleys, taverns.
The second difference between a legend and a fairy tale is that the legend involves historical characters and mentions historical events. Among the numerous beggars, lumberjacks, blacksmiths and Hans, who, if they have a name, then it has long become a generalized symbol of a daredevil or a rogue among the people (a situation well known to us from a fairy tale), there is the very real legendary Hans Puchsbaum, who once led then construction famous cathedral St. Stephen in Vienna, or the legendary alchemist Theophrastus Paracelsus, or Charlemagne, or Mrs. Perchta, who is not included in the annals at all, but is equally famous thanks to the Austrian legend. It is no coincidence that in the last phrase we twice came across the word “legendary,” which is appropriate in this case. Because a legendary person is a historical figure, treated in a special way by a legend. Unlike a chronicle, in a legend the exact date when an event occurred or when a historical hero acted often disappears. But the characteristic features of the historical figure in the legend are exaggerated, become brighter, more prominent. And again the same phenomenon, unusually close to the worldview of modern man: there are no main and secondary people, just as there are no main and secondary cities - everyone can participate in the creation of history, but for this he must do something significant - for his loved ones, for of his people. It turns out that in a fairy tale the personality is erased, the main character is the people, generalized and typified, while in a legend living, real people appear against this background.
And finally, we get to the third difference between a legend and a fairy tale. This is her special form. Much work has been done on the form of the tale, and it is described in detail. Of course, because the form of the fairy tale is very recognizable, and this is expressed in certain linguistic features. In a fairy tale there is a beginning and an ending, there is a threefold repetition of the plot, there are stable epithets. With a legend, the situation is more complicated. The main thing here is the story itself, the plot, and it can be presented in different ways. Often this plot is reflected in early chronicles, and then it is repeatedly written down and presented with variations. There are always many versions of a legend. We chose the option proposed by the wonderful Austrian writer Käthe Reheis. But no matter how the legend is processed, the leading features of its content remain. We have already talked about them.
A few words about translators. The legends were translated by a large team consisting of well-known and young translators. Each with their own professional destiny, with their own style. But there was a unity of views in the approach to the legends. We tried to preserve the accuracy of geographical designations, the features of colloquial speech, and the rather complex and varied language of descriptive storytelling, unlike a fairy tale. We really wanted the reader to feel with us the charming power of Austrian legends.
The basis for the book was a wonderful collection of legends, adapted for children and youth, written by the famous Austrian children's writer Käthe Recheis. It is called “Legends from Austria” (“Sagen aus Österreich”, Verlag “Carl Ueberreuter”, Wien – Heidelberg, 1970). In general, adaptations of legends have been done more than once, but it was this version that attracted us with its simplicity and expressive power.
Before you are the legends of Austria. An amazing, unique country. Created by amazing, unique people. But their essence will be clear to you. After all, this country is a part of a single Earth, and these people are part of a single humanity.
I. Alekseeva.
VEIN
Danube mermaid
At the hour when the evening serenely fades away, when the moon shines in the sky and pours its silver light onto the earth, a lovely creature appears in a swarm among the waves of the Danube. Light curls framing a beautiful face are decorated with a wreath of flowers; The snow-white figure is also covered with flowers. The young enchantress either sways on the shimmering waves, then disappears into the depths of the river, only to soon reappear on the surface.
At times, the mermaid leaves the cool waters and wanders in the moonlight through the dewy coastal meadows, not even afraid to appear to people, looks into lonely fishing huts and rejoices at the peaceful life of their poor inhabitants. She often warns fishermen, informing them of impending danger: ice jams, high water or a severe storm.
She helps one, but dooms the other to death, luring her into the river with her seductive singing. Seized by sudden melancholy, he follows her and finds his grave at the river bottom.
Many centuries ago, when Vienna was still a small town and where tall houses now stand, low fishermen’s huts were lonely huddled together, one frosty winter evening an old fisherman sat with his son in their poor home by a blazing fireplace. They mended nets and talked about the dangers of their craft. The old man, of course, knew many stories about mermen and mermaids.
“At the bottom of the Danube,” he said, “there is a huge crystal palace, and the river king lives in it with his wife and children. On large tables he has glass vessels in which he keeps the souls of drowned people. The king often goes out for a walk along the shore, and woe to anyone who dares to call out to him: he will immediately drag him to the bottom. His daughters, mermaids, are always looking for a beauty and are very keen on young handsome guys. Those whom they manage to charm must soon drown. Therefore, beware of mermaids, my son! They are all charming creatures, sometimes they even come to people’s dances and dance all night, until the first rooster crows, and then they rush back to their watery kingdom.
The old man knew a lot of stories and fables; the son listened to his father's words with disbelief, for he had never seen mermaids before. Before the old fisherman had time to finish his story, the door of the hut suddenly opened. The interior of the poor dwelling was illuminated with a magical light, and a beautiful girl in a shimmering white robe appeared on the threshold. White water lilies were woven into her braids, shining like gold.
- Don't be scared! - said the beautiful guest, fixing her wet blue gaze on the young fisherman. “I’m just a mermaid and I won’t harm you.” I came to warn you of danger. The thaw is approaching; the ice on the Danube will crack and melt, the river will overflow its banks and flood the coastal meadows and your homes. Don’t waste time, run, otherwise you will die.
Father and son seemed petrified with amazement, and when the strange vision disappeared and the door quietly closed again, they could not utter a word for a long time. They did not know whether this happened to them in a dream or in reality. Finally the old man took a breath, looked at his son and asked:
-Did you see this too?
The young man shook off his stupor and nodded silently. No, it was not an obsession! There was a mermaid in their hut, they both saw her, they both heard her words!
Father and son jumped to their feet and rushed out of the hut into the frosty night, hurried to their neighbors, other fishermen, and told them about the miraculous incident. And there was not a single person in the village who would not believe in the prophecy of the good mermaid; everyone tied their belongings in bundles and left their homes that same night, carrying with them everything they could carry, and rushed to the surrounding hills. They knew perfectly well what a sudden thaw would threaten them with if the frost-bound stream suddenly broke its bonds.
When morning dawned, they heard a dull crash and roar coming from the river; bluish transparent blocks of ice piled on top of each other. The very next day, the coastal meadows and fields were covered with a seething and foamy lake. Only the steep roofs of the fishermen's huts rose lonely above the still rising water. But not a single person or animal drowned; everyone managed to retreat to a safe distance.
The water soon subsided, the stream returned to its channel, and everything became as before. But is that all? No, one person has lost his peace forever! It was a young fisherman who could not forget the beautiful mermaid and the tender gaze of her blue eyes. He constantly saw her in front of him; her image haunted the young man relentlessly, whether he was fishing or sitting in front of the fireplace. She appeared to him even at night in a dream, and in the morning, waking up, he could not believe that it was just a dream.
The young fisherman went to the banks of the Danube more and more often, sat alone for a long time under the coastal willows and kept looking into the water. In the noise of the stream he imagined the alluring voice of a mermaid. Most willingly, he went out in his boat into the middle of the river and thoughtfully admired the play of the waves, and every silvery fish that swam past seemed to be deliberately teasing him. He leaned over the edge of the boat, stretched out his hands to her, as if wanting to grab her, grab her and hold her forever. However, his dream was not destined to come true. Day by day his gaze became sadder, and his heart became more and more bitter when he returned to his home in the evening.
One night his melancholy became so unbearable that he secretly left the hut, went ashore and untied his boat. He never came back again. In the morning, his boat alone, without a swimmer, swayed on the waves in the middle of the river.
No one ever saw the young fisherman again. For many years, the old father sat alone in front of his hut, looked at the river and cried about the fate of his son, whom the mermaid carried with her to the bottom of the Danube, to the crystal palace of the water king.
Tree in glands on Stock im Eisen square
Life is not easy for children apprenticed to a master.
One such boy, Martin Mux, learned this the hard way since he was apprenticed to a noble Viennese locksmith, and that was three or four hundred years ago.
The work began at dawn and continued for a long time, until the evening. And Martin, oh, how he wanted to sleep longer, laze around, and play and frolic with the other kids. But the master was strict, and for Martin everything did not always go smoothly: sometimes the owner pulled him painfully by the ears.
One day the master sent a boy for clay. He took a wheelbarrow and went out of town to where everyone was getting clay. Martin was even a little glad to escape from the workshop and spend an hour or two in the wild. The sun was shining brightly and warmly from the sky, and the boy walked cheerfully, pushing a wheelbarrow in front of him. Outside the city gates, he met other boys and, abandoning the wheelbarrow, frolicked and ran around with them all day, forgetting about the clay and the fact that the master was waiting for him. While playing, he didn’t even notice how the day passed - and suddenly the sun set and dusk came. The guys abandoned the game and ran home, and Martin realized too late that he had not completed the assignment, and realized that he would not have time: while he was collecting clay, the gates would close and he would not get into the city!
Martin sees that there is nothing to do. He picked up his car and ran home at full speed. He ran so hard that he was completely out of breath, and still he was late: when he reached the city gates, they were already locked. The boy didn’t have a penny in his pocket, and to get into the yurod, he had to pay the guard a kreuzer, otherwise he wouldn’t open the gate. Not knowing what to do, the boy began to cry out of grief. What will the master say when he sees that he has not returned? And where should he sleep?
Martin sat down on the wheelbarrow, roared, sniffled and thought: “What should I do? What should I do?" And suddenly, out of childish thoughtlessness, he blurts out:
- Eh, it was - it wasn’t! If only I could get into the city, I would be willing to sell my damn soul!
Before he had time to say this, suddenly a little man in a red camisole and with a pointed hat, decorated with a bunch of fiery red rooster feathers, appeared in front of him out of nowhere.
-What are you crying about, little boy? – the stranger asked in a hoarse voice.
Martin's eyes widened at his strange appearance.
Then the devil - because the stranger was just a devil - consoled the boy and said:
“You will have a kreuzer for the watchman, and a wheelbarrow full of clay, and there will be no beaters at home.” Do you want me to make you the best locksmith in Vienna as well? Don't be afraid, you will get all this on one small condition: if you miss Sunday mass even once, you will pay me for it with your life. Don't be shy! What's so scary about this? All you have to do is go to mass every Sunday, and nothing will happen to you!
The foolish boy believed that there was nothing wrong with this proposal. “Go to mass every Sunday? What's so difficult about this? - he thought. “You’d have to be a complete fool to miss Sunday service!” So he agreed and sealed the agreement with three drops of blood. For this, the devil gave him a shiny new kreuzer for the gatekeeper, and the wheelbarrow suddenly turned out to be completely full of clay. The boy knocked cheerfully on the gate, paid for the entrance, came home to the master, and he, instead of any thrashing, also praised him for his hard work.
The next morning, an acquaintance of Martin’s came to the workshop and ordered the master a very special piece of work. Near the city rampart at the corner of Carinthia Street there was an oak tree with a mighty trunk - all that remained of the ancient dense forests. And so the visitor said that he wanted to tighten the tree with a strong iron rim and lock it with an intricate lock. Neither the master nor the apprentices dared to take on such unprecedented and complex work.
- How so! – the customer was indignant. “What kind of craftsmen are you then if you don’t know how to make such a simple thing!” Yes, your student can handle this without difficulty!
“Well, if the student manages to make such a castle,” said the offended master, “then I will immediately declare him an apprentice and set him free.”
Remembering the red man’s promise yesterday, the boy was not afraid:
- Agreed, master! - he exclaimed and, before he had time to come to his senses, the iron hoop and lock were already ready. The boy effortlessly completed the job in a few hours. He himself didn’t know how it happened, but the matter was boiling in his hands. The customer waited in the workshop for the end of the work, went with the boy to the oak tree, tied the trunk with an iron hoop and locked it. Then he hid the key and disappeared from view, as if it had never been there. Since then, this trunk and the area on which it stands is called “Stock im Eisen”, that is, “Tree in the glands”.
For Martin Mooks, the apprenticeship ended there, and the master let him go on all fours. According to the ancient custom, the young apprentice went on a journey, worked for various masters and finally found himself in Nuremberg. The master, to whom he hired himself as an assistant, only marveled at his work. Martin completed the elaborate window grille, which would have taken other apprentices a week to complete, in a few hours, and to boot, he also forged the anvil onto the grille. Such miracles made the master feel very uneasy, and he hastened to part with such an assistant as quickly as possible.
Then Martin set off on his way back and a few months later returned home to Vienna. Of course, during all his travels he never missed Sunday mass. Martin was not afraid of the devil and firmly decided to make a fool of his acquaintance in the red camisole. In Vienna, he heard that the magistrate was looking for a craftsman who could make a key to the elaborate lock that hung on the famous oak tree near the moat. It was announced that anyone who could forge such a key would be given the title of master and the right of Viennese citizenship. Many have tried to make such a key, but no one has succeeded so far.
As soon as Martin heard about this, he immediately got to work. But the red-jacketed man, who took the old key with him, did not like this idea. Turning himself invisible, he sat down near the forge and every time Martin put a key into the flame to heat it up, the devil turned his beard to the side. Martin Mucks soon guessed which way the wind was blowing and deliberately put his beard in the opposite direction before sticking it into the fire. So he managed to outwit the devil, who, with evil persistence, again turned her to the other side. Rejoicing at the successful trick, Martin ran out of the workshop laughing, and the enraged devil flew out through the chimney.
In the presence of all the members of the magistrate, Martin inserted the key and unlocked the lock. He was immediately solemnly awarded the title of master and citizen of the city, and Martin, in joy, threw the key high into the air. And then a miracle happened: the key flew away but never fell to the ground.
Years passed. Martin lived happily in peace and contentment, never missing Sunday mass. Now he himself regretted the agreement with the devil, which he had concluded when he was still a stupid boy.
But the red-jacketed villain did not at all like the respectable life of Martin Mooks, and the devil, as you know, does not give up on a healthy life once he has hooked a human soul. For many years he waited for an opportunity, but Martin Muks worked diligently on weekdays, and always went to church on Sundays, without missing a single mass.
Martin Mux grew richer and richer and soon became one of the most prosperous citizens of Vienna. However, he had no idea that the gentleman in the red camisole had a hand in his success. The devil hoped that wealth would soon turn the master’s head, and so it happened - little by little Martin began to indulge in playing dice and drinking wine.
One Sunday morning, the master sat down with a group of drinking companions in the wine cellar “Under the Stone Clover” on Tuchlauben Street. They started playing dice. When the bell tower struck ten o'clock, Martin pushed away the glass of dice to go to church.
- You'll still have time! – his friends began to persuade him. - Why are you getting ready so early? Mass starts at eleven, what's your hurry?
They didn't have to ask Martin for long; he stayed with his friends and continued drinking and playing dice with them, and they got so carried away that they couldn't stop even at eleven.
And again Martin Muks listened to them, and they continued the game. Suddenly the clock struck half past twelve. Martin Muks turned chalk white with fear, jumped out from behind the table, ran up the stairs and rushed into the church. When he ran to the square near St. Stephen's Cathedral, it was empty, only an old woman stood near one tombstone, it was a witch whom the devil ordered to watch over Martin.
“Tell me, for the sake of all that is holy,” Martin shouted, running up, “is the last mass really not over yet?”
- Last mass? – the old woman was surprised. “It ended quite a long time ago.” It's almost an hour already.
Martin Mucks did not hear how she giggled maliciously after him, because in fact it was not yet twelve. The poor master, out of grief, ran back to the wine cellar, tore off the silver buttons from his camisole and gave them to his friends as souvenirs, so that they would not forget him and learn from his terrible example. And just then the noon bell rang. The last blows had barely died down when a guest in a red camisole appeared at the door.
The frightened Martin Muks again rushed up the steps, jumped out of the basement and rushed to St. Stephen's Cathedral. The devil ran after him and grew taller with every step. When they reached the cemetery, a gigantic figure of a fire-breathing monster was already towering behind the back of the deceived poor fellow. At that moment the priest in the cathedral said the last words of the mass. The service ended, and with it the life of Master Mux ended.
The fire-breathing monster grabbed him in its claws, soared into the sky and disappeared from sight along with its prey. And in the evening, the townspeople found the body of Master Martin Mux outside the gate where the gallows stood.
Since then, all the traveling apprentices of the plumbing trade, coming to Vienna, hammered a nail into the trunk of an oak tree in memory of the unfortunate master, which stood in the middle of the city and soon turned into a real “iron tree”.
Myths and legends of Austrian castles
Myths and legends of Austrian castles
The palaces and castles of Austria are the main attraction of the country, because we all know well that it was in Austria that this intricate art developed in the best way. The construction and improvement of castles and palaces in this country was cherished for years and even centuries. So, one of the most famous palace and park ensembles is Schönbrunn, which is located in the capital in Vienna.
Beautiful fabulous Austria
But what is truth and what is fiction in this castle?
Its history began back in 1614, when Kaiser Matthias, who loved hunting, purchased a hunting lodge near the old town. While walking through the forest, he discovered a spring and ordered a well to be dug in this place, which he called “schonnen Brunnen” - a wonderful spring. This well has been preserved and today is located in the Schönbrunn Garden near the statue of the nymph. The hunting lodge was destroyed during the siege of Vienna by Turkish troops. Construction of the majestic Schönbrunn Castle began in 1696 and was not fully completed until 1712. Palace complex designed by Fischer von Erlach based on the Palace of Versailles for the Habsburgs, the powerful dynasty that ruled much of Europe for centuries. In 1700, Schönbrunn Palace was donated to Maria Theresa, who was then, among other titles, the reigning Archduchess of Austria. It was a gift from her father. She ordered the court architect to carry out a major renovation of the palace and make changes in the Rococo style, including laying out beautiful gardens, like in the Mirabell Palace (Salzburg). In contrast to the gloomier Hofburg, another Habsburg castle in Vienna, Schönbrunn is brighter, livelier and more welcoming.
Royal Schönbrunn Palace
This castle was chosen as the summer residence of the Austrian imperial family, and remained so until 1918, when the long reign of the Habsburg dynasty ended. After the fall of the monarchy, it was decided to open the park and palace to the public. The entire complex includes 1441 rooms. Of these, it should be noted that 190 rooms that do not belong to the museum are rented to private individuals. Forty rooms of the castle are open to the public. The most interesting are the state rooms, stunning with their decoration. Many rooms feature exquisite moldings and decorative ornaments in the Rococo style, the Millions Room is especially richly decorated. You can study them for an unlimited time, imagining what divine life reigned here during the time of the Habsburgs, who made the history of Austria in these halls. In 1760, Joseph II married Isabella Parma here, in 1805-1806. the castle was the headquarters of Napoleon, and in 1814-1815. the Congress of Vienna danced in its halls. Kaiser Franz Joseph I was born and died in Schönbrunn Castle, and the last Kaiser Charles I abdicated his crown here. Of course, a presentation of Schönbrunn Palace would be incomplete without its Imperial Garden. The gardens are divided into several parts, such as the French garden, where the hedges wind in a complex labyrinth. Among the main attractions of the Schönbrunn Gardens is the Gloriette Pavilion, a summer house made of marble.
The park is also home to one of the oldest zoos in the world, founded in 1752. An octagonal pavilion, decorated with lush ceiling paintings, is located in the center of the park. Now the zoo is home to about 4,500 animals.
Not only castles, but also cathedrals were built with all the grandeur
So, for example, Salzburg Cathedral famous for its harmonious Baroque architecture and organ with 4,000 pipes. It also houses the medieval font in which Mozart was baptized. The original temple was founded in 767 in the center of the former Roman city of Juvavum by order of Bishop Virgile, and in 774 it was consecrated in honor of the two saints Peter and Rupert. In the Salzburg fire of 1167, the temple burned to the ground, and in its place a new, more luxurious and majestic cathedral in the Romanesque style was built. But in 1598, a fire again destroyed most of the building. The ruling prince-archbishop Wolf Dietrich at that time ordered the demolition of the remains of the ruins, hatching plans for the construction of a new grandiose cathedral that would surpass in its beauty the temples that had ever existed. Carried away by this idea, the archbishop destroyed not only the surviving valuable sculptures, but also plowed up the church cemetery, which angered the residents of Salzburg. Soon, under the pretext of feuds with Bavaria, he was thrown into the Hohensalzburg prison by his successor Markus Sittikus von Hohenems, who built the current Salzburg Cathedral. The ceremonial consecration of the new building took place in 1628.
Legends of Austria
From the book “Legends of Austria” (“Tannen-E - a city under the eternal ice”)
Translation from German by Roman Eyvadis
Basilisk
One June morning in 1212, in the Schönlaterngasse alley, in front of house number 7, a huge crowd of townspeople gathered at the shop of a baker, as wealthy as he was greedy master Garhibl. The gates were locked, and desperate cries for help were heard from the house. Curious people and onlookers kept coming. In the end, a couple of brave souls decided to break open the gate; Meanwhile, others hastened to the city judge, Jakob von der Hülben, and informed him that something terrible was happening in the baker's house.
Meanwhile, the gate suddenly opened of its own accord, and the baker, deathly pale, appeared before the eagerly moving crowd, which bombarded him with questions. However, before the baker could explain what had happened, the city judge came with his guards and demanded an answer from the shaking baker - what became the reason for the disturbance of order.
“Mr. City Judge,” said Garhibl, stuttering, “a terrible monster has appeared in my house!” Early this morning one of my maids wanted to draw water from the well and noticed some wonderful sparkle and glow deep in the well; At that very moment such a hellish stench hit her nose that she almost fainted. She screamed loudly and ran into the house. My student volunteered to see what was going on there. He ordered a rope to be tied around himself, took a torch in his hand and went down into the well. Before he could reach the water, he suddenly let out a terrible scream and dropped the torch. We quickly pulled him out. The poor fellow almost died of fear. When he came to his senses, he said that he saw at the bottom of the well a terrible monster that looked like either a rooster or a toad. His paws seem to be thick and warty, his tail is jagged and covered with scales, and on his head is a fiery crown. This monster, the boy says, cast such glances at him that he began to say goodbye to life. If we hadn’t pulled him up that very moment,” the baker concluded his story, “he would have perished in the well.”
The city judge was confused and did not know what to do in this strange matter. Fortunately, a certain learned man, Dr. Heinrich Pollitzer, was in the crowd. Having made his way to the city judge, he announced that he knew what was going on and asked permission to calm the townspeople.
“The name of the beast that was seen in the well is basilisk,” he explained. - The basilisk emerges from an egg laid by a rooster and hatched by a toad. The ancient Roman writer Pliny described this animal. It is extremely poisonous, even its breath, and what can I say - just the sight of it is destructive for humans. He must be killed immediately. And this can be done in only one way - by showing the beast a mirror. As soon as he sees his vile appearance, he will immediately burst with rage. “If there is a person who dares to do this feat,” the scientist turned to the baker, “then your house will get rid of the monster.”
The crowd was silent. The baker cried out without hesitation:
- Which of you will dare to give the basilisk a mirror? I swear he won’t regret it - I’ll reward him like a prince!
If the baker had even placed a barrel of gold in front of people, then, it seems, no one would have expressed a desire to climb into the well. Nobody said a word. The strongest men slipped away first, and little by little the rest dispersed after them, for even the proximity of the well itself, in which the dangerous beast was hiding, terrified them.
Only one mastered his fear and announced that he was ready to try his luck. It was a poor guy named Hans Gelbhaar, an apprentice to the baker himself.
“Master,” he said, “you know that I have long loved your daughter Apollonia with all my heart.” I also know that you are angry with me for this. If you agree to give me your daughter as a wife, then for the sake of such happiness I will not be afraid to risk my neck.
And since the baker was in indescribable fear of the monster, even such a price - which, if this misfortune had not happened, he would never have agreed to - did not seem too high to him. He waved his hand and gave his word that Apollonia would become his wife as soon as the basilisk died.
The city judge ordered a large mirror to be brought, Hans was tied with a rope, and he began to slowly descend into the well. He managed to evade the deadly gaze of the basilisk and bring him a mirror, safely avoiding danger. The basilisk, seeing its disgusting face, burst from anger with a thunderous crack. The apprentice, alive and unharmed, crawled out of the well, Apollonia embraced him in joy, and the baker had no choice but to keep his word. Hans and Apollonia lived happily and cheerfully.
On the advice of Dr. Pollitzer, the well was filled with stones and covered with earth, thereby burying the monster at the bottom. But even in his death he did not lose his destructive power. Several workers were poisoned by toxic fumes rising from the well and died two or three days later. The baker's apprentice did not survive either.
In memory of the basilisk, an image of the beast was placed in a niche of house number 7 in the Schönlaterngasse alley. From now on the house was called nothing more than “the basilisk house.” Belief in a dangerous monster is long gone, only the expression “the gaze of the basilisk,” which means an ominous gaze, still lives on.
Danube mermaid
At the hour when the evening serenely fades away, when the moon shines in the sky and pours its silver light onto the earth, sometimes a lovely creature appears among the waves of the Danube. Light curls framing a beautiful face are decorated with a wreath of flowers; The snow-white figure is also covered with flowers. The young enchantress either sways on the shimmering waves, then disappears into the depths of the river, only to soon reappear on the surface.
At times, the mermaid leaves the cool waters and wanders in the moonlight through the dewy coastal meadows, not even afraid to appear to people, looks into lonely fishing huts and rejoices at the peaceful life of their poor inhabitants. She often warns fishermen, informing them of impending danger: ice jams, high water or a severe storm.
She helps one, but dooms the other to death, luring her into the river with her seductive singing. Seized by sudden melancholy, he follows her and finds his grave at the river bottom.
Many centuries ago, when Vienna was still a small town and where tall houses now stand, low fishermen’s huts lonelyly huddled together, one frosty winter evening an old fisherman sat with his son in his poor home, by a blazing fireplace. They mended nets and talked about the dangers of their craft. The old man, of course, knew many stories about mermen and mermaids.
“At the bottom of the Danube,” he said, “there is a huge crystal palace, and the river king lives in it with his wife and children. On large tables he has glass vessels in which he keeps the souls of drowned people. The king often goes out for a walk along the shore, and woe to anyone who dares to call out to him: he will immediately drag him to the bottom. His daughters, mermaids, are always looking for a beauty and are very keen on young handsome guys. Those whom they manage to charm must certainly drown in speed. Therefore, beware of mermaids, my son! They are all charming creatures, sometimes they even come to people’s dances and dance all night, until the first rooster crows, and then they rush back to their watery kingdom.
The old man knew a lot of stories and fables; the son listened to his father's words with disbelief, for he had never seen mermaids before. Before the old fisherman had time to finish his story, the door of the hut suddenly opened. The interior of the poor dwelling was illuminated with a magical light, and a beautiful girl in a shimmering white robe appeared on the threshold. White water lilies were woven into her braids, shining like gold.
- Don't be scared! - said the beautiful guest, fixing her wet blue gaze on the young fisherman. “I’m just a mermaid and I won’t harm you.” I came to warn you of danger. The thaw is approaching; the ice on the Danube will crack and melt, the river will overflow its banks and flood the coastal meadows and your homes. Don't waste time, run, otherwise you will die.
Father and son seemed petrified with amazement, and when the strange vision disappeared and the door quietly closed again, they could not utter a word for a long time. They did not know whether this happened to them in a dream or in reality. Finally the old man took a breath, looked at his son and asked:
- Did you see this too?
The young man shook off his stupor and nodded silently. No, it was not an obsession! There was a mermaid in their hut, they both saw her, they both heard her words!
Father and son jumped to their feet and rushed out of the hut into the frosty night, hurried to their neighbors, other fishermen, and told them about the miraculous incident. And there was not a single person in the village who would not believe in the prophecy of the good mermaid; everyone tied their belongings in bundles and left their homes that same night, carrying with them everything they could carry, and rushed to the surrounding hills. They knew perfectly well what a sudden thaw would threaten them with if the frost-bound stream suddenly broke its bonds.
When morning dawned, they heard a dull crash and roar coming from the river; bluish transparent blocks of ice piled on top of each other. The very next day, the coastal meadows and fields were covered with a seething and foamy lake. Only the steep roofs of the fishermen's huts rose lonely above the still rising water. But not a single person or animal drowned; everyone managed to retreat to a safe distance.
The water soon subsided, the stream returned to its channel, and everything became as before. But is that all? No, one person has lost his peace forever! It was a young fisherman who could not forget the beautiful mermaid and the tender gaze of her blue eyes. He constantly saw her in front of him; her image haunted the young man relentlessly, whether he was fishing or sitting in front of the fireplace. She appeared to him even at night in a dream, and in the morning, when he woke up, he could not believe that it was just a dream.
More and more often he went to the banks of the Danube, sat alone for a long time under the coastal willows and continuously looked into the water. In the noise of the stream he imagined her alluring voice. Most willingly, he went out in his boat into the middle of the river and thoughtfully admired the play of the waves, and every silvery fish that swam past seemed to be deliberately teasing him. He leaned over the edge of the boat, stretched out his hands to her, as if wanting to grab her, grab her and hold her forever. However, his dream was not destined to come true. Day by day his gaze became sadder, and his heart became more and more bitter when he returned to his home in the evening.
One night his melancholy became so unbearable that he secretly left the hut, went ashore and untied his boat. He never came back again. In the morning, his boat alone, without a swimmer, swayed on the waves in the middle of the river.
No one ever saw the young fisherman again. For many years since then, the old father sat alone in front of his hut, looked at the river and cried about the fate of his son, whom the mermaid carried with her to the bottom of the Danube, to the crystal palace of the water king.
Magic Castle Grabenweg
Once upon a time, wild, broken rocks and steep mountain slopes with snow-capped peaks rose on both sides of the picturesque valley in which the village of Grabenweg, near Pottenstein, is located today. Not many people settled here, and they were as poor as church mice, for in the valley there was only enough food for two or three small and unpretentious flocks of sheep.
In places, patches of sparse grass grew in the crevices of the rocks. You can’t get fat from such grass; the sheep only had enough of it to avoid dying of hunger. And to one of these wretched pastures a certain young shepherd drove his flock day after day. One day - the inhabitants of the plains were celebrating the summer solstice at that time - he and his sheep set off again up the steep and steep slopes. Having reached the place, he left the animals in the care of a faithful dog, and he sat down in his favorite place, a small ledge of rock, from which he could see far away Mountain peaks and ridges. After some time, he took a pipe from his shepherd's bag and played it. Suddenly it seemed to him as if the rock behind him trembled and moved from its place. He jumped to his feet in fright. The earth shook, and an ominous roar and peals of thunder were heard from its depths; the mountain opened up, and the huge stone on which he had just been sitting fell into the abyss. Something crackled and hissed around the young man; the unbearable brilliance blinded him for a moment; he closed his eyes, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw in the very place where he loved to sit so much, a marvelously sparkling crystal palace.
The shepherd froze in amazement and did not take his eyes off this shining miracle that appeared in the middle of the bare rocks from nowhere. The palace burned in the sun and sparkled; a row of slender columns made of the purest rock crystal and golden ornaments decorated its vestibule. Silver steps led up to a folding gate studded with precious stones.
The young man stood motionless, as if under a spell. Finally, the sound of a bell reached his ears from above, from the farthest peaks. There, in the silence of the sky, lived an old hermit who rang a bell every time at the hour of prayer. As soon as the last strike of the bell melted into the air, a clear, gentle voice was heard from the palace, quietly at first, then louder and louder. Fascinated by the sweet singing, the shepherd grabbed his pipe and began to play along with the invisible singer.
When the song died down, the shining door opened, and a girl of such extraordinary beauty appeared on the threshold that even the luxury of the crystal palace seemed wretched next to her. She was dressed in a snow-white, shimmering dress down to her toes. The young man could not stop looking at her. The beauty approached him with a smile and kissed his forehead.
The shepherd boy was so amazed that he could not utter a word.
“Dear young man,” said the girl. “With your pipe, you removed part of the terrible spell that has kept me imprisoned here for many years.” Now it depends on you whether you will be able to disenchant me to the end. Your reward for your feat will be this crystal palace with its countless treasures and my hand.
The girl fixed her gaze on him, full of prayer, and said incantatoryly:
- Do you have enough courage? Are you ready to try your luck and save me?
The shepherd seemed to wake up from a dream. In order to help a beautiful girl, he was ready for any feat. His eyes lit up, his cheeks flushed.
- What should I do to break the spell on you? - he exclaimed.
“Your task is not an easy one,” answered the girl. “You will have to perform a difficult and dangerous service for me.” Did you think well? Is your decision firm?
The young man said that at the very moment when he saw her, he forever forgot what fear was.
The girl smiled and continued:
- Every year, on the day of the solstice, come to this mountain an hour after sunrise. Wait until the hermit's bell announces the hour of prayer. This palace will appear before you again. Enter it boldly, fearing nothing, and walk through all the chambers to the very last room. There I will meet you in the form of some vile monster. Don’t be afraid and don’t lose courage! You should come to me and kiss my forehead. If you do this three times on the same day and at the same hour, then with the third kiss the evil spell will disappear, and I will become yours along with the castle and all its treasures. If you want this, extend your hand to me and promise me that you will not back down.
The young shepherd swore that no force in the world would force him to break this vow, and extended his hand to the girl.
“Thank you,” said the beauty. - If ever doubts begin to overcome you, remember your promise and be persistent. We will see each other again in exactly one year.
With these words, she returned to the magic castle, the shining door closed behind her, a clap of thunder was heard, and the castle disappeared underground. The rock was back in its place, and everything became as before.
To the young man, everything that happened to him seemed like a strange dream. From that time on, he could not think about anything except the promise he made to the magical beauty. And every time he drove his sheep into the mountains, he was seized with sacred awe at the sight of the mysterious rock, from which, thanks to his pipe, a crystal palace grew.
So a year passed. On the day of the summer solstice, the shepherd set out with his flock long before dawn to specified place. His heart was beating loudly. He no longer knew whether he had dreamed all this a year ago in a dream, or whether it had happened in reality. Finally, the sun rose from behind the mountains in the east, the hermit's bell rang, and as soon as the last blow died down, the magic castle shone again before the young man. He hesitated for just a moment, then bravely walked up to the castle and wanted to open the gate. But they themselves opened in front of him, and the young man was able to enter the palace without hindrance. He could not have imagined such splendor that immediately surrounded him even in his wildest dreams, but he looked neither to the right nor to the left, but rushed through all the chambers straight to the very last room. Her door was closed. He stood there for a moment, undecided, then gathered all his courage and pressed the doorknob. In front of him lay a large hall. Before he even had time to glance at him, a monstrous snake rose from a soft bed covered with precious velvet and rushed towards him with a hiss. The shepherd was so horrified that he almost lost his mind. He was about to take flight, but in time he remembered the girl’s words, bravely stepped towards the snake and kissed its head. His feelings left him, and he sank helplessly to the ground.
Having come to his senses, he saw that he was still lying on the same rock ledge, and the magic castle had disappeared without a trace. He straightened up, looked around and could not believe his eyes: the slopes of the mountains were covered with lush greenery, the eternal snow no longer glittered on the ridges and battlements as before, and the rocks were no longer so broken and steep. To celebrate, the shepherd grabbed his pipe and played the sweetest melodies, and the morning breeze carried wonderful sounds far over the green slopes. And when he put the pipe aside, it seemed to him that he heard, in the sighs of the breeze gently fluttering over the rocks, the voice of a girl thanking him.
Another year has passed. The solstice day came again, and everything was the same as the first time. Only this time he found behind the door of the last room a ferocious beast, which, baring its teeth, rushed towards him with a furious roar and with its mouth open. It’s no wonder that the young man almost succumbed to fear again. He again wanted to escape, but in time he remembered his promise to the girl. Reluctantly, he hugged the vile monster by the neck and kissed his forehead.
At that same second, as if by the wave of a magic wand, the monster disappeared, and a round dance of the most beautiful fairies appeared in front of the young man. The Crystal Palace resounded with sweet music. The shepherd could not marvel at the fabulous creatures and enjoy the wondrous sounds, but suddenly he saw a beautiful girl right in front of him. She smiled at him and waved her hand affectionately, and at that moment he, without hesitation, would have jumped into the fire and burned to the ground, if only it could have helped her. He extended his arms, wanting to hug her, but the walls of the palace slowly floated away, and in another moment everything disappeared from sight, the rocks closed in, and in front of him was a familiar ledge, as if nothing had happened.
When the shepherd came to his senses again, he almost screamed in amazement: the steep cliffs definitely did not exist. Round peaks and sloping slopes were visible everywhere, trees were green and bushes were blooming. Where just recently the sheep sadly nibbled the stunted grass between the stones, emerald green shone in the sun. Below, in a valley that caresss the eye, a silver stream gurgled.
It is not difficult to imagine with what eagerness the young shepherd henceforth drove his sheep to this wonderful pasture. While the sheep were grazing, he sat on a stone, played the pipe and dreamed of a beautiful girl.
Finally the third year has passed. The shepherd was no longer a timid youth, but a strong, handsome young man. He spent the night before the solstice on the treasured rock, playing such wondrous melodies that he had never heard before. When the sun rose and the hermit's bell fell silent, the palace suddenly appeared before him again.
But how he has changed! Blue flames burst out from the windows, and the entrance was guarded by a disgusting monster. The shepherd was not at all embarrassed, but walked with firm steps straight towards the beast, and he, growling, made way for him. There was an unimaginable noise in all the chambers. Ugly dwarfs jumped around him, made terrible faces and threw dazzling lightning at his feet. Here the shepherd’s heart still trembled, but he did not retreat, but walked through all the chambers and resolutely pushed the door of the last hall. The door opened - and a huge dragon, spewing flame, rushed at him with a chilling howl; his fiery eyes were the size of cart wheels. The shepherd almost lost consciousness from surprise; he backed away in horror, and then completely rushed out of the palace. A loud, malicious laugh followed him.
In an instant the young man found himself on the green lawn in front of the palace. And then the earth shook, the air was filled with a terrible hissing and whistling, and a monstrous howl came from the palace. And through him the shepherd clearly heard the lamentations of the beautiful girl. The meaning of what had happened immediately dawned on him, and he realized that he had not kept his promise. An indescribable fear for the girl gripped him. In one leap he reached the gate and wanted to rush to her aid, but the gate was already locked. He pushed against them with all his might, the gates, unable to bear it, swung open, and he ran into the palace. But then a powerful clap of thunder was heard - and the palace disappeared underground along with the young man.
Nobody knew where the young shepherd had disappeared to. A year later, on the summer solstice, his fellow countrymen found him dead in the place where there used to be a small ledge of rock. And the valley has remained just as blooming and welcoming to this day.
"Kuenring Dogs"
At the beginning of the 13th century, when the knightly class in the young Duchy of Austria reached its peak, the Kuenrings, whose family castle was located in Waldviertel, were one of the richest and most powerful families in the country. However, they did not consider it shameful to increase their wealth by robbing peasants and townspeople.
Hadmar III, owner of Aggstein Castle, and his brother, Henry I, were the most famous bandits in the Wachau. “Kuenring dogs” - that’s what they called themselves. The whole country suffered from the outrages committed by these pirate knights, and even the inhabitants of well-fortified cities knew no peace. So, for example, in 1231 the brothers turned the cities of Krems and Stein into a pile of ruins.
The shortest and most convenient route from the west to Vienna in those days ran along the Danube. However, Hadmar von Kuenring built his robber nest in Wachau and never missed an opportunity to capture a merchant ship sailing down the Danube and drag the confiscated cargo to his castle of Aggstein. Having blocked the Danube with an iron chain, he robbed the detained ships, took for himself everything he liked, and the merchants were happy to carry off their feet. Until recently, between Schönbühel and Aggstein one could see the ruins of a watchtower, from which the guards of Hadmar notified their master of the approach of ships by blowing a horn, and which was therefore popularly called the “Pipe Tower”.
These lawlessness, of course, could not continue for long; Duke Frederick the Warlike decided to put an end to the robbers once and for all. He took Zwettl by storm, where Heinrich was at that time. The villain managed, however, to escape and take refuge in Aggstein, in the castle of his brother Hadmar. Aggstein was almost impregnable: located on a high cliff, it could withstand even a months-long siege. The Duke, convinced that nothing could be achieved here by force, decided to resort to cunning and deal with both brothers at once.
A Viennese merchant named Rüdiger, who had already been robbed more than once by Hadmar, went on behalf of the Duke to Regensburg. There he equipped a large, strong ship and loaded it with precious goods. In the holds he hid a detachment of heavily armed warriors who were supposed to take Kuenring prisoner as soon as he stepped onto the deck. Everything happened as planned. The ship was detained at Aggstein; news of the rich booty lured Hadmar himself out of the castle. And as soon as he stepped onto the ship, the soldiers rushed at him from an ambush and tied him hand and foot. The ship immediately set sail; archers and slingers repelled the attempts of the knightly bollards to recapture their master.
Hadmar was triumphantly taken to Vienna and thrown at the feet of the Duke, and the castle, which was left without an owner, was soon captured and destroyed. The Duke acted generously with both von Kuenring knights. He gave them life and freedom; however, for this they had to return all the loot, compensate for the damage caused and provide hostages. However, the spirit of Hadmar, the formidable ruler of Wachau, was broken. A few years later he died in a small village on the upper Danube while making a pilgrimage to Passau.
Snow Jacob from Wolfstein Castle
In a narrow valley stretching from Aggsbach all the way to the Dunkelsteinerwald forest, in the town of Wolfsteingraben there are the ruins of Wolfstein Castle. The castle chapel once housed a statue of St. Jacob. This saint is especially revered by rural residents, for he is considered a miracle worker, and people owe good weather to his intercession in heaven, without which the peasant cannot do. The Wolfsteiners also revered their saint and cherished him like the apple of their eye. That is why they had the most favorable weather in the entire area.
It is not surprising that the neighbors soon began to envy the Wolfsteins for having such a patron. The Hansbachers were more dissatisfied with their weather than others and often made a pilgrimage to Wolfstein to the holy wonderworker to beg him for good weather. However, St. Jacob seemed deaf to other people's prayers: their weather was still bad. In the end, the Hansbachers became seriously angry. A few brave souls snuck into the chapel of Wolfstein Castle one night and kidnapped the saint.
When the Wolfsteins came to the chapel in the morning, Jacob disappeared without a trace. True, they immediately realized that only their Hansbach neighbors were capable of such blasphemy, but they could not prove anything, and their search led to nothing - the statue seemed to have disappeared into the ground. The Hansbach thieves cleverly hid it in their church, in a secluded place where it was not so easy to find.
However, St. Jacob did not like the Hansbach church. She seemed too big, alien and cold to him. He longed for his small, cozy chapel. And so on a dark, stormy night, when snow covered the entire earth, he left his new home and went back to Wolfstein. In Siedlgraben he met an old peasant who immediately recognized the missing wonderworker in the night traveler.
- God, it’s St. Jacob! - exclaimed the amazed peasant. - Tell me, where are you going in such bad weather?
The saint answered:
- Home, where else! I didn't like it in Hansbach.
The peasant was beside himself with joy and began to warmly thank the saint. The next morning, arriving at the chapel, he saw that St. Jacob was indeed standing in his original place. From now on, the weather again responded to the wishes of the Steinbach residents, who organized an unprecedented celebration on the occasion of the return of their saint. The Hansbachers no longer dared to kidnap the saint, but humbly went with prayer to St. Jacob when they needed good weather.
Since the miracle of return took place on a snowy night, the statue has since been called “Snow Jacob”.
Forgotten chapel at Scharfeneck Castle
One day a poor knight was riding through the forest in the vicinity of Baden. He had neither a castle nor a home; all his possessions consisted of a good sword hanging at his side. Out of frustration at his pitiful lot, he almost drove the horse to death. In despair, he finally dismounted, sat down on the green moss and began to curse fate.
- My last hope has left me! - he exclaimed and sighed heavily. - Even the devil doesn’t care about me!
He barely had time to utter these words when he saw the devil in front of him.
- I'm here. What do you want from me? - he asked.
The knight, who had endured so much grief and hardship in his lifetime, believed that nothing could be worse than all these trials. And therefore, not at all embarrassed by the appearance of the ominous guest, without much thought he demanded in a firm voice:
- Get me a castle right away with everything that a real knight should have!
“I will fulfill your wish,” answered the devil, “but on one condition.” You shouldn't get married until you die. If you violate the condition, then instead of paying for the castle you will give me your soul.
The knight agreed and the very next morning he entered the castle of Sharfeneck, built for him by the devil on a high rock.
Several years have passed. The knight lived cheerfully and happily in his castle, revered by all his neighbors for his friendly disposition. However, over time, loneliness began to torment him. He would be glad to get married, but then he would have to give his soul to the devil. In addition, he recently made acquaintance with the amiable and beautiful daughter of the owner of the nearby Rauenstein Castle. The beautiful girl has not left his mind since then. Making her his wife seemed to him the highest bliss on earth. The young beauty also fell in love with the knight von Scharfeneck; he had only to ask the girl’s hand in marriage from her parents, and they would happily agree. But he did not dare to take this step, because for the sake of it he would have to give up eternal bliss.
Not himself from melancholy, he wandered through the forests, deprived of sleep and peace; The image of his beloved girl stood before his eyes day and night. In desperation, he turned for advice to a pious hermit who lived nearby in the forest and was revered by all the people in the area. He told him about his misfortune, and did not hide how he had become involved with Satan himself, because of which he could not now marry without plunging himself into the fire of the underworld.
The good hermit listened to him carefully. The knight's suffering touched his heart, and he promised to help the trouble and taught him how to be and what to do, so that he perked up again. For he knew a way to teach the devil a lesson! The knight said goodbye to him, showering him with words of gratitude, immediately rushed to the Rauenstein castle in joy and asked for the girl’s hand in marriage.
A week later, fun began at Charfeneck Castle. The owner was celebrating his engagement to Fräulein von Rauenstein. Near and distant guests arrived, and a rich meal was prepared for them.
When the hermit, also invited to the feast, raised his cup for the health of the bride and groom, the door of the hall suddenly swung open with a roar. A tall knight dressed in a black dress, whom none of those present knew, crossed the threshold, looked with a grin at the embarrassed groom and exclaimed:
- I came to receive the agreed payment for the castle.
The knight turned white as a sheet; the guests also looked in horror at the ominous figure of the stranger. Then the hermit fearlessly stepped towards him and asked:
- So it was you who built the castle?
The black knight answered in the affirmative.
“We would like to make sure that your castle really has everything that a real knight should have,” the hermit continued.
The black knight grinned impudently and nodded his head. However, the hermit remained unperturbed.
“If everything is as you say, you will certainly receive the payment due to you,” he said calmly. - But are you sure that you did not forget anything, fulfilling your promise, and handed over to the current owner everything that should be in the castle - the chambers and stables, the kitchen and basement, walls and towers, windows and doors?
- All without exception! Everything a real knight should have! - the stranger declared triumphantly.
- Well, then take us all, along with the bride and groom, to the chapel! - the hermit said quickly.
The devil burst out with a monstrous curse and at the same moment fell into the ground. It was, of course, not in his power to build a chapel in the castle, which is why Scharfeneck lacked this integral part of any medieval castle.
The rescued knight threw himself at the hermit’s feet and, with tears of gratitude in his eyes, vowed never to forget his wonderful deed.
The Copper Soothsayer at Rauenstein Castle
There lived many centuries ago in Baden, in the castle of Rauenstein, a knight named Wolf, who skillfully wielded a sword and knew no fear, but such a stern and cruel disposition that he was called behind his back nothing more than “the stern stone.” He was powerful and courageous and believed that everything was permitted to him in relation to poor and unborn people, especially if they had incurred his wrath.
One day two young townspeople dared to shoot game in a forest that belonged to a knight. They were captured, taken to the castle, thrown after a short interrogation into the prison tower and sentenced to death.
The elderly father of both captives offered the owner of the castle a large ransom and asked to spare his sons, but the knight rejected the offer with mockery. In his indignation and despair, the old man could not restrain himself and began to shower him with terrible curses. Then the knight ordered the ill-fated father to be seized and thrown into prison after his sons.
This townsman was a most skilled craftsman, a master of bells; there was no other like him to be found in the entire district, and the people of Baden stood up for him and his sons, turning to the knight with a request for leniency. After long negotiations, Knight Wolf agreed to pardon only two prisoners, but on such cruel conditions that only a man with a “heart of stone” could conceive. Instead of paying a ransom for himself and one of his sons, the father had to cast a bell, the first strike of which was to sound at the moment of the execution of the second son.
In addition, the knight, in order to hurry the old man, set a very short deadline for casting the death bell. He ordered it to be cast in the courtyard of Rauenstein Castle. One can easily imagine the despair of the poor old man who set to work to save at least one son. Since the time allotted to him was short, and the necessary material was difficult to obtain so quickly, the master’s relatives and friends brought him everything they could find; Among the donated items there were also holy images of hammered work.
With shaking hands, the old man got to work. His art was his joy all his life, but when he rang the bell that brought death to his own son, he cursed his craft and the day when he decided to master it.
Finally the bell was ready and hung in the castle tower. As soon as the tongue with a rope was tied to it, the knight ordered the bell to ring. At that moment the old master lost his mind. He rushed up the narrow twisted staircase to the top platform of the tower and began to desperately ring the bell. The ringing of the bell drowned out his groans. Without stopping, the old man cursed his bell and prayed to God to send punishment on the knight’s head.
His son had long been killed, and the unfortunate madman on the tower continued to ring, not for a second letting go of the rope. Suddenly a terrible thunderstorm broke out. Lightning struck the tower and killed the bell-ringer, and the castle burned to the ground.
However, Knight Wolf was rich enough to rebuild it. A few years later it rose above the city again, even more beautiful than before. And so the knight decided to marry off his daughter. The groom was solemnly greeted as he entered the castle with music and the ringing of bells. The knight's daughter in her wedding dress stood on the balcony and waved to her chosen one. At the same time, she, having forgotten herself, carelessly leaned over the fence, fell down and died at the same moment. And then suddenly the death bell rang on its own.
This was the first of many misfortunes and troubles that befell the castle and the Rauenstein family. And every time the bell struck in the tower. At first they wanted to break it, this hated herald of doom, but by that time the belief had already spread that the entire family would die out as soon as the bell was destroyed. And then they took his tongue and walled up the tower in the hope of at least making him silent.
Misfortunes, however, did not leave the Rauenstein house alone. And every time another disaster was approaching, the dull sounds of a bell were heard from the tower. Like a house owl, he sent his ominous calls to people in the silence of the night. In the end, the Rauensteins left the castle and sold their family nest to another knightly family.
Margrave Herold and his daughters in the Dunkelsteinerwald forest
Having defeated the Avars and thrown them to the east, Charlemagne settled the plundered, devastated lands between Enns and the Vienna Woods with the Bavarians and made his brother-in-law Herold the ruler of these border cities and villages in order to prevent further attacks by violent robber tribes.
The residence of Margrave Herold was in Lorch. In the legend, everything is described differently. To the northeast, about an hour's walk from Melk, rises the gloomy Prakkersberg mountain, the threshold of a vast forest. On the flat top of the mountain, from where a wide view opens over the plain, the foothills of the Alps and the Danube, the margrave ordered the construction of a castle of extraordinary beauty. There he built his home and reigned, surrounded by his three daughters and a large retinue, in luxury and splendor.
During the next uprising of the Avars, Herold died, the castle on the mountain went underground, and the margrave’s daughters disappeared without a trace. In the place where the castle stood, in the ominous twilight of a pine forest, today a pond overgrown with elodea shimmers, called by local residents “the lake”.
This place is unclean, Mount Prakkersberg. Somewhere there, the margrave’s daughters, one of whom was named Salome, are still hiding, fooling lonely travelers. One day they lured three young artisans into the thicket, showing them a luxurious castle, appearing before them as beautiful princesses and affectionately calling them their betrothed; the poor fellows then forcibly got out of the dark forest. It’s easy to lose your way, especially at night, if you rush to the call of an alluring voice or the sounds of enchanting singing. Before you know it, there are already wild thorny thickets all around, and you are covered from head to toe with abrasions and scratches, and the path is gone. And behind my back - a malicious laugh; These are the forest ghosts, the daughters of Margrave Herold, who are having fun.
The nearby village of Gerolding owes its name to the count, and the ravine that stretches from the mountain to the ancient village of Mauer is still called “Salomein Ditch”.
Mount Etcher
Since Etcher raises his head higher than all the mountains in the area and even from a distance looks unusually majestic, it is not surprising that so many legends have been born about him since ancient times.
They say that countless evil spirits live on Etcher, but their affairs are supposedly so bad that they even yearn for their underworld. Between the icy Torstein and the Schauchenspitze the devil lives - so people thought in the old days; on clear days, it sometimes instantly curls and drives snow clouds across the sky, and at night it reminds of itself with fiery sparks.
There is a large and inaccessible lake on Etcher. Huge ice blocks of bizarre shapes cover its surface, and in the depths live dark fish, which are said to be blind. Previously, people believed that these were the souls of sinners awaiting deliverance. And among these fish there is one special one, distinguished by its size and strange appearance. She has been living in dark waters for more than a thousand years. This is Pilate, who unjustly condemned the Lord and was exiled for this to a mountain lake, where he now awaits, dumb and blind, the Last Judgment. That is why the lake is called “Lake Pilate”.
There were many legends about the numerous caves, often leading far into the depths of the mountain, especially about the Thunder Hole, the Pigeon Hole and the Money Hole.
The largest Thunder Hole - and there are several on Etcher - is on the western slope of the mountain. If in clear weather you throw a stone into this cave, clouds will immediately move in and a terrible thunderstorm will break out. This is how mountain spirits take revenge on people for disturbed peace. Don't believe me? Well, try it yourself and see if it’s true or not!
Pigeon Hole got its name due to the many mountain jackdaws nesting in it. In fact, these are not birds at all, but the souls of great sinners - misers and moneylenders, who, as punishment for their unrighteous lives, were exiled after death to Etcher and now wander there without sleep or rest in the form of black birds.
In the Money Hole, according to rumors, countless treasures have been hidden for many centuries. And it happened like this: during the time of Charlemagne, a certain rich widow named Gula lived in Mautern. When the Avars moved along the Danube, devastating the lands with fire and sword, she rushed with her little son Enoter and all her wealth on greyhound horses into the mountains and took refuge in the caves of Etcher. She built her home in the Pigeon Hole, and in the Money Hole she placed reserves of silver and gold. So she lived, not knowing grief, rejoicing that her son was quickly growing up in the clean mountain air and turning into a real giant.
He became the guardian of the mountain, endowed with magical powers, and appeared here and there, each time changing his appearance and scaring away various evil spirits from the mountain slopes. When Count Grimwald undertook a campaign against the Avars, the giant Oenotherus joined his army and, they say, performed many feats of arms. After the defeat of the Avars, Oenother laid the foundation for a new, powerful clan. His mother remained in the Pigeon Hole until the end of her days, and since her son never touched the treasures, they still lie somewhere in the Money Hole to this day.
The legend about the riches hidden in the depths of Etcher has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries and annually attracted hundreds of treasure seekers, especially foreigners. They went down into the cave, and a few days later returned with tightly packed bags to their homeland. They say that some lucky ones even carried away the treasures they found on donkeys; The donkeys, of course, were invisible, but their trampling was clearly heard by local residents at night.
King Otter and Ruprecht's Hole on Mount Otterberg
In the Semmering region, on high mountain Otterberg, in ancient times, stood a huge luxurious castle, in which the powerful King Otter lived with his court. All the lands in these parts belonged to him, and he also had a strong army, consisting of knights and horse bollards. When his hair turned gray and approaching old age weakened his strength, earthly dominion bored him. He destroyed his castle on Otter and descended with all his retinue into the depths of the mountain, where he ordered a magnificent palace to be built for himself and has lived in peace and tranquility ever since. He sits in his shining palaces on a golden throne and enjoys a peaceful sleep. On his head is a golden crown, and in front of him on a marble table lies a scepter studded with precious stones. Around him the nobles and servants froze, just like the king, immersed in a deep magical sleep.
The entrance to the underground palace is guarded by gnomes who serve the king in those rare hours when he awakens from a long sleep along with all the courtiers. Then the king orders wild feasts to be held, and on quiet nights one can hear the noise of many cheerful voices and lively music coming from the mountain. Sometimes you can hear from there what sounds like distant thunder. These are the rattling skittles that gnomes love to play with. But sometimes the king suddenly expresses a desire to leave the underground palace and go free with his retinue. Like a hurricane, the cavalcade flies through the forests covering Otterberg, then turns back at Sonnwendstein and returns through Ruprecht's Hole to the castle.
One day, one poor peasant guy decided to see what was going on in Ruprecht’s Hole, to see if it was true what they said about icicles hanging from the ceiling and walls of the cave. He asked two friends to lower him on a rope deeper into the cave, and when darkness enveloped him, he suddenly felt uneasy, and he shouted to his comrades to quickly pull him up. The sound of his voice, repeatedly refracted by the ledges of the rocky arches and amplified by the echo, seemed so terrible to them that they let go of the rope and ran away. The peasant fell down to the bottom of the cave, tore his hands bloody, but remained alive. Overcoming the pain in his bruised limbs, he rose to his feet and began to look for a way out of the gloomy cave. For a long time he wandered in the darkness, but he was surrounded only by steep stone walls, and there was not even a thin ray of light that would show him the path to freedom. When he had already lost his last hope of salvation, he suddenly saw a little man in front of him, who asked him what he was doing here.
The young man’s heart began to beat wildly with fear, but he gathered all his courage and told the dwarf his sad story.
- I beg you, help me get out of here! - he exclaimed, finishing the story.
The dwarf smiled and answered him cordially:
- I will help you. Follow me closely, but make sure you don’t stumble.
The young man obeyed him, and they walked for a long time through the mountain until they came to a site where the dwarves played skittles. The pins were all made of silver, and the ball was made of pure gold. The dwarves sat next to the platform and drank wine from golden goblets.
“Arrange the pins for us,” one of them turned to the young man, “and for that you can then take one pin for yourself.”
He agreed, and when the dwarves finished the game, he took one pin for himself. Then the guide led the young man further, through halls and passages, to the gate on the eastern slope of the mountain. Here the young man said goodbye to the gnome and thanked him for his kindness.
“If you really want to thank me,” said the dwarf, “bring me a gift from your overworld.”
- What would you like? - asked the young man.
“I love grapes and raisins most of all,” answered the dwarf, and, noticing the young man’s amazement, he smiled. - For us, dwarves, this is the same wonder as gold and precious stones are for you.
The next morning the young man went to Otter with a bag of grapes and raisins. When he came to the familiar gate in the rock, he found it tightly locked. He stood there a little confused. Without waiting for anything, he put his gift on a stone at the gate and set off on the way back.
Meanwhile, the sky darkened and fog rose. Although it was not raining, it seemed to the young man as if his dress was getting heavier and heavier, so that soon he could hardly move his feet under the burden of this shell. At home, to his great joy, he discovered that his jacket, his pants, and his hat were completely covered with small golden drops. This is how the gnome from Mount Otterberg generously repaid the poor peasant youth for the gift of grapes and raisins, while remaining unnoticed. From then on, the young man never again felt the need to look for gold in Ruprecht's Hole.
Korneuburg Pied Piper
In the old days, when people suffered from many misfortunes that are very easy to cope with today, in the city of Korneuburg there were once so many rats that the residents fell into despair. All the corners and crannies were infested with rats, they roamed freely around the city, scurrying from house to house and from room to room, and there was no peace from them anywhere. You pull out a chest of drawers, and a rat jumps out of it right at you, you go to bed, and they rustle under you in the straw, you sit down to have a snack - uninvited guests are right there and jump without fear right onto the table. What people did to get rid of vile creatures, but all in vain. In the end, the council of city residents decided to collect a high reward for the one who could free the city from rats forever.
Some time passed, and then a certain stranger appeared to the burgomaster and asked whether the people who told him about the promised reward were telling the truth. When he was assured of the veracity of what he had heard, the stranger declared that he was undertaking to lure all the rats from their holes and shelters with his art and drive them into the Danube. The city fathers rejoiced when they heard his words.
The stranger stood in front of the town hall and took out a small black pipe from his dark leather bag hanging on his shoulder. These were unpleasant sounds that he extracted from his instrument: a piercing creaking and squealing sounded throughout all the alleys, but the rats clearly found this music beautiful. They all rushed out of their holes at once and hurried after the musician. The rat catcher slowly walked towards the bank of the Danube; behind him, in front and from the sides, a terrible procession of rats snaked through the streets of the city, like a giant black-gray worm.
Arriving at the shore, the stranger did not stop, but went further and plunged into the river up to his chest. The rats followed him into the water; the stream immediately picked them up and carried them away, so that every single one of them drowned, as if they had never existed at all!
The amazed Kornoiburg residents, gathered on the river bank, could not marvel at the strange sight, and when it was all over, with joyful cries they escorted the rat catcher to the town hall, where a well-deserved reward awaited him.
However, now that the rats had disappeared, the burgomaster greeted him far less warmly. He stated that the work was not so hard, and besides, no one could guarantee that the rats would not return; in a word, he wanted to get rid of the stranger by paying him only a quarter of the appointed amount. He opposed this and demanded that all the money be given to him in full. Then the burgomaster threw the skinny wallet at his feet and pointed to the door. The Pied Piper, without touching the money, left the town hall with a gloomy face.
Several weeks have passed. And then one fine day the stranger appeared in the city again. Now he was dressed incomparably richer than last time. Stopping at main square, he took a pipe from his pocket, burning in the sun like gold, put it to his lips, and such wondrous music poured out that people froze and turned to their ears, as if enchanted, forgetting about everything in the world. Only the children rushed out of their homes and rushed after the stranger, who, continuing to play the pipe, went to the Danube. A ship adorned with colorful ribbons and fluttering flags swayed near the shore. The stranger, without interrupting the music, boarded the ship, and the children skipped after him. As soon as the last of them stepped on deck, the ship cast off and floated downstream, faster and faster, until it was out of sight. Only two children remained in the city: one was deaf and did not hear the calling sounds of the pipe, and the other, already near the river, suddenly decided to return to grab his jacket.
When the Kornoiburg residents grabbed the children and discovered only two of them, their grief was indescribably great, and the whole city was filled with heartbreaking screams and groans. For there was not a single family in the city that did not mourn at least one child.
This is how the deceived rat catcher took revenge on the Kornoyburgers.
King Richard the Lionheart in Durnstein
In the army of the crusaders, who went with Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to the Land of the East to recapture the shrines of Christianity, there were, among other princes and noble knights, also the King of England, Richard the Lionheart, and the Duke of Austria, Leopold V, also called the Virtuous.
When Emperor Frederick, who by that time had already reached a very old age, drowned in the river, a dispute arose between the princes over who should lead the army of the crusaders. Everyone considered themselves smarter, braver and more worthy than others. King Richard the Lionheart was one of the most arrogant rulers, and not without reason, because he was a noble gentleman; however, in his pride he often forgot that there were other, no less worthy sovereigns. During the siege of the stronghold of Akka in 1192, he inflicted a grave insult on Duke Leopold. The Austrians hoisted their flag on the captured rampart, and King Richard ordered it to be torn down and raised his banner on the rampart, throwing the Austrian field banner into the mud. Duke Leopold felt - with good reason - deeply humiliated and since then could not forgive Richard for this insolence. He secretly vowed to take cruel revenge on the king.
Soon after that, the Duke and his retinue left the sacred land and returned to their homeland. The rest of the knights also did not stay long in the Land of the East. The plague broke out and claimed many lives. King Richard, getting ready to go home, chose the sea route; a sudden storm brought him to the shores of the Adriatic Sea, and he had no choice but to continue his journey through the country of his mortal enemy, Leopold of Austria. He put on the dress of a pilgrim, and so he managed to get to the village of Erdberg, near Vienna, where he came on a blizzard winter evening. Hunger forced the king and his companions to look into the inn. To remain unrecognized, he behaved like a simple pilgrim, even stood up to the hearth, as the cook ordered him, and began to rotate the fatty chicken on a spit over the fire. Unfortunately, the noble guest forgot about the precious ring glittering on his finger, and poor pilgrims, who must roast their own chicken on a spit, usually do not wear precious rings. The cook suspected something was wrong and took a closer look at the strange stranger in the gray pilgrim’s dress. To top off all the troubles, an old warrior who had been with Duke Leopold in the sacred land happened to be in the tavern. The pilgrim's face seemed familiar to this old warrior; Having peered closely at him, he suddenly recognized the king of the English. It is not difficult to guess that he immediately informed the cook about this in a whisper.
Suspecting nothing, Richard calmly spun the chicken on a spit, and when the cook approached him, he smiled welcomingly at him. Imagine the king’s amazement and fear when he heard the words “your lordship” addressed to him.
“It’s not proper for you to fry your own meat,” the cook said politely. - Surrender, because resistance is useless.
King Richard quickly controlled himself, gave his face an indifferent expression and pretended not to understand a word of what the cook said. But he did not let up and reproachfully continued to call him to prudence, saying that he was the king of England and that there was no point in denying it, since he had been identified. Convinced that he had fallen into a trap, Richard threw his cloak off his shoulders and proudly exclaimed:
- Fine! Take me to the Duke. I will surrender only to him.
On the same day, the noble prisoner was taken to Leopold's castle. Soon after, the Duke ordered him to be secretly transported to Durnstein Castle and entrusted to the care of his faithful servant Hadmar von Kuenring.
Richard the Lionheart languished for many months in the dungeons of a powerful castle. His subjects ran wild in search of the king, but their efforts were unsuccessful. When the news of the storm and the sunken royal ship reached them, everyone finally believed in his death. His brother, Prince John, was proclaimed the new king, and soon many Englishmen forgot to even think about the former monarch.
But there was one man in England who did not want to believe in the death of his master. It was the singer Blondel, devoted to the king. Taking his lute, he went in search of the missing master. Many hardships and dangers befell him, but Blondel did not lose courage, no matter how hopeless the search seemed to him. He walked along the Rhine from city to city, from castle to castle, he searched on the banks of the Danube. He questioned the warriors, knightly bollards and wanderers, but none of them heard anything about the fate of his master.
This is how the singer got to Durnstein. His faith in the success of the protracted search had almost dried up. Sad, not hoping for anything, he climbed the hill, sank to the ground in front of the powerful towers of the castle, looked around the Danube valley and sang his song. It was a melody that only his master knew; before going to the Land of the East, he performed it for the king for the last time. Having finished the first stanza to the end, he felt such grief in his heart that, unable to utter a single sound, he fell silent mournfully. And then it seemed to him that, from somewhere behind the high thick walls of the castle, a certain voice responded to his singing, quiet, muffled, but still clear and intelligible. The singer listened to these sounds as if spellbound. No, he was not mistaken! It was his master who sang the second stanza of the song!
Now Blondel knew that the king was still alive, and even knew the place of his imprisonment. The faithful Spielman hurried back to England, spread the news of the king's fate everywhere and did not rest until Richard was released for a huge ransom.
In the spring of 1193, Richard the Lionheart was handed over to the emperor, who soon allowed him to return to his fatherland.
Rose Garden of Schreckenwald at Aggstein Castle
After the Kuenrings met their inglorious end and, at the behest of Frederick the Warlike, their nest of robbers was destroyed, Aggstein Castle stood as a sad ruin for almost two centuries. In 1429, Duke Albrecht V gave the “deserted temple,” as Aggstein was then called, “destroyed in ancient times for the atrocities committed by the owners, and now empty,” to his faithful advisor and chamberlain Georg Scheck von Wald, allowing him to rebuild the castle walls. For seven years the knight's subjects groaned under the unbearable burden of labor placed on them, laying stone on stone, until the castle took on its former formidable appearance.
In a strange way, the knight Scheck von Wald achieved the Duke's favor - with lies and flattery. Skillfully pretending to be an honest man, he was in reality greedy, arrogant and cruel. As soon as he settled in the new castle, he immediately showed his true face and began to sow terror in Wachau no less diligently than the “Kuenring dogs” had once done. He mercilessly oppressed his subjects, squeezing all the juice out of them. He so shamelessly abused his right to collect duties on the Danube that the ships, as usual, left him completely robbed. Soon it was called throughout the Danube valley nothing more than “Schreckenwald”.
A particularly evil fate was in store for his captives. He ordered them to be suspended on a rope over a steep slope in order to squeeze out the highest possible ransom from them. If there was no hope of receiving a ransom, he pushed his victim through a small door in the wall onto a narrow platform, under which an abyss yawned. Here the unfortunate man himself chose: either to die in agony from hunger, or to end his suffering at once by jumping down onto the sharp rocks. The knight called this small ledge of rock his “rose garden.” Legends were already circulating about the “kindergarten”, and people shuddered at the mere mention of it.
For many years, Schreckenwald lived in robbery and robbery and accumulated so much wealth that he managed to take possession of four more castles in the area. One day the bollards brought to him a young captive, who, judging by his appearance, was of a noble family, but refused to give his name. He, too, had to share the fate of many of his predecessors; he, too, was pushed into the “rose garden.” But the young man turned out to be a brave and dexterous climber. He measured the depth of the abyss with his gaze, noticed the dense crowns of ancient mighty trees below, entrusted his fate to the Lord and fearlessly jumped down. He fell onto one of the crowns; flexible branches softened the force of the blow, he managed to grab onto a thick branch and stayed on it. A moment later he landed safely on the ground. And it’s not surprising to imagine what it was like in his soul at the sight of this land, strewn with the decayed remains of the knight’s previous victims.
The rescued prisoner hurried to the valley, gathered knights and horse bollards from neighboring castles, waylaid Schreckenwald and took him prisoner. The robber finally received his long-deserved punishment and was beheaded.
Aggstein Castle remained in the possession of the knight's descendants. However, the last Schreckenwald turned out to be no better than his ancestor: he also blocked the Danube with a chain and began to rob ships.
Once he captured a certain count, who, however, managed to escape from the castle with the help of one young man, the son of Mrs. von Schwallenbach. And while the count hurried to Vienna to complain to the duke about Schreckenwald, the young man, by order of the robber knight, was thrown into the dungeon. After a short time, the owner of the castle, as usual, ordered his bollards to send the prisoner through the “rose garden” after the others to the bottom of the abyss.
The young man was already standing on the edge of the platform when he suddenly heard the ringing of the evening bell coming from Schwallenbach. The poor man knelt down and asked the knight to give him a few more moments for his dying prayer, at least before the last strike of the bell sounded. The knight laughed and said that he would willingly fulfill his wish; He found this fool funny, who, instead of asking for mercy, stood on his knees and prayed to God. However, very soon the fun left him. The bell rang without ceasing; Its ringing did not stop for a second, it rang and rang, so that everyone present felt uneasy, and some bollards, with their hearts cold with horror, prayed to God that their master would release the prisoner. But Schreckenwald knew no pity; he cursed the crazy bell and waited impatiently for it to finally fall silent.
There were already many innocent victims on his conscience, but this young man remained alive. For before the Schwallenbach bell fell silent, Schreckenwald and his men had to rush headlong to arms. Captain Georg von Stein and his soldiers surrounded the castle and had already entered the courtyard. The robber's nest was captured by the besiegers. Thus, the miracle of the Schwallenbach bell prevented the death of the young prisoner. The last descendant of Schreckenwald lost all his wealth and died a miserable beggar.
The memory of the “rose garden” at Aggstein Castle is still alive among the people. In Wachau, to this day, when talking about a person who is in trouble and can get out of it only at the cost of mortal risk, they use the expression “fell into the pink garden of Schreckenwald.”
Wine from the ruins of Greifenstein Castle
One poor day laborer was celebrating the christening of his seventh child. Since on such a joyful day one cannot do without at least a modest treat and a sip of wine for the godfather, he bought a small jug of wine with his last pennies, which, however, was very soon drained. With a dry throat, as you know, there is no time for fun, and since the owner’s wallet was completely empty, he decided to at least show his good will and handed the eldest daughter a jug with the words:
- Go and bring us some wine!
The girl asked him for money, but he answered her jokingly:
- You don't need money. Go upstairs to the ruins of the castle, there they will give you wine without any payment. There's a whole sea of wine in the cellars!
The girl did not take long to beg and hurried up the hill to the castle. When she reached the ruins, it was already completely dark, but there were lights in all the windows, and although the castle had been empty for hundreds of years, now there was fun there. At the gate stood a beautiful woman in a white robe with a large bunch of keys at her belt. Without further questioning, she took the jug from the girl’s hands and told her to wait. After a short time, she reappeared, handed the girl a brimming jug and said:
- Well, my child, take this wine to your father and tell him that as soon as his thirst overcomes him, let him send you here. But just don’t tell anyone where the wine comes from.
The girl thanked her and went home with the full jug. After tasting the wine, the guests unanimously declared that they had never drunk anything tastier in their lives. On the next holiday, the father again sent his daughter to the castle, and she returned home again with a full jug of noble wine. From now on, whenever there was a holiday in the day laborer’s house, he received wine without any payment from the cellars of the ancient castle. And every time a white woman appeared to the girl and filled the vessel she brought.
But then one day, while treating his neighbors who came to visit and getting pretty tipsy, the poor day laborer let loose and revealed the secret of his wine. And when in the evening he once again sent his daughter to the castle, she found, as usual, the brightly lit ruins dark, silent and dull. And no matter how much the girl waited at the gate, the white woman never appeared, either that evening or the next. Her poor father, with his talkativeness, deprived himself of good wine from the castle cellars.
