In the main hut of a Mels alp, a milking stool had been forgotten on the way home. One of them, knowing the difficulty of entering an abandoned alpine hut that had been given over to the mountain spirits, but the brave dairyman, bet a young goat he could fetch it. He took with him a lighter, a dog with spurs, a knife with the sign of the cross engraved on it, and St. Agatha Bread. When he touched the milking stool, a strange voice called out:

“Had you not hot flame, a biting dog and a sharp knife – I would help you win the goat.”

Dr. Henne-Am Rhyn, German folk tale

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Editor’s note: I’m really not sure what of the correct translation of some the dialect in what was called out, in particular what “Fürli” means. My guess is based in the lighter mentioned in the text above. Also, what a Zitgeiss is (“Geist” is ghost, “Zit” is often used as “Zeit” (time) and could be “Zeitgeist” but that has a specific modern meaning that is used in English (spirit of the time, contemporary), which doesn’t seem to fit here. I’m not also clear what ” gwünne” (Gewinnen? = to win) means in this context. Perhaps it “Zitgeiss” is dialect for “Ziege” (goat), which would make sense.

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260. Starke Mittel

In der Haupthütte einer Melser Alp war beim Heimfahren ein Melkstuhl vergessen worden. Einer, das Schwierige kennend, eine verlassene Alphütte, den Berggeistern anheimgefallen, zu betreten, aber mutig, wettete eine junge Ziege, er werde ihn holen. Er nahm mit sich ein Feuerzeug, einen Hund mit Sporen, ein Messer mit eingegrabenen Kreuzzeichen und Agathabrot. Als er den Melkstuhl berührte, rief eine sonderbare Stimme:

“Hettist du nit Fürli heiss und Hundili beiss und Messerli spitz – i wett der helfen, d’Zitgeiss gwünne!”

Dr. Henne-Am Rhyn, Deutsche Volkssage