The priest of Flums went to Gräplang Castle to say Mass for a Lord of the castle who had died earlier. He slipped on the steep stairs of the castle. He exclaimed angrily: “Macht’s etz da no aso, wenn i ihm etz doch will ‘s Johrzit lesa!” (Is it still going to be like this now, when I just want to read the rites for him?!)
A. Sprenger

Editor’s note: The punchline is rather dependent on the correct understanding of the Swiss German dialect here, which I’m not confident about. It’s also unclear what the connection is to the title “Der böse Ahnherr” – maybe the slip is an indication that the Lord was not a good man and didn’t want to have Mass read for him.

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296. Der böse Ahnherr

Der Geistliche von Flums ging nach dem Schlosse Gräplang, um da für einen früher verstorbenen Schlossherrn eine Messe zu lesen. Auf der steilen Schlosstreppe stürzte er. Erbost rief er aus: “Macht’s etz da no aso, wenn i ihm etz doch will ‘s Johrzit lesa!”
A. Sprenger

Picture generated by Midjourney