According to an old legend of the people of Sargans, the girls, who all become spinsters through their own fault, are supposed to gather after their death at the “grossen Riete” (great moors) near Schan, in Liechtenstein, and spend their time there piously and demurely picking apart “Grüsch” (bran) and then tying the heaps together.
I. Natsch.

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Alte Jungfern

Nach einer alten Sage der Sarganser sollen die Mädchen, die aus eigener Schuld alle Jungfern werden, nach ihrem Hinscheiden ans dem grossen Riete bei Schan, im Lichtensteinischen, sich versammeln und dort ihre Zeit fromm und züchtig damit zubringen, “Grüsch” (Kleie) auseinanderzulesen und die Häufchen dann zusammenzuknüpfen.
I. Natsch.

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Editor’s note: “Riet” appears a lot in place names and in these stories. According to the explanation for “Obberiet“:

In many place names Ried can be interpreted in two different ways: (1) < Old High German *riod < *reoth “clearing”, or (2) < Old High German (h)riot “reed grass”; Swiss German Ried “land overgrown with reeds and marsh grass, moor” (Id. VI, 1729s). Phonetically, the two word types cannot be distinguished; only the geographical evidence allows a clear interpretation in part. According to Hammer (1973: 87), however, the numerous names for Riet in the Rhine Valley of St. Gallen must without exception be placed with Old High German hriot “reed; marshy ground”. The place adjective ober- is not used in the name of Oberriet SG in contrast to unter-, but in a descriptive sense, meaning “settlement, which lies on the upper edge of the extensive Riet” (Hammer 1973: 91).