What has happened in the Schnalstal Valley over the centuries in terms of legends and hauntings, strange occurrences and genuine miracles is hard for many to believe:
For example, there was once the Sakristy Devil of Karthaus, who wreaked havoc in Karthaus. And the funeral procession on Obermayr, which struck fear into even the bravest churchgoers. Or the mysterious Vronele vom Platthof, who was never quite of this world. Not to mention the curse of the beggar woman, which plunged many a farm into eternal turmoil. And then there was the robbery at Kugelstein – so wild that the rocks still whisper about it today. But here and now, I want to tell you a Schnalstal legend that is quite harmless and, on top of that, my favourite. And it's about how courage pays off.
Once upon a time, there was a shepherd boy. He was bitterly poor, but quick-witted. One day, while herding sheep, he came to a village. It was a strange place. There was a princess who would not speak, a fig tree that bore no fruit, and the farmers complained of a terrible drought in the fields.
The villagers were at a loss, but the elders told each other that there was supposed to be a creature that knew everything – the colourful bird Phoenix. A clever animal with many secrets. All you had to do was ask him politely, they whispered – and steal three of his feathers. But no one had ever dared to do that…
Our little shepherd boy from the Schnalstal valley felt sorry for the villagers. So he bravely set off to find the phoenix. Unfortunately, it was not at home. But Mrs Phoenix was. She was a fine creature, not as cunning, quick-tempered and dangerous as her bird husband. When he came home late in the evening, Mrs Phoenix hid the shepherd boy under her feathers.
And because her husband liked to talk in his sleep, it was easy for her to elicit all the answers to the shepherd boy's questions: The silent princess? A frog behind the church altar could help. With a kiss. Of course. The fig tree? Voracious pests were attacking the roots. The chickens would quickly take care of that. And the missing water? A dragon was blocking the canal. Get rid of the fire-breather – and everything was wet again.
The next day, our little hero crept away – answers and phoenix feathers in his pocket. He presented himself to the village king, presented the feathers and answers and the solutions to the riddles – and lo and behold: the princess babbled, the fig tree sprouted again and the drought was over.
And our brave, courageous boy? He got his well-deserved reward. It is said to have been a bag full of gold coins. The moral of the story is also quite nice: if you combine heart, brains and a little luck, you often get further than you think.