The Devil Summoning: Difference between revisions
Created page with "[[File:{{#setmainimage:1288-Stiegenwahl.jpg}}|right|362px|caption]] In the small hamlet of Obermahren (near Kappl), several men who were sitting together during the home garden agreed to summon the Devil so that he would appear and bring them money. For this purpose, they drew a large circle on the floor of the chamber, sat down in its outer periphery, and shouted with loud voices: “Devil, bring us one hundred thousand local coins!” Then suddenly, a gargantuan “w..." |
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[[Category:Devil Summoning]][[Category:Exorcism]][[Category:Farmer]][[Category:Lindwurm]][[Category:Money Magic]][[Category:Priest]] | [[Category:Devil Summoning]][[Category:Exorcism]][[Category:Farmer]][[Category:Lindwurm]][[Category:Money Magic]][[Category:Priest]] | ||
[[Category:Kappl]] | [[Category:Kappl]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Hauser - Sagen aus dem Paznaun und dessen Nachbarschaft]] | ||
Latest revision as of 19:41, 17 August 2025
In the small hamlet of Obermahren (near Kappl), several men who were sitting together during the home garden agreed to summon the Devil so that he would appear and bring them money. For this purpose, they drew a large circle on the floor of the chamber, sat down in its outer periphery, and shouted with loud voices: “Devil, bring us one hundred thousand local coins!”
Then suddenly, a gargantuan “worm” (lindwurm) of abominable appearance squeezed through the door. It writhed around the circle so that it surrounded the men, who had become pale with fright. Soon, the Godbewithus also appeared with a large chest full of money, which he put down into the center of the circle and then sat on it.
Now consider the terrible situation these pitiable men found themselves in: They were surrounded by the abominable snake, which prevented any possibility of escape. And next to them, in their middle, Satan in person sat on the accursed chest, and already believed himself to be in certain possession of his victims.
The farmers of Obermahren had been able to force the Devil to appear and bring them money with their summoning, but now they saw no solution for how to get rid of him again. Surely it would have been the end of them, if there hadn’t been someone else in the house who — to their fortune — saw the horrible situation of the deathly pale men when he stepped into the chamber. Immediately, he hurried into the village of Kappl with haste, and asked the parish priest for help.
The parish priest speedily arrived in the chamber, quickly grasped the dangerous situation the poor men were in, and commanded the Satan to leave. The latter took the chest with money and left the house together with the dreadful snake, accompanied by horrible noises and leaving an abominable stench behind. The men breathed sighs of relief and were thoroughly glad that they had been able to escape with their skins intact this time. But later on the farmers of Obermahren never again had any inclination to summon the Devil and make him bring them money.
Note: I have previously shared this legend in “Alemannia”, Volume 17, p. 267f. Compare also with Zingerle, Nr. 684 and 687.
Source: Hauser - Sagen aus dem Paznaun und dessen Nachbarschaft, p. 38