The Treasure of Maultasch

Above the route which leads from Meran to Botzen, not far from Terlan,

are to be seen the ruins of the old castle of Maultasch, which was

once the favourite residence of a Princess of the same name, and from

her appears to have inherited this name, while another legend says the

Princess derived her name from the castle.

There have been two different parts of this building, the principal

one of which used to stand below in the valley to guard the route, and

on that spot is still to be seen a hole in the rock, which leads into

an underground passage, through which Margaretha Maultasch, the last

proprietress of the castle, used to ascend to the upper part of it on

the heights above, called Neuhaus.

In this passage is said to lie a hidden treasure, guarded by a fearful

keeper, who is said to be the devil himself. Many people have tried

to get at this treasure, but no one has ever succeeded; and the

inhabitants of the surrounding country recount that, some years ago,

two young peasants of Meran had resolved upon going to take the envied

treasure. On their way there, they said to one another, “To-day the

devil will never escape us.” So they entered the passage, and began to

repeat the incantations they had learnt by heart for the purpose, while

throwing around them consecrated powders; but all at once a huge black

dog rushed upon them, and they fled away, terrified to death, believing

that the devil himself was at their heels; and, since that time, no

one has ever again tried to discover the treasure of Maultasch.