The Locksmith of the Fliegeralm

Under the mountain, Fliegeralm, which now belongs to the Baron

Steinbach, of Mühlau, used to stand the shop of a locksmith, whose name

was Huis. The hut was situated in a most beautiful position, on the

edge of a rushing mountain torrent, close to the side of a dense and

magnificent forest of fir-trees. The locksmith was an industrious and

fearless man, and the report that during the winter a “Kaser-Mandl”

(a Tyrolian mountain ghost) walked about, could not deter him from

building his house just beneath the Alm; so he went up in the autumn

to fell trees for its construction, about which he set determinedly to

work.

The hut was soon finished, and then the locksmith lighted a large fire

and commenced his business. One evening, while engaged over his work,

he heard footsteps prowling round the hut, and directly afterwards the

door was violently shaken, as though it would be forced in. Huis got

up, and called out, “Who is there?” and then opening the door, he said,

“Well, come in then;” but nobody was to be seen. He went once more to

his work, and again heard the same footsteps about the house; so at

last, becoming uncomfortable, he determined to retire to rest, in order

that he might get up very early in the morning to finish what he was

about.

He laid himself down upon a bundle of hay, on which he soon fell

asleep; but an hour or two afterwards he was awakened by a most

extraordinary noise, and all at once the terrible Alm ghost stood close

beside him, and threw himself instantly upon him, like a big butcher’s

dog, with fiery eyes, and with the fixed intention of tearing his

victim to pieces. But the locksmith brought all his gigantic strength

to bear upon the ghost, and dealt him a blow, which hurled him to a

distance; then, after this victory, he laid down again in another

corner of the hut, and slept peacefully until daybreak; but from that

moment he determined never again to pass the night alone in the hut,

and so he returned every evening to the valley, carrying his work with

him.

He never recounted one single word to any living soul, except his wife,

whom he bound down by the strongest vows never to repeat it to any

mortal being; but a woman’s confidence is but a stage secret, open to

the ears of all who like to listen to it.