The Witches’ Walk on the Kreuzjoch

Near the village of Mieders, in the Stubaythal, lies a little side

valley, in which in dreary solitude stands a small wooden hut opposite

to an old, half-ruinous farm-building. In this hut there lived, some

fifty years ago, a wicked woman, called Töglas Moid, who was originally

married to an honest peasant of the neighbourhood, who, however, died

soon after through grief at the bad practices of his wife. After his

death she led a yet worse life, and was in consequence everywhere

dreaded as a witch; for she was known to have done, and to still do,

endless harm among the cows. She had chosen five other women of her

feather to be her companions and helpmates, and often the whole six

of them set out from Mieders to the Telfes mountain, where at certain

times they have been seen by the herdsmen carrying on their unholy

Sabbath.

At last it seems that they went to such an extent that they entered

into a compact with the Evil One, and then the destruction which they

caused in the surrounding country was so great that the villagers were

forced to apply for the aid of the Church, according to whose decree

they had to appear before the tribunal, where the five companions of

Töglas Moid confessed everything, and from that time began to lead a

new life; while she who had led them on in all their wickedness became

worse and worse every day, and carried on her diabolical practices

alone during yet another five long years, until at last the measure of

her iniquities was full.

On the 24th of June, 1823, St. John the Baptist’s Day, a fearful

thunderstorm broke over Mieders, during which the mountains were

splintered with the lightning, and huge masses of rock fell down from

every direction into the valley.

On the following morning some peasants passing by the hut of Töglas

Moid, looked in to discover if the witch was there; but she was

nowhere to be seen. But close by the Witches’ Walk the most fearful

screams were heard, which so terrified both man and beast that one

of the herdsmen ran down to the village for help; for the cows were

panic-stricken and beyond their control. When the terrified herdsmen

arrived with a crowd of villagers upon the witches’ ground, they found

her cut into pieces, which they collected and burnt upon a pile of

brushwood; and during this operation such fearful noises were heard in

the valley and on the surrounding mountains that every one was seized

with fear and trembling.

The parish of Mieders erected in gratitude for the riddance of this

witch a large stone cross upon the Witches’ Walk, to which every year,

on the 24th of June, a great procession takes place. This spot is

called the “Kreuzjoch,” or cross yoke, and from it a beautiful view is

obtained of the valley villages of Telfes and Stubay, and of several

magnificent glaciers.