The Nine-pin Game of Margaretha Maultasch

In the ruins of the castle of Maultasch are also said to lie a set

of golden nine-pins which appear above the ground and blossom every

hundred years. This set of nine-pins belonged to Margaretha Maultasch,

whose gamekeeper “Georg” stole and buried it when his mistress ceded

the Tyrol to Austria, at Botzen, in 1363. Two days after he had

buried it he was struck by an apoplectic fit and died, and nobody

knew anything of the treasure. Since that time he is compelled in

expiation of his crime to wander about in the castle in the form of a

hideous ghost and guard the hidden treasure, and at midnight he sets

up the nine-pins while sighing, and throws the golden ball against the

large castle gate, which then flies open with a fearful noise. Then

appear all the old counts of the Tyrol and Görz, some of them with

crowns on their heads, followed by Margaretha Maultasch bearing an

enormously massive necklace of pure gold, and the richest diamonds.

They then begin to play, and the unhappy spirit of Georg is obliged to

set up the nine-pins, but the ball always bounds against his feet so

painfully that his cries very often are heard over Botzen and as far as

Sigmundskron.

Only he who succeeds in digging up the treasure will be the means of

redeeming Georg; but as it is most difficult to find the proper way and

right moment, it has almost become an impossibility.

It is not long since that, in the favourable hour, an egg-woman went

up the way which leads to the castle. The poor soul of Georg took the

egg basket off her head, and put it down close to the tower on the very

spot where the nine-pins lay buried. All at once there was nothing in

the basket but ten black coals instead of eggs. “Throw your rosary

quickly upon them,” said the ghost; but unfortunately the woman had no

rosary with her, and so the happy hour passed by again without being

taken advantage of. The ten coals which were to be changed into the

nine-pins and ball, became again ordinary eggs, and only in another

hundred years will this fortunate hour return again.

The ghost climbed up the highest tower rock, crying and sighing his

ordinary lamentations:--

“He who will redeem me

From the power of the Evil One,

Must in the castle’s grounds

Find nine-pins and ball

Which I stole from the Princess,

Which I hid from the Princess.”[9]

[9] “Wer mich will erlösen

Von dem Bann des Bösen,

Muss in Schlosses Gründen

Neun Kegel und Kugel finden,

Die hab’ ich der Fürstin gestohlen,

Die hab’ ich der Fürstin verhohlen.”