The Witch of the Untersberg
Reading time: 7 min
About this story: The Witch of the Untersberg is a Legend from Austria set in the Medieval. This Dramatic tale explores themes of Courage and is suitable for Adults. It offers Moral insights. A haunting tale of mystery, choice, and the secrets of Austria’s legendary mountain.
Rising like a solitary titan from the rolling hills of Austria, the Untersberg casts its shadow across the surrounding valleys, its towering peaks cloaked in mist. To the locals, the mountain is a paradox—a place of beauty and menace. Legends weave through its forests and echo in its caverns, whispered in taverns and around hearths. Of all these tales, none is as enduring, or as feared, as the legend of the Witch of the Untersberg.
They say she has lived there for centuries, guarding its secrets and testing the courage of those who seek them. Her name is a thread in the tapestry of the region's history, binding past and present. This is her story, a tale of fear, longing, and a mountain that seems to breathe with its own life.
The Murmurs of the Mountain
The village of Hintergrün lay nestled at the foot of the Untersberg. Its modest houses, built from timber and stone, were dwarfed by the looming mountain, and life there moved to the rhythm of the seasons. For the villagers, the mountain was both a giver and a taker. Its streams provided water, its forests firewood, but its shadow carried an air of foreboding.
“Stay away from the caves,” mothers would warn their children. “And never wander too far at dusk.”
Lukas was one such child, though he was no longer young. A shepherd by trade, he spent most of his days tending to his flock in the pastures near the forest edge. Life had been kind to him in small ways—his daughter Lena was his joy, and their home was humble but warm. Yet, Lukas often found himself staring at the Untersberg, as if it were calling to him.
The call grew stronger when a stranger arrived in Hintergrün. He was an old man, draped in a tattered cloak, his eyes sharp despite his years. He spoke of things few dared to mention.
“The mountain hides more than rock and snow,” he told the villagers gathered at the inn. “There are doors within it, thresholds to other realms. And she guards them.”
“Who?” someone asked.
“The Witch of the Untersberg.”
The name fell like a stone into a silent pond.
The Letter
Two weeks later, Lukas found the letter. It was waiting on his doorstep, though no one in the village claimed to have delivered it. The parchment was smooth and pale, the writing elegant and unfamiliar.
*To Lukas, Shepherd of Hintergrün,
The mountain watches you, as it has watched many before. Come to the hidden path beneath the full moon. There, your questions will find answers.*
At first, Lukas thought it was a cruel joke. He showed it to Lena, who insisted he ignore it. But as the days passed, he felt a pull stronger than any he had known.
When the full moon rose, Lukas made his decision. Taking his lantern and his walking stick, he set out toward the base of the mountain. The villagers whispered as they saw him go, their eyes wide with worry.
The Hidden Path
The night air was crisp, and the moon painted the forest in silver. As Lukas followed the path, he noticed how quiet everything had become. No birds, no rustling leaves—only the sound of his boots crunching the earth.
He reached the base of the mountain, where the trees gave way to sheer rock. For a moment, he thought the letter had lied. But then, as his lantern swept across the ground, he saw it—a narrow trail, hidden beneath a tangle of vines.
Pushing through, he found himself at the entrance to a cave. Water cascaded over its mouth, forming a shimmering curtain. Lukas hesitated, but the pull in his chest drove him forward.
Inside, the air was damp and cold. The lantern cast flickering shadows on the walls, and the sound of water echoed endlessly. As he ventured deeper, a strange light began to glow ahead.
The Witch
The cavern opened into a vast chamber, its walls glittering with crystals that seemed to hum faintly. At the center stood a woman cloaked in black, her silver hair cascading down her back. She turned as he approached, her eyes like molten gold.
“You have come,” she said, her voice resonating in the air.
Lukas found his throat dry. “Are you… the Witch?”
She smiled faintly. “Some call me that. Others call me a guardian, a curse, or a savior. What matters is why you are here.”
“I don’t know,” Lukas admitted. “Your letter—”
“Was a summons, yes,” she interrupted. “You have been chosen, Lukas. The mountain has deemed you worthy of its gift. But every gift has a price.”
“What kind of gift?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Her hand moved, and a ring appeared in her palm. It was silver, etched with symbols that seemed to shift and writhe.
“This ring will grant you sight beyond sight. You will know what others cannot, see what others miss. But it will also bind you to the mountain. You may never speak of what you know, and you must protect the secrets it reveals.”
The Return
When Lukas awoke, he was lying on the soft grass at the foot of the mountain. The sun was rising, its light golden and warm. The ring was on his finger, its weight both reassuring and ominous.
He returned to the village, where the people greeted him with relief and curiosity. He told them only that he had gotten lost and spent the night in the forest. They accepted his story, but Lukas felt their eyes linger on him longer than usual.
Over time, he began to understand the ring’s power. He could sense the weather before it came, predict the movements of his flock, and even see glimpses of events yet to unfold. The villagers marveled at his newfound wisdom, though they never questioned it aloud.
The Strangers
One winter evening, a group of strangers arrived in Hintergrün. They claimed to be scholars, but their questions about the Untersberg were too probing, their interest too intense. Lukas sensed trouble immediately.
“You must leave the mountain alone,” he told them. “It is not meant to be understood.”
They laughed at him. “It’s just a mountain,” one said. “You’re afraid of shadows.”
The group set off the next morning, armed with ropes and lanterns. Days passed, and then the screaming began. It echoed down from the mountain, chilling the villagers to the bone. A search party found only their abandoned gear.
The Final Choice
One night, as Lukas sat alone by the fire, the ring on his finger began to glow. The witch’s voice filled his mind, soft but commanding.
“The time has come, Lukas. You have protected the mountain well, but your task is not yet complete. Will you remain in the village, or will you join me and become a true guardian of the Untersberg?”
Lukas felt the weight of her words. To leave his home, his daughter, his life—it was unthinkable. Yet, deep down, he knew his destiny lay with the mountain.
He climbed the Untersberg one last time, disappearing into its mists.
Epilogue
Lukas was never seen again, but his legacy endured. The village flourished, and the stories of the Witch of the Untersberg grew richer with each telling. Some say Lukas became one with the mountain, a silent protector. Others claim he joined the witch, his soul bound to hers.
Whatever the truth, the Untersberg remains a place of mystery, its secrets guarded by those brave—or foolish—enough to seek them.
