Dönges-Sea -picture from Wiki There is a village named Dönges in Hessen. There lies the lake Dönges or Haut lake, which turns blood red on a certain day of the year. But why? Once the villagers were celebrating a funfair for several days. Two strangers - exquisitely beautiful but unknown virgins danced with the peasant boys and made fun with them. The funfair continued day and night, but the girls suddenly disappeared at twelve o'clock at night. However, everyone was pleased to see them back the next day. One of the village boys liked them so much that he thought it would be excellent if they always stayed in the village. One of them took off her gloves during the dance and hide it. The girls, unaware of village boy’s intension, danced with them again till night. As midnight approached, they wanted to leave. Now the girl without gloves went on looking for her gloves in all corners. Not finding them anywhere, she became anxious. But when it struck twelve during the search, both the girls began running in some unknown panic, went straight to the lake and plunged into it. The next day the lake was blood red. The boys saw  small crowns appearing on the gloves they had hidden. The lake still goes red the same day every year. We have another story regarding the same phenomenon. They say that one night two riders came to a nanny's home, woke her up and ordered her to go with them. She refused, but her refusal angered them. They used violence, tied her on horseback and dragged her away to the Donges Lake. There she was supposed to assist the fairy queen of Nöthen. Under the lake, the nanny saw many wonderful objects, unimaginable treasures and expensive materials, but had to swear never to tell anyone about those. After she had worked there all day, she was given abundant gifts. From then onward, she was being brought there every night. After many years, she fell ill. But death denied accepting her until she confessed everything before the priest. Afterwards the lake goes red once a year in memoriam of the nanny. #folkrale #germany #german #sagen #grimms #hessen #dönges #lakedönges #netherworld #fairy https://www.instagram.com/p/CdUgUhmr5iH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The picture of the Cathedral taken in early 20th century: Wikimedia In the original plan of Cologne Cathedral, a water channel was supposed to be built there. The Master Architect missed the design of the channel but said, "The large cathedral should be completed sooner than the minor hydraulic engineering!" He said this because he knew where the water spring could be reached and a channel could be built. He did not reveal his discovery to anyone but his wife. She had to promise that she would protect the secret even at the risk of her life. The construction of the cathedral started and went well, but the water channel that would be the only source of water could not be dug up. The other architect searched in vain for the source of water. His wife saw him grieve about it, and she promised him help. She went to the Master Architect's wife and finally tricked her to reveal the location of secret source of water. She understood that the spring was just under the tower of the cathedral; it's mouth covered with a large stone slab. As her husband found the much needed help, following day he went to the stone slab, drilled it and immediately the water came out. Now the Master Architect’s plan of the water pipe came to a standstill. When the Master Architect saw that his secret was betrayed and he would be put to shame in public for his proud promise, he angrily cursed the building that it should never be completed, and then died of depression. After his death, whenever other architects tried to complete the construction of the building, however strongly they tried to put the bricks together, those would fall into pieces next morning. From then onward, not a single stone was added to the famous Dome of Cologne. There is another version of the story about the never finished structure. Let's read that tomorrow! #folkrale #belief #cologne #colognegermany #german #germany #colognecathedral🇩🇪 #sagen #grimms #architecture #medieval https://www.instagram.com/p/CdKJCQivdD4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Mouse Tower in Bingen from Wikimedia In Bingen, we see a tall tower rising out of in the middle of Rhine. But why in the river? The year 974 was year of inflation in Germany. People were dying in hunger. Many began eating cats and dogs and that drove many to death. But the Bishop of Mainz, Hatto der Andere was a miser; only concerned with increasing own treasure. He too watched the poor people fall down in the lanes and the hungry running to the bread banks forming a large crowd fighting with each other. He had no mercy; planned something else instead. He announced, “Let all poor and needy gather in a barn in front of the city, I will feed them.” The hungry crowd thronged the barn. All entered the barn till there was no space left. When the barn was full of people, he ordered to close its door, set it in fire and burn the poor together. As people whimpered and whined in the flames, Bishop Hatto cried, “Listen! Listen how the mice whistle here!” God planned a proper punishment for him. He sent a platoon of mice to eat the Bishop day and night. The Bishop could not save himself from their bite even with all his might. No city council could be of help. At last when he knew no other city council to approach, he had a tower built near Bingen in the middle of the Rhine, and thought he would be saved by living there a while. He went there leaving the city, but numerous mice swam through the stream, approached the tower and ate the bishop alive. #folkrale #bingen #mousetower #cruelty #religion #legend #germany🇩🇪 #kindness #christianity #greed #God #punishment https://www.instagram.com/p/CcriVyXLQPT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Natural entrance to a dolomite mine in #Harz. Two miners always worked together. One day, as they reached their work location in the shaft, they noticed that they had very little oil to fuel the lamps. "What are we going to do?”- They said to each other, “if we run out of oil, we will have to work in the dangerous dark shaft. But if we go out now to get from oil from the miner’s cottage, he will punish us really harsh." The worried men saw a light in the distance coming towards them. First they were hopeful, but then terrified seeing an enormous, gigantic and tall man walking up the route bending in the shaft. He had a large cap on his head but otherwise dressed like a monk. He was carrying a powerful pit light in hand. Recognizing the scary Mountain Monk, the labourers were unable to move in fear. He stood straight up and said: “Do not be afraid. I will harm you, rather do good to you. You are good men.” He poured oil from his lamp to their's. Then grasping their shovels he worked for them for one hour more than they would have worked. He worked for a whole week to get them reward for all their hard work. After one week he said: “Never tell anyone that you saw me.” He hit the left side of the shaft with his fist. The wall broke apart. The miners saw a long tunnel like crack, shimmering with gold and silver. The glowing shine blinded their eyes; they turned away. By the time they looked again, everything was gone. If they had thrown their hoe with a hatchet or shovel at the tunnel, the route would remain open to discover a lot of wealth. Also they could receive great reward for that. As they averted looking at that by closing their eye, their opportunity of gaining that immense wealth was gone. However the oil gifted by the friendly spirit never finished in their lamp. The lamps did not diminish and were therefore great advantage for them. On a Saturday after years, while brawling with lose friends in a tavern, they made fun of the Mountain Monk and revealed the whole story. Monday morning when they started for work, there was no oil in the lamps. From then onward, they had to fill the lamps again every day like other miners. #folkrale #mountainspirit #germany https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccmd1FnLbhh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=