The Schlern Witches
It is said that the local mountain the Schlern was once a beautiful garden covered in flowers and herbs. The plants were tended by some ladies called the Salige. Salig means wild, untamed, translucent, mystical - the Salige are also known as friendly and helpful women who protect animals.
The Dwarf King Laurin, who lived on the neighbouring alp was envious of the Schlern garden as he only had alpenroses on his mountain. One time one of the Salige laughed at King Laurin and the latter was so enraged that he cursed the Schlern and turned the beautiful Salige into witches. The Schlern became a wild mountain and the Salige turned into blue flowers which grow grey shaggy hairs after they've blossomed. These plants are also known as the Schlern Witches.
There was a powerful but kind, bearded giant living on the mount - his name was 'Wind of the Schlern'. One Autumn he began to huff and puff and blew the witch-plants' heads right off. The plant heads blew down to a neighbouring church yard, where they grew into strange new flowers. The curse of the Dwarf King was lifted as the flowers were now growing in a holy place and so the plants were turned back into the Salige. The Salige still re-appear in the form of exceptionally beautiful local girls born once every blue moon.
Here one can see how an age-old tale has been adjusted to suit the needs of the Catholic population. It is however still said that witches live around the Schlern and that they dance on the mountain after dark and fly around on their broomsticks through the fog and cause all sorts of mischief.
