Tradition: Liechtenstein Mythology
Alternative Names: The Two Redheads
Category: Ghost
The Myth
The Red Ghosts appear at night on Kulm Mountain near Steg. One is a red-haired man, accompanied by a fiery red billy goat. The man is condemned to travel almost around the world with the animal because he was once a swindler and must now atone for his wrongdoing. Burdened by this supernatural punishment, he asks a farmer who encounters him to kill the goat and free him from his fate.
The farmer takes out a knife and begins stabbing the billy goat, but he is unable to complete the task and eventually gives up. At first, the ghost is pleased by the farmer’s attempt, but when the effort fails, his expression becomes deeply sorrowful. His punishment remains unbroken, and he must continue his endless journey with the animal.
Suddenly, the two red-haired figures race down the mountain into the valley like devils, accompanied by thunderous sounds resembling a violent storm. Their terrifying departure leaves the impression of damned spirits rushing through the night, still bound to a punishment they cannot escape.
Sources
“Die Geister.” SAGEN.at – Liechtensteiner Sagen, collected by Otto Seger. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/liechtenstein/seger/geister.html