Tradition: Swiss Mythology
Alternative Names: The Battle of Egelsee
Category: Ghost
The Myth
The lord of Wildenburg Castle was a quarrelsome knight who once became embroiled in a fierce dispute with the neighboring Baron of Wädenswil. Seeking to confront his rival, the knight led his men into the Winzwilerholz forest, where they established a camp. However, the cunning baron had discovered their position and maneuvered around them, bypassing the Wildenburg forces and threatening their castle. Realizing that they had been outwitted, the knight and his men hurried home to defend their stronghold.
Their retreat led to a vicious battle beside a stream near Egelsee. The Wildenburg warriors were fiercely attacked, and many were thrown into the nearby lake. So much blood flowed into the stream that its waters turned red, earning it the name of the Red Stream. The battle ended in terrible slaughter, leaving many of the Wildenburg knight’s men dead in the surrounding wilderness.
Afterward, the area around Egelsee became haunted by strange and frightening sounds heard during the night. Ghostly warriors mounted on wild horses were seen riding through the air, accompanied by the dreadful noise of cowbells. These spectral riders were believed to be the fallen men of Wildenburg, returning as restless spirits to reenact their violent fate. Their phantom battle preserved the memory of the bloody conflict, haunting the lake and its surroundings long after the warriors had perished.
Sources
“Die Geisterschlacht.” SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus der Schweiz (Zug). Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/zug/geisterschlacht.html