Tradition: Swiss Mythology
Alternative Names: The Egelsee Hooter
Category: Ghost
The Myth
The Hüper is a mysterious haunting spirit associated with Lake Egelsee in the Swiss canton of Zug. Its legend dates back to the defeat of the Zurichers at Gubel in 1531, when a young horseman fled wildly from the battlefield. Reaching Lake Egelsee, he attempted to escape into the woods on the opposite shore. In the midst of his desperate flight, he found himself in grave danger and made a solemn vow to God in his heart, promising devotion if he were spared a sudden death.
When the horse finally carried him onto dry ground, the rider abandoned his pious intentions and began laughing and mocking the vow he had made. Suddenly, his horse turned around and leaped back toward the lake. The terrified rider struggled to control the animal, striking it and digging in his spurs while shouting, “Hup, hup!” But nothing could stop the horse. It plunged into the dark waters with its master, and the rider drowned miserably.
For many years afterward, a terrible cry could be heard around midnight near Lake Egelsee: “Hoo, hoo!” The sound was attributed to the restless spirit of the drowned horseman, known as the Egelsee Hooter or Hüper. Its mournful call served as a reminder of the rider’s broken vow and dreadful fate. According to the legend, however, the eerie cries ceased after the French came to the region, and the Hüper was never heard again.
Sources
“Der Hüper.” SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus der Schweiz (Zug). Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/zug/hueper.html