Tradition / Region: Swiss Mythology
Alternative names: The Little Cat
Category: Cat
The Myth
The Kätzlein appears as an ordinary little cat that can speak with a human voice. It serves as the manifestation or messenger of the Great Death, the invisible force responsible for the plague.
According to the legend, many centuries ago the plague was brought into the mountains of Valais by mysterious Pest People. The Great Death wandered invisibly through the land, killing countless people in villages such as Richelsmatt and Lauinen. Entire families perished overnight, and so many people died that cattle could wander from farm to farm without finding anyone alive.
When the plague reached the village of Ernen, the district governor Michel Tschampen fled deep into the isolated Rappental valley, believing he could escape the invisible destroyer. The plague worsened in Ernen, and during a council meeting the Great Death cried out from the nearby forest that it would not leave Ernen until the little man hiding in Rippbei had come out.
Villagers were immediately sent to bring Michel Tschampen back, but he escaped once more and hid in an abandoned mountain hut at Grindbiel, convinced that no one would ever find him there. Relieved, he settled into his refuge, believing he had finally escaped the plague.
The following morning, as he stood at the window enjoying the peaceful mountain landscape, a little cat appeared outside, meowing pitifully and asking to be let in. Feeling glad to have another living creature nearby, Michel opened the window. The cat leapt onto the windowsill, climbed onto his shoulder, rubbed affectionately against his face, and suddenly spoke the words, Rippbei little man, now it is time.
The cat immediately disappeared through the window without leaving a trace. Michel instantly understood that the Great Death itself had visited him. A deadly chill spread through his body, and he realized he had been infected. Already gravely ill, he struggled back to the village of Ernen. As soon as he entered the village, he died. From that very moment, the plague began to subside, and within a few days the Great Death disappeared from Ernen forever.
Sources
“Das Kätzlein.” SAGEN.at – Schweizer Sagen und Heldengeschichten. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/allgemein/kaetzlein.html