Tradition: Swiss Mythology
Alternative Names: Martin’s Tschägg
Category: Ghost
The Myth
In the meadows of Gescheneralp, a cow named Tschägg, belonging to a man named Martin, died through the fault of its cowherd. The cowherd himself eventually died, but even after death, his spirit could find no peace. At certain times, especially on the evenings before major religious holidays, his ghost appeared high upon a rock overlooking the meadows. Crouching on the ground as though gathering berries, he would repeatedly call down the same words: “Martin’s Tschägg is dead.”
The ghost continued this strange ritual until Martin himself happened to pass through the area. Seeing the mysterious figure gathering berries on the rock, Martin heard him repeat the familiar words about his dead cow. Instead of expressing anger or blaming the deceased cowherd, Martin simply called back, “Yes, I know; it’s a real gift.”
With those words, the ghost was finally released from his restless existence. From that moment onward, he was never seen again. Martin’s forgiving response had redeemed the dead cowherd, allowing his spirit to find peace at last.
Sources
“Die Vergebung.” SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus der Schweiz (Uri). Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/uri/dievergebung.html