Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative Names: Pfellar-Pfifar, Pillar Piper
Category: Forest dweller
The Myth
D’r Pfellar-Pfifar is a mysterious forest spirit associated with the Pillar forest in Vorarlberg, Austria. The woodland stretches along the road connecting Haselstauden and Schwarzach, where the spirit’s eerie calls have frightened travellers making their way home late at night. Its appearance remains unknown, and it is remembered primarily through the strange cries that echo through the trees. Those who hear its call may feel an overwhelming sense of dread, as though something unseen is pursuing them through the darkness.
The Pillar Piper is especially dangerous to those who travel while drunk or utter blasphemous curses. When such a person passes through the forest, the spirit pursues them with its frightening cry, filling them with wild terror. Travellers who hear the call are advised to continue quietly on their way and recite the Lord’s Prayer. By remaining calm and turning to prayer, they may avoid provoking the mysterious being and escape the forest unharmed.
No one knows who the Pfellar-Pfifar truly is or why it calls out from the woodland. Its unseen presence and terrifying cries have made it a feared figure of the forest, warning late-night travellers against drunkenness, blasphemy, and careless behavior in the darkness.
Sources
“Pfifar.” SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus Österreich (Vorarlberg, Dornbirn). Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/vorarlberg/dornbirn/pfifar.htm