Austrian Mythology

Green Huntsman

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Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative Names: Green Huntsman
Category: Demon

The Myth

The Green Huntsman appears as a huntsman dressed in green. Although he initially looks like an ordinary man, his appearance is unsettling, with a sly and venomous expression resembling that of a snake. He is actually the Devil in disguise.

In the village of St. Johann in the lower Inn Valley of Tyrol, a young woman was devastated after being rejected by her lover. She refused to attend a wedding where her neighbors were gathering for music and dancing, instead remaining at home in grief and despair.

The Devil appeared before her in the form of a green huntsman and invited her to the dance. She accepted without hesitation, glad that she could attend the wedding and no longer watch her unfaithful lover enjoy himself.

At the wedding, the Green Huntsman danced extraordinarily well and with great energy. He sang, danced faster than anyone else, and became the most spirited person at the celebration. Although everyone admired his dancing, they shuddered whenever they looked at him because of his sinister, snake-like appearance. The young woman, however, paid no attention and enjoyed herself throughout the evening.

When they left the wedding, the huntsman asked whether he could serenade her at her home the following night. She happily agreed.

The next evening, exactly as the church clock struck midnight, someone knocked at the girl’s bedroom window. She opened the lattice to welcome the huntsman, but this time he appeared in the Devil’s most hideous form.

He seized the girl and violently dragged her through the narrow iron bars of the window. Pieces of her skin and flesh were left hanging from the bars, while warm blood streamed down the wall. The Devil then carried the screaming girl away through the air.

The bloodstains were said to remain on the wall and could never be washed or rubbed away. According to the legend, they could still be seen by anyone passing through the village of St. Johann.

Sources

Günther, Amalia von. Tales and Legends of the Tyrol. London: Chapman and Hall, 1874.

Seven Roe Deer

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Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative Names: Die sieben Rehe
Category: Deer

The Myth

The Seven Roe Deer are seven white roe deer that appear in an old tale from the Austrian Alps. Six of them are ordinary in appearance, while the seventh is slightly larger and wears a golden ring around its neck.

Once there was a count who possessed many forests and a large household of servants. He was very devout and had already won many victories. During times of peace, his greatest pleasure was hunting wild animals, often riding far into the forest with his retinue.

One day, while hunting near the end of May, the count saw a white roe deer running across a meadow in the distance. He immediately rode after it on horseback and pursued it deep into the forest. None of his servants followed him, as he was riding too quickly and soon disappeared from their sight.

The count eventually realized that he had become deeply lost in the forest. Although he repeatedly sounded his hunting horn, which could be heard from far away, nobody came. Nevertheless, he continued following the roe deer.

The animal eventually led him to a large and beautiful meadow. To his astonishment, six other white roe deer were there. One of them was somewhat larger than the others and wore a golden ring around its neck. The count tried several times to shoot it, but every shot missed.

The seven roe deer continued onward, and the count followed them. They led him alternately through dense forests, across beautiful meadows, and over mountains until they finally arrived before a great castle that appeared to be completely uninhabited. On either side of the gate stood two enormous lions guarding the entrance.

When the roe deer reached the gate, it opened. The deer and the count passed through, after which the gate closed by itself. The count found himself inside a large square courtyard with no other exit. He had been trapped within the castle walls.

He explored the upper floors and discovered rooms and halls decorated with extraordinary wealth. The walls were golden, the beds were golden, and golden tables stood throughout the chambers. In a smaller room he found a mirror hanging in a broad golden frame, with a parchment hidden behind it.

The count took out the parchment and read its message:

“Whoever frees the imprisoned princess shall possess an entire kingdom. But he must overcome a terrible monster that comes every night at twelve o’clock beneath a terrifying rattling of chains and devours everything that is on the golden tables.”

The count was filled with horror when he read this, but he decided to face the monster because he was well armed. He ate some food and prepared himself for the night. He lay down in one of the golden beds, placing his sword and two loaded pistols on a nearby table so that they would be immediately within reach.

He had not been asleep for long when he heard the terrifying rattling of chains coming up the staircase. Soon a black man appeared. He had a single enormous eye in the middle of his forehead, shining so brightly that it illuminated the entire room. His body was covered with hair, and chains were wound around his back.

As soon as the count saw him, he leapt toward the monster and fought him with his sword. After a fierce struggle, he managed to cut off the monster’s head. The monster then asked the count to give the golden necklace from the deer to him. The count refused.

After the battle, the count returned to bed and slept peacefully for the remainder of the night.

The following morning, when he entered the courtyard, he saw the same seven roe deer that had led him to the castle. He approached them and kissed the largest deer. The seven white deer then transformed before him into seven beautifully dressed maidens.

The largest deer, the one that had worn the golden ring around its neck, revealed that she was the princess of the kingdom. She and her companions had been transformed into deer by the terrible monster. She explained that she had already led many people to the castle, but none had been fortunate enough to defeat the monster.

The princess then married the count who had freed her, and the two lived happily together. The tale concludes that, if they have not died, they are still living happily to this day.

Sources

Vernaleken, Theodor. “Die sieben Rehe.” In Kinder- und Hausmärchen in den Alpenländern. Vienna, 1863. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/maerchen/maerchen_oesterreich/allgemein/vernaleken/sieben_rehe.html

Witch as a Roe

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Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative Names: Die Hexe als Reh
Category: Deer

The Myth

A hunter once encountered a roe deer on a forest clearing above the “broat’n Rief’n” near Axams. He immediately raised his weapon to shoot it. But the animal suddenly placed its front feet together pleadingly, while tears streamed from its eyes. The hunter noticed that there was something unusual about the creature and could not bring himself to shoot it.

Several months later, the hunter visited the market in Imst and stopped at an inn. To his great surprise, the waitress served him a rich meal and assured him that she herself would pay for everything.

As he prepared to leave, he thanked the waitress and asked whether she knew him. Since the hunter believed that he had never met her before, he was astonished when she told him that she had once been a roe deer in the forest near Axams and that he had been about to shoot her.

She explained that when he had raised his weapon, she had pleaded with him in the form of the deer. Had he shot her then, she said, it would have meant the loss of her soul. From that moment onward, however, she had changed her ways, improved herself, and renounced the Devil.

Sources

Dörler, Adolf Ferdinand, ed. “Die Hexe als Reh.” In Sagen aus Innsbruck’s Umgebung, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des Zillerthales. Innsbruck, 1895, no. 106. Reproduced by SAGEN.at.
https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/tirol/doerler/hexe_reh.html

Schwarze Kuh

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Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: The Black Cow
Category: Cow

The Myth

One evening, a shepherd from Montavon arrived late at the Latonz Alp to retrieve a black cow that had been left behind when the herd descended from the mountain. He put the cow in the stable and spent the night sleeping on a bunk in the alpine hut.

Around midnight, the alpine spirits, known as Bütze, entered the hut. They began cooking, boiling, and roasting in the room with an incredible din. The shepherd awoke and stared at them in confusion.

Suddenly, one of the spirits called to him to come down from his bunk. He was forced to leave his sleeping place and join them.

Then he noticed something horrifying. His black cow, standing outside in the stable, appeared to have an enormous hole in its body. The shepherd thought that the spirits had cut the flesh out of his cow and feared that they would have eaten the entire animal before dawn.

After their meal, the Bütze began playing music and dancing so violently that the alpine hut seemed almost to come apart. At the first light of dawn, the strange visitors departed.

The shepherd watched them leave and noticed a hide stretched across the doorway of the alpine hut. He believed that it was the hide of his black cow.

But when daylight had fully arrived, the hide had mysteriously disappeared. Outside, the black cow stood in the stable completely unharmed.

The terrifying events of the night had apparently been an illusion—or something supernatural that had left no lasting mark on the cow.

Sources

Vonbun, Franz Josef. “Die schwarze Kuh.” In Die Sagen Vorarlbergs. Mit Beiträgen aus Liechtenstein, no. 183, p. 141. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. Accessed August 29, 2026. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/vorarlberg/montavon/schwarzekuh.html

Stiertratte

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Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: –
Category: Cow

The Myth

In the Glödnitz Valley, near the place known as the “Bauer im Ort,” there is a location called the Stiertratte.

According to the legend, a group of arrogant miners once committed a cruel act against a living bull. They skinned the animal alive and drove it to Weitensfeld for people to see. They then spread the bull’s hide out at the location of the Stiertratte and played dice upon it.

As an eternal disgrace and punishment for their arrogance and cruelty, not a single blade of grass has grown at the place ever since.

The story therefore explains the existence of the barren patch of land known as the Stiertratte as a supernatural punishment for the miners’ mistreatment of the bull.

Sources

Rappold, J. “Die Stiertratte.” In Sagen aus Kärnten. Augsburg and Leipzig, 1887, no. 17, p. 23. Reproduced by SAGEN.at. Accessed August 29, 2026. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/kaernten/allgemein/stiertratte.html

Kuhwampen

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Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: Kuhwampen
Category: Cow

The Myth

The Kuhwampen is described in the folklore of Rauris as a misshapen, ghostly creature. One day, while a shoemaker was working in a farmhouse, a Kuhwampen rolled through the doorway.

Annoyed by its intrusion, the shoemaker stabbed at the creature with his awl. The following morning, the farmer’s wife was found with a stab wound in her eye. The shoemaker had not known that she was a Trud—a supernatural being associated with causing harm in dreams—and the wound he inflicted upon the Kuhwampen had manifested upon her.

Sources

“Die Kuhwampen.” SAGEN.at – Traditionelle Sagen aus Österreich, Salzburg, Pinzgau. Accessed August 21, 2026. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/salzburg/pinzgau/kuhwampen.html

Night Raven

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Tradition / Region: German Mythology, Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: Nightraven; Nachtkrapp; Nachtrabe; Nattravn; Nattramn; Nattkorp
Category: Bird

The Myth

The Night Raven is a fearsome supernatural bird said to appear only after dark. Across much of Europe it is described as a giant raven-like creature that haunts forests, crossroads, and lonely places, often serving as a harbinger of death and misfortune. In many traditions, Night Ravens are not ordinary birds at all, but the spirits of the dead transformed into raven form.

In German folklore, the Night Raven leaves its hiding place after sunset to hunt. It is especially feared by children, whom it is said to snatch from the night and carry away to its nest. Some stories claim it tears its victims apart before devouring them, while others say it simply stuffs disobedient children into a sack and disappears into the darkness. Northern German legends also speak of an Iron Bird, whose iron wings beat offenders to death.

Scandinavian traditions often portray Night Ravens as the restless ghosts of suicides, murderers, unbaptized children, or those buried in unconsecrated ground. They fly through the night in the form of ravens or even skeletal birds, filling the darkness with eerie creaks and shrill cries. Some tales warn that gazing into the empty eye sockets of these ghostly birds brings death, while holes in their wings spread sickness and disease.

Though their forms vary from region to region, Night Ravens are almost always seen as omens of suffering, restless spirits, and the dangers that lurk in the darkness. Their cries and shadowy flights served for centuries as warnings to keep travelers from wandering at night and children safely indoors.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Night raven. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_raven

Blutschink

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Tradition / Region: Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: Bluatschink, Bluetschinke, Plutschinke
Category: Bear

The Myth

The Blutschink is a fearsome demonic water spirit from the folklore of Tyrol and South Tyrol. Its name is often interpreted as “Blood Foot,” although some traditions suggest it ultimately derives from an older Slavic water demon. It is known as a dangerous creature that dwells near rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water, where it preys upon unsuspecting humans.

The Blutschink has the upper body of a shaggy, coal-black bear, while its lower body consists of powerful human legs. Its bare legs are stained blood-red and are said to drip constantly with blood, giving the creature its terrifying appearance.

According to tradition, the Blutschink attacks people by first draining the blood from its victims before devouring them. Because of this gruesome habit, it was greatly feared by those living near rivers and streams.

In South Tyrol, the legend expanded beyond waterways. There, the Blutschink was also believed to lurk among bean fields and poppy fields, waiting to seize and eat children who wandered too far from home. As a result, stories of the Blutschink were often told as warnings to keep children away from dangerous places where the monster was thought to hide.

Sources

Wikipedia-Autoren. (o. D.). Blutschink. In Wikipedia. Abgerufen am 29. Juni 2026, von https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blutschink

Orco

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Tradition / Region: Austrian Mythology
Alternative names: Orco
Category: Ghost

The Myth

The Orco is a gigantic and ancient mountain ghost feared throughout the Dolomite Alps, especially in the mountains between Enneberg Abbey and Buchenstein. Said to dwell in deep caves, chasms, and rocky cliffs, the Orco is a malicious supernatural being that never grows old and exists only to spread fear, destruction, and misfortune among humankind.

The Orco is a powerful shapeshifter, appearing in many terrifying forms. It most commonly manifests as a gigantic black dog with blazing eyes, a wild horse whose hooves burn with fire, a raging bull, or even as a massive rolling boulder that chases terrified travelers across the mountains. On the rare occasions it takes human form, it appears as an enormous giant with a cruel expression, either naked beneath a coat of thick bear-like hair or dressed like one of the legendary mountain giants.

Many Tyrolean legends recount encounters with the Orco. One skeptical innkeeper who mocked stories about the creature was confronted by a monstrous black dog that circled his wagon until he finally made the sign of the cross, causing it to vanish instantly. Another tale tells of a fiery horse that attempted to scatter a family’s cattle before disappearing the moment it approached a roadside crucifix.

The Orco often pursued lonely travelers for miles. One young man was chased home by a gigantic black dog whose tongue dripped blue flames and whose breath smelled of burning sulfur. Although he escaped unharmed, the terror and exhaustion permanently damaged his health, leading to his death only months later.

In another legend, two young men returning home at night were stalked first by a wild bull and then by an enormous rolling sphere that crashed over rocks in pursuit of them. They escaped only by throwing themselves at the foot of a large crucifix. Unable to cross the holy ground, the Orco appeared in human form beyond the fence, striking it with such supernatural force that the marks of its blows remained visible for years.

The Orco could also imitate human voices to lure victims. A shepherd boy once answered what he believed were distant woodcutters calling through the forest, only to realize too late that he had mimicked the Orco itself. The monster seized him and carried him across mountains and deep ravines before abandoning him bruised and unconscious many miles away. From that day onward, locals warned never to imitate mysterious voices heard in lonely forests, for doing so could summon the Orco with lightning speed.

Throughout Tyrolean folklore, the Orco embodies the dangers of the wild mountains—an ancient, shape-shifting force of terror that preys upon travelers, but whose power is consistently overcome by Christian symbols such as the sign of the cross and roadside crucifixes.

Sources

von Günther, A. (1874). Tales and legends of the Tyrol. Chapman and Hall.

Alber

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Tradition / Region: Austrian Mythology
Alternate Names: —
Category: Dragon

The Myth

The Alber is a demonic being said to appear as a great fiery dragon descending from the mountain known as the “Devil’s Corner.” It glows with an intense, unnatural light and flies through the mountains toward the valley, bringing with it signs of disaster such as plague, war, and famine.

It is not merely a creature, but a manifestation of destructive forces, associated directly with the devil and appearing during ominous or cursed moments.

In one account, two men climbed a cherry tree near a sacred cross during a pitch-black night. One of them, a dishonest and reckless man, had made a bet to steal cherries, while the other was an honest villager who had been persuaded to join him.

As they were in the tree, the Alber suddenly passed by, lighting the darkness with its fiery glow. The dishonest man was overcome with fear, nearly falling from the tree, while the honest man remained calm and even addressed the creature without fear.

Because of his integrity and lack of wrongdoing, the Alber had no power over him and departed immediately.

The Alber represents a demonic force that is drawn to corruption and wrongdoing, yet powerless against those who remain morally upright and unafraid.

Sources

A Book of Creatures contributors. (2021, May 3). Alber. In A Book of Creatures, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2021/05/03/alber/