Tradition: Swiss Mythology
Alternative Names: Goldentor, Guldin Gate
Category: Nymph
The Myth
Near the Swiss village of Kloten, not far from Zurich, there once stood a mysterious pond known as the Guldin Gate, or Golden Gate. Although its waters were not especially deep, the pond contained strange holes that appeared to have no bottom. Fine sand rose from these depths, shimmering like tiny golden leaves. The waters were regarded with fear, and mothers warned their children, particularly boys, to keep away from them.
One hot day, a young shepherd was tending his sheep beside the pond. Feeling sleepy, he entrusted his flock to his watchful dog and lay down near the water to rest. Before long, the surface began to stir. Golden sand swirled upwards from the depths, bubbles rose, and the water began to swell. To the boy’s astonishment, a beautiful maiden emerged from the pond.
Frightened, the shepherd initially wanted to flee. The maiden, however, smiled and held out a magnificent ring that gleamed in the sunlight. Captivated by its beauty, the boy reached for it, but each time he came close, she withdrew her hand. A moment later, she offered the ring again, tempting him to reach for it once more. Gradually, his desire to possess the treasure overcame his caution. He leaned farther and farther over the water until he lost his balance and fell into the pond.
The maiden caught him in her arms and drew him down into the depths. Ripples spread across the surface before the water became still. A farmer who had heard the boy’s cry hurried to the pond, but the young shepherd had disappeared. The water looked smooth and clear, and there was no sign of him beneath the surface.
Suddenly, the boy shot upwards from one of the mysterious holes. The farmer seized him by his clothing and dragged him onto the bank. Finding him soaked and motionless, he rubbed his body vigorously in an attempt to revive him. Gradually, the shepherd regained consciousness and began to recount his extraordinary experience.
The water maiden had carried him at incredible speed into the unfathomable depths. There he discovered a beautiful landscape and, before him, a magnificent city. Its entrance was marked by a great golden gate. As the gate opened, another beautiful maiden emerged from within. The first maiden, who had been holding the boy, suddenly released him and hurried towards the newcomer. At that very moment, a powerful whirlpool seized the shepherd and hurled him upwards through the water with such tremendous force that he lost consciousness.
After telling his story, the boy gathered his sheep and led them home, lost in thought. In later years, he often returned to the mysterious pond, hoping to encounter the beautiful maiden again. She never appeared to him a second time.
The legend of the water maiden endured alongside the name Guldin Gate, preserving the memory of a mysterious supernatural world beneath the pond. The place north of Zurich Airport is now marked on maps as Goldentor and is described as a swamp. Yet the folklore remembers it as the dwelling place of beautiful maidens and a hidden golden city, where an encounter with an enchanting stranger could draw a person away from the familiar world and into the depths.
Sources
Sagen.at contributors. (n.d.). Das goldene Tor. In Sagen.at, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/allgemein/das_goldene_tor.html