The sleeping witch

It must have been a thousand years ago when a witch lived in the lonely mountains of the Lattengebirge, with lizards and jackdaws as her companions. She was a devilishly evil witch.

Young men and women came to her for love potions, for her knowledge of the magical powers of wild herbs was great. But the people of the Berchtesgaden valleys feared her because of her hideous appearance and diabolical behavior. The witch hated Christians and sent rocks crashing down onto the pilgrims crossing Hallthurm Pass on their way to the grave of Saint Zeno.

One day, when the holy man Martinus crossed the pass, she tried to strike him with a massive boulder as well. But Martinus held up a cross against her. The mountains trembled, thunder echoed through the valleys, and the witch was turned to stone.

Even today, people looking toward Hallthurm can clearly make out the evil witch lying across the mountain ridge—with her long hair falling into the valley, her high forehead, her long crooked nose, and her pointed chin. Few people fear the witch anymore. Today, the mountain known as Schlafende Hexe—or Sleeping Witch—has become a beloved landmark and a popular destination for hikers.