In the Melchtal in Obwalden, people tell tales of Hans Rotzer, the Strong. When he was young, things were very different. Everyone else was stronger than him, and he wasn’t even allowed to take part in Swiss Wrestling. It is said that once, in his despair, he cried out: “Only the Devil can help me.” Then the Devil came to him and said: ‘I will make you the strongest man far and wide. But when you are old and die, your soul belongs to me.’

Hans agreed and was soon the strongest man in all of Obwalden, and even became wrestling champion.

In those days, salt had to be carried from Sarnen to Melchtal. It was hard work. But Hans would hoist two barrels onto his back at once and laugh as he did so. When great marble blocks were to be brought from Melchtal to Sachseln to build the pillars of the parish church, every community had to send its strongest men. Hans Rotzer, however, carried the blocks all by himself through the Melchaatobel. When one of the blocks began to slip, he simply braced his foot against it and thus saved the precious stone. Once, the workers made a bet to see who would reach Sachseln first. Hans broke out in a sweat carrying all those marble blocks on his back, yet he arrived first. His footprint can still be seen today on the Kuhmatt.

Hans used his strength to play many pranks. Once, in winter, he hoisted the priests’s horse onto his shoulders and set it down again at his own home. The priest searched desperately for the horse but found no hoofprints. Laughing, Hans brought the horse back to him and demanded a hearty meal in return. Because of his superhuman strength, Hans was always hungry. He cooked his meal in a cheese vat and ate so much that he had to loosen his large belt by ten notches straight after eating.

Thanks to his strength, Hans became a rich man. Not everyone was pleased about this, especially as Hans grabbed the biggest haystacks for himself during haymaking and took home every prize in the wrestling competitions. When he finally grew old and died, the devil took his soul and Hans haunted the Melchtal and the surrounding Alps. People would then say: ‘Hans Rotzer is about, bad weather is on the way!”

The people felt sorry for the dead man and had ten masses said for him up on the Walsli Alp. Then a sigh was heard, and Hans Rotzer has not been seen since.

Neu erzählt von D. Jaenike, nach mehreren Erzählungen aus: Franz Niederberger Sagen und Gebräuche aus Unterwalden, Sarnen 1924, Übersetzung Lysander Jaenike © Mutabor