On two Swiss legends

The devil’s bridge

Men, women! Children!
Come, come and carefully listen
to this story unfolding
since which many years have gone
When Switzerland was still apart
discontent and lamentations echoed
from mountain and valley
of the Uri people
« Cruel Gotthard blocks our way
the road to splendid Italy »
It was the great vine they wanted
and pay the Holy Father a visit
Alas, the Schöllenen canyon
defied every attempt of bridge-building
Thus, in this hour of need
it was soon decided
to call upon the devil’s force
and carry the heavy risks
Such happened indeed
and the devil agreed
to build the bridge in one night’s time
a bridge strong and fine
As said was done, and before wond’ring eyes
a bridge stood across the river Reuss
But when there was joy, it quickly faded
For the devil awaited his payment
The first one to cross the bridge
his soul must fall into the devil’s grip
But the Uri people, in their wit
let loose a untamed he-goat
The beast charged across the bridge at the devil
thinking he was a mortal rival
In his unending anger, the devil
tore appart the goat, returning to hell
It was so great, he decided
to destroy the bridge he himself had built
He went and took a boulder huge
to smash the bridge
However, when he took a rest
the boulder lying in the grass
an old woman came along the path
when she saw the devil, she made the crucifix
upon herself and the boulder
and when the devil wanted to shoulder
the stone, it wouldn’t move, wouldn’t budge
not even the slightest inch
Thus the devil came to realise
against the Uri people he had no chance
he returned beaten to his kingdom
suffering to this day from this humiliation.


The murder night of Lucerne

Many years ago
a war went to and thro
Austria wanted eagerly
to reign the Swiss country
However, Helvetia was still not united
and ev’ry city did what she wanted
So it came that the city of Lucern
joined the cities oft he Federation
The duke of Austria, to whom the city belonged
was upon this very unpleased
But too vigilant were the citizens
carefully observing the foreigners outside the walls
However, inside the city were people
who were siding with the cause of Austria
In the dark dephts of night they forged a plan
to murder the followers of the Federation
to in this same night murder them in their beds
and to the Austrians should be opened the gates
As they were planning and plotting
through the streets a poor boy came trotting
he had fallen asleep after fishing
now he returned to his mother, to his home
and while walking the dark streets, he suddenly
stumbled upon the secretive assembly
he wanted to run, but they quickly caught him
but seeing him, they let mercy win
upon the promise to not say a word
to no man what he had heard
they did not kill them
but kept him with them
Yet, as the time progressed
in battle fever they forgot
that the boy was there, and he took the chance
he krept away into the darkness
He searched for light in any guild hall
until he came across the butcher’s guild
To his joy, the windows were lit
meaning there were men in it
Unnoticed he crept behind the tilted stove
and suddenly cried: „Oh stove! Oh stove!“
The butchers came to notice him
asking the boy, what was wrong
So the boy told his story, but not to the men
he talked to the stove, for he had given
the promise to talk to no man
about what he had heard of the plan
And thus the Roland horns blew loud and strong
waking evr’y person in town
The conspirators were caught, each and ev’ry one
and they were forgiven
But let’s not forget that boy
who with wits saved the city.