Old legends and tales that are passed on from generation to generation are found in all the valleys of Tyrol.
There are also very special legends in the Wipptal that explain phenomena or local occurrences. They often have a connection to a mountain or a natural spectacle. The majority of them have one thing in common: they are supposed to teach people how to treat each other and nature with respect and also to remind them of the punishment for disrespecting these principles.
We would like to tell you one of these stories.

The mountain spirit from the Tribulaun
A story is told in the area of the Tribulaun about a tight-fisted and greedy mountain king, over whom all the land and all the mountains were once subject. The rocky wilderness of the Tribulaun was not yet looming in the same ragged form as today, but instead there were fertile Alpine pastures and green mountain meadows, and forests stretching out in place of the rocks. Yet the mountain king was so tight-fisted and greedy that he mistreated the poor peasants and miners and exploited them to the point of bloodshed.
And then once upon a time, a little peasant ran away from the mountain king in fear and climbed higher and higher into the mountains to escape the cruel persecutor. But suddenly the old mountain giant, who was keeping watch on the Tribulaun, appeared and reprimanded the mean-spirited mountain king, urging him to discard and give up his golden robes.
But the mountain king turned away and wanted to flee from the giant again, and continued to chase the peasant. It was then that the giant struck the summit of the Tribulaun with his fist causing it to split in two, which is still double-peaked today. The peasant took refuge in this hole, while the greedy king wanted to flee, but the ancient giant had turned him into a rocky spike that can still be seen today: the Goldkappl.
And the tight-fisted king still wears his golden robes, perhaps symbolising his wealth and greed. There are divining rods on the Tribulaun, as the legend goes, and those who are fortunate enough will one day find the golden treasure.

From the book “Eine sagenhaft historische Wanderung durch das Gschnitztal” (A legendary historical hike through the Gschnitztal) by Martina Pranger, according to Hermann Holzmann “Wipptaler Heimatsagen” (Wipptal folk tales).