The Legend of the Edelweiss

The Edelweiss is one of the symbols of Switzerland, and also of other alpine countries such as Austria. It is a rare flower that grows at high altitudes. The Edelweiss has therefore given rise to many legends. This is one of my favourites:

In the country of eternal snows, lived a white lady: the Queen of Snows. She was surrounded by many small wights, who were in charge of her protection. Armed with spears of crystal, they protected their queen from the intrusion of stranger folk and those who might do her harm.

When a hunter or an imprudent mountaineer approached the beautiful lady, she was often pleased by the visit, and she would encourage him with her smiles and her eyes to join her. Fascinated by the gentle eyes of the beautiful lady, the mountaineer forgets the danger and continues to climb…and he climbs higher and higher with the hope of seeing more closely this beautiful face.

Confronted by this apparent danger, the wights take to their spears and push back the suitor until he falls into a precipice.

The white lady at the sight of that horrible spectacle began to cry; the tears then ran along the glacier and flowed to the pastures, and when arriving near the rocks, they changed into Edelweiss.