Say about the devil's table

The legend of the Teufelstisch concerns the Teufelstisch near Hinterweidenthal , a striking rock formation in the Palatinate Forest ( Rhineland-Palatinate ).

Geological background

The devil's table is a mushroom rock made of red sandstone , reminiscent of a one-legged table. The softer surface components surrounding it were removed by erosion , while the hard rock core remained. Especially in the Dahner Felsenland , as the region is called, which begins there towards the south, such strikingly shaped rocks are quite common.

The legend of the devil's table

The local legend of the origins of the Palatinate dialect and homeland poet Johann Martin Jäger alias "Fritz Claus" (1853-1923) told in a poem:

In the Kaltenbacher valley there is a table made of rocks. There sat the devil at the meal. Hear how the legend goes:   Once upon a time, in that forest, through the darkness of the night, a sinister fellow walked quickly up the mountain dump . An uncanny, wild haste   blazes in his eyes . Now he wants to refresh himself, He is looking for a good rest.   For free! No stone to sit on, no table for dinner. His eyes flash with anger across mountains and valleys.   There - as if with lightning speed. Now grabs two rocks freshly. The grim journeyman And sets them up as a table.   After he ate it, he went away through the night. The table where he sat, he just left it there.

That was a fearful look In the morning down in the valley! Everyone spoke with horror: “The devil had supper there!”   Only one full of doubts The others laughed brightly: “I'm going,” he says, “to the devil for dinner there tonight!”   He was warned in the group, he laughed and goes. The twelfth hour sounds loud from the tower - There! - What a wind! A storm?   And now? - What happened? What a dreadful death scream! Horrified the eavesdroppers stand: “It's over with that one over there!”   The boldest one never stayed in front of the village any longer; He marked the cross and hurried Leis away, shuddering, home.