The quiet and peaceful valley of Hammerstein is one of the most
beautiful in all Rhineland, yet, like many another lovely stretch of
country, this valley harbours some gruesome tales, and among such
there is one, its scene the village of Rosebach, which is of particular
interest, as it is typical of the Middle Ages, and casts a light on
the manner of life and thought common in those days. For many centuries
there stood at this village of Rosebach a monastery, which no longer
exists, and it was probably one of its early abbots who first wrote down
the legend, for it is concerned primarily with the strange events which
led to the founding and endowment of this religious house, and its whole
tenor suggests the pen of a medieval cleric.

In a remote and shadowy time there lived at Schloss Rosebach a certain
Otto, Count of Reuss-Marlinberg of Hammerstein; and this Count's evil
deeds had made him notorious far and near, while equally ill-famed was
his favourite henchman, Riguenbach by name, a man who had borne arms in
the Crusades and had long since renounced all belief in religion. This
ruffian was constantly in attendance on his master, Otto; and one day,
when the pair were riding along the high-road together, they chanced
to espy a bewitching maiden who was making her way from a neighbouring
village to the convent of Walsdorf, being minded to enter the novitiate
there and eventually take the veil. The Count doffed his hat to the
prospective nun, less because he wished to be courteous than because it
was his habit to salute every wayfarer he encountered on his domain; and
Riguenbach, much amused by Otto's civility to one of low degree, burst
into a loud laugh of derision and called after the maiden, telling her
to come back. She obeyed his behest, and thereupon the two horsemen
drew rein and asked the damsel whither she was bound. "To Walsdorf," she
replied; and though Otto himself would have let her go forward as
she pleased, the crafty Riguenbach was not so minded. "There are many
dangers in the way," he said to the girl; "if you push on now that
evening is drawing near you may fall a prey to robbers or wolves, so
you had better come to the castle with us, spend the night there, and
continue your journey on the morrow." Pleased by the apparently friendly
offer, and never dreaming of the fate in store for her, the girl
willingly accepted the invitation. That night the people around Schloss
Rosebach heard piercing screams a