• Tit for Tat

Tit for Tat

There was once a countrywoman who lived in a lonely farm of the Passeierthal, standing over her stove and preparing a pancake for her husband's dinner. As he was a great eater she used a large number of eggs – three dozen and more – in his pancake. As fast as she broke the eggs into the pan, she threw the shells behind her.

Three Norgs came by as she was occupied with this, and they amused themselves with playing with them and arranging them into all kinds of patterns. The housewife was a grumpy sort of woman, and instead of finding pleasure in the glee of the little people, she grew cross with them and scattered the dirty black ashes among the egg-shells they had arranged so prettily.

Offended at this ill-natured treatment, the Norgs left her, but first laid the thread of the good wife's spinning-bobbin as a snare across the floor. Then they waited outside the window to see what happened.

Soon the husband called to know if the pancake was ready. The wife came running to satisfy him. With both hands she held the dish with the huge pancake on it, but then her feet were caught in the thread. She fell flat on the ground with her face in the dish while the three Norgs laughed.

The Village Church

In popular tradition it is said that the ancient church of the village of St. Peter near the Castle of Tirol was built by Norgs. It was not without difficulties, though, for while they were at work, a giant who lived in the Tirol Castle used to come every night and destroy what they had done in the day.

At last the Norgs agreed to gather, all on the same day, and build the whole church in one day, for when the church was finished, the giant had no more power over it.

If the bells sound all the time, no one listens to them any more. (Proverb from Tyrol)