King Laurin's Rose Garden
In ancient times, the dwarf king Laurin reigned in the mountains known today as Rosengarten. His greatest pride was his garden with magnificent flowering roses. One day, king Laurin fell in love with the beautiful princess Similde. Using his witchcraft, he abducted her and brought her to his reign. Simildes brother called for the help of Gothic king Dietrich to liberate Similde. Dietrich led his army to Laurin’s kingdom and finally subdued the dwarf king. Laurin was incarcerated but he escaped and returned to his rose garden. When he saw the flowering roses, a terrible rage seized him, and he spoke: „The roses betrayed me. If it weren’t for their glow, Dietrich would never have found my kingkom.“ So he put a spell upon the garden: „My garden shall turn into stone. Neither at daytime nor at night shall the roses ever flower again.“ However, he forgot the dawn and the twilight, so the glow of the roses can still be seen at daybreak and at nightfall.