A stone tower sits on the Rhine River in Germany. First built by Romans in antiquity, it has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. They call it Mäuseturm, or the Mouse Tower. The story behind that name holds that there was a dire famine in the area in the year 970, during which many people starved to death. But the archbishop of Mainz, Hatto II, ignored their distress and continued to enrich himself at the people’s expense.
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Hatto II had his barn full, but he did not spare a single grain for the starving poor, instead tried to sell them at such inflated prices that most could not afford it. The peasants became angry and were planning to rebel, so Hatto II devised a cruel trick. He promised to feed the hungry people and told them to assemble at an empty barn and wait for him to come with food. The peasants were overjoyed and made their way to the barn to await his coming. Once the barn was full, Hatto II ordered the barn’s doors shut and locked, and then set the barn on fire.
When Hatto II returned to his castle, he was immediately besieged by an army of mice. To escape the rodents, the bishop fled his castle and sought refuge in the tower that stands on an island on the Rhine, hoping that the mice could not swim. But the mice followed him, pouring into the river by the thousands, and while many drowned even more reached the island. The swarm ate through the tower’s doors and crawled up to the top floor, where they found Hatto II and ate him alive.
That’s the legend, and there’s no evidence that it’s true. However, like most legends, there are pieces of history, language, and culture that came together over time to create the tale. Read what’s behind the legend of the Mouse Tower at Amusing Planet. -via Strange Company
(Image credit: Marion Halft)
Source: neatorama