Sennentuntschi

spirit · Switzerland · Germanic

Sennentuntschi, the 'shepherd's doll,' is a figure of Swiss Alpine legend, especially Appenzell. Lonely herders fashion a female doll from straw, rags, and wood during the summer on the alps; it comes to life and turns on its creators, often with gruesome violence. The tale works as a moral warning against lust and the mistreatment of women and is among the best-known Alp legends.

Open in the interactive archive →