With song and banners waving, these processions wind their way along, stopping at intervals when before a shrine. The background is formed by ruined castles, woods, and vineyards; the songs resound among the hills as in the old days of Germany, when churches there were none, and God was worshipped under the holy vault of heaven; where the visible beauties of his works preached the religion of Nature to those who bad not yet heard Christ’s Gospel. Sorrow it is, and shame, that so much mummery should now be mixed with that which was so clear and simple when proceeding from His lips.
A legend of Cobern, relating to the old possessors of the castle, which still stands, is called
THE CHARACTERISTIC MARK OF COBERN.
The battle was won, the enemy defeated and flying, when the Commander of the army collected his forces and caused proclamation to be made that the young warrior of Cobern, who had saved his life at the risk of his own, should stand forth. For a long time no one came forward, the modest soldier not wishing to make too great a service of what he had done.
At length a young man advanced and said he was the man, whereon all hastened to praise him, and the Commander offered his thanks and bade him kneel down to be knighted. Then out stepped the true man of Cobern, and addressed the young man thus: “Of Cobern thou sayest thou art, O Goliath! then tell to this gallant assembly, what is the sacred and characteristic mark of that place?”
The impostor not being of Cobern, was unable to answer the question; he stuttered and turned pale, whereon the Commander ordered him to be placed in fetters.
Then the true Coberner said, the secret mark, only known to our townspeople, is this: “Beneath the high altar in the Church of Cobern is a spring; this spring bubbles and murmurs while the priest prays.”
The brave man, whose modesty was highly extolled, was knighted in place of the young man who had tried to assume a credit not due to him; and the Knight so made was the first lord of the Castle of Cobern, and for centuries his family flourished there.
Among his descendants were three sisters, so renowned for their beauty that they were called “The beautiful Trefoil of Cobern.”