A long time ago, even before villages and borders existed, the Kronberg already stood. The valley at its foot, as well as its summit, were shrouded in clouds and darkness. A cool atmosphere kept much life at bay. But one day something special happened...!
A light figure moves through the gnarled trees on the Kronberg, through the mist and fog. It is Arnica, the little herb fairy. She is as old as the earth, but young at heart, radiant and beautiful. She skips, jumps and dances, constantly on the move. Every day she uses her magic and makes flowers and herbs sprout in all colors wherever she goes. She knows every plant by name: Marigold, gentian, St. John's wort.
The rain, her best friend, helps to make the world around Arnica colorful. But sometimes it is difficult for her to spread the flowers and colors further. No matter how hard she tries, she has never managed to dispel the darkness in the valley.
Have you seen arnica among the flowers? Look closely. Maybe you'll spot her. Or maybe you'll see Jacobi, the prince of heaven.
Far above you, all alone in the rushing wind, he flies on the back of his favorite crow. He lives at the top of the Kronberg. He waves his arms wildly. He has to create gusts of wind and push back the fog. Sometimes he rides an old stag with a mossy crown of antlers.
Arnika and Jacobi have never met.
Arnika had been dancing again. Unnoticed, she was suddenly standing on the mountain. She had never gone this far before, afraid to leave the safety of the trees. Frightened, she wanted to turn back, when she realized with regret that no flowers had ever grown on the slope in front of her. What if she went a little further? Just a few steps to bring flowers to a previously untouched place. She plucked up all her courage and walked uphill at a brisk pace. Arnika took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. She had never felt anything more wonderful. Excited, she climbed higher, turning round and round with her arms outstretched. The further she went, the stronger the wind became. She didn't like it. Should she turn back? At that moment, something fell at her feet...
On this very day, Jacobi had once again swung himself onto his friend, the old stag, and pushed the clouds away with all his might. He knew that if he wasn't vigilant, they would soon roll back again. His eyes wandered over the landscape when he suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Could clouds also roll down into the valley?
He had never thought about leaving the mountain before. But now he felt a strong urge to leave the summit behind him and dispel the heavy haze down in the valley with his wind. He sat his favorite crow on his back and flew joyfully over slopes and rocks, faster and faster. They were already descending when Jacobi was hit by a few raindrops. A torrential downpour followed. The crow, startled by this change in the weather, dropped Jacobi. He rolled down the slope, somersault after somersault, until he finally managed to stop himself. And then...
Jacobi slowly opens his eyes. In front of him is a fairytale girl in a yellow dress.
"Hello!" he says, puzzled, stands up and brushes his hair out of his face.
"Who are you?" Arnika asks, startled. She has never seen anyone around here before.
"I am Jacobi, the prince of the sky. I produce the wind on the mountaintop."
"A prince?" laughs Arnika.
The sky prince's pride begins to waver a little. "I keep the clouds away by creating the wind and ..."
"The wind?" Arnika interjects. "You'd better keep it away. It prevents me from scattering my flowers and herbs."
"Flowers and herbs?" Jacobi asks, confused. "Who are you?"
"I am Arnica, I try to dispel the darkness with flowers."
"Flowers?" Jacobi teases, "that's nothing compared to my strength."
"Then come with me!" Arnika hops down the valley. Jacobi follows her. He watches in amazement as the ground around Arnika's feet turns into a blaze of flowers with every step she takes. And how happiness and lightness spread.
"Not so pointless, is it?" the flower fairy teases him. "It's much easier without that annoying wind."
"My wind! My wind," Jacobi shouts. He suddenly has an idea.
"What about the wind?" asks Arnika.
The prince of heaven smiles. "Dance again!"
Arnica starts to turn.
"Go on, dance, dance!" Jacobi shouts. He raises his arms. Powerful gusts of wind arise in his hands. They swirl around Arnika's hair and blow the fine fairy dust in all directions. And wherever it falls, the colors flourish. The darkness fades. For the first time, a ray of sunlight penetrates the dense clouds and the flowers begin to sparkle like jewels.
Arnika and Jacobi are amazed, their mouths wide open. They have brought the whole area to life.
Jacobi takes Arnika by the hand. Together they run over the hills towards the mountain, higher and higher. They leave the rain behind them, but the wind picks up. For the last steep climb, Jacobi calls the crows, which carry the two of them through the air up to the top of the mountain.
"And now, look here!" Jacobi shouts. With all his strength, he pushes away the cloud hanging over them. The sun shines through only briefly and Arnika sees how the ground is brown and full of cracks and she asks:
"Why are you pushing back the clouds? This ground needs rain!"
"I hate the rain," says Jacobi defiantly. "I can't fly in rainy weather. The mountain needs light, not rain!"
"But how is everything supposed to grow?" asks Arnika. Jacobi shrugs his shoulders. "Get the clouds back. Then I want to show you something," orders his new friend.
The sky prince spins on its own axis and draws circles until the air whips around it. A storm arises. At this very moment, Arnika summons the rain. Rays of sunshine alternate with torrential downpours.
Jacobi is soaked to the skin. He looks at the floor. It has been brown and dusty for as long as he can remember. Now, with the rain, fresh grass is growing. Jacobi breathes in the wet air deeply. For the first time in his life, he is enjoying the rain. And next to him, Arnika stands with her mouth open, impressed for the first time by the power of the wind.
Since then, Arnika, the herb fairy, and Jacobi, the prince of heaven, have been walking hand in hand, uphill and downhill. Sometimes they ride on the crows, sometimes on the stag.
They bring flowers to the valley. At the summit, they spread fresh air.
They have learned that the wind and the rain - things they once disliked - complement each other wonderfully and make their mountain as beautiful as it is today.
When you visit the Kronberg, look and listen carefully. Perhaps you will discover Arnica and Jacobi dancing merrily between mountain and valley in Appenzellerland.
