Swiss folklore

folk hero of Switzerland

Yodeling (also jodeling or yodelling) is a form of singing which involves repeated and rapid changes of pitch between the low-pitch chest register (or "chest voice") and the high-pitch head register or falsetto. The English word yodel is derived from the German word jodeln, meaning "to utter the syllable jo" (pronounced "yo"). This vocal technique is used in many cultures worldwide. Recent scientific research concerning yodeling and non-Western cultures suggests that music and speech may have evolved from a common prosodic precursor.

upright=1.2|thumbnail|Peruchty in , Kingdom of Bohemia, 1910 ' or ' ('Bertha'; ), also commonly known as '''''' () and other variations, was thought to be a goddess in Alpine paganism in the Upper German and also Austrian and Slovenian regions of the Alps. Her name may mean 'the bright one' or 'the bearer' (, from Proto-Germanic *berhtaz) and is probably related to the name , meaning 'the feast of the Epiphany'. Eugen Mogk provides an alternative etymology, attributing the origin of the name to the Old High German verb , meaning 'hidden' or 'covered'. The exact origin or time of origin is unkn

thumb|Bergstutz or Stollwurm In the folklore of the Alpine region of south-central Europe, the (), , or is a lizard-like creature, essentially a sort of dragon (see Germanic dragon), often described as having the face of a cat, with a serpent-like body which may be slender or stubby, with four short legs or two forelegs and no hindlegs, the latter a trait shared with many lindworms. Stories of essentially the same creature also exist in the folklore of South Sweden.

thumb|A Brown Swiss cow grazing with a cowbell thumb|Bells on a herd of cows grazing on Monte Baldo, Italy thumbnail|Goat with cowbell thumb|Various types of cowbells from Karnataka, India thumb|Various types of cowbells from the Swiss Alps thumb|250px|right|The cowbells are different depending on the species, sex and age of animals. These are used in the Pyrenees area.

mythical figure common in western European legend

thumb|A depiction of the mythical dahu The dahu () is a legendary creature that resembles a mountain goat and is well known in France and francophone regions of Switzerland and Italy, including the Aosta Valley. The dahu, a quadrupedal mammal, may have been inspired by the chamois, a small, horned goat-antelope once plentiful in European mountainous regions, and also resembles the ibex.

thumb|A Kasperle puppet

legendary Swiss hero

thumb|300px|Chalandamarz 2017 in Guarda, Switzerland|Guarda Chalandamarz is a traditional spring festival in Romansh-speaking and Italian-speaking parts of the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It is celebrated on, and named for, the First of March (Calendae Martis) and marks the end of winter.

Swiss Alpine song

thumb|Silvesterklaus in Schwellbrunn. thumb|right|Silvesterkläuse in the Old Sylvester, 13 January 2010.

Berchtoldstag (also Bechtelistag, Bächtelistag, Berchtelistag, Bärzelistag, in Liechtenstein Bechtelstag, Bechtle) is an Alemannic holiday, known in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is near New Year's Day, during the Rauhnächte, in Switzerland nearly always on 2 January (in Frauenfeld on the third Monday in January), with the status of a public holiday in a number of cantons (AG, BE, FR, GL, JU, LU, NE, OW, SH, SO, TG, VD, ZG, ZH). Its observation is attested since the 14th century, although celebrations were limited after the Protestant Reformation.

Carnival folkways of southwestern Germany, north-central Switzerland, Alsace (France) and Vorarlberg (Austria)

Primitive rituals based on folklore, pre-christian Alpine traditions

thumb|Morgenstreich celebrated at Basler Fasnacht (1843) thumb|Carnival in Luzern thumb|Eis-zwei-Geissebei in [[Rapperswil]] Guggenmusik (also known as "Guggemoseg", "Guuggemusig" or "Chatzemusig") is a term widely used in the Alemannic region of Switzerland, Austria and southern Germany to designate both a Carnival marching band and the type of music it plays.

Türst () is a legendary folkloric figure from the agricultural communities of Lucerne, dating to the pre-Christian era. He is described as a "dreadful huntsman", of whom people should be wary in stormy weather. Türst blows his hunting horn through villages in the tempestuous months preceding Epiphany, accompanied by a baying pack of three-legged hunting dogs. Specific beliefs about him vary from region to region.

thumb|People carrying a "Chienbäse"

thumb|Klausjagen 2011 The Klausjagen ("Nicholas chase") festival takes place in the Swiss town of Küssnacht on the eve of Saint Nicholas Day. The festival, attended each year by about 20,000 people, consists of a parade of around 1,500 participants, and lasts far into the night.

an islet situated at the eastern end of Lake Geneva

thumb|Steinstossen (1981 Unspunnenfest) Steinstossen (translated to 'stone throwing' in English) is the Swiss variant of stone put, of throwing a heavy stone overhead using both arms for the longest distance. Practiced among the alpine population since prehistoric times, it is recorded to have taken place in Basel in the 13th century. During the 15th century, it is frequently recorded to have been practiced alongside the Schützenfeste of the Old Swiss Confederacy.