On the “Griefchen,” a plateau-like rise above the Leesbech between Simmern and Greisch, there once stood a chapel and beside it a little hermitage that a pious hermit had hollowed out of the rock for himself. The Devil kept trying to tempt the hermit and appeared to him in the form of a billy goat. But the hermit seized the goat by the beard and gave him a sound beating. After that, the Devil left the hermit in peace.

According to another version, the Devil went so far as to throw the recluse out of his bed. Whenever that happened, the hermit took his bed and went to sleep in the churchyard, where the Devil had to leave him alone. Sometimes, when the hermit was climbing up the hill, three maidens would float before him to tempt him.

One day two farmers came to him and asked him to come down with them to the Leesbech; there was a black cow stuck in the bog, and they couldn’t get her out. The brother went with them. When he reached the cow, he took hold of her by the tail and said, “In God’s name, get up—hop!” And all at once the cow vanished.

The hermit went back up the hill to his cell. When he entered, he found a great fire burning on the hearth—though he had not lit one—and two beautiful maidens were sitting by it. But the brother quickly walked past them into a side room and prayed from a book. When he came out again, everything had disappeared.

Then once the Pope gave the recluse a little bell. Whenever he rang it, all evil spirits had to flee as far as the bell could be heard. From that time on, the brother had peace.