The Legend of the "Goat’s Hoof" in Tihany

Once upon a time, a beautiful royal maiden grazed her precious golden herd of goats on the hills of Tihany. But this maiden was silent—she could not speak a single word. One day, the fairy of Lake Balaton appeared before her—not a graceful being, but an eerie, long-bearded creature—and offered her a deal: if the girl gave him some goat’s milk, he would lift her silence.

She agreed, and in return, her voice was restored—clearer and brighter than silver chimes. But the maiden was proud and vain. She used her voice only to sing for herself, never to praise God or bring joy to others. Suitors came from far and wide, but she rejected them all. One of them, the son of the Fairy King of Balaton, even died from a broken heart.

In a fit of rage, the fairy called upon the mountain to curse the girl. For three days, fire burst from the hilltop. In fear, the golden goats fled into the lake, which swallowed them whole. To this day, the waves sometimes cast out their remains—their cloven hooves.

As for the maiden, she was trapped by magic in a hidden cave beneath Tihany. She can only speak in one way now: by echoing whatever is shouted from the opposite hill. This is the origin of the famous Echo of Tihany.