About the black crow
Before Count Ulrich went into battle, his high lady saw a black crow. She warned the Count, “Don’t go there, I saw a black crow – it means bad luck!” But Ulrich failed to listen and went off into battle. During his battle in Belgrade, he noticed the same crow his lady had seen earlier. At the very moment of observing it, he was fatally hit by his conspirators.
About Count Frederick’s jail
Rumour has it that Frederick II of Celje, son of the mighty Count Herman II, had a hand in the death of Elizabeth of Frankopan, his first and legal wife. Contrary to his father’s will he secretly married Veronica of Desenice immediately afterwards. Because of this, his father had him imprisoned in the main tower, where, according to a legend, he wanted to starve him. Meanwhile, after being acquitted in the first witchcraft process in Slovenia initiated by this sly old Count, Veronica was drowned. Legend has it that Frederick was rescued from certain death by his faithful squire who had dug a subterranean tunnel to deliver food to Frederick.
About the fate of the castle well
A farmer came to the Old Castle one night to tell important news. Entering the yard, he suddenly heard a voice say, “Where is my land, where is my castle, who am I?” Now, who could it be that the farmer saw as he approached the well? It was Count Ulrich himself, standing to the waist in the water, all butchered. Since then, no one has ever had courage to go for water. Out of fear, the well was bricked in.
About the Old Castle treasure
More than a century ago, a brave day worker lived in a cottage under the castle. On his way home one night, he saw a strange tall man with broad shoulders sitting on his cart not far from the castle entrance. “What are you doing and where are you driving?” the workman asked. As no reply came, he tugged the driver’s arm. But the arm turned out to be stuffed with straw. The worker quickly left and ran to his neighbour in a nearby house. Barely gone, the driver whipped the whip so hard it caused a thunder strike. When the worker returned, the driver was nowhere to be seen. So, what was he transporting? Supposedly it was the money of the Counts of Celje. Had the worker only held him by the arm a bit longer and waited for the clock to chime midnight, as legend has it, that money would have all been his. But it was too late.
About the bridge between the Old Castle and Miklavški hrib
Legend has it that in the time of the Counts of Celje, the Old Castle on the Savinja River’s left bank and the opposite hill with a small church of St. Nicholas were connected by a hanging bridge made of leather. It is precisely the kind of bridge that shall now be set up to connect the Savinja River’s banks, the City Forest and the Old Castle. Only a century ago, people were glad to show you a ring fixed to a rock on Miklavški hrib which that bridge was allegedly fixed to.
