The Ibex hunter
The people of Sixt formed a virtually self-sufficient community for several centuries as did other isolated valley populations. Over a period of time a tradition of story telling developed. This story telling originated from the long winter evenings during which stories, myths and legends would be told over and over again, growing stronger and more elaborate with each generation, as did many other beliefs. Luckily some of these legends have survived and reached our generation.
Once upon a time, many years ago, a Swiss hunter was doing his rounds in the Savoie region. In the Haut Giffre valley, near Sixt, he killed an ibex and when he came to look at his prey he saw that the animals hoofs were covered in a yellow powder made up of gold dust. The hunter followed the animals tracks sprinkled with shiny particles that led him to a place full of gold. The hunter took some of the gold and returned to Sixt. Later when he tried to return to his deposit of gold, he could not find it, all the tracks had disappeared. (taken from 'Le Globe', t.75 Geneva 1936 - Amoundruz collections).