A rough translation of the original post reads:

Bavaria’s mysterious Urviech is said to have originated in antiquity, from a “misalliance” between a duck and a hare, deep in the Upper Bavarian forests, when the full moon shone and the wild hunt, led by the goddess Perchta, rode through a stormy sky. This explains why the stuffed specimens of the legendary and extremely shy creature often have the feet and wings of a duck and the body of a hare. Small horns between the long ears, a bushy tail or sharp fangs could be evidence that other animals, such as chamois, squirrels, deer, lynx or even vampires, may have been among the ancestors of Bavaria’s most enigmatic creature. Some of these hybrid creatures living in mountainous regions have uneven legs, meaning they can only move in one direction on steep slopes …

In Upper Bavaria, the Bavarian Urviech are called Wolpertinger. In the Salzburg area they are known as Raurackl, in Lower Bavaria, Oibadschrischl, the Brothers Grimm, in the mid-18th century, named it Kreißl.

… Wolpertinger are, as already mentioned, very shy, and it is extremely difficult to see or even catch one of these forest dwellers. There are different methods from region to region to get hold of a Bavarian Urviechs: Some experienced hunters claim that bread dumplings would seem almost irresistible on Wolpertinger, others think, Allgäu Emmenthaler cheese is their favorite food, and you could trap them in it. Even the sight of a beautiful young woman on a full moon night, or the flickering light of a candle, would make the strange hybrid oblivious. And those who unfortunately have uneven legs would be so frightened if sprinkled with salt that they would fall over.

Wolpertinger usually feed on grains, herbs and berries, but they do not disdain smaller rodents by any means. And they have a most remarkable anatomical feature, a so-called Gärsack. This is located in the throat, any  grains that are eaten are automatically transported into it and fermented into a very strong alcoholic beverage …

… Do these amazing creatures really exist? Who knows?. In the Munich hunting and fishing museum, There are stuffed Wolpertinger specimens. And in many a Bavarian pub, a Wolpertinger will keep watch over the regulars’ table …

Wolpertinger by Albrecht Dürer, via Wikipedia

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