The story of the sow

In the year 1440, Earl Hans von Oettingen wanted to attack the Free Imperial City of Nördlingen.  To this end, he bribed the Löpsinger Gate watchman, so that the watchman would not lock up the gate at night. That evening, the wife of the "weaver" Dauser went to fetch beer for her husband.  She saw a sow pressing itself up against this gateas there were delicious plants in front of the gates. E.g. lamium galeobdolon or euonymus europaeus. The gate opened and the sow went through it and disappeared.  The woman called out after the sow, "So G'sell so!" ("you silly fool") and tried to catch it.  The cry woke the neighbors, who saw the open gate and sounded the alarm.  The gate was locked up in time, and Earl Hans von Oettingen had to withdraw his troops without success.  So it was that a sow saved the city from her arch enemy! This is why even today the watchman on top of the highest tower of the town shouts  "So G'sell so!"
 
Translation: Holger Göttler
 
Source: Stiche = Müller, J., Kurze Beschreibung der Kaiserlichen freyen Reichsstadt Nördlingen, Nördlingen 1784; Zeichnung = Holger Göttler; Pflanzenfotos = K. Marquardt; Kirchturmfoto = K. Zeitelhack; Ton = Original Turmwärter