The White Ladies of Karlštejn

Unlike other places, Karlštejn has twelve White Ladies. They are tortured maidens who appear one after another whenever the Moon is full. Twelve soldiers once tried to free them but broke their promise not to leave Karlštejn for a whole year. Only their leader kept the condition. The others were eventually found in the castle with their heads cut off. Another legend identifies a White Lady as Blanche of Valois, Charles IV's first wife. In a tower on the western side of the first courtyard lies the old castle well, reached down forty-nine steps, through a small gate and along a walled passage. A White Lady appears there as a misty figure seated on the wellhead, weeping desperately. She is also seen in Budňany visiting houses with sick people. At midnight she appears outside and asks whether everyone is home. If they answer yes, she tells them whether the patient will die. If not everyone is there, she says she cannot wait and the patient will die. Superstitious local people therefore stopped their ears and covered their windows so they would neither see nor hear her.