Moss Man Legend of the "Black Stone"
The Moss Man's wife had become terminally ill. She lay on a bed of glowing moss, moaning and whimpering, while the Moss Man lamented his heartache to the forest animals.
As a begging monk passed through the forest, the Moss Man stopped him, lamented his suffering, and begged him earnestly to grant his dying wife the desired final blessing. As a reward, he would also fill his entire cloak bag with leaves.
The monk knew of the rumors that the Moss People gave leaves out of gratitude for love shown, which turned into gold at home, but in his pride, he disbelieved this and harshly rebuked the Moss Man, refusing to grant the dying woman the final blessing.
Enraged by such mercilessness and inhumanity, the little man said: "Your heart is as hard as a stone, monk, so you shall turn completely to stone and remain here on this spot for all eternity. As a warning to all who are just as hard-hearted toward others."
The little moss woman died. And between Falkenstein and Grünbach, the petrified monk, the "Black Stone," still stands today. His face is still recognizable, and with a little luck, you can still find luminous moss there.