St. Magnus was a monk of the monastery St. Gallen (Switzerland). About his life we know only few reliable data. Too much has been distorted in later legends. Some say that he was born around 700 AD and died on September, 6th 772. According to others 750 was the year of his death. Neither do we know anything about his nationality. The "official" Vita St. Magni claims that he was Irish, but several historical facts oppose that opinion. He could have been Alemannian, but most probable he was of Romanic descent. Neglecting the miraculous accessories of his Vita we may recognize some historical roots. Together with his companions Tozzo and Theodor, Magnus left St. Gallen to proselyte the heathens of the Allgäu region (Southern Germany). Bregenz, at the eastern shore of Lake Bodan (= the Lake of Constance), he reached first. During his short stay, he healed a blind man who accompanied him on his further travels. Later he went to Kempten, then a nearly deserted and (neo-) pagan town. Magnus there restored Christianity and (re-) built a church. Theodor was left there as a priest while Magnus and Tozzo traveled on and soon reached the surroundings of Füssen. A church was built in the nearby village Waltenhofen. Later he founded the (Benedictine) monastery of Füssen where he died after a long life of worship. Magnus worked many miracles. He fought serpents and dragons both in Kempten and at Rosshaupten near Waltenhofen. Kempten was deserted when Magnus arrived there. No one dared to stay even for one night, for this place was haunted by all kinds of serpents and worms. Magnus neglected his companions´ warnings and took up his abode right outside the town. Not for long they had kneeled down for prayer when a huge serpent - named Boas - rushed towards them. Tozzo and the formerly blind man climbed a nearby tree to get out of this peril. But Magnus and Theodor awaited the beast making the sign of the cross. Magnus grasped a cross and the holy staff of St. Gallus (who according to the Vita was his teacher). Facing the worm he ordered his foe to lie still. And he commanded the devil, who hid inside the brute, to kill Boas. With these words he took the magical staff and smashed the worm’s head. With the death of their leader all foul breed fled from the town, so that it could be inhabited by Christians once more. Magnus and his companions built a small church and re-erected the parish. Peasants from the surroundings were baptized by Tozzo. He and Magnus also banished a tribe of demons. Kempten is one of the oldest settlement in that area. It was founded by the Romans in the first half of the first century AD. Paganism prevailed in the more rural areas. Before Magnus´ arrival no one dared to expel or kill a snake. They were regarded as guises of benevolent spirits or (as in the case of Boas) of gods. Christianity cursed them as demons and devils. Thus killing Boas was a highly symbolic deed, similar to Bonifazius´ cutting down Donar´s holy oak!: Even a pagan god (or the devil in Christian terminology) had to subjugate himself under St. Magnus and the powers of the cross. Leaving Theodor behind Magnus turned towards Füssen (now just a few kilometers across the Tyrolian border). He met his second dragon in a narrow valley called Rosshaupten. That beast allowed no one to pass. Magnus decided to stay there for the night, hoping that the Lord would hear his prayers and sooth the brute. Although Tozzo was frightened, he did not dare to leave his master. Magnus put a piece of holy bread into his pocked, took resin and pitch in his hand and hung a chain with a cross around neck. In his other hand he held the magical staff of St. Gallus. Near the lair of the dragon he ate a small piece of the holy bread and made the sign of the cross. As soon as the dragon noticed the invader, he rushed forth to devour him. But Magnus - praying to the Lord - threw resin and pitch into the beast´s throat. The dragon was burnt to death from inside. A local legend reports that Magnus and Tozzo afterwards had a look at the worm´s cave. In front of it they found a tree full of tasty, ripe apples. Around this tree (the only living thing in the desolation of the dragon) Magnus built a monastery. According to the official Vita, however, that apple tree grew some kilometers apart in a place today known as Waltenhofen. There Magnus erected a church (which Tozzo attended as a priest). Soon afterwards he founded the (today Benedictine) monastery at Füssen. It is worth pondering over the name Rosshaupten. Etymologically it is derived from the German words Ross = horse and Haupt = head or skull. A common explanation was that from this point onward the use of horses was impossible. Riders had to leave them behind and proceeded on foot. However, it is more probable that the name refers to a pagan sanctuary where horses were offered to the old German god Wodan. A local myth mentions a headless horse rushing down a hill. Halfway it met a beheaded bull running in the opposite direction. After a short fight they trampled each other into the ground, but then suddenly forgot their struggle and ran off where they had come from. Around 1800 peasants gave the following explanation (which is not included in the official Vita of the saint): Magnus once came upon a pagan ceremony in which horses and bulls were offered. He ordered the already beheaded animals to run off. Thus he convinced the heathens of the powers of the cross. This implies that at the end of the 18th century the sacrifice of horses was still part of public perception. During the first half of the ensuing century peasants made other use of dried skulls of horses and bulls. They kept them in the stables to prevent thunderstrokes and banish pestilence. Magnus became a very popular saint. Besides Rosshaupten 14 other villages claim to be the location of a dragon fight. In most cases these legends are just plagiarisms of the "official" version. Ronsberg is one of these villages. Its dark woods were terrorized by three atrocious dragons, remnants of a godless, pagan time. Neither man nor cattle they spared. At last a daring man was found who promised to negotiate with the beasts. Using some magic powers he succeeded in making a bargain. The dragons should spare the village and seek their prey elsewhere in the adjacent districts. For a while all went well. But one day the assigned boroughs had been deprived of every living creature, and the dragons turned towards Ronsberg once more. This time the sorcerer had no opportunity to negotiate: He was devoured at once. The next day the peasants offered an old cow. Although it is hard to imagine that only one cow could satiate three dragons, the trick worked: The beasts got tired and fell asleep. A brave messenger was sent out for St. Magnus. The holy man had just tamed a tribe of bears (another motive derived from his vita) and taught them to hunt demons. With those strange companions he approached Ronsberg. The bears killed the dragons, Magnus lit the forest and their lairs went ablaze. In another, very strange legend Magnus had killed several worms but spared one hatchling because of his innocence. This young dragon was educated at Kierwang and helped the peasants to clear the woodland. He not only cut down the trees but also sawed them into pieces. He carried wood and stone, cleared off the snow and even helped in the construction of new roads. He had just one fault: Hay and straw he despised and never he got satiated by mice and rats alone. So now and then he stole a calf from the pastures. This was too much for the avaricious peasants. They decided to chop him into pieces while he lay asleep. But when the first stroke hit his breast a strong jet of milk issued from the wound. It was the best milk you could think of! The peasants realized that this dragon was worth his weight in gold. He gave more milk than all cows of the village together. They begged his pardon - in vain. The dragon felt insulted. He left and was seen never again. Built in 1137AD from alternating bands of local red and yellow sandstone, the cathedral of Saint Magnus gradually grew and with it the village at its feet. Upon its completion three centuries or so after the first foundation stone was laid, it towered over Kirkwall - by now a thriving town. The cathedral has been justifiably described as "one of the finest and best preserved medieval cathedrals in Scotland" and it is not difficult to see why. Even now, over 860 years after the initial building work began, St Magnus Cathedral still dominates the Kirkwall skyline. The dimensions of the Cathedral are 236 feet in length, 56 feet wide, and 71 feet in height. The roof is vaulted with numerous gothic arches, supported on each side by fourteen pillars of uncommon beauty. In 1135AD the revered remains of Saint Magnus were taken from their resting place at Christchurch in Birsay, where they had lain for 20 years, and moved east. Their first destination was the unassuming little Church of St Olaf in a small village by the sea named Kirkjuvagr - a town later to become known as Kirkwall. Some years later the saint's relics were moved again - this time to be interred inside a stone pillar in the cathedral that had been raised in his honor.