Ten-year-old defeats Goliath at Ramingstein harvest festival

Ten-year-old Felix Schaflechner defeated Goliath in Ramingstein, a municipality in Salzburg’s Lungau region, during the village’s traditional harvest thanksgiving festival, ORF reported. The celebration went ahead despite reduced harvests caused by drought.

Felix played David in the annual performance of the biblical story. “I really worked hard with the slingshot,” he said.

Michael Taferner, who played Goliath, accepted his defeat with a smile. “I do have a bit of a headache. He hit me harder than during rehearsals. There will be consequences,” he said.

Medieval play revived 30 years ago

The story of the Jewish shepherd boy who defeats the giant Philistine through his faith was already performed as a play in the Middle Ages. The tradition later disappeared, but was revived in Ramingstein exactly 30 years ago. It has been performed every year at the harvest thanksgiving festival since then.

Hans Bogensberger, one of those who re-established the performance, said: “The modest thing a child brings down the great.”

The festival has held particular importance in the municipality for decades. The Ramingstein Samson figure, the municipality’s largest “citizen” at almost six metres tall, danced a few steps to mark the occasion. Children were especially delighted by the two dwarfs, Maria and Achatz.

Clubs carried a richly decorated harvest crown through Ramingstein’s town centre. Farmers in the municipality have faced a difficult year because of the drought, but the festival remained focused on gratitude for what they had achieved.

Felix was especially pleased. After his victory over Goliath, the whole village celebrated him.