The Rauchnächte, also known as the Rauhnacht, are the twelve nights and the time between the birth of Christ and the Feast of the Epiphany, which are particularly associated with the spirit world in popular belief. Specifically, this includes the eve or night of Christmas, New Year's, and Epiphany. The night of St. Thomas is also considered a Rauhnacht. Rauhnächte are nights of fate and weather omens; they are seen as favorable for love oracles, predictions of suitors, and inquiries into fate. They are suitable for making pacts with the devil, summoning witches, and recognizing spirits. Everywhere, evil lurks. Ghosts haunt and animals speak. Certain places are avoided. Reinhard Haller recounts the eerie and mysterious events that take place during these nights in this book. The stories are written in the Bavarian dialect, with a direct translation into High German provided alongside each one.