In the night of January 27th in the year 1687. The moon projected its reddish glow on Saint Rumbold’s tower, which was wrapped in a dense fog. “Fire, fire, the tower is on fire!” shouts the dreary voice of a drunken man. The alarm was sounded and people were making haste to help extinguish the so-called fire. Before the tower was reached, the moon slowly moved through the fog. From that moment on, the Mechelenians are called the Maneblussers or ‘Moonextinguishers’.
Legend of Mechelen
