FAMOUS POLISH LEGENDS

TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT OUR COUNTRY WE WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT

YOU SOME STORIES FROM OUR PAST

LEGEND - WARS AND SAWA• ... Long ago, when our country is covered with impassable wilderness, in the

very heart of the Vistula river lived a young fisherman named Wars. He was a man, hardworking and cheerful, so conducive to happiness to him. Hewed same boat, often sailed on the half and never came back empty-handed. Especially liked the night trips when the river reigned undisturbed peace and moon glow enveloped the world. Once, when hidden in the reeds waiting for the nets for a catch, he noticed lovely, longhaired girl whose body was from the middle fish tail. Siren unaware that anyone looking at her, she began to sing. At the sound of her voice fisherman fell in love at first sight. Since then, every night he wanted to see her, so he hid in the reeds and napawał her beauty and singing. Finally he decided to reveal and confess her love. It turned out that the fisherman was also not indifferent to the siren. Wars had asked her to marry him and she agreed and took the name Sava. Consent to marriage of sirens with the man made the fish tail was turned into legs. Soon, in a cottage by the river sumptuous wedding held Wars and Sawa, and they lived happily ever after surrounded by respectful people. After years around their house was a large fishing village, which was named in their memory of Warsaw. That is how the nucleus of our capital.

GOLDEN DUCK Warsaw shoemaker Lutek, despite the hard work

was very poor. One day he heard that in the basement of the Ordynacki’s castle on the night of St. John,appears enchanted princess handing out gold. Shoemaker in St. John's night went to the dungeons. In the middle of the basement was a lake, followed by a floating duck with golden feathers. Lutek said that he came to the service. Duck gave him 100 ducats, on condition that gives them only for his own needs and comes back the next day. Shoemaker bought beautiful clothes, ate huge dinner, went to the theater, however, spent only 10 ducats. He walked down the street and pondering how to spend the rest of the money. Then he saw an old soldier begging. Shoemaker gave him the rest of his money. At the same time appeared the golden duck-telling of non-compliance with the contract. Since then, he fared better. He became a master, he married and lived happily for many years.

The Legend of Smok Wawelski (the Dragon from Wawel)

• Some centuries ago there lived in a cave at the foot of Wawel Hill a most horrible fire-belching dragon, a monster that ravaged the nearby meadows by devouring grazing cattle. In vain the bravest knights tried to overcome the dragon. Even before they could draw their swords the fire from the beast's mouth destroyed them, so that one after another the best fell.

• The king who reigned at the time sent out his heralds to announce that whosoever could slay the dragon would as a reward marry his daughter and sit on his throne after his death. Contenders encouraged by such a handsome offer came in hosts, but they too were destroyed. The king gave himself up to despair, while the king's daughter wrung her hands as ahe could not expect to ever be married. The dragon-ravaged country became poorer and poorer.

• Then a shoemaker named Krak decided to conquer the beast by a unique strategy. After stuffing a fat ram with sulphur, he placed the tasty tidbit at the cave's entrance. The dragon, being greedy as well as stupid, swallowed the treacherous gift in one mouthful. Its throat burned so that it ran to the nearby Wisla river, gulping down so much water that it burst with a great bang, thus setting the town and the surrounding countryside free from its grip of terror.

• The shoemaker married the king's daughter, and after the monarch's death, ascended to the throne. The town he rescued from the clutches of Smok, the dragon of Wawel Hill, took its name from him, and bears it to this day with great honour - the old capital of Poland, Krakow.