Animals in Legends Why animals appear in legends

Animals in Legends

Why animals appear in legends? ● ● they explain arising cities (for example Gniezno) or establishing bugle calls or symbols in some legends they appear as the opponents for brave people

The Legend of the foundation of Gniezno In ancient times, three brothers Lech, Czech and Rus parted, and eac went his own way. Lech and his team struggled through the impenetrable wild forest, and finally he reached a clearing in the woo by the lake. In the middle of the clearing there grew an old oak, who team could rest in its shadow. The knights heard the flapping of wings and a large, silver-feather eagle flew up. Only then did they notice a massive nest with the youn eaglets inside between the tree branches. Faced with such an obviou sign, Lech decided to establish his town there. The settlement was named Gniezdno (from the Polish name "gniazdo" meaning "a nest" and Lech chose a white eagle as his emblem as a prince.

The Legend of the Wawel Dragon In Cracow, a long time ago, in a den at the foot of Wawel Hill, ther lived a terrible dragon. People said there was no weapon and no wa that they were going to defeat the dragon. One day King Krak the people of Cracow: He who once and for all puts this dragon shall recieve my sceptre an my royal crown and win my daughter's hand. Fewer knights came every day, but nobody was able to kill this drago Until one day a young man, a shoemaker knocked on the gates of th town. He took the lambskin, filled it with sulpher, pitch and mustard seed, and skillfully sewed up the hole of the lambs belly. The drago saw a dead lamb and swallowed it whole with his jaws. The dragon suddenly went "BANG!" and exploded.

Legend about the Raven King The city of Poznan located in western Poland is proud of its Town Ha decorating the Old Town. The Town Hall has a long tradition of a trumpeter call, which is connected with a legend. Long ago, there lived a boy in Poznan named Bolko, whose father w a city guard. One day, Bolko happened upon an injured raven. He too the bird home, fixed its broken wing and nursed it back to health. One night, he noticed a gnome sitting on the stool where the raven’s cage had been. The gnome thanked the boy for saving his life, sayin he was the Raven King. In gratitude, he gave Bolko a silver trumpe with which he could call him whenever he was in dire need of help With that, the gnome turned back into a raven and flew away. Years went by, and one night a foreign army laid siege to Poznan. Bolko, now himself a city guard, remembered the Raven King’s gift He blew the trumpet and suddenly flocks of ravens befell the city, pecking and clawing at the invading army until it retreated in defeat. T commemorate this event, city guards play the same trumpet signal wi

The Poznań Billy Goat Legend The city lies on the Warta river. It is the capital of Wielkopolska Voivodeship and the see of the Archdiocese of Poznań. When the town hall was rebuilt after the great fire, it was decided to install a clock. This was to be a celebratory occasion with a sumptuo feast to which several eminent persons were invited. The main dish w to be roast venison haunch and the preparation befell a young kitche hand named Pietrek (Pete). A lot of exciting things were happening the marketplace at that moment. So much so that the kitchen hand too his eye off the roast for a second to watch what was going on in the marketplace. Unfortunately, his absence dragged on. . . and on. . and the roast fell into the fire and was burnt to cinders.

The terrified lad ran to a nearby meadow where the city folk grazed their animals, made off with two billy goats and dragged them into th town hall kitchen. The goats, sensing their imminent demise, wrested themselves free of the boy and fled to the tower. There, they started head butting each other before the assembled crowd. The spectacle so amused the mayor, voivode and all the guests that Pietrek was pardoned and the clockmaker bidden to construct a special mechanism to set the horological goats in motion every day. Ever since then, once the bugle sounds at the stroke of noon, the assemble crowd has been treated to the two head-butting billy goats every day

Legend of the Warsaw Mermaid A long time ago there lived a powerful King Bałtyk who ruled his kingdo from an amber palace, located at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. King Bałty had a beloved daughter who helped him rule his underwater kingdom. Th beautiful maiden was a mermaid. Syren had long blond hair, blue eyes, an from the waist down was covered with silvery scales to her tail. The botto of the sea was her world, and it was the only world she knew. One day she narrowly escaped being caught in some fish nets by swimming shore. When she lifted her head from the waters, she saw the vista of a stran new world. “Where am I? ” she asked the river Wisla, whose waters empt into the Baltic Sea. “In Poland, ” answered the river, “and if you want to fin out more about this land, swim upstream with me. ” Being a good swimme mermaid managed to do this. She saw things she never knew before: fore lands, and animals, and birds. Finally she came to the plains of Mazowsze the very heart of Poland. The people here had cleared the forest, built hom for themselves, and lived from fishing and hunting. Syren fell in love with brave Mazovian tribe and decided to stay with them. In the evenings she sa

One day, a big hunt was held for the Mazovian prince. Chasing a reindeer, the prince got lost in the forest. He also lost his golden arrow with which he was hunting. Searching for it he came to the banks of the Vistula River. There, in amazement, he saw a white arm extendin from the water holding his arrow. He became enchanted with syren, the beautiful half fish, half woman creature. She smiled at him and, handing him the arrow, pointed in the direction he was to take. He soon came to a clearing in the forest where stood a small cottage, the home of the fisherman Warsz, his wife, and their twin sons. Mrs. Warszowa gave him a good supper and asked him to stay overnight a a guest. The next morning she refused any payment from him for her kindness. The prince was moved by their hospitality and their way o life. “If you like, ” said the fisherman Warsz, “we would be honored t have you come back and stay with us. ” And that is what the prince did. He returned with his people and together they cleared more land built a small settlement, called “Warszowa, ” which means “the village of Mr. Warsz. ” Later it was

We do not know how much of this story is true, but we do know tha the emblem on the coat of arms of the city of Warsaw is a mermaid holding a sword and a shield. When you visit Warsaw, you will see a bronze statue of mermaid gazing at the gray waters of Wistula River

Not only real animals appear in legends, there a lot of mythic creatures, that seem to be simmilar to these known nowadays. Mythical creatures There are some of them: - centaur (half-men, half-horse) - chimera (part-lion, part-goat, part-snake) - dragon (giant, flying, fire-breathing lizards) - hydra (the nine-headed serpent) - mermaid (woman with the tail of a fish) - pegasus (winged horse) We can still read about them in fantasy books, see them in movi or games.

It's the end of presentation about a in legends. We hope you enjoyed listening abo Polish myths! THANKS FOR YOU ATTENTION : ) Prepered by Aleksandra Czajkowska