Polish legends Zesp Szko STO Warsaw Poland Comenius

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Polish legends Zespół Szkoł STO Warsaw, Poland Comenius Project 2013 -2015

Polish legends Zespół Szkoł STO Warsaw, Poland Comenius Project 2013 -2015

The ‘’Lajkonik” Legend Long time ago, Poland fought numerous battles with the Tatar hordes.

The ‘’Lajkonik” Legend Long time ago, Poland fought numerous battles with the Tatar hordes. During one of the Tatar raids, the Tatars reached Cracow. This Day was very hot, as regular Corpus Christi Day. Residents of Cracow grouped on traditional procession, then they were alarmed about raiders that were just devastating suburbs of Zwierzyniec. Despair and terror came over people of Cracow. They were thinking about how to deal with great power of enemy. Maybe run away, safe our lives or pay raiders and they will go away, or go fight with them? , people were conferring. Then, one of „Zwierzyniec” rafters jumped and grabbed banner with the white eagle, that was used on the procession and shouted: ‘’Even if I will die, I don’t let them loot our land!’ After this words he started to walk to „Zwierzyniec”. Then the rest of rafters and people of Cracow did the same as he did. The closer from Tatar Horde they were, the more people were joining them. The fight was long and hard, but finally the raiders were defeated. The rafter, who started this battle was wearing the Tatar leader’s clothes. He was welcommed with big happiness on the town market. This march is repeated today. And the rafter who is wearing the Tatar leader’s clothes is named ‘’Lajkonik”.

The Wawel Dragon Legend A long time ago, when king Krak reigned in Cracow,

The Wawel Dragon Legend A long time ago, when king Krak reigned in Cracow, a dragon appeared out of nowhere. He settled his den under the Wawel Castel, in a big, deep cave. He required sacrifice of one cow a week and if the king didn’t accept the demand, he would start to kill the inhabitants of Cracow. Of course, there were brave knights, who tried to defeat the dragon, but not one of them came back and the dragon was still alive and well. When everyone lost hope, a poor shoemaker called Dratewka arrived at the Wawel Castle. He asked for a meeting with the king. Krak was so desperate that he agreed immediately. -Your Majesty! I can kill the dragon!- Dratewka said King and his court laughed hysterically. -Of course, shoemaker. I allow you to kill the beast- Krak answered Shoemaker started to prepare everything he needed to compete his plan of killing the dragon. The following day everything was ready. Dratewka came to the cave, where the dragon lived, with a killed ram filled with sulfur and precisely stitched so it looked like a normal ram. He left the ram in front of the cave and when dragon woke up and noticed the animal, he ate it eagerly. Seconds later, the beast felt like his stomach was burning into ashes. He started to drink water straight from the Vistula river. He drank, drank and drank… until he exploded. The shoemaker Dratewka was rewarded with wealth and a hand of the Krak’s daughter and lived happily ever after. To remember that event, a sculpture of a dragon is still standing next to the Wawel Castle.

The Footprint on a Stone Legend A long, long time ago to Poland came

The Footprint on a Stone Legend A long, long time ago to Poland came a beautiful and young Hungarian princess Jadwiga. Our king, Wladyslaw Jagiello, wanted to marry her from the very beginning and he did it. After Jadwiga became the queen of Poland, she lived in the Royal Castle, in Cracow. She loved Cracow very much and she enjoyed going on walks through the city every day. She decided to give her all jewells for the rebuilding of the Jagiellonian University and the construction of the church. The Councellors found a good place to build the church and said, that they needed workers. Many people signed up, but one was special – a young and agile lad. He was really industrious and he was always on time at work. One day, he wasn’t on time, and he was sad the whole day long. He didn’t even hear a yell, that the queen was going. The queen noticed the worker quickly and asked: ‘’Why are you sad? ’’ Lad answered: ‘’At home I left my ill wife and a bunch of children and I don’t have enough money, to pay for the doctor. ’’ Jadwiga felt sorry for the lad, so she set her foot on the rock and broke the golden clip from her shoe. She gave it to the worker and said: ‘’Take it ‘cause you are a good lad and get a doctor for your wife. ’’ The worker was really happy and took the clip. After that, he went back home. On the next morning, the worker came really happy to work, because his wife was felling better. Suddenly, he noticed, that on the rock was the footprint of the queen. He yelled: ‘’This is a miracle! Look people, a miracle!’’ Everybody gathered, the foreman came closer and said: ‘’Our queen will become a saint. Even rocks get softer under her feet’’ Everyone came everyday to look at the rock, so people decided to build it into a wall of a church, so that people from all around the world could come and admire it.

The magic pigeons in Cracow legend The Story takes place, when Cracow was rulled

The magic pigeons in Cracow legend The Story takes place, when Cracow was rulled by Henry IV. The Prince was a very ambitious man. His dream was to become a king, but he knew that he wouldn’t get the crown without the support of the apostolic capital. Those times the Pope’s support could be earned by allocating a lot of money for the Church. Henry was a rich man, but even all of his gold wasn’t enough to make a good impression on the Pope. The Prince was trying to come up with a way to gather money for the trip to Rome. With help came the witch. She changed the Prince’s knights into pigeons, so they could fly on top of the church’s tower. The birds started pecking on the walls. The pieces falling on the ground started to change into golden coins. The Prince managed to collect three, full wagons of gold. After that, the witch told him to go on trip to Rome now and then come back with the crown. She promised that if he came back as a king, she would change the knights back into people. Henry left immediately. The road to Rome was long and the Prince was very lavish. He enjoyed drinking the best wines and eating expensive food. By the time they arrived in Rome, the wagons were empty. The was nothing left to convince the Pope to make him the king. Henry never came back to his kingdom. The enchanted pigeons still wait for their master on the Cracow’s market. They like to sit on other people’s shoulders, hoping that one day they’ll find Henry and become human again.

Golden shoes A long time ago, there lived a boy called Wawrzek. Woodcraft was

Golden shoes A long time ago, there lived a boy called Wawrzek. Woodcraft was his passion. One day, he got so engaged with this activity that a cow he was supposed to watch over escaped, and ruined the parson’s field. He was too scared to go home, so he ran into the woods and lost his way. After a long time, he reached Cracow, the capital of Poland. There, a priest took care of him. Soon, the priest found out about Wawrzek’s talent and let him train woodcraft with Veit Stoß , who was a great artist from Germany. Wawrzek’s talent was also appreciated by a king, and the monarch gave him a pair of golden shoes. Wawrzek wanted to wear them for an openning ceremony of the altar made by Veit Stoß, but he lost one of them. It fell behind the altar. It was found almost four hundreds years later in 1867, while maintenance works were being done.

Golden Duck Long, long time ago there was a young shoemaker Lutek. He was

Golden Duck Long, long time ago there was a young shoemaker Lutek. He was very happy and diligent, but poor. He worked at the foreman workshop in the Old town where he didn't earn much money. Once he went to his friend who was a wealthy man. Lutek asked him how to earn more money. His friend advised him to go to Old castle dungeons. There was a legend about a princess enchanted in a golden duck who used to live there. The duck is the one who knows how to become rich. She can reveal this secret one night a year - during Midsummer night. Lutek decided to try his luck and went to the dungeons at Ordynacka street during Midsummer night. He was scared of the meeting with the golden duck, but it was the only chance for him to become rich. He went down to the dungeons, light the candles and saw a pond. There was a golden duck in it. Suddenly the duck changed into a beautiful princess. She looked amazing. Her hair was gold and very long, her eyes were like stars. She told Lutek that he could be rich under one condition. He had to spend 100 ducats only for himself. He could not give money to anybody. Next day Lutek started to spend the ducats. He bought clothes, food, he went for a trip to Wilanow. He went to theatre. He was thinking how to spend the rest of the money when he met an old man. He was a cripple who had fought during the war and had lost one hand. Lutek took pity on him and gave him the rest of ducats. As soon as he had done it there was a thunder and lightning. A princess appeared and told him that he failed, because he broke the condition and spent money on somebody else. Than she disappeared. From that moment Lutek's life has changed. He did not get the fortune he was hoping for but he met a girl, he married her. They had children and lived very happily. Gold duck or princess have never been mentioned since that time, which I think is quite wise because her selfish approach is not good to follow. If you think of others more than of yourself you will be happier and respected.