Cro-Polish legends

Chapter Introduction

The project aims at getting to know geography of Poland and Croatia throughout multiple national and internatoional activities that will be presented during GeoNight on 9th April.
Wit this e-book we will present Croatian and Polish legends and myths.

The target group of students are 7th and 8th graders.
Thanks to the project they will get to know geography and culture of partner countries, improve their communication skills, practise their English and master ICT skills.

THE LEGEND OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE CROATS

"Croats lived at that time on the other side of Bavaria where they are known as White Croats. One of their families, five brothers - Klukas, Lobel, Kosenc, Muhlo and a Croat, and two sisters Tuga and Buga, separated from them, came together with their people to Dalmatia and found the Avars settled in the area. After fighting each other for some time, the Croats won, some of the Avars were killed and others forced to submit. Then the area was ruled by Croats. On the other hand, by the Croats who came to Dalmatia, a part separated and ruled Illyricum and Pannonia; and they too had an independent prince who also himself sent gifts to the prince of Croatia in the name of friendship. "

Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus also says that the Croats came to today's homeland at the beginning of the 7th century at the invitation of the Byzantine emperor Heraclius, to help him as war allies in the fight against the savage Avars. Croats who were organized as a tribe of warrior-horsemen and known for their strength were not chosen by chance. The Byzantine Empire calculated that the Croats, after helping them carry out their plans, would disappear over time as did their former allies, but they were wrong.

Arrival of Croats by Oton Iveković

Legend about Warsaw Mermaid

Warsaw is the biggest city in Poland, and it is the third capital of this country in the history, after Krakow and Gniezno.

Long time ago there were two twin mermaid sisters swimming along the Baltic Sea till they reached Gdansk. Then they decided to split and one went to Copenhagen and the other one decided to go down the Vistula River.
She arrived at Warsaw and stayed. Local fishermen started noticing that something unusual was disturbing the river’s calm waters and releasing fish from their nests. They decided to catch the damage-doer. They didn't expect to find the mermaid, however, and as soon as they heard her beautiful voice, they vowed never to harm her. Soon, the mermaid would fill every evening with her gorgeous songs to the merriment of the villagers.

One day, a rich merchant was walking by the Vistula and spotted the mermaid. He had the bright idea to capture her and show her off at a fair, making himself a fat profit in the process. He tricked her and threw her in a wooden shed, but her cries for help were so loud that soon a young fisherman's son heard her, and with the help of friends set her free. The mermaid, grateful for their aid, promised to defend them and Warsaw when they would really need it.

Since then, the mermaid, armed with a sword and shield, has been protecting the city and its inhabitants.

The Legend of The Wawel Dragon

Once upon a time there was a beautiful city called Krakow. There was a castle where the King, the Queen and the Princess lived. One day a terrible dragon that spit fire arrived at the city and started to live in a cave at the bottom of the Wawel Hill. Every week people had to give the dragon sheep and cows or he ate people. A lot of brave knights tried to kill him but without success.

One day the King offered a reward for anyone who could kill the monster. He promised that his beautiful daughter would marry the dragon killer and this person would become the king. This amazing reward attracted many knights from different countries, but all of them failed on that mission… there was no one able to kill the dragon.
But one day, a young shoe-maker called Dratewka arrived at the city. He had no horse, armour or a sword with him, but he had a needle, a thread and an exceptional mind. He decided to trick the Dragon to kill him. The young man got a young lamb, sulphur and mustard seed. He then cut the lamb in half and put the sulphur inside it. Then he took his needle and sewed the lamb.
The next morning, the young man took the dead lamb and put it right at the entrance of the dragon’s cave. The hungry dragon ate the lamb. After a while, the dragon began to feel that his stomach was burning because of the sulphur the young man put inside the lamb.
The dragon ran into the Vistula River and began drinking hundreds of litres of water… and he kept drinking and drinking, until his stomach could not stand it anymore… and exploded!
The plan worked perfectly… the dragon was killed and Dratewka married the beautiful daughter of the King and they lived happily ever after.

Legend about Lech, Czech and Rus

Long time ago there was the Slavic tribe that was ruled by three brothers: Lech, Czech and Rus. One day they noticed that there were more and more people and they got worried that there wouldn’t be enough food soon. They decided to move and find a better place to live. They were going through thick forests and crossing the rivers. They were walking in the sun, wind and rain.
When they reached the plains Rus said that some people were really tired and they would stay there. That’s how Russia was set up. Two other brothers continued walking until they reached the mountains. Czech saw the beauty of the setting sun on the mountains and told his brother he would stay there – that’s how Slovakia and Czech Republic were set up.
Lech continued with his tribe for many days until he saw a place with rivers full of fish, forests and fertile soil. However, he felt he needed a sign from the gods. Then he heard shouts as a huge, majestic eagle with radiant white feathers landed in his nest on a huge oak tree. Everyone was stunned as they saw the great bird against the red setting sun. It was a sign from the gods. The settlement of Lech became known as Gniezno (from gniazdo, nest) and was given the symbol of a white eagle on a red background. Calling themselves the Polonians, or people of the field this became the Polish nation and Gniezno was the first capital of Poland.

Miljenko i Dobrila

Romeo and Juliet are probably the most famous and tragic couple in literary history. Their pure and sincere love has inspired millions of people in love around the world for centuries, but a little-known fact is that the tragic romance from Verona had its Croatian version in the characters of Miljenko and Dobrila.

Kaštel Lukšić, a small town where the saddest love story originated, is one of the seven towns by the name of “Kaštel” that were built by noblemen from Split and Trogir in the 15th and 16th centuries to defend themselves from enemies.
The Vitturi and Rušinac family castles still stand in this small town near Split, and their faded walls battered by wind and the sea hold the secret of a forbidden love between two young people who lived in the second half of the 17th century.