Content:
Bivoj ................................................ 2
Krakonos ......................................... 6
Knights of Blanik ........................... 10
Salt above gold ............................... 14
CZECH
FOLKLORE
Jan Labut & Klara Popelkova
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A long time ago, when the walls of Prague were still young and the land of Czechia abounded with forests, there lived in the region a young and strong man named Bivoj. He was known for his great strength, courage and simple heart, which always led him to protect the weak.
One day, a great calamity settled in the area. A huge wild boar emerged from the forest, its fangs gleaming like razors and its back resembling a furrow ploughed by the wrath of the gods. It destroyed fields, killed cattle, and its roar terrified even the bravest hunters. People cried out for help, but no one dared to confront the beast.
Hearing of this misfortune, Bivoj decided that the boar would no longer torment his people. He just took his sturdy hunting knife and a strip of cloth and went hunting. When he came face to face with the huge boar, he felt its hot breath and the anger burning in the beast's eyes. The boar rushed at him with a roar, but Bivoj was not afraid - with the agility of a beast he avoided him and jumped on his back. He fought the boar with his bare hands, and when his knife passed through the neck of the animal, the giant creature fell to the ground.
On his way back, he was intercepted by curious onlookers. They saw a brave man carrying a dead boar on his shoulders, as if it were only a sack of grain. The people cheered, the women wept for joy, and Bivoj was led to Vyšehrad, where Princess Libuše was waiting for him. "Bivoj," said the wise ruler, "your action is an example of courage which every Czech must preserve. The beast you have slain was not only the ruin of our country, but also a test of your spirit. May you forever be celebrated as one who conquered fear and stood up to evil."
Poor farmer Peter lived in poverty and barely supported his family. He worked from dawn till dusk, but no divined power seemed to rest on his work. One day, full of despair, he decided to ask for a help his relatives in neighbouring county. Although they were rich, their cold heart found not a single drop of compassion, refused Peter and insulted him. Disappointed and devastated, Peter, on his way back, decided to turn to the legendary spirit of Krakonoš, the protector of the local forests and mountains. But Krakonoš doesn't like his name to be taken lightly, and with his well-known penchant for putting people to the test, it's never clear what to expect, if anything. Peter, aware of the risk, did not hesitate to call his name.
Krakonoš appeared in the form of coal miner and after listening to Peter’s story decided to help him. He brought him to his cave full of treasures and gave him exactly 100 tolars with the condition that he would return the money in a year with interest.
Peter used the money wisely – he bought field, cattle and seeds, which he sowed with love and care. His harvest was blessed and during the year he not only received enough to pay off his debt, but also a little extra. When he and his family went to return the money on the appointed day, Krakonoš did not show up. After a while Peter found his promissory note torn into two with a note: "Paid with thanks."
In the old days, when the Czech land was shaken by wars and disasters, there were rumours of a mysterious army hidden in the interior of Mount Blaník. These knights, led by Saint Wenceslas, slept in silent expectation of the day when the Czech land would be in the greatest danger.
People from the surrounding area often said that the mountain came alive - at night you could hear the clinking of armour and the neighing of horses. Once a young shepherd who had lost his sheep wandered onto Blaník. Searching for the lost animal, he found the entrance to a cave that led him to a huge underground chamber. There he saw knights in shining armour sleeping while their horses stood by stone troughs.
In the middle of the hall sat Saint Wenceslas with a helmet on his head and a spear in his hand. "Why have you come here, young man?" he asked in a stern voice. The shepherd replied that he was looking for a sheep, but he had entered this sanctuary by mistake. Saint Wenceslas looked at him, his gaze kind but serious. "Remember, my boy," he said, "when the Czech land is in the greatest need, we knights will rise up and save it. Until then, remain silent."
To prove his words, Wenceslas gave the shepherd a golden horseshoe. The shepherd returned to the village, but did not speak of what he had seen until his deathbed, when he told his children everything. The horseshoe became a family treasure and proof that hope never fades.
And so, the Knights of Blaník remain a legend. They are ready to defend their country when the going gets tough - because sometimes it is the belief in heroes that keeps a nation alive.
Once upon a time, there was a king, who had one daughter, his greatest pride. One day, while talking together about what is most valuable in life, princess expressed that she valued salt more than gold. The king was outraged by her answer. "How can you compare common salt to noble gold? Gold is the source of wealth, power and splendour, while salt is just a commonplace!" he said. The daughter insisted and the argument between them grew. The king, upset, decided to show his daughter that she was wrong. He ordered to remove all the salt from the castle and forbade its use. "When you know how little salt means, you will come to me with an apology," he said.
Soon, however, the feasts at the castle began to taste strangely bland, and the food, though expensive and beautifully prepared, lost its joy. At first the king stood his ground, but the longer they lived without salt, the more he felt he was missing something essential. The people in the castle were silent and dissatisfied, even the royal delicacies no longer pleased anyone. Finally, the king realized how deeply wrong he was. He summoned his daughter, knelt before her, and said, "My dear daughter, I was blinded. You were right - without salt, gold is empty. Forgive me."
Princess forgave her father and smiled, "We do not need to despair, father. I will find a way to return the salt." She went into the countryside, where she had mills built with one purpose of bringing salt back to the castle. As soon as salt was available again, the food regained its taste and joy returned to the castle.
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Jan Labut |
Klara Popelkova |
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Originally from the Czech Republic (Prague), they live in Ireland (Dundalk), where they are completing bachelor's degree (Creative Media) at Dundalk Institute of Technology.
If you appreciate our work, don't forget to scan the QR code to get in touch with us.
We look forward to future collaborations!
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Jan Labut
Role: Website Coder, Storyteller, Sound Designer, UX/UI, Researcher
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Klara Popelkova
Role: Project Manager, UX/UI, Illustrator, 2D Animator, Copywriter, Researcher
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