The Legend of the Wawel Dragon

 


The Legend of the Wawel Dragon

Long ago, in the bustling city of Kraków, there was a terrible dragon that lived in a cave beneath Wawel Hill, near the Vistula River. The dragon was massive, with scales as hard as steel and fiery breath that could scorch the land. It terrorized the people of the kingdom, burning crops, destroying homes, and devouring livestock.

The king, desperate to protect his people, offered a great reward to anyone who could slay the dragon. Many brave knights and warriors tried, but none succeeded. They were either burned alive by the dragon’s flames or devoured whole. The people lived in constant fear, unable to escape the dragon’s wrath.

The Clever Tailor

One day, a poor but clever tailor named Skuba came to the king with an unusual idea. "Your Majesty," he said, "I may not have the strength of a knight, but I have a plan to defeat the dragon." The king, skeptical but desperate, listened to Skuba’s plan.

Skuba, knowing that brute strength had not worked against the dragon, decided to outwit it. He went to the marketplace and bought a large quantity of sheep, which he stuffed with sulfur and pitch. He then set the sheep loose near the dragon’s cave.

The dragon, hungry and curious, devoured the sheep one by one. After eating the last sheep, the dragon began to feel a terrible burning sensation in its stomach. The sulfur and pitch began to react, and soon the dragon’s insides were ablaze. In agony, the dragon rushed to the river to drink, hoping to cool the fire inside. It drank and drank, but the more it drank, the thirstier it became. The dragon continued to drink from the river until it had consumed so much water that it exploded in a tremendous roar.

The people of Kraków cheered, and the king was so impressed by Skuba’s cleverness that he awarded him a great fortune. Skuba became famous throughout the land, and his name was spoken of with respect for his intelligence and bravery.

The Legacy of the Wawel Dragon

To this day, the legend of the Wawel Dragon is told to visitors and children in Poland. It is said that the dragon’s cave beneath Wawel Hill can still be seen, and every year, the city holds a festival in honor of the dragon. A statue of the dragon stands near the river, and it even "breathes fire" on occasion, reminding everyone of the clever tailor who saved the kingdom.

This Polish fairy tale emphasizes the power of wit over might and how even the most unlikely hero can save the day with clever thinking. The Wawel Dragon is a beloved part of Polish folklore and a symbol of Kraków’s resilience and ingenuity.

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