Ancient Bohemian Legends
Encyclopedia
Ancient Bohemian legends (Staré pověsti české in Czech) is a book by Alois Jirásek
written in 1894. It includes legends such as Maidens' War, Libuše
and Přemysl
, Krok's Daughters and Bohemian Arrival.
people from an area between the Vistula River and Carpathian mountains
set off to the west in search of plentiful lands. They were led by Forefather Čech
and his brother, Lech
. After a long time (perhaps years) of traveling, they arrived to busky land.
Forefather Čech climbed Říp Mountain
and looked around the land. Then he allegedly said: "Oh, comrades, you've endured hardships along with me, when we wandered in impassable woods; finally we arrived at our homeland. This is the best country, predestined for you. Here you won't miss anything, but you'll take pleasure in permanent safety. Now that this sweet and beautiful land is in your hands, think up a suitable name."
The Bohemians named their homeland after their leader and forefather: Čechy
. Čech means "one of us".
Touched, Čech replied: "God bless our Promised land, by thousandfold wishes wish-ful from us, save us scatheless and breed our issue from generation to generation, amen".
Then some Slavs around Lech rose up and left Bohemia
; they settled in Poland
.
Čech was duke (vojvoda) of his land for a long time. There was peace in his land, nobody thieved, and all was well. But after Čech's death, morals soon declined.
district. He was just and kept his tribe at peace. When the Bohemians recognized his wisdom and fairness, they elected him as their new judge.
Krok and his wife, Niva (literally Lea, Mead) had three daughters: the eldest daughter, Kazi, knew every herbaceous plant and was a healer, a pythoness and Fate; their second daughter, Teta, taught Bohemians how to worship their deities, idols, and nymphs; the youngest daughter, Libuše
, was a prophetess. She was so chaste and kindly that the Bohemians elected her as judge after Krok's death.
Libuše judged them, but the loser was angry and exclaimed: "Why must we have a female judge? Every nation is ruled by a man - what a shame! Long hair means short reason!"
She listened to their protests and send men to find her a suitable husband, saying, "That duke to be ploughs with two oxes. If you like, take horses, a robe, a cloak and shawls and go give that man a message from me and my people and bring a duke to yourselves and a husband to me. His name is Přemysl and his seed will rule this land for all times."
They did as told and brought the plougher to Libuše, who married him and made him the first Duke.
Later, during her life with Přemysl, it is said she had a long vision of the future capital Prague. "...I see a large city, glory of which touches the stars."
Most of Bohemia's women started conspiring, and they murdered men and waged war against them. The best-known tale is about Šárka
, the noble maid, who baited a trap for Ctirad. She pretended to refuse to join Vlasta, tying her to a tree and leaving her in the centre of a deep forest. Ctirad then untied her and drank Šárka's poisoned mead. He fainted and Šárka captured him. After he woke up in the maidens' base, they tortured him to death. This provoked Přemysl to storm their castle and put an end to the horrific war.
based on the stories, directed by Czech animator Jiří Trnka
, was released in 1953.
Alois Jirásek
Alois Jirásek was a Czech writer, author of historical novels and plays. Jirásek was a secondary-school teacher until his retirement in 1909. He wrote a series of historical novels imbued with faith in his nation and in progress toward freedom and justice...
written in 1894. It includes legends such as Maidens' War, Libuše
Libuše
Libuše, Libussa or, historically Lubossa, is a legendary ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czech people as whole. Libuše was the wisest of the three sisters and prophesied the foundation of Prague from her castle Libušín...
and Přemysl
Premysl, the Ploughman
The Czechs name Přemysl, the Ploughman, as the mythical ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty, containing the line of princes and kings which ruled in the Lands of the Bohemian Crown from 873 or earlier until the murder of Wenceslaus III in 1306.-Story:According to a legend, Přemysl was a peasant of...
, Krok's Daughters and Bohemian Arrival.
Bohemian Arrival
According to myth, some SlavicSlavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
people from an area between the Vistula River and Carpathian mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
set off to the west in search of plentiful lands. They were led by Forefather Čech
Lech, Czech and Rus
Lech, Čech, and Rus is a legend of three brothers – Lech, Čech, and Rus – who founded three Slavic nations: Poland , Bohemia, and Ruthenia...
and his brother, Lech
Lech, Czech and Rus
Lech, Čech, and Rus is a legend of three brothers – Lech, Čech, and Rus – who founded three Slavic nations: Poland , Bohemia, and Ruthenia...
. After a long time (perhaps years) of traveling, they arrived to busky land.
Forefather Čech climbed Říp Mountain
Ríp Mountain
Říp mountain is a 459 m solitary hill rising up from the central Bohemian flatland where, according to legend, the first Czechs settled. Říp is located 25 km south-east of Litoměřice, Czech Republic....
and looked around the land. Then he allegedly said: "Oh, comrades, you've endured hardships along with me, when we wandered in impassable woods; finally we arrived at our homeland. This is the best country, predestined for you. Here you won't miss anything, but you'll take pleasure in permanent safety. Now that this sweet and beautiful land is in your hands, think up a suitable name."
The Bohemians named their homeland after their leader and forefather: Čechy
Čechy
- Place names :Czechia:* Čechy, the Czech name for Bohemia** Střední Čechy, the Central Bohemian Region* Čechy , a village and municipality in Přerov District, Olomouc Region, Czech Republic...
. Čech means "one of us".
Touched, Čech replied: "God bless our Promised land, by thousandfold wishes wish-ful from us, save us scatheless and breed our issue from generation to generation, amen".
Then some Slavs around Lech rose up and left Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
; they settled in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Čech was duke (vojvoda) of his land for a long time. There was peace in his land, nobody thieved, and all was well. But after Čech's death, morals soon declined.
Krok's Daughters
Krok was the ruler of a Bohemian tribe, that today would have been located in the KladnoKladno
Kladno is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It is located 25 km northwest of Prague. Kladno is the largest city of the region and holds a population together with its adjacent suburban areas of more than 110,000 people...
district. He was just and kept his tribe at peace. When the Bohemians recognized his wisdom and fairness, they elected him as their new judge.
Krok and his wife, Niva (literally Lea, Mead) had three daughters: the eldest daughter, Kazi, knew every herbaceous plant and was a healer, a pythoness and Fate; their second daughter, Teta, taught Bohemians how to worship their deities, idols, and nymphs; the youngest daughter, Libuše
Libuše
Libuše, Libussa or, historically Lubossa, is a legendary ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czech people as whole. Libuše was the wisest of the three sisters and prophesied the foundation of Prague from her castle Libušín...
, was a prophetess. She was so chaste and kindly that the Bohemians elected her as judge after Krok's death.
Přemysl and Libuše
Libuše was a wise and just judge for several years, until one day two men came to Libušin (Libuše's seat) with a dispute - they were in disagreement as to where one's lot ended and the other began.Libuše judged them, but the loser was angry and exclaimed: "Why must we have a female judge? Every nation is ruled by a man - what a shame! Long hair means short reason!"
She listened to their protests and send men to find her a suitable husband, saying, "That duke to be ploughs with two oxes. If you like, take horses, a robe, a cloak and shawls and go give that man a message from me and my people and bring a duke to yourselves and a husband to me. His name is Přemysl and his seed will rule this land for all times."
They did as told and brought the plougher to Libuše, who married him and made him the first Duke.
Later, during her life with Přemysl, it is said she had a long vision of the future capital Prague. "...I see a large city, glory of which touches the stars."
Maidens' War
As long as Libuše lived, women in Bohemia had many rights. But once Přemysl came into power, he started promoting male rights at the expense of female rights. This led Vlasta (Libuše's chambermaid) to rebel against Přemysl.Most of Bohemia's women started conspiring, and they murdered men and waged war against them. The best-known tale is about Šárka
Šárka
The story of Šárka is a character in the so-called "Maidens' War" in Bohemian tradition. It first appeared in the twelfth-century Chronica Boëmorum of Cosmas of Prague, and later in the fourteenth-century Dalimil's Chronicle....
, the noble maid, who baited a trap for Ctirad. She pretended to refuse to join Vlasta, tying her to a tree and leaving her in the centre of a deep forest. Ctirad then untied her and drank Šárka's poisoned mead. He fainted and Šárka captured him. After he woke up in the maidens' base, they tortured him to death. This provoked Přemysl to storm their castle and put an end to the horrific war.
Seven mythical dukes
Nezamysl was a son of Přemysl (the name translating as the literal opposite of Přemysl - "one who thinks a lot"). His son was Mnata ("one who doesn't forget"), whose son was Vojen (literally "the soldier"). His son was Vnislav (unknown meaning). Vnislav's son was Křesomysl - most wealthy and powerful of the seven, having discovered silver mines in the borderland. His son, Neklan, was a weakling.Film adaptation
An animated filmOld Czech Legends
Old Czech Legends is a 1953 Czechoslovak stop motion puppet animation film directed by Jiří Trnka. It was based on the 1894 book Ancient Bohemian Legends by Alois Jirásek....
based on the stories, directed by Czech animator Jiří Trnka
Jirí Trnka
Jiří Trnka was a Czech puppet maker, illustrator, motion-picture animator and film director. In addition to his extensive career as an illustrator, especially of children's books, he is best known for his work in animation with puppets, which began in 1946...
, was released in 1953.