Intro
That's the fifth post from that series which in total will include 16 publications. If you want to read the previous legend published by me, check those links:
- Why swans mate for life
- About the good devil who gave the pipe to Janek
- About the lake Leleskie and the evil governor
- About the brave Netta who saved the king
It's the legend, so obviously it's not the story I created, but it may vary a bit from the versions that other people know. I wrote it on my own, with my words, in a way it was said to me when I was a child and how I remembered it.
The legend about Warsaw
Before tribes became tribes and then states, there were few settlements in Warsaw, covered by an inexhaustible forest. Most of the inhabitants lived on the fruits of the forest and nature, such as honey and berries. There were also fishing villages. In one of them lived a strong young fisherman named Wars.
Like his father and father of his father, Wars was greatly respected due to his hard work and remarkable determination. He often was returning from fishing with a net full of fish, sometimes asking other men to help him pull the net to shore. Wars also had a good heart, he tried to share the fish with the villagers who were not as lucky as him. Most of the time he was helping the fishermen's widows whose husbands never returned from fishing and orphaned children. He never was expecting glory or reward in return.
Wars liked to rest in nature. When he found a moment free from work, he immediately was going to the river and, hidden among the reeds, was starring at the spot when the river connects with the lake. One night just after returning from fishing, when Wars lay in his favorite spot, he noticed a beautiful girl rising from the river, wearing a robe made of seashells. She had long blonde hair and eyes so blue that were almost hypnotizing.
Wars couldn't take his eyes off her from her. As he watched, the girl dove in, and then the young man saw her long tail covered with scales. "She's a mermaid," he said to himself in a low voice, but he didn't even flinch to not scare this extraordinary creature. Wars had heard stories of mermaids of seas far away, but he had never seen one. He decided to keep the secret of her existence. Thereafter, for a year, every afternoon off he hid among the reeds and looked for an unusual guest. He heard the songs that she sang with delight and watched her swim.
Wars felt his heart belonged to her and that if he didn't tell her, he would regret it forever. After a year of constant visits into the river, Wars decided not to hide but to wait for the mermaid and say what he feels for her. When he appeared on the shore, the mermaid did not come out of the water. The next night he sailed by boat to the place where the mermaid appeared and hid among the reeds. When the girl came out of the water and began to sing, the young man swam. The Mermaid was scared but he immediately screamed:
source - symbol of the city, mermaid Sawa -Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you!
-Why are you looking at me? - She asked and a blush appeared on her face.
-Forgive me, beautiful lady. I've been coming to the river for a year listen to your song and look you in the eyes for a moment. Recently I know that my heart belongs to you and although I am a simple fisherman my love is sincere and eternal - having said that, he lowered his head, and when he picked it up, the siren disappeared under the water. He looked around and, desperate, returned to shore. When he got there, a girl's head appeared next to the boat.
-You are not a simple fisherman, Wars - she replied. Listening to her saying his name, the young man blushed.
-How do you know my name? - He asked her, a little confused
-My name is Sawa, and I have also been watching you for a year. While you were fishing, I was looking at you. You are
different from other fishermen who intimidate fish mutilating them. That is why your networks are always full and others empty, but also because my heart belongs to you. Like you, I love you, but long before you beloved me - Happy Wars jumped into the water and kissed Sawa.
-Is it possible that we are together? He asked his beloved
-When a mermaid loves a man and his kiss is honest, she becomes a woman. After these words, she pulled Wars from the hand and they both came out of the water. Her shell had fallen to the ground.
Wars and Sawa, along with a group of children, lived happy and loving. And the small town that received the
Warsaw's name in honor of her is today a great city and the capital of Poland.
Thank you for reading,
@papi.mati
In modern times, we could say both of the main characters behave like stalkers and love addicts, which is quite a popular thing in every European legend starting from medieval times (before, in ancient times not present so often) and ending in XIXth century romanticism. The idea of normalization falling in love until first seeing, leaving all that we have, and deciding to build the life together before we even have a small talk with another person is strictly related to the way how mating looked like in that time. Let's remember that creating families based on love between two people is a new thing and became popularized in the western world before the world wars, in the XIXth century. In some cultures, pragmatism is still valued more. Having it in mind helps to understand the legend better.