image092
a rotunda under the invocation of St George sińce 1126 (earlier possibly of St Adalbert), erected probably at the turn of the llthc. (SSS, vol. 4, p. 637-638).
The symbolic centre of the Southern Little Poland was Wawel in Cracow. This Iow hill does not seem to have the status of a “mountain,” but the mythical significance of mountains does not follow from their height. Jan Długosz Annałes ( I, vol. 1, 1964, p. 101) considered Łysiec-Święty Krzyż (Holy Cross) the most important mountain of the Polish Kingdom, but as the second one he listed “Wawel, as it houses the highest authority and bears the royal castle.” The significance of Wawel (and Cracow) is evident from the fact that apart from Gniezno it is the only spot in Poland conneo-ted with legendary traditions and myths. The main figures of Cracow leg-ends are Krak and the Dragon. The earliest source conceming the subject is Master Vincent, who probably did not record all the myths that had sur-vived in the orał tradition until his time. Kronika polsko-śląska (Polish--Silesian Chronicie, MPH, vol. 3, 1961, p. 609), relating the legend about Wanda, Krak’s daughter, comments that “numerous fantasies” were told about her. Most probably the same could be said about Krak. Master Vincent {Chronica Polonorum I, 1, MPH, vol. 2, 1961, p. 251-252) was interested in the following problem: “in whose times, can we conclude, did our State system originate?” Moreover, as Brygida Kurbis suggests (1976, p. 166), he used the Legend of the origins of Cracow for a specific literary and didactic purpose. Therefore, it was unnecessary to present all the details of the orał tradition.
This is what Master Vincent selected: Krak, to whom he gives a Literary name of Gracchus in accordance with the taste of the epoch, first appears in the chronicie as the leader of the Poles, who are fighting in Panonia. After battles with Galls and Romans, while organizing the conquered territories, which reached from the land of Parthians to Bułgaria and Carinthia, the Poles appoint govemors and “elect as their prince a certain man called Gracchus.” But the conąuerors soon grow indolent, some of them die of poison, some fali under the influence of the natives. Then, Gracchus with his people sets off to another country. Although Krak enjoys the position of the prince, at that time Poland is allegedly ruled by a primitive democracy in which the main authority is the counselling assembly. This phase, however, is soon over. “Many men desired a share in power. Therefore, Gracchus, retuming from Carinthia (...), summons all the people to the assembly (...), promises that if they elect him, he will not be the king, but the associate of the kingdom (...). So everyone salutes him as the king. And he decides about the order, proclaims laws. In such a way the origin of our State law emerged and was bom” (Master Vincent, I, 3-5, MPH, vol. 2, 1961, p. 254-255). The above is a description of an assembly which elected a fully sovereign ruler, a dynast who proclaimed law. The ad concemed the tribe, the community that was gathered at the assembly.
The issue of territory appears in the myth immediately after that episode. Until that moment Master Vincent did not associate the Poles with any particular and stable country or stronghold, only Krak’s election can be located on Wawel or in the neighbouring area, which, however, had to be gained. “Because in the windings of a certain rock lived a terribly cruel monster, whom some calłed Whole-eater (Holophagus). His greed had to be weekly satisfied with a specified amount of cattle in accordance with the number of days. If the inhabitants did not supply the cattle, as if some offerings, they would be punished by the monster by losing the equal number of human heads. Gracchus, unable to bear such a calamity, as he was a morę loving son of his country than a father of his sons, secretly called his sons and presented [to them] his plan, supplying the advice. He says: ‘Bravery does not agree with cowardice, white hair with foolishness, youth with indolence. (...) So you, our favourites, who both have been raised in accordance with our principles of conduct, you should arm yourselves in order to kill the monster, you should step forward to fight with it, but without endangering yourselves [too much], as you are a half of our life, and you will inherit this kingdom.’ To which they answer: ‘Indeed, we could be regarded as poisoned with stepsons’ hatred if you did not appoint us with such a honourable task! It is your privilege to order and our duty to obey’. So, when they experienced the honest combat and vain contest many times, they were finally forced to resort to a ruse. Instead of the cattle they left in the usual place animal skins stufFed with burning sulphur. And when the Whole-eater devoured them greedily, he suffocated because of the flames inside. And immediately did the younger [son] attack and kill his brother, the partner in victory and the kingdom, not as a comrade, but as a rival. He follows his corpse shedding crocodile tears. He lies that the monster killed him, and the father welcomes him joyfulły as the victor.” He was the one to succeed Krak. Further, Master Vincent (I, 5, 7, MPH, vol. 2, 1961, p. 256-257) writes that he was longer defiled with fratricide than awarded with power, as his deception was soon discovered and he was banished for his crime. Only then was old Krak properly honoured: “on the Whole--eater’s rock the famous town was founded, and named Gracchovia [Cracovia, Cracow] to immortałize the memory of Gracchus. And no sooner were the burial ceremonies fmished than the building of the town was completed. Some called it Cracow because of the croaking of crows, which flew to the monster’s carcass. And the senate, the nobles, and the whole tribe felt such a great love for the dead king, that they chose his only daughter, called Wanda, as his successor.”
Master Vincent’s tale is not a simple eponimic legend. Krak, whom we would expect to kill the dragon and found the town, does not play this role. The dragon is killed by his sons. The name of the town (Kraków in Polish) is explained by two divergent etymologies: one derives it from Krak’s name, the other from the croaking (krakanie) of crows. Master Yincent opts for the
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