Kaitlynn O'Reilly: Wawel Castle

Entering Wawel Castle

On the second visit to Krakow the tour took us to Wawel Castle, which is a military and religious center.  Krakow is a city with many legends and the castle has a legend of its own, specifically that of the Wawel dragon.  The dragon’s bones hang outside the chapel today. 

Dragon Bones

I love dragons, but this dragon was a troublemaker.  The pagan ruler Krak was the founder of Krakow.  

He built Wawel castle on top of a hill.  There was peace in his surrounding country until the dragon came, eating sheep, laying waste, and kidnapping girls.  Life in the country slowed to a standstill as his subjects hid in terror of the dragon.  Krak knew that the dragon’s rein could not be allowed to go on, so he decided that he would give his daughter’s hand in marriage and the throne to the one who could best the dragon. 

No one wanted to face the dragon, until one day a cobbler approached Krak.  The cobbler’s name was Skuba and he spoke with Krak for a long time.  After the meeting Krak ordered that all of Skuba’s requests be fulfilled even if they seemed strange.  Skuba did not ask for any weapon or armour, nor did he do things the Beowulf way with his hands, instead he asked for a tanned sheepskin and a bag of sulphur. 

Skuba then sewed his sheepskin and filled it with sulphur.  He crafted fine legs complete with hooves, gave his creation a tail and horns, and it even had bead eyes.  His masterpiece seemed very much alive.  

Skuba took his creation and snuck into the dragon's cave at night to leave it. 

When the dragon woke up that morning it devoured Skuba’s creation and the sulphur began to burn it alive.  The dragon tried drinking water to save itself but no amount of water could bring it relief.  The dragon’s stomach expanded and expanded and expanded until it could not expand anymore and the dragon exploded.  

Then as a very weird gift, Skuba gathered the pieces of the dragon’s skin and crafted green shoes for Krak’s daughter, Wanda. 

  Thanks to Skuba’s genius life returned to normal and the country prospered.  He married Wanda and shared the throne with her.  He always followed his wife’s council. 

In time a new dragon appeared, but for some reason no one feared it. 

This was the unfortunate tale of the Wawel dragon. 

 Other legends of possible interest are: Wanda's Mound, Krak's Mound, Chyrch of St. Benedict, Church of the Norbertine Sisters, Blonia, St. Mary's Church, Krzysztofory Palace, Collegium Maius, To Twardowski Rocks, Church of the Holy Saviour, and Remuh Synagogue, which can all be found in Legends of Krakow retold by Anna Majorczyk, translated by Robin Gill and illustrated by Katarzyna Borzecka.