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Polish folk tales/fairy tales/fables

kolinThreads: 1 Posts: 10 Joined: Nov 18, 08	Nov 18, 08, 01:52 / #
Dzięn Dobry! My first post, apart from my two others under the name ORP in the genealogy forum, so, welcome me.... I was wondering if any of you could enlightened me, by telling me your favourite Polish folk tales! I am very fascinated by this subject, and would love to learn more. Also, if anybody has any links to websites with such texts, please PM those to me. My Polish is fairly limited, though working through some children's stories may be good practice. Jestem Kolin z Kanady Dziękuje bardzo!

FranekThreads: 21 Posts: 525 Joined: Apr 12, 08	Nov 18, 08, 06:57 / #
Kolin; Go to this site. It tells many Polish legends. As a young 1st generation Polish American, I recall sitting around a campfire listening to the old folks tell these stories. http://www.courses.unt.edu/efiga/STORYTELLING/Fall2002/5440pdf/Barbara _Thompson.pdf

GrandeSandeThreads: 2 Posts: 137 Joined: Feb 9, 07	Nov 19, 08, 11:58 / #
Hi Franek, Thank you for sharing this list. I, like Barbara Thompson, am a second generation American with a singular ancestry: Polish. I will be getting some of these stories, as I am trying to catch up on my heritage. My grandparents were concentrating on being Americans, and shared very little with me. GrandeSande

kolinThreads: 1 Posts: 10 Joined: Nov 18, 08	Edited by: kolin Nov 20, 08, 04:20 / #
Thanks a lot for this, Franek. sacred-texts.com/neu/sfs/index.htm <--This also seems to be a nice list of slavic folk tales, with a section on Polish one's in particular. Very interesting. Does anybody know of other folk stories they want to tell? lights virtual campfire edit I also just noticed my Dzięn dobry up there.. yuck. sorry. Dzień dobry! ***

FranekThreads: 21 Posts: 525 Joined: Apr 12, 08	Nov 20, 08, 06:51 / #
Hey guy's I am glad that you enjoy the link that I gave you, but there are many more. Try this one to start. If you enjoy this then I will give you more.. I know them all. The Polish White Eagle A thousand years ago, or maybe even more, there lived three brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus. For many years they had been content in their villages, but the families grew larger and they needed more room to live. The brothers decided to travel in different directions to search for new homes. Lech, Czech, and Rus traveled with their troops for many days. They rode their horses over mountains and rivers, through forests and wild country. There were no people to be found anywhere, not a town or tiny village. On the crest of a mountain top, they separated, each going in a different direction. Czech went to the left, Rus went to the right and Lech rode straight ahead, down the mountain and across vast plains. One day Lech saw a spendid sight. He and his troops had come to a place where a meadow surrounded a small lake. They stopped at the edge of the meadow as a great eagle flew over their heads. It flew around in great swooping circles, then perched on its nest, high on a craggy rock. Lech stared in awe at the beautiful sight. As the eagle spread its wings and soared into the heavens again, a ray of sunshine from the red setting sun fell on the eagle's wings, so they appeared tipped with gold, the rest of the bird was pure white. "Here is where we will stay!" declared Lech. "Here is our new home, and we will call this place GNIEZNO ... (the eagle's nest). He and his people built many houses and it became the center of his territory. They called themselves Polonians, which means "People of the Field". They made a banner with a white eagle on a red field and flew it over the town of Gniezno, which became the first historical capital of Poland. And, now you know how Poland began . .

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Oct 31, 09, 21:44 / #
Nov 2, 09, 05:02 - Thread attached on merging: Polish Fairy Tales ...When I was a kid I got a book from my mom with fairy tales from all over the world. I remember there was a Polish one too, alas, can't remember the name (yep, I'm that old already). So, what Polish fairy tales are there? I don't mean the translated Grimm or Andersen ones, but the typical Polish ones. >^..^< M-G (curious)

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08	Oct 31, 09, 21:54 / #
One that immediately comes to mind is the one about the elves and Sierotka Marysia (Little Orphan Mary), written by Maria Konopnicka. Dunno if one in verse is what you had in mind. O krasnoludkach i sierotce Marysi Maria Konopnicka Czy to bajka, czy nie bajka, Myślcie sobie, jak tam chcecie. A ja przecież wam powiadam: Krasnoludki są na świecie. Naród wielce osobliwy. Drobny - niby ziarnka w bani: Jeśli które z was nie wierzy, Niech zapyta starej niani. W górach, w jamach, pod kamykiem, Na zapiecku czy w komorze Siedzą sobie Krasnoludki W byle jakiej mysiej norze. Pod kominem czy pod progiem - Wszędzie ich napotkać można: Czasem który za kucharkę Poobraca pieczeń z rożna... Czasem skwarków porwie z rynki Albo liźnie cukru nieco I pozbiera okruszynki, Co ze stołu w obiad zlecą. Czasem w stajni z bicza trzaśnie, Koniom spląta długie grzywy, Czasem dzieciom prawi baśnie... Istne cuda! Istne dziwy! Gdzie chce - wejdzie, co chce - zrobi, Jak cień chyżo, jak cień cicho, Nie odżegnać się od niego, Takie sprytne małe licho! Zresztą myślcie, jako chcecie, Czy kto chwali, czy kto gani, Krasnoludki są na świecie! Spytajcie się tylko niani.

beckskiThreads: 19 Posts: 2,148 Joined: May 15, 07 MEMBER	Oct 31, 09, 22:05 / #
MareGaea: So, what Polish fairy tales are there? I remember my dad had mentioned a tale about a Polish witch. She possessed great magical powers, primarily because she had red hair. He mentioned that according to Polish folkfore, red-headed witches were supposedly the ones with the strongest, most forceful powers. A sincere thanks PF, for putting up with me FIVE terrific years, muah!

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Edited by: MareGaea Oct 31, 09, 22:17 / #
Polonius3 Is there an English translation available? I don't dare to put it through Google Translation as the results from that site are sometimes a bit scary. I don't mind if it's in verses, not at all. beckski Redheaded witches...Funny you mentioned that. In Serbia Redheads (I take it because of the pale skin that usually comes with red hair) were considered to be Vampires and in Holland Redheads were regarded as "touched by the devil" (at least in my part of the country). I like your new avatar, by the way :) Happy Hallowe'en to you too :)) >^..^< M-G (it's generally not a good idea to ignore vampires when in a room with one as they most definitively won't ignore you)

beckskiThreads: 19 Posts: 2,148 Joined: May 15, 07 MEMBER	Oct 31, 09, 22:23 / #
MareGaea: I like your new avatar, by the way :) Happy Hallowe'en to you too :)) Thanks I got the idea from some of the old silent film movies. I was going for kind of a mysterious Halloween look. A sincere thanks PF, for putting up with me FIVE terrific years, muah!

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Oct 31, 09, 22:44 / #
beckski You're welcome :) Mysterious is always good ;) Seanus, you're Scottish, that means that there is a big chance that you have red hair. Are you a Vampire too? :)) >^..^< M-G (is not afraid of Vampires)

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Oct 31, 09, 22:45 / #
Polish fairy tales I remember were about: - Fern flower - fern was said amongst folk to blossom only on Summer Solstice and the flower's finder could wish whatever they wanted, as long as it was a selfish wish; - The basilisk - it's gaze turned to stone, but one daredevil got the beast with a mirror (I guess it's some local derivative of Gorgon myth); - The Soldier and the Devil - an old veteran duping the Devil (I remember some tale where he did it with not-so-little help of a brainy woman); - A national myth of Wars and Sawa (whose names gave the name to Polish capital); - Wanda (a princess) who chose to drown rather than marry a German; - Smok Wawelski (Wawel Dragon) who was terrorizing Krakowiacy until a wee sly shoe-maker prepared a tasty sheep stuffed with sulphur & tar & tikka masala (ok, I went a step too far) which made the said beast drink whole water from Wisła and explode as a result; - St St Peter and Paul wandering among folk and having various adventures (I guess they were popular amongst Highlanders); - Zmoras which were evil kinda witches (always women!) popular in Silesia. One of their features was that they could change their form to a straw, sneak through a keyhole, and turn back to their bodily form. Their favourite activity was sitting with bare bum (they were basically naked) on men's throat during their sleep an cause nightmares. Obviously, many of them have different versions, depending on region.

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Oct 31, 09, 22:54 / #
Bartolome Thanks! I think it's always nice to hear about folklore like this. >^..^< M-G (the bonfire near my house has died at the hands of some firemen - good!)

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Oct 31, 09, 23:08 / #
No problemo There were also short stories about Sowizdrzał and his pal Wonichlebiczek is Silesia. Not actually fairy tales, but little funny pictures from lives of two nieroby (lazy bums). I also remember a book of Yugoslavian fairy tales from my kidhood. These were hilarious antics :)

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Oct 31, 09, 23:20 / #
Bartolome What I for sure remember of Polish culture when I was a child, were of course Lolek en Bolek. Well, they're not fairy tales, but I still enjoyed watching them, although they were more often on German television than on Dutch television. Actually, it's kinda amazing what German television did for spreading Central- and Eastern Culture to the West (at least when you're from the East of Holland, as I am, near the German border)! I've come to known, for example: Lolek en Bolek, Phantomas, and there were a crapload of (Czech?) Children's movies as well...And I saw most of them...I knew they were not German, but it kinda struck me that it all looked so modern in those films, a bit different than the image we had from the East, if you catch my drift... >^..^< M-G (sometimes wished he could go back in time - just to see those films on Sunday afternoons)

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Edited by: Bartolome Oct 31, 09, 23:38 / #
Yeah, I remember those Czech series too. And Miś Uszatek (aka Oyasumi Kumachan), another Polish animation has devoted followers as far as in Japan

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Edited by: MareGaea Oct 31, 09, 23:42 / #
Bartolome Just wondering: Lolek en Bolek are not being shown on TV anymore, except for reruns, am I right? Would there by any way of downloading a few of them episodes? Would love to see them again :) Edit: just had a look at the link, unfortunately my Japanes isn't what it used to be, so I have no clue what they are talking about, but the bear does very vaguely ring a bell...But nothing more than that, sorry. >^..^< M-G (was a huge Lolek en Bolek fan at the time)

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Edited by: Bartolome Oct 31, 09, 23:49 / #
Bolek i Lolek's facebook Bolek i Lolek is more 'international' as there are no dialogues. Miś Uszatek had to be localised.

MareGaeaThreads: 45 Posts: 5,527 Joined: Feb 6, 08	Oct 31, 09, 23:56 / #
Bartolome Thanks again! Ah, so it's Bolek en Lolek? We called them always the other way around...Don't know why that was, though. Maybe it just was easier to pronounce that way? Don't know. By the way: "en" is Dutch for "i", so on Dutch TV it was always presented as Lolek "en" Bolek, instead of its original name...Hope you will forgive us for such barbarism :) In German TV it was Lolek und Bolek. >^..^< M-G (will add L&B to his FB page)

BartolomeThreads: 2 Posts: 1,345 Joined: Sep 14, 06	Nov 1, 09, 00:04 / #
No prob, for me as a Pole it can only be Bolek i Lolek (:

Polonius3Threads: 1,005 Posts: 4,833 Joined: Apr 11, 08	Nov 1, 09, 12:23 / #
I couldn't find a translation of the Konopnicka poem. In essence it says: Elves DO exist in the world. Just ask an old nanny, and she'll tell you so.

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