Our legends of February-Polish Legend

 

The Well of  Three Brothers

 

A long time ago, around the year AD 810, in the Silesian region there was a thick and vast forest.

 

One day three brothers Bolko, Leszko and Cieszko came to this forest.  

They decided to hunt some wild animals.  

 

On a big meadow they saw a deer, bear and boar which ran away in different directions when they saw the hunters.

 

Leszko  started chasing the magnificent deer. After many days, the deer ran through thick mud and Leszko, who followed it. almost drowned in the swamp.

 

Bolko wanted to catch the bear and followed it on his horse. After a long chase, the bear found its hideout behind a bush of really prickly wildberries. Bolko’s horse got badly scratched by the thorns and Bolko was hurt, too.

 

Cieszko rushed after the boar. The boar was very fast and very clever and it led the prince across hills and mountains. Finally, after many days, Cieszko managed to catch the boar.

 

After all the three brothers had caught the animals, they started making their way back to where they had parted all these days earlier. They were shouting and calling each others’ names out loud and they spent a few days and nights looking for one another.

 

Eventually, each of the brothers came across a stream and decided to follow its course and eventually they all ended up at the spring – the place from which the stream sprang up from under the ground.

 

This is where they all finally met.

 

They sat next to the spring and started talking about their adventures.

They were so happy that they decided to found a town in this very place.

 

They called the town Cieszyn, because in Polish there is a verb “cieszyć”, which means “be happy about something.

 

Soon a big town sprang in the middle of the forest. Now it is one of the most beautiful towns of Silesia. And the well, which they built at the place of their fortunate meeting, can still be visited in Cieszyn today.

 

It is called “The Well of Three Brothers”. No one uses it for taking water any more, but it is a reminder of the brothers’ happy reunion.