March-Polish Legend

 

TORUŃ GINGERBREAD BISCUITS

 

Once upon a time, in a beautiful town of Toruń, there lived a famous baker, Bartłomiej, known in the whole neighborhood for his delicious cakes and biscuits. The truth, however, was that it was his apprentice, young and good-looking Bogumił, who made the tasty delicacies. Bogumił was in love with Bartłomiej’s beautiful daughter – Róża. Róża’s parents did not want him as a son-in-law because he was poor. They preferred an ugly, old but rich widower, Pankracy.

 

One day Bogumił was walking along a narrow path. He wanted to pick flowers for Róża. Suddenly, as he was passing a puddle, he saw a big bee in the water. Its wings were wet and it was about to drown. Bogumił passed a leaf towards the bee and helped it out of the water. The sun soon dried its wings and the bee flew away.

 

Suddenly, Bogumił heard some strange noise. He looked around and saw the queen of the dwarfs who was sitting in the grass. She spoke in human voice, thanking Bogumił for saving the bee queen. The dwarf queen gave him a recipe for gingerbread biscuits more delicious than anyone had ever eaten before. The secret lay in adding honey to the dough, which the bees promised to provide.

 

Bogumił came back to town and saw a big commotion. It turned out that the king was supposed to come to Toruń the following day.

 

All bakers started baking gingerbread biscuits. Bogumił began to knead  the dough when he remembered the forest conversation and – not telling Bartłomiej – added some honey. Then he put the dough in baking tins and baked delicious, brown gingerbread biscuits.

 

At around noon the king arrived in the city. He started checking the bakeries, one by one. At Bartłomiej’s stall the kind stopped for a longer time and started tasting gingerbread biscuits. The cookies were truly delicious.

 

To honour Bogumił and his outstanding baking skills, the king allowed him to marry his beloved Róża.

 

Bogumił married Róża and soon became a baker himself, opening his own bakery in Toruń. He started taking his products to Warsaw, and then – to other Polish towns.

 

Soon the fame of Toruń gingerbread biscuits reached the furthest corners of the country and started spreading abroad.

Bogumił and Róża lived happily ever after and passed the secrets of gingerbread-making to their children and their children’s children.