Most of the stamps related to Polish culture that can be found on Slowly showcase traditional foods and embroidery (which are rather niche and few people in Poland can distinguish between them). This is why I'd like to reverse the trend a bit and request a Premium Set that depicts some of the most popular Polish legends to get Penpals interested in the traditional stories originating from my country.

I have chosen legends that are well known and associated with symbols of major cities or important regions, so they can become the source of interesting letters and stories.

The most famous legend associated with Wawel is, of course, the one about the dragon who lived in the cave under the castle hill. He did what dragons usually do: he bothered the peasants by burning their farmlands, eating their cattle or, occasionally, a virgin.

The legendary King Krak, who would not allow for such offences, especially under his own house, decided to get rid of the problem. The king offered a generous reward for slaying the dragon. As usual – a sack of gold, a share of the kingdom and the princess’ hand (of course with the entire princess) in marriage. When the news spread, the bravest knights began arriving in Kraków. However, none of them was able to kill the beast. The King was beginning to lose hope but suddenly, an unexpected candidate for a dragon slayer appeared in the castle – the local shoemaker Skuba. Skuba did not look like a fighter. He was an ordinary boy; He had neither armour nor weapons.

However, instead of steel and muscles, he had something more valuable – cleverness and intelligence. He had an idea ​​how to defeat the Wawel Dragon by trickery. He filled a sheepskin with sulfur and put it under the dragon’s den at night. When the dragon woke up and saw his potential breakfast, took the opportunity and ate the sheep. The sulfur started to burn him from the inside. The beast rushed to the bank of the Vistula River. The dragon drank, drank and drank until… he exploded, and that was how his life came to anend. In memory of this legend, in front of the real cave under the Wawel Castle a fire-breathing dragon statue was erected.

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One of the most famous legends about the city of Krakow is the Legend of the Trumpeter.

Historically, the city of Krakow could be seen from the tallest of the two towers of the Mariacki Church of Saint Mary. In a little room at the top of the tower a watchman stood guard over the city protecting it from danger. If an emergency arose, he would blow his trumpet alerting the people.

In the 13th century, the brutal Tartars invaded the land, burning farms, plundering and killing. One night on his watch, when most of the townspeople were in church, the watchman noticed a group of Tartars approaching the city intending to attack. He immediately blew a loud, clear warning on his trumpet. The townspeople responded to the alert. The Tartars shot arrows at the tower but the watchman continued to sound the trumpet until he was struck in the throat by an arrow. The enemy was forced out by the people, and the city was saved, but the trumpeter died from his wound.

Since that time, a trumpeter plays a little hymn called, "The Hejnal" every hour repeating it four times - once in each direction of the compass: north, south, east, and west. The song always ends suddenly on a high note in honor of the trumpeter who gave his life for his people and his city.

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Over one thousand years ago, there lived a king who ruled over the lands that lay near the mouth of the Vistula River. When the king died, his wealth was left to his three sons, Lech, Czech and Rus. Their father's kingdom was not large enough to be divided between the three brothers, so they decided to set out in search of other lands. Lech was the oldest and became the new chief. His brothers were jealous and the three often quarreled over which of them would make the best leader. After months of weary travel, the three brothers came upon a hill in a land of green meadows. At the top of the hills stood a giant Oak tree, and above the tree flew a great white eagle.

"That eagle is a good sign from the Gods!" Lech told his brothers. "I'm going to climb this tree and have a look around." As Lech climbed up the tree he saw the eagle's nest high in the branches. The eagle flew near him and would not let him come close to the nest. But he had climbed high enough to see for miles in every direction. To the north Lech saw a large body of water. To the east he saw an endless plain of flat and fertile land and to the south were hills where sheep and cattle could graze. To the west was a thick, dark forest.

Lech came down and told his brothers what he had seen. Czech wanted to go south and Rus argued that east would be better. Finally, the three brothers decided to separate. The people who agreed with Czech went with Czech. The people who agreed with Rus went with Rus. But most of the people remained with Lech and asked him which way he planned to go.

"We will stay right here!" Lech told them. Thus, Lech became the first Duke of Poland and he assumed leadership of the Western Slavs. So, the people began to build a town there on the hill, and Lech chose the white eagle with its wings spread wide as their emblem. They called their town Gniezno, which means "A Nest" in the Slavic language. The town became the capital of their nation. As time went on, their country became known as Poland.

This is not only the story of the founding of the state, but also a symbolic explanation of the origin of Poland's national emblem - a white eagle on a red background.

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This legend could possibly interest those who played The Witcher 3 - they might remember the quest to explore the Mouse Tower.

Popiel, (9 cent.). is the first legendary prince of Poland ruling from Gniezno. Single mentioning about him comes from the Chronicles by Gall Anonymous from beg. of 12 cent. (book I, chapter 1-3). The information is a part of Piast story, the protoplast of Piast dynasty reigning in Poland, therefore it is funded on the Polish Court tradition.

The story contains two episodes. The first is related to the cutting of the hair (initiation) of two Popiel's sons ceremony simultaneously with cutting of the hair of Siemowit, son of Piast, poor footman of Popiel; Popiel plays a negative role in that episode since he drove away two strange guests from the feat, what turned to the Piast's advantage for the strangers invited by Piast for a modest treat miraculously increased quantities of food and bear, so that even Popiel with his court and guests invited to share the meal, satiated themselves.

The second episode announces elevating Siemowit to the throne at the Popiel's disadvantage. Prince Popiel, ruler of the Polanie tribe in ancient Poland, was married to the ambitious Ryska, in whose hands he was like putty. She wanted to place her German kinsman at the head of the Polanie, and the naive Popiel agreed to her wily plan, even at the expense of his Uncles' lives. Both Popiel and Ryska invited his uncles to a feast at which the guests were given Miod (honey wine). When the Polanie learned that their Prince and Ryska had committed murder, they vowed vengeance. Taking refuge in a high wooden fortress in Kruszwica, on the edge of lake Goplo, Popiel and Ryska thought they were safe in the impenetrable tower. Legend has it that God sent swarms of rats and mice to gnaw through the solid walls, fell upon the wicked Popiel and Ryska and devoured them. The tower still exists and is known as the Mouse Tower.

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Pan Twardowski or ‘Sir Twardowski’ is a household name in Polish folklore. Legend has it this 16th-century nobleman, imagined typically as a true Sarmatian with a moustache, caftan and sabre by his side, made a deal with the devil: his soul in exchange for great wisdom and magical powers. The cunning Twardowski made sure a special provision was included, namely that his soul could only be collected in Rome, a place he had no intention of going to. Because of that, he could benefit from the pact without ever having to pay the price. Eventually, however, the devil grew weary of waiting and tricked Twardowski into visiting Rome, even if it was just an inn named after the Eternal City, not the Italian capital itself. Still, that was enough to finalise the contract and the forces of evil snatched the nobleman up. But, thanks to him reciting a prayer, he was dropped in transit to Hell and still remains forever stranded between the Earth and the Moon.

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It is said that long ago, the basilisk lived in the basement of a ruined castle in what is now the Old Town Market Square, sleeping during the day and wandering the city at night. Under cover of darkness, the creature killed all that came across its gaze by turning them to stone. It demolished buildings and stole livestock and riches, killing many people and amassing a great fortune for itself over the years.

The Warsavians had accepted their fate and lived with this creature among them—that is until a tailor named Jan Ślązak came to town. Though Ślązak only meant to stay in Warsaw for a short time until passing on to the next town, this plan was spoiled when he was arrested and wrongfully accused of murder and sentenced to death. This would have been the end of the tailor were it not for a blacksmith who recently lost his child to the basilisk. The smith suggested that the city ask Ślązak to kill the beast and spare his life if he succeeded. The city council agreed, assuming that the tailor would fail and be dead by morning.

Ślązak prepared for the fight by buying a large mirror and sneaking into the basement around dusk, when the basilisk was still sleeping. He then positioned the mirror in front of the beast and made a noise to wake it up. This caused it to jump up, ready to attack the intruder, but when it looked at its own reflection the beast immediately turned to stone, and Ślązak became a hero.