A Peasant Boy Who Became a Prince, Polish Legend

In north-western Poland stretches a region known as Greater Poland. In those lands in about 940 settled the first Christian ruler of Poland, Mieszko I. He gave the beginning to the first historical ruling Piast dynasty of Poland and is considered the first crowned King of Poland. But behind the history, there is also a legend about a peasant boy who became a prince.

Centuries ago, in the undisturbed forests, where bears, deer, moose, and boars roamed, settled a family of Piast. One day, their house became a bee hive with all the choirs being performed. The wife Rzepka (Zepka) scrubbed the floors inside the hut and wooden table and benches outside. She covered the table with white tablecloth and decorated with green twigs around. The shelves in the hut were filled with warm bread, big chunks of cheese, bowls of apples and nuts. Big barrels of beer and small barrels of honey filled the corners. The savory and sweet aromas traveled outside. Soon guest would be coming.

Rzepka looked at her son and thought to herself. He was just a tiny boy and now already reaching her shoulder. His light blond hair was reaching his shoulders. Today for the first time they would be cut. That’s a sign he was entering adulthood. He no longer would be under a care of his mother. Now he would be under a care of his father. He would be taught how to take care of land and provide food for family.

The first guests started arriving. Rzepka filled the table with meat, bread, cheese and all the goods prepared for the feast.

All guests, dressed up for the occasion, surrounded Piast and his son. The boy knelt on a white cloth spread on the ground under a shade of linden tree. The father took scissors handed by his wife and cut the first strand of his son’s hair. One by one, strands of hair fell to the ground. With the last strand hitting the ground the father spoke to his son, “I name you Ziemowit.”

After the Shearing tradition and naming the boy, the guests settled around the table and savored the delicious food. They ate, drank and praised the hostess.

Nobody had noticed when the sun settled behind the horizon. Now the moonlight and the fire were lighting the way, when two strangers appeared at the fence. “We’ve been traveling for days and we were turned away by many. We haven’t eaten for days. We’re hungry and tired. Can we rest at your place?”

“Where there is a guest, there is God,” said Piast and pointed with his hand toward the table.

Rzepka seeing crumbs of bread and cheese with drops of beer on the table rushed to the hut to fetch some food, but there was nothing left. She went back to fetch her husband and whispered, “There is no food left.”

Piast seated the guests and excused himself. They both went back to the hut. As they stepped inside, they became speechless. The shelves were bending with food and the barrels were full.

“I thought you said that there was no food. It looks like nothing was touched.” Piast looked at his wife in astonishment.

“I don’t how this food appear here. I just went to fetch you.”

They carried the food and beer outside as nothing had happened. The guests filled their bellies and asked, “May we also bless the child?”

“It will be my privilege,” answered Piast.

The two strangers stood on both sides of the boy. One of them made a sign of cross above his head and looked toward the sky and whispered something as saying thank you. Then he looked at the father and said, “You are a generous man and you will be rewarded for this through your descendants.” And the strangers disappeared.

And this is how the Piast dynasty started with a boy named Ziemowit, who became a prince.