Torun was once a major trade center in Poland
thanks to its location by the river. Many ships passed through its port,
bringing spices from different corners of the world. As Torunians developed a
good taste for food, they also developed the best gingerbread, which is
surrounded by many legends.
A long time ago, there were many respected bakers in Torun. They
baked gingerbread according to their original recipes, which they kept secret; adding
some spices and aromas, creating unique signature. By tasting gingerbread, you
could tell from which bakery it was.
One of those
bakers had a beautiful daughter, Katharina. There were many boys, who made
advances towards her. But she laughed saying, “I still have time.”
The baker
hired a young apprentice, named Bartek, to help him with his growing business. The
boy was hard-working, always with a smile on his face and warmly welcomed
everyone.
Katharina
liked spending more and more time in the bakery, listening to Bartek’s humming
as he was sifting flour through a strainer or mixing dough in a big bowl.
The boy
noticed the girl and with interest listened to her stories of merchants
visiting the bakery who travelled far bringing interesting stories.
During the
night, he baked gingerbread in the shape of hearts and handed them to Katharina
as soon as she came downstairs. “This is the sweetest heart I’ve ever tasted,”
commented the girl eating the sweet on the spot before her father’s eyes would
catch her.
The father
didn’t approve of this. He wanted somebody rich for his daughter.
Bartek in
his spare time liked going to the nearest meadow, where he could feel the sun
on his face, listen to the bird’s chirping and pick up some flowers for Katharina.
One day
while sitting by a small lake, he heard a weak voice, “Please, help me.” He
looked around and didn’t see anybody. He looked again and noticed a drowning
bee. He reached for a leaf from the tree just above him and rescued the poor
creature. “Thank you,” said the bee with fluttering wings shaking off the water.
He was about
to return to the city when a queen bee sat on his shoulder. “You helped my bee
sister and I’d like to return the good deed,” she said. “I’ll tell you a secret
of how to make a sweet gingerbread. When making dough, add some honey to it.”
And she was gone in a blink of an eye.
Bartek
wasn’t sure if it was a dream, that simple and that quick.
On his way
back to the city, he saw people rushing in all directions. “What is it?” he
asked a man getting the store windows sparkling. “Oh, young fellow, you haven’t
heard. The King announced his visit tomorrow.”
Dashing to
the bakery, he gathered all the ingredients. Remembering the queen bee’s advise,
he looked for some honey. He prepared the dough and added the sweet honey
mixing all the time with love. “One turn for Katharina, two, and three… all the
turns turned out to be in the name of Katharina.”
This was the
most memorable night for the young apprentice. Every bakery was busy preparing
for the big day in the hope of getting permits to sell in another city. The
whole town was beaming with lights, the sweet scent travelled into the
narrowest streets, nobody was able to sleep.
The boy was
so excited, moving his legs as dancing and singing. He got the dough ready
swiftly. Gathering all possible forms and even creating some shapes by himself,
he poured the dough into forms. With Katharina on his mind, he put two hearts
touching each other.
The ready
gingerbread from the oven was spread on the table. The table was filling with
chickens, dogs, cats as on a farm; even a lady and a princess and many hearts
as in a fairy tale. When he pulled the last piece, his heart sank. The two
hearts, while growing got connected in such a way that it didn’t look like one
heart or any familiar form. “Nobody will notice,” he thought.
The morning
came and the bakers decorated the tables with the nicest table cloths
displaying their baking talents. Citizens dressed in their finest garments
bowing, when the King passed. He went from one table to another tasting all and
not skipping any to judge fairly.
He stopped
at Bartek’s table the longest. He tasted one piece. It melted so fast in his
mouth that he had to take another one to make sure he evaluated it justly. “Are
you the talented baker, who made these delights?” the King asked.
“Yes,” the
boy answered politely with his hands crossed in the back and bowing his torso
slightly.
“It’s not
only mouth melting, but the forms are amazing,” suddenly he laughed. “What
happened here,” he pointed to some uneven form.
“That’s…
ahhh,” the boy stumbled not knowing what to say about the two hearts.
“Come on.
What is it?” after the King’s encouragement, Bartek explained the shape and the
taste and added, “While putting together two hearts, I was thinking about
Katharina the whole time.”
The King
chuckled and asked, “What would you like to receive in reward for your hard
work?”
“I don’t
want anything,” the boy’s face radiated and added, “I have one wish. I love
Katharina with all my heart. I would like her to be my wife.”
The King
looked at Katharina’s father. The baker didn’t feel he could say no to the King
and agreed to the marriage.
“For your
good heart, I will reward you myself. From today, you will be baking for the
palace and other cities.” The one, who expected it least, received the rights
to bake beyond the walls of Torun.
Shortly, the union of Bartek and Katharina was arranged.
There was so much joy and dancing.
With so many clients awaiting Bartek’s baking, he had no
choice, but to open his own shop and
with so much work to do, he had to hire a new apprentice to
help him.
The gingerbread was enjoyed in many towns spreading its fame
far and beyond Bartek’s
imagination.
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