Mouse Tower, Polish Folktale

The so called Mouse Tower was built in the 15^th century by the Lake Goplo in Poland and still stands there. You can try your luck and search for Popiel’s clothes and Ortrud’s jewelry there. The story will explain.

A long time ago, there was a ruler named Popiel, who lived by Lake Goplo in the land called Poland. When he died his only son also named Popiel was still young. So he ruled the lands with the help of his twelve uncles. The young Popiel was lazy and didn’t care about his people. He wanted everything for himself.

When Popiel grew up, he married a girl from neighboring lands. Ortrud was known for her beauty and greed. So she had one thing in common with Popiel, but it wasn’t the beauty, it was the greed. They lived in a wooden castle and it didn’t take long when Ortrud said “This castle will crumble down any moment. We need to build a new castle made of stone.” So a big castle was built with such tall tower that you could have seen it for miles away.

With all the money gone, Popiel ordered people “Bring me all the goods including animals, fish, grain and honey.” The uncles begged the ruler not to do this pleading “If there is nothing left, people will be hungry. If people are hungry, they won’t have strength to work.” But Popiel and Ortrud ignored all the pleading.

And that’s when Popiel’s nightly nightmares started. When he was deep in a sleep, he dreamed of an army of mice coming after him. One tiny mouse said to him “I’ll eat you.” Popiel woke up sweating. “It was only a dream” he said and went back to sleep.

Some time went by and situation was getting worse. The twelve uncles continued insisting “Popiel you need to stop oppressing the people. You are ruining your lands.” Gertrud didn’t like the uncles getting in the way and laughed at her husband “What kind of ruler are you that you’re allowing uncles to tell you what to do.” She added more seriously “I have a plan.” And so she did. She planned a large feast with variety of foods and lots of sweet honey.

Meanwhile Popiel’s nightmares continued. During his sleep the tiny mouse came back and said “I’ll eat you.” Popiel woke up. Now a little bit concerned, he had a hard time getting back to sleep.

The time came for the feast with music and dances. Popiel gave a speech “I’m sorry for all the past bad behavior. I promise to make changes, take good care of my people and rule peacefully.” The uncles toasted “To the new era.” Ortrud stood up and insisted on serving special honey. The uncles drank the honey to the last drop. It wasn’t long when the oldest uncle felt a pain and yelled “We’re being poisoned.” He felt to the ground and was dead. The other uncles followed one by one.

Popiel realized what his wife did, but it was too late. Suddenly, a silence filled the castle followed by screaming people. “What’s happening?” asked Popiel the running servant, who answered “A mass of mice is approaching the castle.” The servants were fleeing in all directions. Popiel suggested to Ortrud “We have to run to the tower. They won’t reach us there.” Oh, how wrong he was. Small mice had no trouble catching the ruler at the top of the tower. And one by one they sneaked through the door. After all the screams, the castle became very quiet.

As soon as a new day had risen, the people searched the castle and at the tower they found the clothing of Popiel and the jewels of Ortrud. The ruler and his wife had been eaten. The mice made room for a new ruler. Let’s hope a better one or the mice will be back.