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The king of snakes flies, menacing, gigantic

Country: Poland

Region: Lesser Poland

Type of inspiration: Beliefs

Inspiracja

The snake king, also called the reptile king, is a frequent motif in Carpathian ballads and stories. He was huge, shimmered in many colours and had a precious crown on his head. When he was in danger, he would call his subjects with a whistle. The story is told of a snake rally which the reptile king called once a year, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (14 September). Whoever saw the snake rally then had good luck in breeding sheep and cattle all year round. Whoever put his hand between the reptiles would do any work with it quickly and effortlessly for the rest of his life. The reptile king was the guardian of the treasures hidden underground. If a daredevil made it to his lair, the fierce reptile could share his wealth with him, allowing him to take some of the silver coins. He did, however, impose one condition - under no circumstances could the recipient reveal where his wealth came from. If he gave away his secret, all the goods disappeared.  
 
Snakes, or vipers and grass snakes, also called reptiles, were feared by the inhabitants of Carpathian villages. Many supernatural powers were attributed to them. It was believed that the remains of a snake, preferably a black one, caught on Good Friday, could be used as witchcraft which, if thrown into food, would bring a terrible illness to a person. In the jaws of the snake, garlic could be brought up to serve as an amulet and crime, a plant used to collect milk.  
 
Stories were also told of snakes transforming into dragons. This is how, among other things, the drakes known in Orava were created. According to local beliefs, a snake which sat for a long time in its underground hiding place avoiding the sunlight, grew membranous wings, its head lengthened, and teeth grew in its jaws. According to other accounts, on the day of Our Lady of the Rosary (the Annunciation of Our Lady - 25 March), snakes would climb trees to listen to the ringing of church bells. The first one to hear their sound would grow an extra head. Years later, when there were seven heads, the snake would transform into a dragon. 
 
The winged, seven-headed dragons created from snakes that had not heard the sound of the church bell for seven years were to be ridden by the most powerful sorcerers, or warlocks. In the Vistula of 1893. Karol Matyas quoted a story known among the inhabitants of Beskid Sądecki, saying that "a sorcerer can order a dragon and get on it and ride it. When the sorcerer rides the dragon, it is so dark, and the wind is so strong, it breaks the trees". The famous Gorce sorcerer Bulanda is said to have flown on the dragon.

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