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Long ago in Poland’s early history, on the River Vistula, there was a small settlement of wooden huts inhabited by peaceful people who farmed the land and plied their trades. Near this village was Wawel Hill. In the side of Wawel Hill was a deep cave. The entrance was overgrown with tall, grass, bushes, and weeds. No man had ever ventured inside that cave, and some said that a fearsome dragon lived within it. The young people of the village didn’t believe in the dragon. The old people of the village said that they had heard their fathers tell of a dragon who slept in the cave, and no man must dare waken it, or there would be dire consequences for them all. Some of the youths decided to explore the cave and put an end to such foolish talk. They thought that they knew better and dragons were just old stories from the past. A group of these young people took some torches and went to the cave. They slowly entered the cave until they came to a dark mass of scales blocking their way and the sound of heavy breathing. The boys ran as the dragon awakened and roared. Fire came from it’s mouth warming the boys heels and backs. When they were far enough away, they looked back and saw the dragon at the entrance of the cave, very angry being awakened from it’s sleep. From that day on, the people knew no peace. Every day the dragon appeared and carried off a sheep or preferably young virgins. Problem appeared after a while because there were no more virgin in the country except the beautiful and so pure daughter of the brave and great Krakus, chief of the people. Some of the virgins had been eaten by the hungry dragon and some of them saved by some brave young heroes that thought it was better idea to make them no longer virgin. ‘But honey, we’re not yet maried, it’s not possible !! - Well, do you think it’s worth marying if you’re dead, eaten by the dragon ? - Well… ok, save me so.’ The populace made many attempts to kill the dragon but nothing succeeded and many of those that attempted were killed. Finaly Krakus promised the hand of his daugther to the one who would kill the monster. But no knight could do it. The hero in this part of the story differs. In the village lived a very poor young man. As in many stories the ‘poor young hero’ is wether a shepard, wether a shoe maker – cause these are supposed to be very poor people – let’s say that he was both so that will make him even poorer. He got some sheep and mixed a thick, yellow paste from sulfur, smeared it all over the animals. Then led them to a place where the dragon would see them. The dragon came out as expected, saw the sheep, roared, rushed down the hill and devoured the sheep. The dragon had a terrible fire within him, and a terrible thirst. It rushed to the River Vistula and started drinking. It drank and drank and could not stop. The dragon began to swell, but still it drank more and more. It went on drinking till suddenly there was a great explosion, and the dragon burst. There was great rejoicing by the people. Krakus, was made king of the people, and they built a stronghold on Wawel Hill. The country prospered under the rule of Krakus and a city grew up around the hill which was called Krakow, in honour of Krakus. When Krakus died, the people gave him a magnificent burial, and erected a mound over his tomb which can be seen to this day. The people brought earth with their own hands to the mound, and it has endured through all the centuries as a memorial.

The large 200-foot-long cave in Wawel Hill, Krakow, which has been known for centuries as the monster’s den, now attracts thousands of visitors each year. Whatever the truth of the dragon legend, the Dragon’s Cave (Polish ‘Smocza Jama’) is Cracow’s oldest residence, inhabited by man from the Stone Age through the 16th century.

adapted from http://www.anglik.net