A dragon was ravaging the countryside near Wawel Hill by eating cattle. Many brave knights tried and failed to slay the dragon. The king offered his daughter's hand in marriage and his kingdom to whoever killed the dragon. A shoemaker named Krak devised a plan to stuff a ram with sulfur, which the dragon ate and exploded from the fire in its throat when drinking from the river. Krak married the princess and became the new king, with the town being named after him, Cracow.

1. The legend of the WawelDragon

2. Some centuries ago
a horrible fire-
breathing dragon
lived in a cave at the
foot of the Wawel
Hill. It was a
monster that
ravaged the nearby
meadows by eating
grazing cattle.

3. Even the
bravest knights
and daredevils
stood no chance
with the mighty
dragon.

4. Before the brave
and courageous
knight had even a
chance to draw
they swords the
fire from the
beast's mouth
burned them, so
one after another
the best fell to the
ground.

5. The ruling king
sent out his
herolds to
announce that
whoever slays the
dragon would be
rewarded by
marrying his
daughter, and will
become the king
after his death.

6. The plenty of
daredevils came
encouraged by such a
generous offer, but
they too vapourized.
The king was in
despair, and his
daughter wrung her
hands as she knew
that no one will slay
the dragon and she
will remain not
married.

7. The dragon-ravaged
country became
poorer and poorer.
Then, a shoemaker
named Krak decided
to fight the beast by
using a unique
strategy.

8. He stuffed a fat
ram with sulphur
and placed it at
the cave's
entrance. The
dragon, being
hungry as well as
stupid, swallowed
the treacherous
gift in one
mouthful.

9. Its throat burned
with live fire so it
ran to the nearby
Vistula River, and
started gulping
down so much
water it exploded
with a great bang,
thus setting the
town and the
surrounding
countryside free
from its presence.

10. The shoemaker married the king's
daughter, and when the king died he
succeeded to the throne. The town
he rescued took its name from him,
and bears it up to this day with great
honour - the old capital of Poland,
Cracow.

11. Slideshow created by:
Dominik Bzd gaę