King Popiel and Queen Gerda

This drawing is dedicated to my good friend
I really hope that you like it!!

Sylwia told me a wonderful legend that I based this drawing on. It's a legend of cruelty, a prediction, murder & retribution from beyond the grave. Thank you so much for sharing this with me!!

In her own words -

It's an old Slavic legend, although perhaps not the oldest one. It tells a story about a king Popiel and his wife, who ruled over a huge area around the lake Gopło. His castle was called Kruszwica. Popiel was a very mean ruler, his hands were wet with blood and his wife Gerda had a vast imagination to invent new cruel things he could do. Once, a clairvoyant said that Popiel's power is strong in guile and terror. He also warned Popiel, that he should avoid mice, but the king laughed at this weird advice.

Popiel had a council that was formed of his relatives. Gerda often used to laugh at him, because he had to listen to them. Popiel and Gerda planned to kill all the men of council in a treacherous way. He invited the council to Kruszwica and when they arrived, he started to apologise for his previous mean behaviour. A rich feast was prepared and when the guests were a bit drunk, Gerda brought a poisoned mead and poured it into every cup except hers and Popiel's. When the relatives started to die, Popiel got seriously scared, but it was too late. One of his relatives screamed a curse upon Popiel and his kin, which scared Popiel even more. When they all died, a terryfying storm came. Popiel and Gerda tied the bodies with heavy stones and drowned them in the lake. Gerda used it as an excuse to explain why all the guests were missing - they must have felt not comfortable in the castle and they left in the night, despite the storm - perhaps they drowned?

Although the people of Kruszwica knew the truth, everybody was too scared to do anything. In the mean time, Popiel became even more cruel. It would probably have been this way for long years, but then the mice came. All of them went out straightly from the waters of Gopło and panting heavily, mice creeped towards the castle. Popiel brought his sword, but from every mouse cut in half, two new ones emerged. He knew now that the curse from his relatives came alive and that the mice came from their rotting bodies beneath Gopło's surface.

Popiel and Gerda fled to the island tower that was standing in the middle of the lake, barred the iron door and climbed to the top. They felt safe. Then, Popiel looked from the window and he screamed - all the mice swam through the lake and covered the island, leaving no patch of ground visible. Soon, the mice bit through the barred door, got to the top room and ate Popiel and Gerda, leaving nothing but bare bones and the crowns.

Winter came. People of Kruszwica were unsure of their fate - it's been a long time since they saw the king or the queen and everything seemed to be too calm to be true. One brave boy managed to get to the tower and he brought happy news - skulls still wearing crowns.

The King is dead! - he screamed, smiling - There is nothing in the tower but bare bones and mice!

So that was a punishment for the years of terror and cruelty of Popiel and Gerda.

Watercolor & fine liner.
Completed 16th November, 2012.