CS:
Jižní Cechy jsou krajem vody – v jejich nížinách se lesknou hladiny tisícovek rybníku, v horách zase pramení rada rek vcetne té nejvetší, Vltavy. Není tedy žádný div, že zdejší folklór není skoupý na povesti o vodnících
neboli hastrmanech.
V ceských povestech vystupují hastrmani jako zelení mužíci s vecne mokrým kabátem. Žijí pod vodní hladinou, umí rybí rec, hlídají vodu a sbírají duše utonulých. Na hlave casto nosí barevný klobouk a do vlasu si vplétají barevné pentle. Na ty pak lákají krásné dívky z okolí, protože i vodníci mají slabost pro pekné holky. A mívají i jiné lidské slabosti – casto tak vodníci z ceských pohádek kourí dýmku a pijí pivo.
Presne jako drevený vodník u rybnícku v jihoceských Holašovicích.
Pro pochopení vodnické povahy je nejlepší precíst si pár príbehu…
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PRÍBEH
O HASTRMANOVI A NEVRLÉM MLYNÁRI |
Jeden
hastrman žil v náhonu mlýna u Vlachova Brezí. Hlídal mlynárovi vodu a žertoval s každým, kdo se u mlýna zastavil. Pan otec však byl starý mrzout, a tak vodníka nemel v lásce. Mel za to, že se mlýn bez vodníka obejde.
Jednou nekdo pres noc mlynárovi ocesal pár jablek. Nerudný mlynár hned pojal podezrení na hastrmana. Vzal karabác a šel si to s hastrmanem vyrídit. Nic ho nezajímalo, že vodník o jablkách nic neví. Bil ho hlava nehlava a nakonec na nej poštval i psa.
Nic naplat, vodník se musel od mlýna poroucet. Naložil své veci na kocár s kocicím sprežením a vydal se o povodí dál. Když odcházel, pohrozil mlynári, že po devet generací bude mlýn mlít jen bídu s nouzí. Mlynár se mu vysmál.
Pak prišlo hrozné sucho a potok nad mlýnem skoro vyschnul. Voda nemela dost síly, aby otocila kolem. Mlynár dožil v bíde a trvalo desítky let, než se do potoka vrátila voda. A s vodou se samozrejme nastehoval i nový vodník.
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POMSTA
OKRADENÉHO VODNÍKA |
Jiný vodník žil kdesi u reky. Sedával na pahýlu nad brehem a hrál pri tom na flétnu. Jednou si všiml, že pasácci na protejším brehu opékají na ohýnku placky. V tu ránu dostal chut na pecenou rybicku. Seskocil do reky, nekolikrát pohladil hladinu, a už držel v rukou nekolik pstruhu. S touhle koristí zamíril za pasácky a hned jim navrhl, že se mohou o ryby rozdelit a pekne si je opéci.
Mládenci vida pekné pstruhy neváhali. A když jim vodník slíbil, že príšte chytí štiku, byli nadšením bez sebe. Jenže clovek si neváží toho, co má, a tak mládenci chteli víc. Vymýšleli, jak by vodníka ošidili. Nejstaršího z pasáku napadlo, aby vodníka polili svecenou vodou, dali mu co proto a ryby mu sebrali.
Presne tak mládenci ucinili, naložili hastrmanovi, co se do nej vešlo, a s ukradenými štikami utíkali do vesnice. Oloupený vodník za nimi spílal a sliboval trest, ale pasácci se mu jen vysmáli.
Týden na to se nejstarší z pasáku vracel podél vody ze zábavy. Trochu prebral, škobrtl a reka si ho vzala. Za pár dní pak prišla velká voda. Reka podemlela breh a odnesla pastvinu. To meli pasácci za to, že s vodníkem nebyli zadobre.
* * *
Podobných povestí je spousta. Je z nich patrné, že vodníci z Jižních Cech nejsou zlí a záludní. Tomu, kdo je s nimi zadobre, všelijak pomohou. Kdo se s nimi však pustí do krížku, zle dopadne.
Vodník je tedy ztelesnením vodního živlu a ten není zlý. Clovek jej potrebuje ke svému životu, ale musí si k nemu zachovat respekt.
EN:
South Bohemia is the region of water – levels of thousand ponds glisten in lowlands and in mountains there are sources of many rivers. Not surprisingly, the local folklore is abundant in tales about water sprites.
In Czech mythology the water sprite is called vodník or hastrman. Both of these
names are synonymous. The typicall vodník (hastrman) from Czech tales is a green man with permanently wet coat.
Vodníks live under water, can talk with fish, supervise water and collect the souls of drowned people. They often wear colorful hat and their hair is decorated by colourful ribbons.
The vodníks attract beautiful girls from vicinity by this ribbons. The
hastrmans have a weakness spot for pretty girls as well as gentlemen.
And they tend to have other human vices - so hastrmans from Czech fairytales often smoked a pipe and drink
beer. Just like a wooden hastrman near the pond in the South Bohemian village Holašovice.
To understand the character of the South Bohemian water sprites is the best to read a few local tales ...
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THE
TALE ABOUT HASTRMAN AND PEEVISH MILLER |
One vodník lived in the mill-race near Vlachovo Brezí. He watched over the water for miller and joked with everyone who stopped by the mill. However, the miller was an old curmudgeon, so he was not fond of vodnik. He thought that the mill can hold out without the water sprite.
Once at night someone picked all apples from the miller´s tree. The morose miller immediately took the susicion of the
hastrman. He took the whip and went to settle one's accounts with water sprite. He did not care that the vodnik did not know anything about the apples. The miller beat him indiscriminately and finally he set a dog against the
unhappy water sprite.
Nothing´s in use, the hastrman had to leave his home. He loaded the whole of his property onto wagon wit team of black cats. When the vodnik left the mill, he said the miller that next nine generations of the millers will mill only misery and poverty. The
vodník left the catchment area and severe drought came. The stream above the mill almost dried up. Water had not enough strength to turn the wheel. Miller spend the rest of his life in poverty. It took decades before the water is returned to the stream. Of course a new
hastrman came up with the water.
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REVENGE OF THE ROBBED VODNÍK |
Another hastrman lived somewhere near the river. He had sat on the stump above the bank and usually played on the flute. Once he noticed that on the opposite bank young heardsmen roast pancakes on the little fire. Immediately he got a taste for a roasted fish. He jumped into the river, caressed the water a few times, and some trouts jumped to his hands. The
hastrman headed for the herdsmen and brought the catch to them. He suggested to them that they can grill the trouts and divide the roast among all of them.
The young men did not hesitate with agreement when they saw a nice trouts. They were thrilled when the
vodník promised them that next time he will bring the pike. But one do not appreciate what he has, so the young men wanted more fish. So the headrsmen ploted against the
hastrman. The oldest of the young hearsmen had this idea – pour the holy water over the
vodník, beat him and steal his fish.
The young men did what they came up with. They gave the vodník a trashing. Then they ran with the stolen pikes to the village. The
hastrman became aware that young heardsmen took the sine out of him. He cursed them and promised the revenge but the heardsmen scoffed at him.
Week after, the oldest and the most guileful of the youths went back from ball at home. He had to go along the river. He was seriously drunk, so he tripped and fell into water. The
hastrman did not help him and vice versa he pulled the heardsman down under water. The young man drowned. A short time after this tragedy the river flooded. Boisterous water undermined the shore and the grazing land was washed away. It was the vodniks´s revenge for the hearmsen´s immorality.
* * *
In South Bohemia there are many similar tales. It is clear from them that water sprites from this region are not evil. The
hastrmans help anyone who is on good terms with them. However, If someone began a grapple with water sprite, he turned out badly. So voydanoy is personification of the water element. Man needs water to live but he must have respect for
it.