Stinth stallion
The stint Stallion (Polish Rybi Król - Fish King or Król Sielaw - stint King) is a mythical creature , consisting of the Masurian waters around Mikolajki comes.
The smelt stallion is the king of the smelt , a species of fish that is frequently found in the Masurian waters.
The legend
Once caught, he promised the fishermen in whose nets he landed that they would grant all sorts of wishes if only they would spare his life. The fishermen did as they were told and let the fish live. In order to be able to continue to use his magical powers, however, they tried to keep the fish king in the net. They tied him and his rope prison to the city bridge. But the tricked fish king had to keep his promise and still fulfills wishes today. Only the bridge under which he lives has changed. The original bridge was destroyed in World War II.
Rituals and symbols
- The stint stallion is honored every year with the so-called splashing, wears a golden crown and ensures that there are plenty of fish to be caught at the point where the fishermen tied him up.
- He is also the heraldic animal of Nikolaiken .
- In the town of Mikołajki there is a fountain with a sculpture of the stint stallion in the middle.
Web links
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- Helmut Lihs: All about the Nikolaiker Stinthengst. In: Experienced East Prussia, souvenir pictures from five decades. Ed. Matull, Wilhelm: Leer 1997, 86-90