A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
The legend then proceeds to tell us of Prokop's youth and education,
laying special stress on the fact that at the monastery on the Vyšehrad
he received instruction in the Slavonic language. Prokop obtains great
favour among the monks, who wish to choose him as their provost.
But Prokop flies from all worldly honours and retires to a desert
district, "where is a river, and that river is called Sazava, and it
still flows beneath the monastery." The meeting between the hermit and
Prince Ulrick is thus described: "The Prince, named Ulrick--Called
to the hunters, who were running in every direction--And speaking
to them all said--'In what woods shall we hunt?'--He said, 'We must
begin--Where shall we begin?'--'Let us,' he said--'try the hills
near the Sazava.--Into these woods I desire to go--Let us go there;
that is my counsel.'--All run after him; all obey him--But when they
penetrate into the forest--They all lose the prince.--By God's will
it happened--That not one of them remained with him.--To the prince
a stag appears, beautiful--Large and very fleshy--Prince Ulrick is
not frightened--And having his crossbow in his hand--He wished to
shoot the stag--Which was running not far from him--Not fleeing
hastily before him.--Just as if sense were given it--It placed itself
on that rock--Where St. Prokop was working.--He was then felling an
oak--And the stag sprang up behind him--Turning its antlers towards
him.--Between the antlers it had a cross--Prince Ulrick well noticed
this--Directly he drops his crossbow from his hand--And stops his
horse--Seeing this wondrous animal--And the meek-faced monk--The prince
begins to ask the monk--Having rapidly descended from his horse--'Who
art thou who lives here in this solitude?--How art thou called and what
art thou doing here?'--Holy Prokop directly--Answered him kindly--'I
live in this solitude--As a sinner, and Prokop is my name.'" The prince
then begs Prokop's forgiveness for having attempted the life of an
animal evidently consecrated to Christ. He becomes yet more certain of
the saintliness of the hermit when Prokop miraculously transforms into
exquisite wine the water which the prince is drinking. Ulrick exclaims,
"Such noble wine hast thou in this desert? I have been in many lands,
but never have I drank better wine." He then tells Prokop that he
will build a monastery on the spot where they are standing. Of this
monastery Prokop, in spite of his hesitation, becomes abbot. The legend
then gives an account of several other miracles wrought by him. Then
"in the year 1054 after the birth of Christ, he was, two days before
his death, informed by a divine vision of his approaching end." Before
dying Prokop foretells that troubles after his death will befall the
monks. Under the reign of Ulrick's successor the prophecy is fulfilled.
The Slavonic monks are expelled and Germans take their places. During
the first night which the Germans spend in the monastery Prokop's ghost
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account