THE LEGEND OF THE TRUMPETER OF CRACOW

IN OLD POLAND THERE IS A LEGEND CONCERNING A CHURCH TOWER
AND ITS TRUMPETER, WHO WAS PLEDGED TO SOUND THE ANGELUS
TO THE PEOPLE OF CRACOW WITH A BEAUTIFUL MELODY.
ONCE, WHEN THE PEOPLE WERE DEFENDING THEIR CITY AND CHURCH
AGAINST THE HEATHEN TARTARS, THEY WERE ON THE VERGE OF
GIVING IN TO THE ONSLAUGHT OF GENGHIS KHAN. WEAK AND
WOUNDED, THEY WERE READY TO GIVE THEMSELVES OVER TO THE
MERCILESS ENEMY, WHEN A FAMILIAR SOUND ROSE ABOVE THE
FIGHTING AND GAVE THEM NEW STRENGTH AND COURAGE. IT WAS
THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET FROM THE TOWER OF THE CHURCH
OF PANNA MARJA, THE CHURCH OF "LADY MARY," PLAYING
THE ANGELUS. THE TRUMPETER NEVER FINISHED HIS SONG,
SINCE A TARTAR ARROW KILLED HIM. CRACOW WAS SAVED, HOWEVER,
BY HIS INSPIRATION.
EVER AFTER, THE TRUMPETERS OF PANNA MARJA HAVE LEFT
THE MELODY UNFINISHED IN MEMORY OF THE TRUMPETER OF
CRACOW, WHO DIED RATHER THAN TO LET THE WHIM OF A HEATHEN
KEEP HIM FROM FULFILLING HIS VOWS TO MARY.
THE MELODY IS PLAYED, DAILY, TO THIS DAY FROM THE CHURCH
TOWER. THERE, IN CRACOW, I HEARD IT MYSELF, AS WELL AS
THE LEGEND, WHICH I KNEW FROM CHILDHOOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Keyword(s): KRAKOW

Date learned: NOT GIVEN