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| picture: Jakub Świder, Szymon Świder |
Here is a story about the beginnings of the Polish state,
about the first Polish capital and where the coat of arms of Poland and the
colors of the Polish flag came from.
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| picture: Jakub Świder, Szymon Świder |
A thousand years ago, or maybe even more, there lived three brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus.
For many years they had been content in their villages, but the families grew
larger and they needed more room to live. The brothers decided to travel in
different directions to search for new homes.
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| picture: Natalia Małyszek |
Lech, Czech, and Rus traveled with their troops for many
days. They rode their horses over mountains and rivers, through forests and
wild country. There were no people to be found anywhere, not a town or tiny
village.
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| preschoolers from Kostrzyn on the Oder |
Their people went after them with all their families and all their
belongings.
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| preschoolers from Kostrzyn on the Oder |
On the crest of a mountain top, they separated, each going
in a different direction. Czech went to the left, Rus went to the right and
Lech rode straight ahead, down the mountain and across vast plains.
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| picture: Natalia Małyszek |
Along the way, there were many beautiful places and good to
live, but Lech needed a sign that would confirm him in the belief that this is
where he should stay with his people.
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| picture: Natalia Małyszek |
One day Lech saw a splendid sight. He and his troops had
come to a place where a meadow surrounded a small lake.
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| picture: Jakub Świder, Szymon Świder |
They stopped at the edge of the meadow as a great eagle flew
over their heads. It flew around in great swooping circles, then perched on its
nest, high on a great tall tree. Lech stared in awe at the beautiful sight.
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| picture: Jakub Świder, Szymon Świder |
As the eagle spread its wings and soared into the heavens
again, a ray of sunshine from the red setting sun fell on the eagle's wings, so
they appeared tipped with gold, the rest of the bird was pure white.
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| picture: Natalia Małyszek |
"Here is where
we will stay!" declared Lech. "Here is our new home, and we will call
this place GNIEZNO ... (the eagle's
nest).
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| picture: Jakub Świder, Szymon Świder |
He and his people built many houses and it became the center
of his territory. They called themselves
Polonians, which means "People of the Field".
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| picture: Jakub Świder, Szymon Świder |
They made a banner with a white eagle on a red field and
flew it over the town of Gniezno, which became the first historical capital of
Poland.
And, now you know how Poland began .
