Knjigice
Fairy tale · Slovenian tales
Martin Krpan
The story of the strongest man in the world
Also in: Martin Krpan (Slovenian) · Martin Krpan (Slovak)
Once, many years ago, in Vrh by the Holy Trinity, there lived Martin Krpan. He was the biggest and strongest man in the world — so strong that nobody had ever beaten him at lifting or at wrestling. He had a little mare he loved dearly, and with her he secretly carried precious English salt along the narrow winter paths.
1
One winter, Krpan and his mare were carrying salt along a narrow, snowed-in track. Coming the other way along the same path came a sleigh — and not just any sleigh: the emperor's! The horses were snorting, the bells were singing, and the path was too narrow for both. Now what? Who would step aside into the deep snow?
2
Krpan wasn't frightened one bit, and he didn't think about it for long. He took hold of his mare — salt and all! — lifted her like a basket of laundry and calmly set her down in the snow beside the path, so the sleigh could drive past. The emperor stared and stared and could not believe his eyes. "I have never seen such a strong man in all my empire!" And he remembered the name well: Martin Krpan of Vrh.
3
Years went by. Then one day a terrible giant called Brdavs rode into Vienna. He was taller than a hayrack, and his horse was black as night. Every day he challenged the finest heroes to a duel — and defeated every one. Everyone feared him, the townsfolk hid behind their doors, and all through the city you could hear nothing but his boasting: "Nobody can beat me! Nobody!"
4
Then the emperor remembered the man who had once, in the middle of winter, lifted a mare with her salt and all. "Bring me Martin Krpan of Vrh by the Holy Trinity!" he ordered. "If anyone can help us, it is he." And so, that very day, a carriage set off toward Notranjska carrying the emperor's letter.
5
Krpan arrived at the emperor's court, big and calm, as if he had come to a village fair. They offered him the finest swords and spears from the armoury, but in his great hands everything bent and snapped like a dry twig. "Your tools in Vienna are too soft," laughed Krpan. "I couldn't pull up a turnip with these."
6
So Krpan made his own weapon. In the palace garden he chose a young linden tree and carved himself a great wooden club, so heavy that two ordinary men could barely have lifted it. The empress sighed: "My linden! That one — the most beautiful of all!" But Krpan just winked: "Your Majesty, for a giant's head one needs a proper stick."
7
The day of the duel arrived. All of Vienna gathered along the city walls. Brdavs roared with laughter from his great black horse: "This farmer with a wooden stick and that goat of his? Ha! I'll eat him for breakfast!" But Krpan sat calmly on his little mare, patted her neck and said: "We shall see who eats whom."
8
Brdavs charged and swung his sword so hard it whistled. But Krpan caught the blow on his linden club, and the sword shattered to pieces. Then he seized the giant, threw him from his horse to the ground, and with a single stroke cut off his head. And that was the end of the terrible Brdavs — beaten by a farmer from Vrh who feared no one.
9
All of Vienna cheered with joy, the bells rang and people threw their hats in the air. The emperor embraced Krpan in front of the whole city: "You have saved us, Martin Krpan! There is no such strength and no such courage in all the empire." Only the court minister Gregor grumbled into his beard, for he begrudged a farmer such glory.
10
"Wish for anything you want!" said the emperor. "Half the kingdom? My daughter's hand?" But Krpan shook his head: "My little mare and my Vrh are waiting for me at home. Give me instead a letter with the imperial seal, so I may carry and sell English salt freely wherever I go — and a purse of gold coins for the road." And the emperor gladly gave him both.
11
And so Martin Krpan returned home to Vrh by the Holy Trinity. Once again he walked the paths with his little mare, carrying salt — freely now, with the emperor's letter tucked in his vest. And whenever the children begged him to tell how it had been in Vienna, he only smiled: "The giant was big. But I was stronger."
12The End
