fairy

In the beginning of the history, that is in the remote time, and nobody knows when, Matani population, who lived on the western slopes of Ponto Mountains near Azov Sea, sailed for a long journey in search for a new, promises land. The population embarked on seven sailing ships, headed by the admiral Hrvoje on his Sionava ship, began to sing the anthem “Marjani-Marjani!” and weighed the anchors. They sailed from spring to spring across seven seas following the Polar Star which showed them the way to the golden fleece. In the meantime, one of the ships entered a storm and suffered a shipwreck. Sailing across the Mediterranean Sea, Matani population was successfully protected by the good spirit of Kalup, patron of the sea and Macarol, spirit of the fishermen against the sea evil spirits of Štrigun i Orkul, who attacked them by storms, winds and waves.

After some years of navigation, following the Polar Star, which lit the way forward, entered the Adriatic Sea. One by one the vessels the crew colonized the islands. The greatest ship Sionav, which was also the flagship, headed by the admiral Hrvoje, followed the way illuminated by the star for reaching the promised golden land.

In the beginning of autumn, they reached one island, and after having moored the ship they landed believing to be on arrived on the promised land, but disillusion was great. Walking in the night illuminated only by the stars, they felt to walk on stones, covered occasionally by grass.

Disappointed and tired, they took asleep. At the crack of the dawn Matani in front of the island where they moored, saw the promised land, the greatest and most beautiful island of the Mediterranean Sea. They embarked on Sionav vessel and sailed even for one mile for reaching the last island, the name of which is today Zec, but it is known that in the old maritime charts, it is known as Matan.

Everything was founded as it has been promised. The desired island was inhabited by flocks of sheep with golden fleece. In the morning, they landed on the island, where they have been expecting by fairy Divyca with the golden fleece and in a white tunic, intent to guard the flock of sheep with golden fleece. Beautifulness of the scene and their happiness of having arrived at the last port were immense.

Divyca, who was holding in her hand a ball of golden wool, came up to Matani telling them to waiting for them for colonizing the island; She accompanied them to the most eastern part of the Sokol cape near a spring and by a part of the ball, she fenced a part of the island where they should build their new houses, that is the new town of Urih-Kvoryta (Corinth), where they should live in the next century.

Their fortune was immense, but as in any legend, even in our one, so called Legend of Veyska/Krk, there is a “but”. In the sunset, the fairy told them to go to her palace, which stood high on the hill, warning them not to turn to her and to the flock. The fairy left them, but the curiosity of Matani, as that of any other people, was enormous, they turned to her and her flock. As they turned and instantaneously the fairy transformed her golden sheep into a while stone by which Matani built their town, where they happily lived in the following centuries up when one summer night in the sky an omen appeared, the star Tjarmal (Antares), that presaged the arrival of the black ship and evil people, who would abuse of the goodness of Matani and should destroy their town.

The few survivors scattered on the island and founded the settlements where we today are living. This wonderful legend which is part the cycle of Legend of Krk has been told us by our ancestors, who transmitted it’s in the archaic and extinct language of Krk.