Wars and Sawa

Wars[1] (also known as War[2] and Warsz)[3] and Sawa are legendary characters from the origin myth of the founding and etymology of the city of Warsaw, capital of Poland.[2][4] There are several versions of the legend with their appearance.[2][3]

In legend

According to one version of the legend, the duke or king called Kazimierz (Casimir),[2] sometimes also identified as duke Siemowit I of Masovia,[5] got lost in the forest, in where now is Warsaw Old Town located, while hunting. He got to the small adobe hut, inhabited by a woman who recently gave birth to twins. The woman hosted him very generously. He named two kids Wars and Sawa, and gave a woman money to build a bigger house.[2] Later, other people moved near the house, forming a settlement, which got named after the twins, Warsawa, which later evolved to Warszawa, the name of the city of Warsaw in Polish language.[1][2] According to a different version of the legend, Wars and Sawa were married couples instead, who lived in that house, and who hosted the duke.[3]

In the deferent version of the legend, Sawa was a mermaid living in the Vistula river with whom fisherman Wars fell in love.[6]

According to a different version of the legend, Wars and Sawa were brothers, who were a fisherman living near modern Warsaw Old Town.[3]

Citations

References
  1. Anna Marta Zdanowska, Julia Odnous: Legendy warszawskie. Antologia. Warsaw: Museum of Warsaw, 2016, p. 368.
  2. Encyklopedia Warszawy. p. 412.
  3. Franciszek Galiński: Gawędy o Warszawie. p. 24.
  4. Encyklopedia Warszawy. p. 330.
  5. Anna Wilczyńska: Wielka księga legend Warszawy. Warsaw: Skarpa Warszawska, 2017, p. 13
  6. "The Warsaw Mermaid". warsaw-life.com.

Bibliography
  • Anna Marta Zdanowska, Julia Odnous: Legendy warszawskie. Antologia. Warsaw: Museum of Warsaw, 2016, ISBN 978-83-62189-80-9.
  • Encyklopedia Warszawy. Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 1994, ISBN 83-01-08836-2.
  • Franciszek Galiński: Gawędy o Warszawie. Warsaw: Instytut Wydawniczy Biblioteka Polska, 1939.
  • Encyklopedia Warszawy. Warsaw, Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, 1975.
  • Anna Wilczyńska: Wielka księga legend Warszawy. Warsaw: Skarpa Warszawska, 2017. ISBN 978-83-63842-42-0.
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