Autor PERUN

Prijevod Ivan Dadić i Esther Patten

In old and dark days, from Frankish lands came God's embassador Gottschalk into the land of Croats to serve knez Trpimir. It was a land of young and mighty people who came from distant lands into their promised land. With them came their own gods. Gottschalk learned from Trpimir that Perun hided in the ancient oak forest; thus he decided to bring the light of Christ to him. „Bring me to Perun“ he whispered to his white horse and so they went through dense forest.

As they went more inward the branches grew thicker and thicker, shading the mighty sun. Birds song was more silent with each step they took till they heard it no more. Not long since their entry into the kingdom of silence they saw Perun clad in his armour, covered with wild hair and beard, leaning on a biggest oak tree. One would not notice him if sun rays were not piercing through treetop and falling on his armour. As he noticed Gottschalk his right hand grabbed the hammer and on his left hand lightning  sparkled.

„I come in peace Perun!“ said Gottschalk bravely. „I come to you who are a part of truth so that I might join you to the whole truth. I offer you freedom in service of Christ! In return I shall help you to defeat your eternal enemy Veles from the underground. On your face I see the sorrow for your wife Mokoš that he took away. Replace your weakness with power! And if you decide to hand over your thunder chariots to saint Elijah, I shall give you my white horse who whispers to me about your future; and he says, to defeat the chaos Veles and return your wife you must clean your armour and forge a spear out of your hammer.

Perun was silent. Sorrow for his wife was great. Thoughts of her lush hair came to him, the way it shifted from blond to brown and then to red, as she desired. He defeated Veles many times and returned his wife on top of the oak where their halls were, but Veles would spring back from the underground and take her away again. That never ending cycle hurted the most and he grew weary of it. In that everlasting fight his face became old and he was young no more. Gottschalks words gave him hope that some things might change and that this time he will finally defeat Veles. He trusted him and as a part of agreement he sended his lightnings into the sky to carry the chariots to saint Elijah. Then he went to the nearby spring and with his list lightning he started a fire. Out of his hammer he forged a long and sharp spear. For shaft he took a dry oak branch and with the letters of his own folk he carved the name of his spear:

The work was finally done and he went to the spring so he might clean himself and his armour from ash and dirt. While washing he fancied that it might be good to shave his beard and shorten his hair with his spear. And in reflection he saw a beautiful young man who he never saw before. It was him, but it was not him anymore.

Gottschalk came to him. He gave him the reins of his white horse and said:

„Now when you have putted aside the deeds of darkness and putted on the armour of light it does not suit you to be called Perun. Give your name to the hills and mountains because from now on you shall be saint George!“

In sign of acceptance saint George mounted his white horse and in the same moment a terrible earthquake shook the whole land of Croats. Gottschalk fell on his knees and prayed to God's aid. It was Veles, who of rage and fear took a shape of the dragon and sprang from the roots of the oak, thus uprooting those ancient halls. There were no more thick treetops and sun finally shined into the forest. Veles eyes were used to darkness and he was blinded by it. Saint George saw his chance to pierce Veleses heart with his spear. And he charged at him...