GNOMES

Gnomes have always lived in Wroc?aw. The chronicles confirm their elusive presence at the start of the settlement, just after the year 1000.

Gnomes helped people after dusk - they stitched on buttons, repaired shoes, milked cows
and built walls. They also ran gnome inns. If you were to bend down low and find the signboards amidst the grass growing through the pavement, you might see the entrances to gnome pubs, tanners and pork-butchers’.

Gnome history recalls a few outstanding figures and particular places on the map of “little” Wroc?aw. Holler, a shy gnome, lived in the northern part of town and spoke only in whispers. Dwarfen adored sidewalk ants and St-John’s-wort ice cream. For some centuries the Muchobor brothers enjoyed a great deal of fame and came to Wroc?aw to try out the condyles served hot
on Jatki Street.

These small folk enjoyed sitting in the ice-cream shop on what is presently Mickiewicz Street,
and played games near the Odra, around Piaskowy Bridge.

Both the big people and the small ones liked going to Jatki. The big ones didn’t only stop by
in search of some fine meats and coldcuts. It was also to get some pleasure from the bloody spectacle of young piglets, rabbits or poultry being slaughtered. Tiny figures bustled about at their feet. They too participated in the Jatki slaughter - after it was over they would try to get ahold
of some rat ham, which was famed even across the border.

A Butcher gnome who was famous for his profession lived on Jatki. Apparently he even ran his own inn, where you could drink some excellent beer and eat some of that famous rat ham, a real gnome delicacy!

A year ago, the Wroc?awians made a monument to him. The Butcher was standing
at the entrance to his shop leaning on the axe he always used for chopping meat, and hams hung in the doorway.

Unfortunately, the Butcher was snatched away by the big people! Other Wroc?aw gnomes were spirited away as well...

Two Syzyfeks, residing on ?widnicka Street, have been rescued twice over. Fencer, the University guard, has also been found. Only the Jatki Butcher is still being held. The gnomes say that they’ll find him too, though, and they’ll lay terrible curses on the next six generations of the kidnapper’s family.

The Butcher is still being searched for, and the gnomes eagerly await the re-opening of the Jatki inn.
        Joanna Fiodorow