Polska wersja

Polska Wersja

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Legend about the Hundred Wifes of the King

I dedicate this story to my cousin and friend Kalina and to my Mum, who (almost like the King from story) always call my my sister's name :D.

Once upon a time there was a King. He had got a huge castle and many loyal people. But it was marriage what made him truly happy.
His wife was beautiful and kind and she really loved him.
Soon two cute princesses were born. The queen and people were happy, but King was not. He wanted to have a son, who could be a king after him, but the queen bore the third daughter.
The King said then, that he has to marry another woman, who will give him a son. He allowed the queen and daughters to stay in the castle, but the queen prefered to leave with children. And she's never told them who their father is. The King married different women, that bore the boy, but he was not happy with her. So he allowed her to stay with child too, and then he married third woman. But he was unhappy with all the women that started to live in his castle.
The women were soon called The Hundred Wifes of a King.
There lived a boy in the kingdom, whose greatest dream was to become a king. He didn't have father, but he inherited cleverness and intelligence from his mother. That's why he went to the King, when he grew up and said:
- Good morning, father!
- Good morning, son! - said the King hesitantly - but are you really my son?
- Well, you have got a hundred wifes and a hundred sons, father - answered the boy and King convoked his children to count them. Yes, there were hundred boys with new one!
- That's right, my son - confirmed the King happily. He actually loved all his sons.
So the newcomer stayed in castle and tried to get close to the King every day. He still had to remind him his name ("it's Kryspin, father"), but he thought that the lord actually spends more time with him than with the other children.
One day he dared to ask:
- Father? Have you decided yet, which one of your sons will be the king after you?
 There were hundred boys waiting for King's answer.
- The king - said the King slowly - will be the one, whose mother I really love.
He smiled, pleased. How can they prove his love?
The sons started to shout:
- I'm the oldest, my mother was the first you loved!
- I'm the youngest, you still love my mother!
And the Kryspin has left the castle. He went home. The King couldn't love his mother, because he didn't even know her...
His sophisticated plan didn't work. He unwittingly collided some woman, carrying a jug full of water. Water poured out and the woman almost fell. One of the three following her girls supported her.
- I'm really sorry! - said Kryspin. He raised the jug quickly.
- It's alright - smiled she warmly - but I have to come for water again. 
- I will do it, mother - said the girl, that helped her mother. She gave her her full jug and she extended hands for the one that Kryspin was holding. 
- I will come with you - said he ashamed. 
She nodded and smiled. 
Kryspin felt like the new, unknown feeling was filling him. 





"I think it's love" - thought he.
He proposed to her on the same day. And when she agreed, he decided to take her to the castle ans to say the truth to the King.
It was quite strange, but he didn't want to have power anymore.
- Father - he began as usual, standing in front of the King - I want to present you my fiancee.

The King looked at the girl and he recognized his daughter.
- Son... - he began. He knew he had to say something. If they're brother and sister they cannot be together! But Kryspin interrupted:
- I'm so sorry, my lord, but I'm not one of your wifes' sons. And still I consider you to be my father and being sorry for all my lies I ask for your blessing.
The King didn't know what to say and he knew that soon he will have to say the truth about his first wife, so he said:
- Bring your fiancee's mother here, son.
It was really hard for him to stop thinking about him as about a son too.


Kryspin has brought his mother, his fiancee's mother and sisters to the castle.
All of the King's sons gathered in front of him, waiting for his decision.
But when the King saw his first wife coming into the castle wearing a straight peasant dress, he regretted what he has done years ago.
- Daughter - said he, looking at the oldest princess - you will govern after me as I promised, because it's your mother I really loved.
There were a terrible noise after his words, but he ignored it and knelt in front of his first wife and begged her to forgive him and to become his wife again.
And so Kryspin married princess he loved and they both governed the kingdom, and the King has left the castle with his wife, that he really loved.
The end

Monday, 23 February 2015

Magic today?

Today I'm going to talk about magic and two books: "Fablehaven" and "Artemis Fowl". I think they're really interesting because of... magic exactly. Both tell about it - but not as spectacular as J. R. R. Tolkien or J. K. Rowling, so it's possible that you haven't heard about them. However both of them answer a difficult question: where's magic today? Tolkien's elves leaves Middle-Earth, Rowling's wizards hide or mix with muggles and magical creatures are dying (giants).
It is noteworthy that writers imagine those creatures in very different ways. Eoin Colfer like Tolkien says that they're as smart as people (or even more). Brandon Mull and Rowling treats magical beings like animals (except those that are people in part). And in Harry Potter's world there are only a few giants left, but it's Mull who finds out way to protect magical creatures. Think logically: what people do when the animals become extinct? They create nature reserves. And that's what you can find in "Fablehaven".
In Artemis Fowl's world (and it's actually our world) magic is hidden too. But there fairies seem to be smarter than people so it's not human beings who keep them in secret (although it was them who caused it).
Fairies hide under ground and they create unbelievable technology. This is actually quite unusual comination of magic and science. In "Harry Potter" there is completly different situation; wizards know magic but they still write letters by birds' feather on the parchment, when Muggles send each other mails. So what's happening when one community has got magic and technology?
That's in "Artemis Fowl".
And finally the books are rather for children...
... and that's great.
I love those books because there's action. Nobody tries bore kids by long nature descriptions.
And that's why I think "Fablehaven" and "Artemis Fowl" are worth reading.
(It's almost the end)
So... there were several things that I didn't like in those books (like "childish" fairies in "Fablehaven" or strange inconsistency in "Artemis" - about Foaly's persecution mania), but they're both really worth reading.
They say a lot about magic today, about how magic copes with science and technology and about people trying to control it.

Friday, 20 February 2015

Mackerel paste

Today and yesterday... Or even earlier I terribly wanted mackerel paste. As you can read below, I made two. Both are tasty and quick. You can also try them with your favorite ingredients.
Mackerel paste recipe
Recipe number 1
Ingredients
  • smoked mackerel
  • onion or chive
  • 2eggs
  • 2 pickles
  • mayonnaise
Directions
Boil the eggs (and disembowel the fish in the meantime). Chop all ingredients (except fish and mayonnaise). Mix all the ingredients.
Recipe number 2
Ingredients
  • canned mackerel
  • onion or chive
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 small slices of cheese
  • mayonnaise
Directions
Boil the eggs. Chop all ingredients (exept fish and mayonnaise again). Mix all the ingredients.

Smacznego! :) (Yes, I know it's in Polish :D)

Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Terribly sweet and tasty cake :)

Honestly: this is not the cake for people on a diet. But I'm sure you will regret if you don't try. It tastes like Twix, but I think it's better, because of nuts. 
Here is an original recipe.
Recipe for Twix cake
Ingredients
  • cup flavour
  • 120g butter
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 500g dulce de leche
  •  nuts (I used cashew nuts)
  • 200g chocolate (I used one milk and one dark)
Method
Mix flavour, sugar and butter. Put the pastry on a small baking sheet. Bake until golden. Then spread the dulce de leche on it. Put nuts on it. Melt the chocolate and pour it over the cake.
Smacznego!

Saturday, 14 February 2015

Best thing I've ever eaten

... and I've eaten a lot.
I tried this thanks to my wonderful aunt Gosia :) and she agreed to put recipe here.
It's like summer in winter - and also like winter in summer.
I'm sure thet this is really the tastiest thing I've ever eaten - and belive me, it's strange, because there are meringues in it, and I hate meringues!
Wanna try?
So let's begin!
Wonderful dessert with meringues and frozen fruits

Ingredients
  • meringues - small or crumbled
  • whipped cream 
  • frozen strawberries
  • grenade (fruit)
How to do it
Crumble (I don't know how to say it - well, use blender) frozen or at least cold strawberries and meringues. Peel the grenade.
Put all ingredients into some glass (make your own special artistic composition).
Bon appetit?
Ok, I'll say it in Polish: Smacznego!