Jan Marcin Szancer (1902 Kraków-1973 Warsaw), Illustration to "The Tale of the Steel Hedgehog"

Watercolor, gouache, paper, 25 × 50 cm

"Wanting to get out of this bondage,
He was moving slowly,
He jutted slowly upward,
Disregarding the gale.
He walked for five hours, until at dawn
Finally he found himself at the top.
There was a palace made of stars
And there was a man wrought in gold
And clad in golden shoes.
And all around in colorful snow
Stood people of bronze, copper
And of brass, and of lead -
They stood all on alert.
The ruler of Magnet Mountain
To the prey of his new
He shouted: "I am wrought in gold
And clad in golden shoes,
Your matchless bravery
Neither armor nor armor
Will not protect you from me.

I have such secret power,
That I feed only on steel
And on this mountain happily
With copper, bronze and brass
Like an obedient people I rule.
Defend yourself, Hedgehog! I feel like
To pierce your steel with a blade of gold! "
Hedgehog cried out: "Let it happen!
Come, I accept your challenge.
I don't have a sword or a shield,
But needles are enough for me! "
After these words, his fist clenched,
The golden knight flashed his shield,
He flashed his golden armor,
And when he stood right in front of the Hedgehog,
He snatched quickly in his brave hand
A golden double-edged sword."

Jan Brzechwa "Tale of the Steel Hedgehog", Warsaw 1961, Biuro Wydawnicze "Ruch", Edition I, (nlb).excerpt