Legend about Velen
We would like to tell you a legend about a bird catcher Velen. He is considered to be a mythical ancestor of Lords of Boskovice gained their coat of arms. This type of legends is quite common and we have to say that they were odered by lords because they wanted to show how old their noble house is.
Bird catcher Velen
A legend about Velen
This tale explains how Lords of Boskovice used a coat of arms with a seven-pronged comb. A bird catcher, Velen, lived in local forests and he was a very poor man. It was in times when the first “Moravian king” ruled this land. This king lost his way during hunting and he was not able to find his company. Velen met him by chance and took care of him even though he did not know it was the king. The king could have a bath, Velen gave him food and combed his hair. When Velen saw that the unknown man had long hair and no comb, he gave him his own one. Before king left, he had told Velen to visit Brno, the capital of this land and the castle of Spilberg. Velen did it and when he saw who was the unknown man he was surprised. They had lunch and then the king asked Velen if he had had a wish. He promised to fulfil it as thanks for Velen´s hospitality. Velen asked him to give him a hill to be able to do his job without rivalry with other bird catchers. The king gave him not only the hill but also the whole forest location and near villages. Velen was dubbed a nobleman and the king made him his adviser. Velen also received a coat of arms where the comb, which was given to the king, was painted.
You can see carved Velen with a cage in this room.
Cover of the book Zrcadlo slavného Markrabství moravského
This book, written by Bartolomej Paprocky in the 16th century, contains probably the most famous version of this legend.
Song inspired by the legend about Velen
There you can listen to this legend in Czech.
And there is another version.
