Thursday, April 01, 2010

RICHARD FREEMAN: The Monsters of Prague #10

Part 10 Kabourek the Vodníci
Unlike others of his kind, this Vodníci was a friendly soul. He lived in the Certovika River but spent more time in the pubs on Kampa Island. Other drinkers were unfazed by the smiling, green-skinned, web-fingered creature. The landlords provided a basin of water for him to put his feet in whilst he drank. But as the 19th century became the 20th his old friends began to die. Barrel organ and concertina music was replaced by jazz.

Kabourek could not stand the sound of a saxophone and retreated to the river. He seldom leaves the river today but is said to occasionally appear and beg a passer-by for a bottle of beer. If they grant his request they are rewarded with a pike or an eel.

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