The Legend of The Raftsman's Statuette

The characteristic feature of Torun's Old Town Square is bronze Raftsman's Fountain. It is dated from 1914 and presents the Raftsman playing the violin, surrounded by frogs engrossed in his music.

The story begins with a big flood in town. After the water subsided, frogs appeared. They were everywhere, on the streets, at homes, even in dignified halls of the Town Hall. They felt citizens and guests with disgust. For this situation people blamed councilors and overseer, suggesting new elections. That was too much, that's why overseer asked all citizens to fight with frogs in every possible way.

Unfortunately their efforts run to waste. Having no choice, overseer announced that he will give a hand of his daughter in marriage as a reward of freeing the city from frogs.

Lots of brave young men wanted to set free people from frogs and marry beautiful overseer's daughter. Than a poor raftsman appeared. He went out on the Town Square playing his violin. Frogs, engrossed in his music, came out from their hiding-places and were assembling around the raftsman. He started to walk slowly to Mokre Suburbs where marshes were. There frogs dispersed, and never came back again.

Happy raftsman then married overseers daughter, in which he has been in love for years. Overseer wasn't content to have such son-in-law, but he had to keep his promise. Soon a revelry weeding took place after which both, raftsman and his wife were living long in health and happiness. Overseer became a grandpa of seven granddaughters and seven grandsons. And so they lived happily ever after

Today, only beautiful story remained, and The Raftsman's Fountain on the Torun's Old Town Square. Sometimes children come to the fountain to wet hands in cool water. And sometimes adults come to the Raftsman, too, to leave him a penny, so that they could come back to Torun in the future again.