Continuing our look at the legends of Korčula, as filmed a few years ago for the Legends of Croatia YouTube series, a visit to the gorgeous village of Smokvica, to meet old Jakov, who could have become very rich, if only his curiosity had not got the better of him…
One morning old Jakov went to the field, a little valley where he was cleaning the pathway towards the grapevine. His wife prepared him a meal, he loaded the donkey and left. As he was reaching the valley, he spotted a girl, an astounding beauty, and he thought this could not be a human being. The girl was sleeping in the sun and he decided to make her some shade. Afterwards, he continued to work in the field until noon and, then, thinking of the maid who had surely woken up by that time, he got weary and fell asleep. He dreamt of her and her lovely companion fairies dancing around the water. He woke up in the late afternoon and went home. On his way, the same beauty appeared in front of him and thanked him by saying: “I shall give you a gift as a token of gratitude for having saved me from the sun, my skin would have burnt in the sun. Just make sure you do not open it until you get home.”
But the old man, curious as a child, opened the bags which were now full, not giving a second thought to what the fairy had said. He was deeply disappointed and grew angry as he realized the misfortune had befallen him, as there were no more gifts in the bags.
He arrived home and told his wife what had happened. She began to empty the bags. Only several gold coins fell out, along with lop and grass. This was the only fortune they were left with.
