Lajkonik
lajkonik one unofficial symbol city kraków poland represented bearded man resembling tatar characteristic pointed hat dressed mongol attire wooden horse around waist hobby horse subject lajkonik festival polish lajkoniki take place year first thursday religious holiday corpus christi origin lajkonik uncertain common story associated popularity think originated prechristian time believed spring horse brought good luck high crop yield story associated th century city attacked mongol invasion poland one likely counterfactual story say people kraków successfully repelled tatar invasion killed one leader tatar khan victorious defender dressed khan’s clothing triumphantly rode city another version recall tatar arrived city gate night chose attack city morning instead camped along vistula local transporting wood river saw decided play joke city entered city gate dressed like tatar horse trying scare people thinking gate breached relief people city true identity soon discovered incident popularity led mayor declare annual celebration ash wednesday march tatar ravaged sandomierz crossed vistula kraków duke sandomierz opole joined battle briefly retreating legnica silesian duke henry ii pious intercepted invader perish knight tatar returned ravage southern poland threat posed dominated central east european political religious life next year regional folklore tatar assumed position bogeyman kraków corpus christi lajkonik procession colorfully reminds one whatever origin city continues tradition festival taken place every june past year lajkonik man dressed warrior east ride prancing white hobbyhorse city street premonstratensian norbertine convent zwierzyniec main market square people traditional folklore dress accompany others adorned oriental garment hold horsetail insignia hand procession wind way historic street city followed musician child reveler way lajkonik touch spectator golden mace collect money traditional ransom touched lajkoniks mace believed bring good luck market square mayor city awaits lajkonik pile ransom money chalice make toast wellbeing kraków inhabitant music dancing continues front old tower hall main square polish folk group use figure lajkonik performance costume lajkonik worn also street disguisers tourist attraction however true lajkonik one festival first thursday corpus christi numerous souvenir folk art item depicting lajkonik lajkonik popular name become trade name numerous product sold poland abroad including hotel snack lajkonik also name brand polish snack manufacturer based skawina since seat public transport kraków upholstered lajkonik pattern numerous folk dance group poland named lajkonik united state two group based tucson chicago also adopted folk figure name one dance ensemble western sydney called lajkonik symbol kraków culture kraków hejnał mariacki wawel castle krakow historical museum lajkonik page retrieved june european institute cultural route lajkonik page retrieved june municipality krakow official tradition page retrieved june