1. Spirit of the Mountains

The most famous legend is this one about the Lower Silesian Spirit of the Mountains, more precisely the Karkonosze Spirit, cannot be overlooked. This well-known figure has, in recent years, become something of an icon not only of the Karkonosze Mountains, but also of the entire Sudetes range along the Polish–Czech border.

The most famous legend is that of the abduction of the Świdnica princess Dobrogniewa by the Spirit of the Mountains. Transformed into a raging wind, the Spirit tears the princess almost from the arms of her fiancé, Mieszko, the Prince of Racibórz. Held captive in his underground kingdom, Dobrogniewa eventually persuades the Spirit of the Mountains to count the turnips growing in a nearby field. Absorbed in this task, he fails to notice the princess’s fortunate escape. It is said that the somewhat embarrassing name of the Spirit of the Mountains, Liczyrzepa („Turnip-Counter”), originates from this tale. However, modern researchers note that 'Liczyrzepa’ is not an entirely accurate designation, arising from an overly simplified translation of the German 'Rübezahl’, which itself derives from the Old German words 'Rabe’ (raven) and 'Zabeł’ (devil).

The earliest known graphic representation of Liczyrzepa appears on a map of Silesia created by the Silesian cartographer Martin Helwig in 1561. It depicts an extraordinary creature that resembles a deer standing on its hind legs, and perhaps even a griffin. It has branched antlers and a devil’s tail, as well as goat hooves. It holds a tall, upright staff in its paws. Shown in profile, its jaws are turned to the right.

Humphrey Carpenter in 1977 biography, wrote that in 1911 J.R.R. Tolkien purchased several postcards with reproductions of paintings while returning from a holiday in Switzerland to England. Among them was a work by the German artist Madlener: Der Berggeist (Liczyrzepa or more accurately 'The Spirit of the Mountains’), which depicted an elderly man sitting on a rock beneath a pine tree. The man had a long white beard and was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a long coat. The man was talking to a white roe deer buck, which was sniffing his outstretched hand. The man appeared to have a great sense of humor and empathy, enabling him to understand other beings. Tall rocky mountains could be seen in the background.

Tolkien carefully kept this postcard, and much later he wrote “Origin of Gandalf” on the paper it was wrapped in. The mountains shown on the postcard are at the very heart of the land of the Spirit of the Mountains — Śnieżka. According to legend, the Spirit of the Mountains ruled over the entire Karkonosze mountain range. To this day, he is regarded as the guardian of the Karkonosze natural riches and treasures.