Польша халық ертегісіндегі Твардовский әңгімесі

Character in Polish folklore

Pan Twardowski (Polish: Pan Twardowski, ), also known as Master Twardowski (Polish: Mistrz Twardowski), is a sorcerer in Polish folklore and literature who made a deal with the Devil. Twardowski sold his soul in exchange for special powers – such as being able to summon for King Sigismund Augustus the spirit of his deceased wife – and eventually met a tragic fate. The tale of Twardowski exists in various versions, and forms the basis for many works of fiction, including the humorous ballad "Pani Twardowska" by Adam Mickiewicz. The folklore is commonly assumed to have been heavily inspired by the similar German story of Faust, with which there are many parallels.

According to an old legend, Twardowski was a nobleman (szlachcic) who lived in Kraków in the 16th century. He sold his soul to the devil in exchange for great knowledge and magical powers. However, Twardowski wanted to outwit the devil by including a special clause in the contract, stating that the devil could only take Twardowski's soul to Hell during his visit to Rome – a place the sorcerer never intended to go. He was said to have summoned the ghost of the late queen to comfort the grieving monarch, using a magic mirror. Hearts of Stone, an expansion to RPG game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015), has a main storyline heavily inspired by the legend. Pan Twardowski is also a popular character in the folk art of Poland's Kraków region; he appears in some Kraków Nativity scenes (szopki). He is typically depicted as a Polish noble either riding a rooster or standing on the Moon.

Pan Twardowski is said to have lived in or near Kraków, the capital of Poland at the time. Different places in Kraków claim to be the exact location of Twardowski's house. The sorcerer might have lived either somewhere in the city center, near the Rynek Główny or Ulica Grodzka, or across the River Vistula in the village of Krzemionki (now part of Kraków). Across Poland, there are a number of inns and pubs called Rzym ("Rome"), all of which claim to be the one where Pan Twardowski met the devil. The oldest of these inns date back to only the late 17th century, about 100 years after Twardowski's time. The one in Sucha is probably the best known of these inns. In the sacristy of a church in Węgrów, hangs a polished metal plate claimed to be the magic mirror which once belonged to Pan Twardowski. According to a legend, it was possible to see future events reflected in the mirror until it was broken in 1812 by Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte of France when he saw in it his future retreat from Russia and collapse of his empire. It is also said that Pan Twardowski spent some time in the city of Bydgoszcz, where, in his memory, a figure was recently mounted in a window of a tenement, overseeing the Old Town. At 1:13 p. m. and 9:13 p. m. the window opens and Pan Twardowski appears, to the accompaniment of weird music and devilish laughter. He takes a bow, waves his hand, and then disappears. This little show gathers crowds of amused spectators.