Already in the 15th century the University had a world-famous astrology department which attracted students and scholars from different parts of the world. They would come to Cracow with the sole purpose of widening their knowledge of secret things. Thus the city always swarmed with various local and foreign masters of white and black magic.
Apart from studying magic and mysterious sciences at the University they would also visit the private workshops of renowned alchemists and magicians. The best reputation befell to a workshop belonging to a nobleman, Piotr Twardowski, whose skills and learning in the art of magic were unmatched in Poland. It was situated in one of the caverns in the Krzemionki Hills.
Once a German magician, Doctor Faustus, who was also well versed in the secret sciences, paid a visit to Twardowski in Cracow. While drinking wine both of these eminent men discussed for a long time various mysteries and wonders and made a show of their skills by performing numerous tricks. At the end of the meeting they revealed to each other how they had acquired their knowledge of esoteric matters, as well as telling each other about the sources of their magic and mysterious power.
Their stories did not differ much. Both of them summoned the devil at night, at the time of full moon and signed the bond in their own blood, thus selling their souls to hell. In return the forces of Evil had to carry out their orders. Also each of the two wizards was supposed to choose the date and place for submitting his soul to the power of the underworld.
Twardowski chose Rome for this purpose. While making this deal the sorcerer was all the time smiling to himself, as he never intended to undertake a journey to the Eternal City. He thought he would be able to make use of the infernal services forever. He did not anticipate that, tired of his authority, the devils would set a trap for him.
Meanwhile, as is usually the case before the final downfall, Twardowski was exceptionally lucky. He kept inventing newer and newer magical tricks which astonished the whole city of Cracow, as well as the court of King Sigismund Augustus. The ruler of Poland had long been interested in magic and astrology, so he frequently invited the Master to Wawel Castle.
The death of his beloved wife, Barbara, made the King mourn bitterly. In an attempt to relieve his suffering Twardowski promised to evoke the ghost of the late Queen. Sigismund Augustus was so eager to see Barbara that he tried to urge the magician to hurry, but he could not avoid having to wait for some time, as the seance had to be held at full moon.
When the proper night came at last, Master Piotr arrived at the castle equipped with several thick books on magic. Sigismund Augustus with his two most faithful courtiers awaited him in the chamber which used to be Barbara’s. The magician wasted no time and began the necessary preparations immediately.
First, in one corner of the room, he placed a huge mirror in such a way that it reflected the night sky outside. In the middle he arranged a small tripod and on it he put a metalbowl into which he threw a handful of aromatic herbs. While doing that he whispered some magic formulas. On the table he opened his parchment books and put two thick candles made of beeswax.
The King, sinking into the depth of his armchair, anxiously observed all these activities. When the most important moment was approaching Twardowski asked him not to abandon his place and not to utter a. single world, as such a close contact with the spirit of a dead person could lead him to the loss of senses or even to death.
Having issued this warning, the magician lit the candles and made a fire in the bowl of herbs. When their fragrance filled the whole room he stood at the table and looking into the books from time to time he started uttering magic formulas under his breath. Sometimes the bizarre words of these formulas would assume the form of sing-song phrases and their mysterious echo would reverberate in the air.
Suddenly, outside the window appeared the face of the moon wrapped in a shroud of clouds. The room was filled with a luminous, bluish and silvery aura. Twardowski finished his magic recitations and with a movement of the hand he motioned the King to look in the direction of the mirror.
Slowly, from the surface of the looking-glass clouds of thick whitish vapour began to emerge. Soon the figure of the Queen emerged from among them. She was clad in a white robe and this attire was ornamented with the strings of her famous pearls. While floating in the air, she directed at her husband her most beautiful face with her eyes full of a gentle glow.
Mindless of the warning, the King left his armchair ready to rush after the apparition. Fortunately, the courtiers managed to hold him back in time. In the meantime Barbara’s luminous figure passed effortlessly through the glass in the window and floated away into the darkness of the night.
After that event the King, full of admiration for Twardowski’s art, invited him to the castle more and more often and implored the magician to let him see his dead wife again. Unfortunately, it was beyond the distinguished magician’s power to fulfil the wish of the monarch, because a real combat with mysterious forces was awaiting him sooner than he could have expected.
The devils under the command of Mephisto, who had personally entered into the deal with Twardowski, were quite fed up with his power over them, so they decided to liberate themselves from it. As forcing the nobleman to travel to Rome seemed impossible, the infernal lot resorted to a cunning trick.
One day Master Twardowski was returning from one of the villages near Cracow where he had visited several sick people and administered some medication to them. Being rather weary he was dreaming of a glassful of exquisite Polish mead.
As soon as this thought was born in his head, he saw an inn in the distance. Not thinking much about it he crossed its threshold and was quite astonished to come face to face with Mephisto. With a smile of triumph the devil announced to the magician that the inn was called Rome and that his life had come to its end. Twardowski immediately resorted to some tricks, but remembering that the once-given word of honor of a nobleman could never be reneged on, he soon gave up.
Thus, the devilish hosts, howling loudly with joy, surrounded the magician and taking hold of him by his clothes they flew out with him through the chimney, tearing off half of the roof as they went.
During the journey through the air in the company of the devils the nobleman kept thinking about his life. Suddenly, when he looked down he caught a glimpse of the Market Square in Cracow. He also heard the sound of the trumpet call from St. Mary’s, which touched some sentimental chord in the heart of the unfortunate master of black magic. Under the influence of this feeling Twardowski asked God to deliver him from the satanic power.
The prayer of the penitent sinner was heard in Heaven and the devils lost their power over him. Thus, the magician avoided the horrors of Hell, but as he had sinned a lot while practising sorcery he deserved harsh penance. Therefore he was placed on the moon, suspended between the earth and the sky. There he awaits salvation and the day of the Last Judgement.
However, his loneliness on the silver globe is sometimes marked with pleasant moments, because on serene nights he can admire from there his beloved city of Cracow in its full beauty. Sometimes, he also sees how children whose mothers tell them his story at bedtime look up to the moon through their windows expecting to see there the figure of the famous magician.
Reprinted from: Legendary Cracow, Ewa Basiura , Storyteller-Krakow 2000