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A HISTORY OF BOHEMIAN

LITERATURE

the stated, deals principally with the rivalry between monks of the Eastern and those of the Roman ritual. Prokop, who had retired to the then desert region near the river Sazava, is found there by Prince Ulrick, who builds a monastery for him on the spot where they met. After Prokop's death, as well as that of Prince Ulrick, "Germans of the Latin rite" take possession of the

monastery on the Sazava. The ghost of Prokop three times appears to them, and on his third apparition the Germans return terrified to Prague. The author begins by thus addressing his readers : " Listen, old people and children — To what I wish to tell you — Of the patron of the Slavs — Of the holy Prokop — He who was born in Bohemia — Who propagated God's law in a saintly fashion — Who faithfully fulfilled the St. Prokop holy law — Who worked many miracles. is of the Slav race — Born not far from Cesk^ Brod. — That village did God well bless — In which this saint was born." The legend then proceeds to tell us of Prokop's youth and education, laying special stress on the fact that at the monastery on the Vysehrad he received instruction in the Slavonic language. Prokop obtains great favour among the monks, who wish to choose him as their But Prokop flies from all worldly honours provost. and retires to a desert district, " where is a river, and that river is called Sazava, and it still flows beneath the monastery." The m.eeting between the hermit and Prince Ulrick is thus described: "The Prince, named Ulrick — Called to the hunters, who were running in every direction— And speaking to them all said^' In what woods shall we hunt ? ' — He said, 'We must begin — ' Where shall we begin ? — ' Let us,' he said — ' try the

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