Legend of Goldenhorn
Class 3a and their class teacher Mija
Zlatorog (which means Goldhorn or Goldenhorn) is a legendary white chamois buck, or in some Slovenian stories the steinbock, who had his realm in the heights of Mount Triglav. He is a symbol of the Slovene mountains. Zlatorog’s golden horns were a key to a treasure hidden in the mountains around Triglav. A young and brave hunter from the Trenta Valley fell in love with a beautiful young woman and managed to win her heart by bringing her beautiful flowers. However, one day a rich merchant from Venice came by and tried to gain her attention by giving her golden jewellery and dancing with her. As the hunter approached the girl, she mocked him. The hunter was desperate and left. Persuaded by another hunter, called the Green Hunter (perhaps satan in a human form!), he decided to go that very night to find Zlatorog and claim the treasure. In the morning, they found the animal, shot it and pursued it. The dying animal dragged itself onto a narrow, rocky ledge. Suddenly the young hunter saw on a dangerous trail the most beautiful and healing flowers. The Green Hunter forced him on to catch the Zlatorog before it ate the magic Triglav flowers that grew from its blood, but it was too late. Zlatorog had already eaten a flower, which gave him tremendous strength. He ran towards the hunter, who being blinded by the beauty of its golden horns lost balance and fell from the mountain. The river Soča carried the corpse to the valley.
(C) Andreja Vavpetič & Zdenka Wicher
