A tiny island lies in the heart of Prague, separated from the bank by the narrow stream of Čertovka, the Devil's Canal. This place is steeped in legends and folk tales—a nook where devils were once painted on walls of houses, and mischievous water spirits called Vodníks dwelled, dragging unsuspecting souls into the waters. They keep trapped souls, tiny sparks akin to fireflies, in mugs for amusement, begging to be freed for eternity. Can you hear their faint cries when wandering Kampa Island after dark, when myths can suddenly feel real? Perhaps! Especially when the early nightfall of December cloaks the old city, and the Solstice is just around the corner.
Then, quite suddenly, two luminous beings appeared on the island. It was Advent, and angels had come to this mystical corner of Prague—perhaps to deliver solace to the lost souls trapped by the Vodníks or Old Scratch himself, who might still roam near his canal. The angels floated gracefully above the ground, spreading wishes of peace and goodwill to those who passed by.
I didn’t encounter the devil that day, but I did meet a Vodník perched on one of the old water mills along the Devil's Canal. This surly water spirit seemed annoyed with the angels' presence, almost petrified—I suspect he had schemes in mind and a couple of nasty tricks up his always wet sleeve, knowing well the Czech tradition taking place nearby. Are you intrigued about Vodníks? Just take a look at my recent post from Dolní Počernice!
During Advent, we craft small boats from nutshells, vax-gluing tiny candles inside before setting them afloat on the water. The main "harbor" for these nutshell boats in Prague is only a few meters from Vodník's chair, at a small pier on Čertovka. On Advent weekends, families gather there to launch their boats, and I am sure a dexterous water spirit can seize a soul or two these days.
As with many old traditions, the nutshell boats are believed to foretell the future. Interpretations vary—often contradicting each other—but a few outcomes remain consistent. If your nutshell sinks, whether by a Vodník’s mischief or other misfortune, it’s an omen of ill tidings. Capturing the fast-paced glowing boats with a tiny flame in the dark is no easy task, so I couldn’t manage better photographs than these.
In my next post, I’ll share more about Kampa Island, focusing on its art and history. Stay tuned!
Česky
Věřím, že přeložit si anglický text do češtiny strojově svede každý, mně se to moc překládat nechce. Strojové překlady navíc prý neurazí, tak to zřejmě bude i tak fajn počteníčko. Pro našince jen dodám, že andělé přišli (nebo přiletěli) od Malého Nosticova divadla, dnes Divadla Kampa, ale nechtěli říct, jestli jsou to herci onoho divadla, nebo jestli jsou z nějaké církve či církevní organizace. Každopádně bylo to až po Mikulášovi, a ani po něm, ani po čertech nebylo ani vidu, ani slechu.
Abyste mohli pouštět skořápky z tohohle mola na Čertovce, musíte se domluvit s některou z plavebních společností, jejichž lodě tu kotvívají. Nebo s člověkem, který zrovna postává u kasy nad schody k molu. Ve druhém případě pravděpodobně budete potřebovat nějaký světový jazyk, plavby po Čertovce jsou primárně pro turisty, a tak se s prodejcem lístků česky nemusíte domluvit.
I bez domlouvání se můžete skořápky pouštět třeba z nedalekého Střeleckého ostrova, tam vám je ale možná potopí nutrie. Pouštět se dají i z Kampy přímo do hlavního proudu Vltavy, to už chce ale trochu šikovnosti, aby vás nestáhl nějaký vodník. A navíc musí být víc vody, což ale touhle dobou nebývá problém.
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That's really cool with the little boats. What a great history and tradition! We don't have anything like that where I live. We do have light shows though and the Santa parade.
We had some extra time to develop these traditions ;))
Yeah, I get that :)
I have a picture somewhere in the photo gallery, on this little bridge next to the big wheel. Is that Mala Strana? I remember this elf sculpture (dwarf/gremlin)😄
Yep, it is Malá Strana, and the sculpture is vodník, Водењак.
interesting acting from these angels !! INdeed prague is a nice place to explore even being a resident the options don't end!
Prague is an amazing place to live, a city, but not huge :)
I like this tradition. We don't have it here.
The angels look tremendous and ethereal.
!INDEED
I guess you have some interesting traditions to share too then ;)
Thank you for leading me here. This canal has resemblance of Venice. And amazing that a water mill can be contain on the canal.
It's actually called Prague Venice ;)
Thanks for curating the post :)
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