Silver medal Legends of the Czech castles - Crazy fisherwoman on Bitov castle proof

Myths, mysteries, and fairy tales – all this is offered by the Czech Mint's series entitled Legends of Czech Castles. The latest commemorative medal made of pure silver tells the story of crazy fisherwoman of Bítov castle.

The Moravian Bítov Castle was built to protect an important trade route. Over time, a village grew up below the castle, but there used to be a lake, on the shore of which lived a fisherwoman. She worked from dusk till dawn to support herself and her beloved daughter. The little girl was sweet, cheerful, and playful, however her playfulness proved fatal. One day, she ran out onto a rocky cliff above the lake, slipped, and fell into the depths. When the water washed up her drowned body, the fisherwoman went mad with grief. The only thing that helped fill the void in her heart were the cats that were attracted by the smell of fish. The woman fed them, provided them with shelter, and her pack quickly grew. However, the cats made a lot of noise, which did not please the lord of the castle, who wanted to spend a quiet day on the lake with his daughter. The girl was frightened by the cats' screams, and her angry father grabbed his bow and killed the cats. The fisherwoman drove the lord away with a hateful scream, and promised him revenge. Time passed and the nobleman had to go to battle. He ordered his daughter not to go near the lake, but the girl disobeyed and went for a walk. The mad fisherwoman was already waiting for her, and as soon as she had the opportunity, she threw her off the cliff. The water took another innocent life... When her father returned home, he saw what had happened. "I took your daughter for the cats," screamed the insane fisherwoman. The desperate man uttered a curse, and both the fisherwoman and the lake disappeared.

The obverse side of the commemorative medal, which is the work of academic sculptor MajkaWichnerová, depicts the mad fisherwoman and the drowned girl – perhaps her daughter, perhaps the daughter of the lord of the castle. The atmosphere is completed by a fishing net, and in the background you can also see a fisherman's hut with two cats. The reverse side is dominated by a view of Bítov Castle.

A total of six castle stories were presented in the collector's series.