Zlatarovo zlato engleski

a translation ofAugust Šenoa'sZlatarovo zlatopublisherSpiritoso j. d. o. o.Lomnička 23, Zagrebfor the publisherAndrija PećarićeditorTanja KonfortaproofreaderVinko Zgagacover designTomislav-Jurica KaćunićIvana VučićHamper studiographic design and layoutTomislav-Jurica KaćunićIvana VučićHamper studioprinted inOg grafika d.o.o., Ogulin, July 2015isbn978-953-58478-0-9cip available in the catalogue of theNational and University Library inZagreb, numbered 000910125.

translated from Croatian by Neven Divjakinja Zagreb 2015



the golden legacy of august šenoaSovereign ruler of an age,a favourite of the publicSince he first started writing until this very day, morethan 130 years after his death, the work of AugustŠenoa could not pass unnoticed or be forgotten. Hecreated the Croatian reading public, teaching it to readin its mother tongue when historical circumstancesand tradition dictated otherwise.Croatian poet and critic Antun Gustav Matoš calledhim August the First, showing how much he valuedhim: “Šenoa embodies everything that Zagreb standsfor. Like Orpheus, he brought it to life and enabled itto express itself in its own language.” Many sharedMatoš’s opinion, and literary historians still agree thatŠenoa was the founding father of modern Croatianliterature. His dominance on the literary scene in thesecond half of the 19th century is best shown by thefact that the period between 1860 and 1881 is calledthe Age of Šenoa.August Ivan Nepomuk Eduard Šenoa was born onthe 14th of November 1838 in Zagreb. He came froma Germanised family of Czech and Slovakian descent,and he wrote his first verses in German. His fatherAlois and mother Terezija transferred their love of art,especially music, theatre, and literature, onto theirson. After finishing his primary and secondary edu-cation at the Gornjogradska Gymnasium in Zagreb, 5

the golden legacy of august šenoathe centre of Croatian national pride at the time, hewent on to study under Vjekoslav Babukić and AntunMažuranić, two of the finest Croatian linguists. There-fore, it should come as no surprise that Šenoa himselfalso mastered the Croatian language, and would latercreate and unify language norms through his work.Šenoa attended law school in Zagreb and Prague. Hedid not manage to finish his studies, but he soon beganwriting for many journals, becoming one of the count-less sons across the world that were a disappointmentto their fathers. But the public did not share AloisSchönoa’s opinion. Zagrebulje, feuilleton texts heavywith razor-sharp commentary, irony, and satire pub-lished in Pozor and Vijenac, attracted innumerablereaders and became the most read texts in Croatianat the time. He was also a very successful editor, work-ing as the chief editor of Vijenac until the very endof his life. Furthermore, he was the art director anddramaturge of the Croatian National Theatre, a nota-ry and senator in Zagreb’s senate, and vice chairmanof Matica hrvatska. He translated texts from variouslanguages including German, French, Czech, and Eng-lish. He became famous for his theatre criticism, andhe reformed Croatian theatre by bringing classical aswell as contemporary pieces to the stage.Knowing many European languages, Šenoa simplydevoured the works of his contemporaries, and ad-vised Croatian authors they should model themselvesafter Charles Dickens and Ivan Turgenjev. He calledfor realism in literature, convinced that reality wasan unlimited source of inspiration.While Šenoa spent his days actively engaged in thework he was paid for, he spent his nights doing whathe loved the most – writing. They say his talent was notrestricted only to literature, and he often drew many6

the golden legacy of august šenoaof his characters before painting them with words.Two of his sons inherited his artistic talent. His sonMilan, a professor of geography, wrote novellas, travelbooks, short stories, and even wrote a historical novel.His brother Branimir expressed his talents throughthe visual arts, working as an illustrator, set designer,and engraver.Šenoa’s wife Slava Ištvanić was a great source of sup-port and inspiration to him. He died when she was 31.She declined all romantic offers and marriage propos-als until her own death, wanting to remain the wife(and not become the widow!) of August Šenoa. Shelived on for 63 more years, cherishing the memoryof her beloved, the most prolific and most popularCroatian author of the time.No literary form was alien to August Šenoa. In additionto political and programmatic articles and feuilletons,Šenoa also wrote various works in verse, includingromances, ballads, sonnets, historical stories, as wellas patriotic, religious, and satiric poetry but he becamea favourite of the Croatian reading public because ofhis works in prose. He wrote short stories and socialproblem novels, but he drew the most attention tohimself with his historical novels in which he was ableto show all of his skill as a storyteller. He was very pro-lific and full of creative energy, but it was probably thisconstant stress and exertion that brought on his illnessand untimely death at the age of 43. In his 1892 study,Franjo Marković noted that Šenoa dictated his Kletvawhile he was lying in bed with pneumonia, dreamingabout next-year’s spring, which he intended to spendin Italy. Marković wrote that Šenoa enjoyed life andbelieved in it until a few days before he died, when,anticipating the end, he cried: “Don’t let me die, I haveso much more to write!” 7

the golden legacy of august šenoaHe did not manage to finish his novel Kletva becausehe died on the 13th of December 1881 in his apartmentin Mesnička Street, the same street in which a part ofthe novel now before you takes place.Lovers againsta historical backdropFollowing the model of the historical novel of Wal-ter Scott, Šenoa published The Goldsmith’s Treasure in1871. The novel is considered the first artistic historicalnovel in Croatian literature, in which fact and fictionintertwine, and real historical figures live alongsidethose that Šenoa created himself. The novel attracteda vast audience and was republished many times. Itwas presented to the public for the first time in Vijenac(issues 31 through 52). In the issue containing the firstpart of the novel the author wrote a note stating: “Thisnovel is mostly based on the truth. Almost all the char-acters described in it were real people. I attempted topresent life in Croatia at the time as it was. Since somedetails of our history are somewhat less known, a fewnotes are needed, but there is no room for them in thismagazine. If I ever publish this story as a separate book,I will surely add my notes about our history.”And that is exactly how it was. As soon as 1872, TheGoldsmith’s Treasure was published as a separate bookwith the introduction written by Šenoa entitled To theReader. One more edition of the novel was publishedin 1878, while the author was still alive. This editionwas enriched by an appendix containing explanations,which became an integral part of all later editions andshowed how much Šenoa’s work relied on facts and8

the golden legacy of august šenoahow much time and effort he put into it, rummagingthrough historical archives.Building on historical facts, Šenoa brings before thereader the conflict that took place in the 16th centurybetween the people of Zagreb and the mighty LordStjepko Gregorijanec of Medvedgrad. The event servesonly as framework for the presentation of medievalZagreb and Croatia as a whole, facing the Turkishthreat. A range of colourful characters, including no-bles, citizens, dignitaries, priests, and schemers, showsthe full diversity of the society Šenoa wrote about, buteven more so of the society he lived in, and wanted touncover and make his readers aware of.These events are the stage for a grand love story, be-cause the real protagonists of the novel are DoraKrupićeva, the daughter of the goldsmith Petar, oneof the most prominent citizens of Zagreb, and PavaoGregorijanec, the son of Lord Stjepko who does notlook kindly upon the citizens of Zagreb and couldnever accept Dora as his daughter-in-law. There havealways been forbidden loves, but there has never beenone that could be stopped. That is also the case withPavao and Dora, the Croatian Romeo and Juliet. Theywere born on opposing sides, but they are irresistiblyattracted to one another, bound by true love and thepurity of their hearts. Even though Šenoa called forrealism in his programmatic articles, he presents hismain characters in the most romantic way possible.They are perfect in their love; proud and immaculate.She is chaste and innocent, and he is courageous andhonest, which reflects the romantic conception of lovethat exists only when it is unfortunate and impossi-ble. Add to this Grga Čokolin, an egotistic and greedyschemer; Klara Grubarova, a maleficent femme fatale;and Jerko, a selfless altruist that acts from the shad- 9

the golden legacy of august šenoaows, and it comes as no surprise that The Goldsmith’sTreasure became a bestseller, was published in manyeditions, and translated into several languages. It wastranslated into German as early as 1874. The Frenchversion was published in 1879, while the Czech andPolish translations were published in 1880. In 1911, iteven came out in Esperanto. It was also published inBraille, and as a comic book in 2012. Since 2015, it isalso available in English.The Goldsmith’s Treasure is read even today, as obliga-tory reading in high schools, but also as a timeless lovestory in a historical setting, and is an indispensablepart of Croatian cultural identity. The edition nowbefore you is a result of a wish to present a classic ofCroatian literature in a new light, and to remind allreaders of this story that embodies Zagreb in all ofits aspects. Many travellers who find themselves inZagreb will surely, unknowingly, visit the very placesmentioned in this novel. We hope that some will alsoreach for this edition and keep it on their bookshelvesas a treasured reminder of their stay in Zagreb.A stroll through the paths ofThe Goldsmith’s TreasureBy telling a story about its citizens, Šenoa also told astory about Zagreb itself. Sentence by sentence, imageby image, he invited us not only on a stroll across Grič,but also the places surrounding Zagreb as well.Our first stop is the Stone Gate. It was built in the 13thcentury and was a part of the defensive fortificationsof Gradec, which would later merge with Kaptol toform Zagreb. The defensive towers were once open,with openings for marksmen, but they were later10

the golden legacy of august šenoacovered and strong buildings were erected by theirsides. An old tower stood by this gate as well; a towerthat would later be turned into a house at 2 Kameni-ta Street (Stone Street), where the goldsmith Krupićmight have lived.As we exit Gradec we come across a bronze statue in aniche within the Stone Gate. The statue, entitled TheGoldsmith’s Treasure, is a piece by sculptor Ivo Kerdić.It depicts Dora Krupićeva, the protagonist of this novel,in all her grace and beauty; it embodies the beauty ofZagreb’s women and all of their virtues. The bronzestatue of Dora holds the key to the town in her hand,as well as a guild treasure chest.The Stone Gate is the only one of the five gates of Za-greb still standing. It was always a place of importance,and old legends about it still attract tourists and stim-ulate their imaginations. “Witches” were incarceratedand tortured within the tower above the Stone Gateand a witch’s morningstar still stands on its top as ameans of preventing other witches from helping theircolleagues escape - it would snag at their dresses asthey flew around it on their brooms.Today, the passage of the Stone Gate houses the shrineof Our Lady of the Stone Gate, whom Cardinal Fran-jo Kuharić named the patron saint of the city in 1991.The shrine contains a painting of the Virgin Mary thatsurvived the great fire of 1731 undamaged. Most of thesurrounding houses, as well as the gate itself, burneddown in the fire, but the painting was retrieved fromthe ashes intact, which was immediately proclaimeda miracle by the citizens of Zagreb. An altar was builtin the passage of the gate to serve as a pedestal for thepainting. In 1931, on the 200th anniversary of the greatfire, the painting was crowned with a golden crownadorned with jewels. Many believers show their grati- 11

the golden legacy of august šenoatude to the Virgin Mary by lighting candles in front ofthe painting, and praying. The atmosphere will makeeven the non-religious and accidental passers-by stopand ponder the power emanating from the shrine. Thefeast day of Our Lady of the Stone Gate is celebrated onthe 31st of May, which is also the date on which ZagrebCity Day is celebrated.In the immediate vicinity of the gate, on 3 KamenitaStreet (Stone Street), is the headquarters of the “Breth-ren of the Croatian Dragon” society, which succeededin stopping the plans for the demolition of the StoneGate.Next, Šenoa takes us to St. Mark’s Square, whereMagda sells her paprenjaci biscuits. This traditionalCroatian treat was brought back from oblivion in the1990s and has been baked since, much to the delightof many who share a liking for delicious treats. Today,paprenjaci can be found in souvenir shops and delica-tessen all around Zagreb, and the smell of honey andsavoury spices takes us back into the 16th century, justlike Proust’s madeleine biscuits.On this oldest of the squares in the Upper City standsthe Church of Saint Mark, one of the oldest buildingsin Zagreb, which is now flanked by the buildings of theCroatian Parliament (Sabor) and Government (Vlada).Even though the real history of the church remainsunknown, it is certain it existed as early as the 13thcentury. Its multi-coloured bell tower and glazed rooftiles, added in the 19th century, make it easily recog-nizable. Two coats of arms adorn the roof: the crest ofthe Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonija, and Dalmatia; andthe crest of the City of Zagreb. The model of this verychurch represents Croatia in the Mini-Europe Parkin Brussels.Some of the streets through which Dora and Pavao12

the golden legacy of august šenoawalked, or Čokolin slithered, still bear the samenames. You will have no trouble reaching OpatičkaStreet (Nun Street) once you leave the Stone Gate. Itis one of the oldest and most elegant streets of Zagreb,named for the monastery of the nuns of the Order ofSaint Clare. At the end of Opatička Street there was theNew Gate. Now the street is home to the Zagreb CityMuseum and the National Archives. One more gatewas located in the steep Mesnička Street (Butcher’sStreet), which owes its name to its wooden butchershops. Many prominent Croats later lived in MesničkaStreet, including August Šenoa, who died in his apart-ment on 34 Mesnička Street.The former Duga Street (Long Street) was renamedto Radićeva Street. The Krvavi most Street (BloodyBridge), a small alley in the pedestrian zone, lies nextto it. Its name is a reminder of passed ages when theepiscopal town of Kaptol and the royal free town ofGradec were in constant, and often bloody, conflict.Harmica is still the central square of Zagreb, only nowit is called Ban Jelačić Square. Nevertheless, it remainsvivid and crowded; the heart of the city.Those who favour a little peace and quiet may findtheir way into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Maryin Remete, a sanctuary of peace that attracts manypilgrims and believers from across the world. Histo-rians still disagree on the exact date when the churchwas built, but the oldest known records stem fromthe 13th century, when the first monk of the Order ofSaint Paul the First Hermit named Iskvirin came toRemete. There he erected a monastery for the order.In the mid-20th century the monastery at Remete wasgiven to the Barefoot Carmelites, and the nuns theretry to keep it a place of worship, and not let it turn intoa tourist destination. The statue of the Virgin Mary 13

the golden legacy of august šenoawithin the church was credited with many miraclesover the centuries, and even Pepper Biscuit Magdacalls upon the Lady of Remete for help.The places outside of Zagreb, which Šenoa’s charactersvisit, are just as colourful. The path of Stjepko Gre-gorijanec leads us to Medvedgrad first, a medieval forton the southern slopes of Medvednica Mountain. Itwas built in the 13th century and its location offersan excellent view over the surrounding area, whichhelped prevent oncoming attacks. Since the Croatianword for bear is medvjed, it is thought that the name ofthe fort stems from the name of Medvednica Moun-tain and the numerous cave bears that lived in thearea. Today, the Altar of the Homeland stands beforeMedvedgrad’s southern wall. The altar is the work ofsculptor Kuzma Kovačić, and is a monument to thevictims of the Homeland War. All are welcome to paytheir respects to the people who lost their lives in thewar for Croatian independence in front of the eternalflame that burns there.Susedgrad, located in the vicinity of Medvedgradand Samobor, is a medieval fort that is mentioned inhistorical documents as early as the beginning of the14th century. It managed to grow into a developedand fortified town, but was abandoned after a greatfire in the 17th century. Several noble families heldSusedgrad over the centuries, but the most famousof its owners is the notorious Franjo Tahi, a 16th-cen-tury feudal lord. Even though it is a part of Croatia’scultural heritage, only forgotten ruins remain of theonce mighty fortress.Just like its surroundings, Zagreb has changed in manyways since the time of Stjepko Gregorijanec, or evenŠenoa. But it still strongly urges the visitor to take awalk, explore and get to know its streets and the hid-14

the golden legacy of august šenoaden tales they might contain. Come closer, traveller!Get to know Zagreb. Listen to the murmur of its Ka-jkavian speech, bite into a paprenjak, say hello to thewomen at Dolac Market, meet its people… You neverknow, you might come across a modern-age Dora, ora fearless Pavao.Tanja Konforta 15



to the readerI bring before you, friend of Croatian literature, a shortepisode from our nation’s hectic past. I hope it pleasesyou, because it is ours, and I hope you forgive my quillfor any mistakes. If there had been as much skill in thequill as there was love for this endeavour, this bookwould be flawless. But I leave this for you to decide.Furthermore, I cannot resist telling you how this bookcame to be. While I was browsing through some oldpapers, untouched for a hundred years, at the ZagrebCity Archives, I stumbled upon a record of a brutal andbloody conflict between Vice Ban Gregorijanec andthe townsfolk of Zagreb. The historian Adam Krčelićwrote of this dispute, but did not know its cause. So Idusted off the papers and found out why the townsfolkand the Vice Ban quarrelled and why the fierce noble-man fell in the end. “Now there’s a story!” I exclaimedhappily and sharpened my quill. I started to stack pa-per upon paper and read until exhaustion. I boughtmaterials here and there, went through old records,bills, and studied books old and new. I dug deeper tounearth the ruins of Zagreb as it once was and to res-urrect old Croatians just like they were in every aspectof their lives. With God’s help, images of old came tolife within my soul. I collected them, gave them form,and here they are now before you, dear reader. 17

the goldsmith's treasure I wanted to give an accurate account of the time inquestion. One who is interested in such things andseeks proof may find it in the appendix to this book.One will find that most of what I write about reallyhappened and that almost all the characters reallylived and did the things I described. I published thisstory in the Vijenac magazine, but because many of myfriends urged me to publish this work as an independ-ent book, I am able to present it to you, dear reader.May you enjoy it. There will be no one happier thanme if you do. Your praise will be my reward. Acceptthis book graciously, dear reader, and if there is goodwill on your part and health on mine, I will bring morebooks like it into the world. There is no lack of mate-rial; there will be no lack of effort. For now, be well.August Šenoa, 187118





iAt the end of the 16th century, during the reign of King Maximilian II and Ban Đuro Drašković1, 1. đuro draškovićthe parish Church of St. Mark2 was surrounded by (1525 – 1587)small wooden shacks in which various vendors and was a bishop of Zagreb. Hemerchants sold candles, oil, bread, and other every- became the Ban of Croatia (headday items at a fair price to the kindly townsfolk of the of the executivenoble town on “the hills of Grič”. government at the The townspeople of old Zagreb were of the rather time) in 1566.pious sort, even though they were in constant conflict 2. the church of st. mark iswith the noble bishops that resided in a separate estate located on St.known as Kaptol. They once even boasted before His Mark's Square,Majesty that, thank God, there were as many priests near the building of the Croatianand friars in their town as there were townspeople. Parliament, whichBut despite all their abundant and fierce piety, they re- is also called thecalled little of the Holy Scripture, in which it is written Sabor. Built in the 13th century, it isthat the Son of God drove the merchants and bank- one of the oldesters from the temple of God with a whip. The wooden standing buildingsshacks stood peacefully around St. Mark’s and even in Zagreb and is part of Croatia’sthe noble gentlemen and priests would occasionally cultural heritage.stop and browse through the goods. A most famous face among the merchants in theshacks was Pepper Biscuit Magda. Young and old, greatand small knew Magda better than they knew thetown drummer, Đuro Garuc, a tall man nicknamed“The Bishop’s Stick” by the townsfolk. Magda really was a peculiar figure. She was skinnyas a candle and yellow as wax. Her nose was pointy, 21

the goldsmith's treasure i curved, and plum-like, with a hairy mole on top. Her face had more wrinkles than a peasant’s shirt. Her teeth did not ache, for she had none, and merely a few people ever saw her greyish, piercing eyes because the old woman kept them closed and would rarely open them to gaze into the world. Looking at her while she was hunched in her wooden shack wearing a white winged hat, one would think: “There’s something about Magda... she probably rides3. klek mountain her broom to Klek Mountain3 every Friday or to a is located gathering with her sisters to have an infernally good time”. Truly, anyone would think that Magda was a near Ogulin in witch. Croatia’s Gorski kotar. According But her soul was not barren and her heart was never false. She was actually a very pious old lady. In her to legend and shack, there was a sooty picture of the miraculous folklore, it is a place where witches meet. Virgin of Remete and a brass lantern in front of it was lit in honour of the Virgin Mary and for the salvation of Magda’s soul. Magda would sit every day in her wooden shelter and run the beady, sanctified rosary through her hands, almost half-asleep. She would stop occasionally to warm her cold hands over a pot full of embers or to talk to a passing lady or the town bell ringer. She would usually whisper the Lord’s Prayer or the Hail Mary, come rain or shine. Surely, this is not something a witch would do! The nickname “Pepper Biscuit” was given to her be- cause there was no woman of noble or common birth 4. the paprenjak that knew how to knead those peppery biscuits called is a traditional paprenjaci 4 as well as Magda did. Because of this, her biscuits were very popular, and even the town judge, Croatian biscuit. Ivan Blažeković, was known to spend a considerable Its unique flavour amount of money on her biscuits from time to time. is derived from a mixture of honey The old woman had become a widow a long timeand savoury spices, ago. Her late husband was a bell ringer at St. Mark’s. making it quite a delicacy. 22

i august šenoaAnd so she lived a humble life without any children orrelatives, baking her biscuits every night in her homeby the Stone Gate5 and selling them by day in front 5. the stone gateof St. Mark’s. was constructed in the 13th The townsfolk did not remember her ever being century andyoung, nor did they notice her getting older; she was was an integralalways the same. She was like an old painting that part of Zagreb’shung somewhere in a lone tower for countless years fortifications.and never changed. Everyone saw that the old wom-an was making a considerable amount of money andwas spending very little, so they wondered – as peopleoften do about many things – why would Magda needall that coin?In truth, Magda kept an old sock full of dinars, groats,and even old ducats from the time of King Matthiasin the corner of her painted wooden trunk. The sockgrew thicker as Magda grew thinner.But why would Magda need the money?“To rest my soul,” she replied calmly to people whobored her with such questions, and continued to runthe rosary through her fingers.Yes, to rest her soul! The good old lady, enchantedby a pious dream, would set aside one dinar at a timein order to save enough money to pay for masses thatwould be held at St. Mark’s after her death. Each year,on the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene, a service wouldbe held for the salvation of her and her late husband’ssoul.Encouraged by this thought, she worked diligentlyand with joy.Thus it is not strange that she was on good terms witheveryone in town. But there was one man she was noton good terms with – the town barber, Grga Čokolin,who had his shop under the arches of an old townhouse on the corner of St. Mark’s Square. 23

the goldsmith's treasure i Grga Čokolin was a rather strange man. He was a skinny fellow. He had a fat head, round as a cabbage, with thick eyebrows above his nose and small, black, prickly eyes often fogged by wine. His nose was dull and wide, it curved upward, and was fiery-red. His face was smooth and beardless; the best advertisement of his trade. This was the outer face of the town barber and his soul had a similar lining. He was shifty, self- willed, and insidious. He moved in all kinds of places and had his soapy fingers in matters which should not have concerned him. It was not really known where Grga Čokolin had come from. He spoke like he was from Hrvatsko zagorje, but he was also known to occasionally greet a judge or chaplain in Latin. The townsfolk did not ask him about his home and, knowing that he had wandered into town from one place or another, did their best to remain on his good side because his words stung like the whip of the Devil himself. He had seen much of the world, or so he claimed. He boasted that6. petar erdödy he had served in the Ban’s army under the standard bakač belonged to a noble family of Petar Bakač6, and that he was wounded at the Battle of Ivanić Grad7. He talked a lot about the Turks and of Hungarian his own bravery. When people objected that he maydescent. He served be exaggerating, he would cry out in anger, pointing at his scarred forehead: “Not true? Look here! This is as Ban from 1557 to 1567. 7. At the time where I felt the kiss of a Turkish sabre! Thank God that of the Turkish it did not cut any deeper because there wouldn’t be incursions in anyone here to shave you!” The people argued that the 16th century, you could also get all kinds of scars while drunk, but Grga insisted that he was a hero. He was certainly no Ivanić Grad saint. Jokes and pranks were a part of his life and no was one of the one was safe from his tricks. He cured the townsfolk most important with camphor and leeches. He cured livestock with altar bread. He shaved both the gentlemen and the strongholds, protecting Zagreb and thesurrounding lands. 24

i august šenoapoor peasants from Trnje.He would spend the rest of his time drinking, gam-bling, and getting into trouble.There was talk that he was even engaged in somefoul business – that he brewed all kinds of potions orworse. These were, of course, only rumours, but it waswell known that Čokolin did not fast on Wednesdaysand Sundays.It is therefore not strange that Magda did not lookkindly to him, but there was one event that caused thebarber and the old woman to become mortal enemies.Magda lived by the Stone Gate, across the gardens ofthe Drašković family, in the house of Petar Krupić,goldsmith and town elder.Petar Krupić8, a nobleman from Velika Mlaka, had 8. As Šenoa himself noted inlived in Zagreb since he was a child. Later he did a the first editionlot of traveling while learning the goldsmith’s trade. of this novel,He even went as far as Venice, where gold is worked Petar Krupić was a real historicalmost delicately and spun into fine strings. After a lot of figure and is oftenwork and studying he returned to Zagreb, was accept- mentioned in theed into a guild, and acquired his father-in-law’s shop legal documentsand house by the Stone Gate. Even though business regarding thewas good and he was extremely happy, he was never suit against the Gregorijanecarrogant and did not tarnish his name with bad deeds. family. He was theThe townsfolk soon grew to love him and elected him keeper of the keystheir elder because of his honest heart and sharp mind. to the Stone Gate, and probably livedHowever, his fortune changed rather quickly. To his in its vicinity.great sorrow, his faithful wife died and left behind 9. Many Croatian politicians andtheir only child – Dora. artists stemmed None other than Magda was the godmother of this from this noblesame Dora, and Dora was the apple of her eye. Krupić family. The name is derived fromhad no time to raise his little girl. The Turks were a Zrinj, a medievalconstant threat, so he had to take care of the provi- town at the footsions and organize the town’s defences. In addition, of Zrinjska gorathe noble houses of Zrinski9, Bakač and Alapić were Mountain. 25