After the death of Princess Libuše, who wisely ruled the Czech land and whose words flowed from the mouth of a prophetess, deep fears took hold in the hearts of women. They had lost their protector, and with her, it seemed they would lose their status, which had belonged to them during her lifetime. Men, led by Prince Přemysl, began to assert their strength and rule again, and the women did not like this. Their hearts were gripped by anxiety, for they felt the old order collapsing and with it their dignity.

At the head of these discontented women stood Vlasta, a combative and determined woman who would not tolerate insults or contempt. Her eyes blazed with anger when she saw how men belittled female wisdom and strength. She gathered around her crowds of girls and women who shared her indignation, and together they decided to defy fate. They did not want to surrender without a fight and accept the subjugation that was being forced upon them.

On the left bank of the Vltava, opposite Vyšehrad, which was then called Chrasten, the women began to build their own castle. They named it Děvín, for it was to be a fortress of their female strength and determination. Stones rolled, wood was hewn, and from the sweat and determination of the women, mighty walls grew, which were to protect their freedom. At Děvín, they trained in combat, learned to wield swords and spears, and their cries echoed through the valley, instilling fear in the hearts of men.

Prince Přemysl, though a wise ruler, felt unease in his soul. He had visions in which dark shadows and warning voices appeared to him, foretelling impending danger from the women. He tried to warn the men, but their pride and self-confidence prevented them from fully understanding the depth of female determination. They believed that the women’s rebellion was just a short-lived game, a mere whim that would soon pass. However, Vlasta and her warriors took everything deadly seriously.

One day, Vlasta, with the clever and beautiful Šárka, devised a trick that was to show men the strength of female determination and the cruelty of their revenge. Šárka went into a deep valley, which is today called Divoká Šárka, and there she allowed herself to be tied to a tree. Her body was half-naked and her face contorted with pain, as if evil women who had tortured her had left her there. Beside her lay a hunting horn and a large jug full of sweet mead, which tempted one to drink. She convincingly wailed and called for help to attract attention.

It wasn’t long before the lord Ctirad and his retinue rode through the valley. Ctirad, a strong and brave man, but also foolish, heard the desperate cries. He saw the beautiful Šárka tied to the tree, and his heart pounded with both compassion and desire. Without hesitation, he freed her and listened to her fabricated story about cruel warriors who had left her like this. Šárka offered him mead to refresh himself after the tiring journey. The men, exhausted by the heat and enchanted by Šárka’s beauty, gladly took the jug and drank with relish until their heads spun and their bodies grew heavy. Soon, all fell into a deep sleep, intoxicated by the sweet drink.

Then Šárka blew the horn, its sound echoing through the valley and reaching Děvín. In an instant, a troop of maidens, led by Vlasta herself, emerged from the bushes and rocks. They mercilessly slaughtered the sleeping men. Ctirad, that brave lord, was captured and dragged to Děvín. There, Vlasta and her warriors cruelly tortured him; in some versions, they wove him into a wheel on the bank of the Vltava, so that his suffering would be a warning to all men.

News of Ctirad’s death quickly spread throughout the land, and an indescribable anger seized the men. Prince Přemysl, enraged by the treacherous murder of his loyal lord, gathered a large army. Men from all over the country rallied and, with a battle cry, set out against Děvín. The battle was terrible; swords and spears clashed on the banks of the Vltava, and the maidens fought with unprecedented ferocity, defending their freedom.

Vlasta, at the head of her warriors, rushed into the greatest confusion, her sword gleaming in the sun and her voice rousing the others. However, in that fury, she strayed too far from her troop and there, surrounded by male warriors, she fell. Her fall broke the hearts of many warriors. Šárka, seeing the hopelessness of the situation and not wanting to fall into the hands of men, fled to a rock in the Divoká Šárka valley, which is still called Dívčí skok (Maiden’s Leap), and there she threw herself into the abyss to escape capture.

Děvín was conquered, its walls breached, and the castle, a symbol of female rebellion, was burned and razed to the ground. The men triumphed, and the women were defeated. However, Prince Přemysl, though victorious, knew that without women there is no life and that the land needed peace. And so, when the dust of battle settled, he declared a truce and a great feast, where there was dancing and drinking, and where men once again took their girls and women back to themselves. Děvín, the castle of female rebellion, was, however, razed to the ground and its stones scattered throughout the region, so that it would never again recall the time when women raised arms against men. And so, peace and order returned to the Czech land, but the memory of the Maiden’s War remained forever in human hearts and in the names of places, such as Divoká Šárka, recalling ancient times and the strength of female determination.