In ancient, ancient times, when the Czech land was still full of primeval forests and wild animals, and the wise Princess Libuše, daughter of Prince Krok, resided in Vyšehrad, along with her sister, the beautiful Kazi, a man of extraordinary strength lived in the land. It was in those mythical times, dating back to the eighth century after the birth of Christ, when the old gods still spoke through the rustling of trees and the roaring of rivers. The people then lived in reverence for nature, but also in constant fear of its untamed forces.

And it was at that time, in the forests near the settlements, that a boar so enormous and wild began to rampage that no hunter dared to confront it. Its bristles were sharp as needles, its tusks long and curved, and its eyes blazed with cruelty. It devastated fields, trampled crops, and scattered herds, so that the villages feared for their livelihoods and their children. Fear spread through the land like a plague, and people prayed to the gods for deliverance. No one knew how to deal with such a horror, for even the bravest hunters returned with empty hands, or did not return at all. The boar became the terror of the entire land, and its rampage knew no end.

At that time, a man named Bivoj, son of Sudivoj, lived in the land, whose name already circulated among the people as a legend of superhuman strength and courage. Bivoj was well-built, with broad shoulders and sturdy limbs, and his strength was such as people rarely saw. When news reached him of the rampaging boar and the suffering it caused, he decided to confront the beast. He took only his reliable spear with him and set off into the deep forests.

His steps led him to a place now called Kavčí hora, but then, due to the frequent presence of wild boars, it was rather known as Kančí hora, situated above today’s Podolí, near Vyšehrad. There, in dense bushes and under old oak trees, Bivoj sought out the boar’s tracks. He followed its tracks for a long time until they led him into a deep ravine where the boar was hiding. The animal was truly monstrous, larger than any boar Bivoj had ever seen. Its eyes glowed when it saw a human, and with a wild grunt, it charged at Bivoj.

But Bivoj was no ordinary man. With lightning speed, which was more than just human, he dodged the boar’s first charge. Instead of using the spear he had saved for a later moment, he lunged at the animal with his bare hands. In a single moment that would have cost an ordinary man his life, Bivoj grabbed the wild boar by its enormous ears. The animal struggled, tore, and squealed, but Bivoj’s superhuman strength was indomitable. He held it firmly, more firmly than iron tongs, and although the boar tried to break free and tear Bivoj apart with its tusks, the hero had no intention of letting go. After a long and exhausting struggle, during which the ground trembled beneath their fight, Bivoj overpowered the boar.

And then something happened that is still told with amazement today. Bivoj, instead of killing the boar on the spot, hoisted it, alive and still struggling, over his shoulders. The heavy load bent his back, but Bivoj’s will was stronger than any weight.