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The black dog didn’t only torment the residents of the city center; it also caused trouble for the people of Gosławice. The hound was most often seen near a small shrine along what is now Wiejska Street. Nearby, there was also a school built on the grounds of a former cemetery (a common practice in the region, as was the case with the original building of Public Elementary School No. 1 on Marek Prawy Street in Strzelce Opolskie). It is said that, in addition to the black dog, passersby would often encounter an enormous white goose – the symbol of death. Any homeowner who saw the bird near their house could be certain that a close relative would soon pass away.
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Near the Gosławice Gate, there once stood an inn, which was the first stop on many wanderers’ journeys as they entered the city to give their bodies and horses some rest. Sadly, common wars left the suburbs deserted, and the inn was closed – just as a craftsman was on his way. He found no one there and had to spend the night in the cold, which turned out to be fatal for the exhausted worker. In his final words, he cursed the people of Opole. Months later, when the townspeople returned, they began hearing nightly whining. Every night, at the stroke of midnight, a black dog with fiery breath and lantern-like eyes would appear. The local animals refused to leave their homes, and all pets cowered in fear. The area’s inhabitants eventually erected a shrine, which successfully scared away the demonic entity. Still, anyone who entered the deserted inn would lose their mind. Many years later, the shrine was moved and now stands near the technical school on Osmańczyk Street.

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In the Odra River near Opole, there once lived a drowner, hiding from the world. This mythical creature had two gorgeous daughters who longed to live among humans. One day, they convinced their father to let them attend a local dance at an inn. After much pleading, he agreed, but only under one condition: they had to return before midnight, no matter what. The daughters promised and headed to the Bytom Suburb party, which turned out to be wonderful. They did their best to keep track of time, afraid of their father’s wrath. Many men asked them to dance, and during a break, they asked one of the bachelors the time. He assured them it was barely eleven o’clock. Feeling relieved, the girls continued dancing. But then, the sound of the town hall clock striking midnight echoed through the night. In shock, they bolted toward the river, with one of their suitors following closely behind. When they reached the water’s edge, the sisters revealed the truth about their identity and the broken promise. They asked the boy to wait on the bank and told him that if the water changed color, they would never be able to return to town. As they disappeared into the river’s depths, a loud thunderclap was heard, and soon the river’s color transformed into a lava-like stream the color of blood.
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A long time ago in Opole, there stood an old tower that for years had been used as a powder magazine. It was located somewhere near Rzemieślnicza Street, next to a middle school full of noisy students. Once, during a break, a quarrel broke out between two pupils. A rich and conceited one snatched a hat from the head of a poor boy and, without a second thought, threw it into the vacant building. The unlucky youngster, afraid to return home without a part of his wardrobe, decided to retrieve it. Full of anxiety, he went down into the basement of the old keep, where, to his shock, he was greeted by an unknown, hunched creature. The stranger, upon learning the reason for this invasion, returned the hat to the child and told him to collect the leaves scattered on the ground into it. He also warned him that, upon exiting the depths, he must under no circumstances look back – unless he wanted to meet an immediate death. Despite hearing calling voices, the boy didn’t turn around and ran back to his classmates. After class, when he went to empty the leaves from his hat, he found that they were not old and dried leaves, but sheets of pure gold. When the news spread through the town, the same wealthy boy was seen entering the cellar in search of treasure. He never returned.
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Dutchess Ofka (a diminutive of Euphemia) is a figure historically remembered as an important force in the area, credited with founding the first public hospital. She was also a very attractive woman, drawing the attention of many suitors, though none caught her interest until she accidentally met John the Good. He managed to win her heart, and the couple became engaged, planning their wedding to take place just after Kupala Night. Sadly, the ceremony never happened, as Ofka inexplicably broke off the engagement. To symbolize the end of their relationship, she threw her ring from the Piast Tower. The ring was lost in the dark recesses of the dungeons below and was never recovered. John was so heartbroken that he ordered her imprisonment. Unable to move on, he never married and left no heir to the throne. Since then, on every Kupala Night, one can encounter Ofka’s ghost beneath the Piast Tower, searching for the lost ring. Though the truth may never be known (John the Good may have been unable to have children), it is said that whoever finds the ring will be immune to illness, will learn the answers to all their questions, and will never know poverty.

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