The legend of the White Horse

The legend of the White Horse

            The legend of the White Horse is one of the oldest and best-known Hungarian legends that originates from the times of the Conquest of the Carpathian Basin. The myth is about the guile and cunningness against the Moravians. The story lasted has mostly by oral tradition, but it is part of the Cronicon Pictum (a medieval illustrated chronicle about the history of Hungary originated from the 14th Century), as well.
            After the succesful exodus to the Carpatian Basin, the Hungarians settled at first in the Eastern region, in Transylvania. They heard many glorious and wondrous tales about the prosperity and wealth of Pannonia. Its crop and soil was considered to be the best in the region, the Danube was considered to be the sweetest river and lands were full of games. It was no wonder that our great leader, Árpád, decided to send a messenger (Kusid, the son of Kund) to Moravia to muster the land and approach those living on it. At the time of Hungarian land-taking not all lands were taken by force, which of course would have been  too heavy a burden to carry after the long trip from the Urals. However, when Kusid arrived and told Svatopluk (or Zutapolug), the leader of the Moravians, why he came, Svatopluk took delight in that. He thought they were simple peasants who would like to work on his fields, and therefore he let Kusid leave in peace and mercy with what he asked for: a jackful of water from the Danube, a bagful of grass and a little piece from the soil. Upon the massanger’s return, Árpád was also pleased that the tales about the land were true so he sent Kusid back, but this time with an estimable present. A beautiful white horse with Golden saddle and Golden bridle on it. Needless to say, Svatopluk was amazed and said to Kusid, take as much water and soil as you wish. Once again he returned to Árpád, who in the meanwhile came to Pannonia with the seven chieftains to claim what was now rightfully theirs, which they easily did with their dreadful warriors, who chased everyone away. According to the legend, even Svatopluk was forced to jump into the Danube, where he drowned. Svatopluk did not know about that custom of law that if you bring water, grass and soil out of your land to another, you basically sell your land. Árpád exploited this lack of awareness of the Moravian king and took his land by scheming.

First of all, trickiness and cunningness are still important values and features of Hungarians, which are of course considered as good and useful features. Another historical examplification could be Búvár Kund’s deeds of derring-do against the Holy Roman fleet. According to his legend, he swam under the ships of Henry III and torpedoed most of them, making the fleet sink in the Danube in 1051. However, let us see this case from another perspective. Árpád took advantage of Svatopluk for his own selfish interests. These are also important features of today’s society. Everybody wants their own good and the way they achieve it does not always seem to be relevant. Homo homini Lupus est. If you do not do it first, others might do so. There were other hordes keen on claiming Pannonia, as well. Anyhow, the legend itself is most likely just a legend, beacause the great Moravian king was already dead by the time the Huns arrived in the Carpatian Basin.

            To draw my conclusion, old fables sometimes show other values from what we would think of at first, but nevertheless, they still serve as good sources for finding national values.