The legend of Vilnius
One man once went to Vilnius to sell a dray of hay. This was a very long time ago, when the country was still ruled by the first Muscovite rulers. As the man stood with his hay in the market, another man soon approached and bargained to buy. But he said:
‘I will need somebody to take the hay outside the city.’
‘Don’t worry,’ replied the man, ‘I’ll do it.’
And so there they were – walking side by side while a horse carried the hay. As they passed the town wall, they reached a hill. The hill opened and they rode inside. In the heart of the hill, they saw a good many horses. All the horses were kneeling and each of them held a man resting on his back. As the two men entered the hill, the men and the horses began to rise but the man who bought the hay waved his hand and said:
‘Lie down! Lie down! It’s not the time yet! It’s not the time!’
Thus, the men went back to sleep. The hay was unloaded, and money paid. The money, however, turned out to be from different times, much older.
‘Do not worry about this money. Though you will be taken to the Muscovite king for possessing it, but don’t be afraid – nothing bad will happen to you. Tell their king what you witnessed today and tell him that you were given this money by St. Casimir*. I will rise with my army when the time comes.’
* St. Casimir was the patron of Vilnius.