Waligóra and Wyrwidąb

Waligóra^[a] and Wyrwidąb^[b] are two fictional twin brothers who were the characters of the fairy tale originating from Poland. They were a personification of brotherhood and the example of the benefits og the cooperation.^[1][2]

Illustration Waligóra and Wyrwidąb by Michał Elwiro Andriolli in the 1876 book Klechdy, starożytne podania i powieści ludowe by Kazimierz Władysław Wóycicki [pl]

In fairy tales

In one version of their fairy tale, they were orphans whose mother died after birth in the forest. Waligóra has been cared for by the female wolf, while Wyrwidąb, by the female bear. They were both extremely strong, with Waligóra being capable of destroying the mountain with one punch, and Wyrwidąb, being able to tear oak trees from the ground. Brothers working together had saved a kingdom, defeating the dragon, that terrorized it. After doing that, they were awarded by the king, who let them marry his 2 daughters.^[1][2]

Philologist and folklorist Julian Krzyżanowski, establisher of the Polish Folktale Catalogue according to the international index, classified tales about the heroic duo as type T 300B, "Smok I Waligóra" ("The Dragon and Waligóra").^[3] Thus, his typing is closely related to the international ATU type ATU 300, "The Dragon-Slayer".

In other fairy tales

According to philologist and folklorist Julian Krzyżanowski (pl), Waligóra and Wyrwidąb may also be the name of the companions of the hero in the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index type ATU 301, "The Three Stolen Princesses" or Polish Bracia zdradziecy ("The Traitorous Brothers").^[4]