Tradition: Czech Mythology, Polish Mythology
Alternative Names: Zubro
Category: Cow
The Myth
Most Zubros are said to live in Bohemia, though they are also found in Poland, where they are believed to be smaller and less powerful. Wherever it appears, the Zubro is known as a terrifying kind of wild bull.
The Zubro is described as an enormous beast, reaching up to fifteen meters in length. Its hide is marked with dark brown and black coloring, and its horns can grow to a length of one and a half meters. The animal is swift and aggressive, and it can easily be driven into a state of uncontrollable fury.
When people attempt to hunt the Zubro, it does not flee helplessly. Instead, it defends itself with frightening intelligence. It blinds pursuing dogs by throwing its own dung at them. If it manages to seize a dog or a human, it hurls the victim into the air with its horns and catches them again as they fall, repeating this until the victim is dead.
Yet even such a creature can be defeated by cunning rather than strength. A skilled hunter first wears the Zubro down by driving it relentlessly with dogs. Once the animal is exhausted, the hunter positions himself beneath a tree with his spear. The enraged Zubro charges straight toward him, but the hunter hides behind the trunk. The beast thrusts its horns past the tree on both sides, and in that moment the hunter steps forward and kills it with a single thrust.
Sources
Van Maerlant, J. (2024). Der Naturen Bloeme (I. Biesheuvel, Trans.), p.74.