Tradition: Croatian Mythology, Slovenian Mythology
Alternative Names: Pozoj, Črne Škole Dijak, Črnošolec, Grabancijaš Dijak
Category: Dragon
The Myth
Pozoj is a great dragon said to dwell beneath cities and settlements, buried deep beneath the earth. In Čakovec in Međimurje County, the creature was believed to lie beneath the city with its head beneath the church and its enormous tail beneath the town square, although the positions could also be reversed.
The Pozoj could not be driven away by ordinary people. To defeat or remove it required a grabancijaš, a wandering scholar associated with the mysterious “black school” and the study of magic. Slovenian traditions similarly connect the dragon with the črne škole dijak, or “black school student,” also known as the črnošolec, the sorcerer’s apprentice.
Another Pozoj was said to lie beneath Zagreb. Whenever the enormous creature stirred or shrugged beneath the earth, it caused an earthquake above. The dragon therefore became a supernatural explanation for the violent movement of the earth beneath the city.
The Pozoj was also known in Slovenia, where dragons were generally regarded as dangerous creatures and were frequently associated with Saint George. The Slovenian hero Kresnik was likewise remembered as a dragon-slayer, placing the Pozoj within a broader tradition of monstrous dragons that must be overcome by a magical or heroic figure.
Sources
“Slavic dragon.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 3, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavic_dragon