LJUDI / PEOPLE
I t is common knowledge that Vuk Stefanović Karadžić, born 6 th November, 1787, in Tršić, was a reformer of the Serbian language who introduced phonetic spelling to the Cyrillic script, in order for each sound to receive its own corresponding letter. He is also known for having diligently collected oral folk wisdom and for having compiled the first Serbian dic- tionary, but also for being responsible for the fact that general use of Slavonic Serbian, the language of the up- per classes, was stifled in order to ensure better under- standing among the poor. It is no secret that Vuk [Wolf] was named after an animal that witches fear, because it was believed that such dark spirits had killed his elder brothers and sis- ters. However, that remedy to counter dark magic didn’t help to save his left leg, which was shrivelled from be-
VUK STEFANOVIĆ KARADŽIĆ Journeys of the hobbled great
Recounting all the towns he’d passed through to Lukijan Mušicki, Vuk received the following response: “You bring honour not only to your head, but also to that wooden leg of yours, which Serbian museums will vie for after your death.”
Uželevši se doma nakon deset meseci lutanja, poželeo je i „oceđenu supu s pirinčem i govedinom i sos od paradajza i medovine uz to“ wandering for ten months, he wanted “strained soup with rice and beef, and tomato sauce accompanied by mead”. Longing for home after
92 | Velikani » Greats
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