Magic Woman 

   At the time, when the Tartars invaded the 

regions, there lived a Sekler woman, in 

Gyergyó, named Ms. Bákai. She was very 

famous in the region, because of her magic 

talent. She was able to predict any danger, 

earthquake, ice-rain, before it happened. 

  Once, at one Sunday afternoon, when the 

villages population went home from the 

church, she said: 

  Listen to me villages, there is something 

I would like to tell you. I thought that you 

should know, that in a short time the 

Tartars will reach our lands. They will be 

as many as grain of wheat on the fields, 

and where they'll go, they will burn down 

the villages, put our men to sword, and 

string the women on slave-strap. That's

how they'll take everyone in the country 

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of Tartars. If you decide to listen to me,

you may get along with no arm. 

  When you'll notice that the villages 

are on fire in our neighbors, every 

reaper that reaps on the fields, should 

should strike a stake into the ground 

and put his hat on it. Every man that 

harvests on the fields should strike his 

sickle into the last sheaf, that 

harvested on that day and also to put 

his hat on. Women and children should 

take as many as pottery and vessel 

they got in the house and hide it 

between the grass and the stubble-

fields. Then, when the Tartars will 

arrive, I won't be between the livings 

anymore, but I will rise from my grave 

and will come between you to see if 

you took my word or not. Then I'll tell 

you, if you'll gain victory or not. 

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