Come Along, Old Woman!

In strange ages past a knight rode this way and saw beside the road beneath a rock an old woman weeping. He fell into talk with her and heard that enemies were waiting for him in the forest on the road to Okoř castle, but that she would save him if he would take her with him. He said therefore: 'Come along, old woman!' and took her up on his horse. They rode until they came to the forest — and indeed the murderers rushed out of the thickets, and the fight of a single knight against so many men seemed hopeless. At that the old woman, who was a witch, gave a whistle, helping spirits appeared, strange figures with torches, and the murderers fled. As her reward she asked a kiss of the knight — and with it she turned into a beautiful maiden. She was Miloslava, daughter of Bohumil of Hostouň, enchanted by a hostile sorcerer. The knight took her to wife and on the rock where he had first seen her he built a castle, to which he gave the name Come Along, Old Woman! And from that comes the present Podbaba.