You could often meet him in Prachovský Skály, in a little cave, where he had a beautiful view to Krkonoše, the Jizera Mountains, Kozákov, and Bezděz.

He was most proud of his garden, where he grew many flowers. They had been a present from Krakonoš himself! He picked thyme and lady's mantle for tea, in spring he tended the snowflakes, the pasty lilies, the globeflowers and the bright yellow buttercups that grew by a little brook. Summer was when the rare Michaelmas daisy bloomed, and, in autumn, the garden was painted by the poisonous meadow saffron. It was gorgeous!

But one day, when Pelíšek came back home, he saw his garden and got furious! The flowers had been plucked and the grass had been trampled!

“No! This can't be!” He said, in a rage. “Nobody can damage my garden and get away with it! I will find out who did this!” His anger was heard all over the valley as an endless echo bouncing among the rocks.

That evening, Pelíšek quietly crept below the window of the local tavern to eavesdrop on the loud conversations.

“Gentlemen, now, I will tell you something you don't know about. Čéč, the local knight, has invited us to his castle! Apparently, he's got something nobody has ever seen!” Said a small man.

A second, bigger one stood up and said: “The whole country knows about it already! The knight Čéč got some beautiful flowers somewhere and he wants to show them off!”

Everybody laughed: “Otherwise he wouldn't invite us to his castle!”

That was enough for Pelíšek: “That injustice on which Mr Čéč is basing his fame must be properly punished!”

That night Pelíšek was very busy. He ran around the whole region putting into his pouch fireflies, who promised to help him. During the day, he counted them, very carefully so they would not fly away.

As soon as it got dark, Pelíšek went to the road leading to Čéč's estate. The moon was already high in the sky and the hooting of the owls echoed in the valley, but the quiet was suddenly interrupted by an approaching team of horses.

“He's coming, he's getting closer,” celebrated Pelíšek, “now, dear fireflies, you're free!”

The fireflies flew and their lights shone along the road. Pelíšek ran to the pond, without forgetting to lay small lights on the grass. The last fireflies, the ones that shone the most, hovered over the pond. Čéč had now a road lit all the way to the water.

Pelíšek hid among the reeds and waited impatiently. The Knight Čéč reached in vain for the shining lights. He would be so happy at home, in his new garden! The coach drove off the road, straight to the pond! Pelíšek now just heard Čéč cursing the whole world, mad at the little fireflies. Pelíšek laughed so loudly that Čéč realised who had prepared that road.

The quiet and peaceful night resounded with Pelíšek's lesson: “Don't plunder nature if you don't want to be harmed!”

It was a lesson Čéč would remember for the rest of his life.

He climbed out of the pond, shivering, and when he saw Pelíšek on the road, called out: “Come. I will give you back all the flowers.”

“Keep them, but take care of them as well as I would,” said Pelíšek and went back to his cave.

In the morning, Pelíšek went to visit Krakonoš, who gave him new flowers. Once again, Pelíšek's garden shone in Prachovské skály, and nobody ever damaged it again.

If you ever go to Prachovské skály, you will sure notice Pelíšek's garden! And maybe you also know of places full of beautiful flowers; when you are there, admiring them in one of your trips, do not forget Pelíšek's lesson!