Legenda o Manduševcu
The Legend of Manduševac
The legend of Manduševac, the fountain on Zagreb's main square: a thirsty ban, a girl named Manda, and the command 'Zagrabi!' that supposedly gave the Croatian capital its name.
You will practice: Past-tense narration (putovao je, vidio je, rekao je), the imperative (zagrabi), and relative clauses (koja se zove, koja se zvala).
Words to know
Skim these before you read — they carry the story. Tap the star to add one to your saved words.
- gradcity
- trgsquare
- fontanafountain
- legendalegend
- banban (a medieval Croatian ruler/viceroy)
- vladarruler
- vojniksoldier
- djevojkagirl
- izvorspring, source
- vodawater
- novčićcoin
- srećaluck, happiness
Did you get it?
3 quick questions — no grades, just a comprehension check.
1. What is Manduševac?
2. According to the legend, how did Zagreb get its name?
3. What do tourists do at the fountain today?
Too hard? Pick an easier text in the Croatian reading library. Understanding most of a text without translations is the goal — struggling through is not.