Štrakakal the Sprite

A local sprite called Štrakakal, Šrakakal or Strakakarl, from the German ein schrecklicher Kerl, “a dreadful fellow”, appears in Loket’s streets. He is a dishevelled little man in a long flowing robe, holding a book in one hand and a brush in the other. He especially chases children with uncombed hair, trying to brush it while striking their backs with the book. He sometimes braided horses’ manes. Štrakakal was actually a small stone figure in long clothing with its head broken off, which stood for a long time in the castle courtyard behind the parish church but is now undoubtedly irretrievably lost.