Smutek ryb

This page isn't meant for the angler. An angler is usually too wrapped up in fishing to bother with reading any pages. Instead, it’s designed for the angler's wife. As the husband indulges in his fishing activities, the wife turns the pages, just as Hanna Krall initiated her column, "Smutek ryb," in the "Wiadomości Wędkarskie" monthly. The year was 1983, and in a gesture of goodwill during the martial law era, this fishing magazine offered a platform for the respected and unemployed journalist. Here, Krall had the freedom to publish without censorship because it seemed implausible to spin subversive tales about fish. Yet, somehow, she managed to weave deeper narratives.

In Krall’s fish-themed interviews, you won't find discussions on bait, rods, or nets. Instead, through a chat with Professor Henryk Samsonowicz, we uncover insights on fish during the Middle Ages, when species like pike, perch, and carp were popular as pejorative nicknames. Agnieszka Morawińska, an art historian, painted a picture of fish in art, observing how fishermen were integral to the decor of a rococo garden, much like swans or pheasants. Professor Jerzy Szacki reflected on fish within social thought, concluding that, in historical terms, the encounter between fish and man is a fairly recent and brief episode. Dr. Hanna Kirchner discussed how Zofia Nałkowska portrayed fish in literature, often teetering between objectification and life. Writer Jerzy Putrament shared an eerie riverside encounter with the devil, musing on the eerie similarity between the eyes of an eel and those of the dark figure. Astrologer Marek Burski drew parallels between people born under the Pisces sign and fish, noting their infrequent rise to leadership roles. Lastly, scout leader Jolanta Chełstowska touched upon fishing itself, attributing her success to the humble respect she holds for the fish, which perhaps rewards her with fruitful catches.

Beneath what appear to be modest discussions about fish, these interviews subtly hint at the socio-political landscape of Poland in the 1980s. Whether driven by genuine interest or a curiosity in Krall’s knack for deeper storytelling, it seems that both wives and anglers themselves may have been drawn to "Smutek ryb." Certainly, Hanna Krall’s popularity earned her a place as a favorite author among the readers of "Wiadomości Wędkarskie".

Although these narratives never saw the light of day as a comprehensive book, four of them were featured in Krall's anniversary book "Dowody na Istnienie" published in 2015.

In the end, there’s sorrow entwined with fish: in literature, art, life, and tradition. Fish are consumed during Lent, and fishing trips provide an escape from the world. However, don’t mistake these writings for musings of melancholy. On the contrary, it is through fishing, near the water's edge, in the quiet that calms the mind and allows one's thoughts to finally be heard, that one finds solace. There is a comforting realization that living under the sun is the greatest joy one can experience.