Rzeźnik (Butcher)
Nowadays, most of Wrocław's dwarfs are vegetarians who prefer juicy apples and fresh berries.
However, the profession of butcher is one of the oldest and most respected, and its history among the little folk goes back to the early days of settlement on the Oder islands.
As everyone knows, Wrocław was founded on several islands. That is why the first settlers, including dwarfs, made river fish one of the staple items on their menu. Of course, it was not easy for the dwarfs to catch such a fish, and the expeditions resembled Inuit whale hunts. When they managed to fish something out of the Oder, Rzeźnik would jump into action.
Butchers have always been the eldest sons of the oldest dwarf family in Wrocław. Their role was to butcher fish, divide the meat among the community and make sure no dwarf went hungry. In the Middle Ages, Europe was often plagued by famine, so the Butcher was often the most important person in a dwarven settlement and the personification of justice. No wonder that the first representatives of this trade sat "ex officio" in the Wrocław dwarf council.
As the years passed, the dwarfs of Wrocław took over the skills of plant production from the Big People and slowly ate less and less meat. Today, meat and fish are a very rare sight on dwarfs’ tables.
But representatives of the oldest family of dwarfs still carry out this ancient profession and supply fish meat to those who have remained faithful to the old traditions. The current Butcher of Wrocław is easiest to spot in Jatki. He has a lot of free time, so he likes to pose for pictures with tourists and reminisce about the times when the butchers' business thrived in Jatki.
