I Level
Latarnik (The lighthouse keeper)
Lighthouse
Once upon a time on a small gray island there was no lighthouse keeper.
Skawiński
An old Pole came to the United States consul office. He wanted to get a job at the lighthouse.
„What’s your name?” – asked the council.
„Skawiński” – the man replied.
„How old are you” – asked the officer „I’m almost 70 years old” – Skawiński replied.
„What did you do in your life?” – asked the council.
„I left Poland 40 years ago. I was a soldier in many countries. I worked in many places too.
„I was searching for gold in Australia. I looked for diamonds in Africa.
I run a farm in the USA but the farm was destroyed because of drought.
I traded in South America. There I had a misfortune. My brown raft was wrecked on the Amazon River. I was helpless in the green forest.
I had a blacksmith workshop in the USA but it burned down.
I worked on two ships. I even caught whales, but both ships were wrecked.
I wasn’t lucky in my life. That is why I dream of peace. “
“Okay. I will give you this job. You can start right away” – the consul said.
Pan Tadeusz
One day with a food package Skawiński got a book. It was an important Polish book – Pan Tadeusz. He started reading immediately. He felt happy. This one book reminded him homeland. He fell asleep.
White seagulls woked up Skawiński. They wanted some food. Skawiński gave brown bread. He went back reading and fell asleep again.
The accident
He didn’t wake up on time and forgot to light the lantern.
He heard a voice: „Wake up. Are you ill?” – asked John the port guard.
„No” – Skawiński replied
“You didn’t light the lantern. Because of your mistake, the white ship crashed. You’re lucky no one died. You’re fired,” the guard said.
The end
Skawiński had to start another journey. This time he had one Polish book. She reminded him of the country he came from – his homeland, Poland.
II level
Latarnik (The lighthouse keeper)
The story took place in the 1870s near Panama.
On a small island, there was a lighthouse keeper vacancy. The lighthouse keeper works all the time alone. Only once a day does a small boat come to the island to bring the lighthouse keeper supplies.
Who came to the island?
An almost 70-year-old Pole named Skawiński volunteered to work as a lighthouse keeper. Skawiński traveled a lot in his tough life.
Why Skawiński’s life was tough?
He left Poland after the November Uprising. He was lonely. He fought as a soldier in countries that wanted to be independent for example Spain, Hungary and the United States of America.
He was looking for gold in Australia and was working as a miner in a diamond mine in Africa.
He was a farmer in the United States for a while. However, he had to close it due to drought.
He was a trader in South America, but had a bad luck. His raft crashed on the Amazon river.
In the United States he worked as a blacksmith, but his workshop burned down.
He also worked as a sailor and harpooner on a whaler, but both ships were wrecked.
He had a cigar factory in Havana – he was robbed by his partner when he was sick.
He felt miserable in his life. However, he was patient.
He wanted to become a lighthouse keeper because he thought that he would find peace that way.
What was inside the package?
One day, in a food package Skawiński found Polish books. The lighthouse keeper was very moved and happy and tears came to his eyes. He saw homeland and the Polish language 40 year ago so immediately started reading a book. This book was Pan Tadeusz, in which the spirit of the Polish nation is described. Skawiński understood how much he missed his homeland. He fell asleep.
The wind and seagulls flew into the lighthouse, wanting to get something to eat. They woke up the sleeping Skawiński, who gave the seagulls his entire meal and went back to reading. When Skawiński closed his eyes he remembered his homeland.
What happened next?
Unfortunately, dreams about homeland and memories caused Skawiński to forget to light the lantern.
“Are you sick?” asked the port guard John, waking Skawiński.
“No,” replied the keeper.
“The shipwreck happened because you didn’t light the lantern. You’re lucky no one died, but you lost your job,” said the guard.
How the story ended?
Skawiński had to leave the lighthouse keeper job. Once again he had to look for a place where he would find peace. On his next journey, he took a Polish book. He didn’t feel lonely anymore.
III level
Latarnik (The lighthouse keeper)
This story took place in 70’ nineteenth century.
Lighthouse
Once upon a time, on a small island near Panama, there was a lighthouse keeper vacancy.
The work of a lighthouse keeper is hard and lonely. The lighthouse keeper has to walk up and down 400 steps several times a day to hang the appropriate flag or light the lantern at the top of the lighthouse. He works in the same place, every day, alone. Only a small boat with supplies comes once a day.
Skawiński
A Pole named Skawiński volunteered to work at the lighthouse. He was an old man, almost 70 years old. He left his homeland many years earlier. Skawiński traveled a lot in his life and had many different activities. His life was full of difficult experiences.
Skawiński’s life story
He left Poland after the November Uprising. He risked his life many times after that. He took part in independence struggles for example in Spain, Hungary and the United States. He also tried to work in different places.
He searched for gold in Australia. He worked in a diamond mine in Africa.
He ran a farm in California in the USA for some time. However, he had to close it because of the drought.
Later he tried to trade with wild tribes in South America. Unfortunately, he experienced misfortune: his boat was destroyed in the Amazon river. He was harmless and almost naked. He wandered through the forest for several weeks.
In Arkansas in the USA he set up a blacksmith workshop, unfortunately once again he was unlucky because his workshop burned down.
He served as a sailor on a ship sailing between America and Europe. He also worked as a harpooner on a whaler: both ships were wrecked.
He had a cigar factory in Havana. Unfortunately, his partner cheated him while he was ill.
He was convinced that he was being persecuted by bad luck and the elements of nature: water, air, fire and earth. However, he did not lose his patience or faith.
He dreamed of peace and a sense of security. He believed that working in a lighthouse would fulfill his dreams in old age.
Pan Tadeusz
Unexpectedly, one day, a package arrived to Skawiński along with food.
Skawiński was surprised when he opened it and saw Polish books. He could not believe what he saw. He forgot that many years earlier he was sending money to the Polish Society in New York. The society wanted to repay him by sending Polish books.
The lighthouse keeper was very moved, and tears came to his eyes. It was 40 ago when he left Poland and saw Polish language for the last time.
He immediately started reading the book. It was Pan Tadeusz – a very important poem for Poles, which describes the spirit of the Polish nation. Skawiński cried and was very moved. He realized that he was very lonely and he almost forgot his homeland. He fell asleep.
Seagulls flew to the lighthouse to get something to eat, just like every day. They woke up the sleeping Skawiński. He gave the seagulls his entire meal and went back to reading. The sun set and he continued reading. Skawiński could no longer see the letters. He closed his eyes and went back to his small home village in his dream. He saw Polish landscapes. He remembered his life there. He felt that Poland was closer than ever.
The accident
He was sleeping and dreaming of Poland so he forgot to light the lantern.
Suddenly he heard a voice: “Are you ill?” – asked the port guard John.
“No,” replied Skawiński.
“You forgot to light the lantern yesterday and that’s why the ship crashed. You’re lucky no one died. But you lost your job,” said the guard.
The next day Skawiński had to leave the lighthouse and set off into the unknown once again. However, he took a Polish book, which he held tightly to his heart. He didn’t feel lonely anymore. He felt as if he was taking Poland with him.
