Village Muck: Miklova Zala, book

MIKLOVO ZALO is based on the folk tale of the Carinthian Slovenes about the Turkish raiding incursions, written by Jakob Sket in 1884. The story tells of a beautiful girl who was kidnapped by the Turks in 1478 and taken into slavery in the sultan's harem in Constantinople, from where she escaped and returned to her native village Svatne in the Rož Valley in Carinthia after seven years. The legendary tale of the heroine Zala is a story about Slovenian identity, love for the homeland and the Slovenian language, resistance and courage, loyalty and kindness. After 139 years, Desa Muck adapted the tale for young readers, with illustrations by Gorazd Vahen, and the book was designed by Borut Dvornik, who also incorporated ornaments from "Kolekcija Slovenski ornament Jože Karlovšek". The educational material was written by Barbara Hanuš. Desa dedicated the book to the Carinthian Slovenes, for whom she says: "Slovenes who still live in these areas today have always been particularly brave and upright. For centuries, attempts have been made to take away or at least prohibit their mother tongue. They must still fight for it today. We will help them the most if we also take good care of it and preserve it ourselves."