Janko Muzykant (translated into English as ''Janko the Musician'', and less commonly as ''Yanko the Musician'' or ''Johnny the Musician'') is a short story (also described as

novella A novella is a narrative prose fiction whose length is shorter than most novels, but longer than most short stories. The English word ''novella'' derives from the Italian ''novella'' meaning a short story related to true (or apparently so) facts ...

) by Polish writer and winner of 1905

Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...

Henryk Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz ( , ; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (), was a Polish writer, novelist, journalist and Nobel Prize laureate. He is best remembered for his historical novels, especi ...

. It has been described as one of his most successful works in that genre. ''Janko Muzykant'' was first published in the '' Kurier Warszawski'' in 1879. The story is representative of the positivism in Poland period in Polish literature, focusing on social injustice and the wasted life chances for peasant children. Other themes include the folk beliefs and superstitions of uneducated peasantry. The story focuses on the unfair treatment of a child, Janko. Janko is a peasant child with a talent for music who becomes fascinated by the

fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

he hears from a nearby noble

manor Manor may refer to: Land ownership *Manorialism or "manor system", the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of medieval Europe, notably England *Lord of the manor, the owner of an agreed area of land (or "manor") under manorialism *Man ...

. He sneaks to the manor to touch them, is captured, sentenced to flagellation, and dies from injuries suffered. The story was well received in Poland, and was translated into a number of other languages, including English, Spanish and Russian. It was one of Sienkiewicz works cited by

Carl David af Wirsén Carl David af Wirsén (9 December 1842 – 12 June 1912) was a Swedish poet, literary critic and the Swedish Academy's permanent secretary 1884–1912. Career Wirsén was born in Vallentuna, Uppland, to Karl Ture af Wirsén and Eleonore von ...

during his speech presenting Sienkiewicz with the 1905

. Others have praised it for transcending national prose, and being universal. As early as 1957 the story had been translated by four different English translators, with seven different editions, the earliest of which was published in 1884. In Poland, it has been often included in the list of required school readings. In 1930 the story was made into a movie under the same name, directed by

Ryszard Ordyński Ryszard () is the Polish equivalent of "Richard", and may refer to: *Ryszard Andrzejewski (born 1976), Polish rap musician, songwriter and producer *Ryszard Bakst (1926–1999), Polish and British pianist and piano teacher of Jewish/Polish/Russian ...

. In 1992 it was adapted as a one-hour television special.

References

External links

Yanko: The Musician and Other Stories
1893 English edition, public domain full text *

public domain full text *
E-book of a story
public domain full text {{Henryk Sienkiewicz 1879 in Poland 1879 short stories Polish short stories Short stories set in Poland Polish novellas