Project Description
Djula and Pavle
There is a place between the villages of Mrovska and Metlić in Serbia called the grave of Ašik. It stands to this day as a monument, not only to the love of two young people but also as a warning of the tragedy that human vanity can bring. Đula, daughter of Filip, and Pavle, son of Jovan, met there for the first time and immediately fell in love. Unfortunately, their fathers – both wealthy and jealous of each other’s wealth, immediately saw a reason to forbid their love. Nonetheless, for two whole years Đula and Pavle met in secrecy, hiding their relationship and their feelings from their fathers. Finally, both Filip and Jovan found out and decided to stop them from seeing each other. Filip decided Đula should marry and invited suitors to his house, while Jovan told Pavle he could have any wife he wanted except Đula. The young lovers decided they should meet for the last time at the same place they met for the first. It was wintertime and the snow was heavy. When Pavle arrived he saw that Đula wasn’t there yet and decided to wait for her. After some time he heard noises coming from the vicinity and, thinking she had finally come, walked towards the source of the sounds. A pack of wolves ran out of the snow and, after a bloody battle finally overpowered him. When Đula arrived she saw the bloody circle and started to call out Pavle’s name. One wolf came out to her, carrying Pavle’s hand in his mouth, and dropped it in front of Đula. The story tells that, once Đula picked up the hand, she placed it upon her breast and froze in the snow on the spot. Sometime later, their parents found out what had happened, and decided to set aside their differences and to raise a monument where the lovers met their tragic end.