{{Short description|Poem by France Prešeren}} {{about|the Slovene ballad|other topics|waterman (disambiguation)}} {{redirect|Povodni mož|the creature|vodyanoy}} '''The Water Man''' ({{langx|sl|Povodni mož}}) was the first Slovene art ballad.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EJiHDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA51 |title=Slovene Folk Ballade |first=Metka |last=Golež Kaučič |year=2018 |page=51|publisher=Založba ZRC |isbn=9789610500711 }}</ref> It was written around 1825 by the Slovene Romantic poet France Prešeren and published in 1830 in the first almanac of Krajnska čbelica.<ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.ung.si/~library/diplome/SLOVENISTIKA/22Ferko.pdf |title=Podobe tujcev in tujine v poeziji Franceta Prešerna, Simona Gregorčiča, Antona Aškerca in Ivana Cankarja |language=sl |trans-title=Images of Foreigners and Foreign Lands in the Poetry of Franže Prešeren, Simon Gregorčič, Anton Aškerc and Ivan Cankar |first=Ferko |last=Loriana |year=2011 |publisher=Faculty of Humanities, University of Nova Gorica}}</ref> It is a narration about Urška, a flirt from Ljubljana who ended up in the hands of a handsome man who happened to be a ''vodyanoy'' ({{lang|sl|povodni mož}}). The poem was based on a story from ''The Glory of Carniola'' about a dance at Old Square in Ljubljana in July 1547, when Urška Šefer was enchanted by a ''vodyanoy'' and pulled into the Ljubljanica. Prešeren wrote it against the backdrop of his unfulfilled love for Zalika Dolenc.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.preseren.net/slo/2-6_kdo_je_kdo/zalika_dolenc.asp |title=Zalika Dolenc |work=Preseren.net |access-date=28 December 2022}}</ref> In the first publication of the poem, Urška was named Zalika. Later, in Prešeren's ''Poems'' (1847), she was named Urška.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://omp.zrc-sazu.si/zalozba/catalog/view/1264/5338/1316 |title=Karel Štrekelj: Zgodovina slovenskega slovstva III-IV |language=sl |trans-title=Karel Štrekelj: The History of Slovene Literature III–IV |pages=795–796 |year=2014 |publisher=ZRC SAZU}}</ref>
==Cultural references== ''The Water Man'' was put to music several times, e.g. in 1910 by Viktor Parma,<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2022-05-13|language=sl-SI|title=Viktor Parma: Povodni mož|url=https://www.glasbenamatica.si/notne_edicije/viktor-parma-povodni-moz/|website=Glasbena Matica Ljubljana}}</ref> and in the 21st century by Miha Renčelj<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2022-05-13|date=2016-02-05|language=sl-si|last=Delo.si|title=Glasba za dobro jutro: Miha Renčelj, Povodni mož|url=https://old.delo.si/kultura/glasba/glasba-za-dobro-jutro-miha-rencelj-povodni-moz.html|website=old.delo.si}}</ref> and Vitja Avsec.<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=2022-05-13|title=AVSEC Vitja|url=https://www.dss.si/avsec-vitja.html|website=www.dss.si}}</ref> In 2021, an eponymous ballet was performed by Opera and Ballet of Slovene National Theatre Maribor on the Bled Island at the beginning of 2021 Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.<ref>{{cite web|title=Povodni mož - Program - Opera Balet {{!}} Slovensko narodno gledališče Maribor |language=sl |trans-title=The Water Man – Programme – Opera Balet {{!}} Slovene National Theatre Maribor |url=https://www.sng-mb.si/program-opera-balet-sng-mb/povodni-moz/|website=www.sng-mb.si|accessdate=2022-05-13}}</ref> In 2022, a pop rock musical based on the ballad and addressing the dangers of social networks was created and performed by popular Slovenian artists.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rocker.si/neisha-to-je-album-s-katerim-sem-se-lahko-res-ustvarjalno-razpistolila/ |title=Neisha – 'To je album, s katerim sem se lahko res ustvarjalno 'razpištolila' |language=sl |trans-title=Neisha - 'This is the album that really allowed me to creatively 'fly off the handle<nowiki>'</nowiki> |first=Gal |last=Jerman |date=13 September 2022 |newspaper=Rocker.si}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://n1info.si/magazin/izvirni-slovenski-muzikal-podvodni-moz-v-glavnih-vlogah-reiven-in-jure-kopusar/ |title=Izvirni slovenski muzikal Povodni mož: v glavnih vlogah Raiven in Jure Kopušar |date=22 August 2022 |newspaper=N1info.si |language=sl |trans-title=The Original Slovenian Musical The Water Man: Starring Raiven and Jure Kopušar}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{France Prešeren}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Water Man}} Category:Poetry by France Prešeren Category:Ballads Category:1825 poems