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Ludmila: A Story Of Liechtenstein
Ludmila, a Legend of Liechtenstein
53 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1954
2 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Paul Gallico
191 books317 followersPaul William Gallico was born in New York City, on 26th July, 1897. His father was an Italian, and his mother came from Austria; they emigrated to New York in 1895.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 3, 2024
Pretty much what you’d expect from a 50’s children’s book. A scrawny cow’s inner life revolves around her great maternal need to provide large quantities of rich, creamy milk for humans, even at the cost of her own life, and in so doing to win recognition and adornment—in this, the author helpfully explains, she is just like human women, whose great hankering after baubles is a major historical force in his mind. Also, it is a Catholic morality tale, in which most of the dialogue occurs between a priest and a doubting cowherd.
The storytelling itself is perfectly fine, there is a sense of place, and most importantly to me that place is Liechtenstein—microstates being notoriously difficult settings to find. I did rather enjoy reading about the summer pasturage and the great triumphal parade upon the return of herders and cows. And apparently this is based on an actual legend the author heard when visiting the country. That said, not exactly a book I’d recommend today, especially for the age 6-8 crowd, which is my best guess at its intended audience.
The storytelling itself is perfectly fine, there is a sense of place, and most importantly to me that place is Liechtenstein—microstates being notoriously difficult settings to find. I did rather enjoy reading about the summer pasturage and the great triumphal parade upon the return of herders and cows. And apparently this is based on an actual legend the author heard when visiting the country. That said, not exactly a book I’d recommend today, especially for the age 6-8 crowd, which is my best guess at its intended audience.
May 4, 2022
When I randomly found this in my house I didn't know I would like it, but it turned out to be a really sweet Christian legend. The author really made me feel like I was there, and feeling the characters feelings.
June 22, 2021
A neighbour found an old copy of this signed by "the Baron of Liechtenstein" among his late mother's things today and showed it to me. So, as it would happen, I sat there and gave it a read.
I loved this. So much culture and feeling in such a little book.
Truly magical. Mutterkraut, milking and miracles...
I loved this. So much culture and feeling in such a little book.
Truly magical. Mutterkraut, milking and miracles...
August 20, 2015
This is just a short telling of a legend, but it's a very sweet story. And this particular retelling has the most exquisite illustrations, making the story even more memorable.
June 9, 2020
I am reading my way around the world and there were not many options for Liechtenstein. This is a dated children's book but it did describe the cultural significance of dairy cattle to the region so it served its purpose to teach me about this Alpine state. It also made me intrigued to visit someday. But fine literature - nope.
July 21, 2021
Fantastical and outlandish fiction that depicts Happy Cows aspiring to maximise their milk production for humans. No mention is made of their calves.
November 26, 2020
This sweet little novella is about a cow that desparately wanted to be the most milk producing cow of the season. She wanted to wear the crown and lead the parade, but she was weak and never produced enough milk to win the coveted prize. One year, she stops at the shrine of Ludmilla and prays to be the chosen cow. What results is a miracle and the cow gets her wish.
This is a cute story. Switzerland does a similar ceremony each year with its cows that go into the Alps for the summers. It is a fabulous tradition but I had no idea of all the meaning of the head dresses and the order the cows come down the mountain in the fall. I also didn't realize that the owners spent the summer with the cows in the mountains making the cheese, etc. right there on site.
Great little book. I am glad to have this one for my collection.
This is a cute story. Switzerland does a similar ceremony each year with its cows that go into the Alps for the summers. It is a fabulous tradition but I had no idea of all the meaning of the head dresses and the order the cows come down the mountain in the fall. I also didn't realize that the owners spent the summer with the cows in the mountains making the cheese, etc. right there on site.
Great little book. I am glad to have this one for my collection.
May 6, 2010
The story of a scrawny, unproductive but pure-hearted cow in Lichtenstein -- her name is Weakling -- who desperately wants to produce enough milk to set the record and march at the head of the parade at the end of milking season. At the request of the local priest, Saint Ludmila intercedes for Weakling and the entire country celebrates the miracle.
A very gentle, touching novelette which would be suitable for all ages. I think of myself as a quite unsentimental person, but it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling and nearly brought tears to my eyes.
A very gentle, touching novelette which would be suitable for all ages. I think of myself as a quite unsentimental person, but it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling and nearly brought tears to my eyes.
February 6, 2017
Liechtenstein
Although the copy I read would sit nicely on the shelf next to a little Beatrix Potter volume, this is much more complex and demanding. It tells the tale of a miracle involving a cow and the statue of a saint in rural Lichtenstein. Gallico provides detailed portraits of several characters and gives quite a bit of history and geography that makes the setting come alive. The illustrations are serviceable, nothing particularly special.
Although the copy I read would sit nicely on the shelf next to a little Beatrix Potter volume, this is much more complex and demanding. It tells the tale of a miracle involving a cow and the statue of a saint in rural Lichtenstein. Gallico provides detailed portraits of several characters and gives quite a bit of history and geography that makes the setting come alive. The illustrations are serviceable, nothing particularly special.
December 18, 2021
Starts off almost like a high school textbook, in that it's very informational. The story itself is cute, but I did not appreciate the comments stereotyping women and femininity, and the overall erasure of women in the society. Perhaps it's to be expected from an old story like this written by an old man, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
November 13, 2017
A sweet, sad story. Pretty much about desire and the emptiness of achieving our dreams.
May 7, 2021
The three “books” I read are in a slim volume titled, Three Legends, by Paul Gallico and includes: “The Snow Goose,” “The Small Miracle,” and “Ludmila.” All three have been published as separate books, but each of them qualify as either a short story or a novella. With the volume I read, published by Doubleday & Company, Inc., Garden City, NY, in 1966, with delightful illustrations by Reisie Lonette, comes a twelve-page introduction by Mr. Gallico. “The Snow Goose” original copyright was in 1940, “The Small Miracle” in 1950, and “Ludmila” in 1959.
The inside jacket quotes Mr. Gallico in saying,
Each has an animal as a central figure: a cow, a donkey, and a bird...They came into being because of an affection for all animals but in particular for a people, a Saint, and a country.
In the introduction he goes into how each story came to be and shows the parallels between each story as well as detailing how each had its own unique genesis.
Ludmila
Where the first two are closer to short stories, “Ludmila” is closer to a novella. There are more characters and the characters are better-developed in it. Set in Liechtenstein, the first part of the story talks about the tradition of some families taking cows up in the mountain pastures for months, living in seasonal structures, and milking the cows and making cheese on-site. When the weather cools, the people and the cows return. The villagers who did not go are waiting in their best outfits to welcome them home. The best producing cow of the herd leads the returning procession. One of the cows in the herd, nicknamed “The Weakling,” produces little-to-no milk and has a weak frame. Alois, the head of the pasture group, talks with Father Polda, who makes a nightly walk up to the encampment from the village, and says “The Weakling” needs to be taken to the knacker as she's good for nothing. Over the months, during their nightly conversations, Father Polda works on the heart of the gruff Alois, who begins to soften and enlists the help of Ludmila, his seven year-old daughter, to keep an eye on “The Weakling” when the rest of the herd is led up to the high ground to graze.
With each of these stories, I ended up blubbering like a little baby. There is a piercing spirituality in each of them. Gallico took bits and pieces of fairy tales, religious icons, and actual history and wove magic around them. The charming illustrations make them that much better. You could probably read all three on one afternoon or evening if you set aside some time. I highly urge you do to so. Your heart will thank you for it.
The inside jacket quotes Mr. Gallico in saying,
Each has an animal as a central figure: a cow, a donkey, and a bird...They came into being because of an affection for all animals but in particular for a people, a Saint, and a country.
In the introduction he goes into how each story came to be and shows the parallels between each story as well as detailing how each had its own unique genesis.
Ludmila
Where the first two are closer to short stories, “Ludmila” is closer to a novella. There are more characters and the characters are better-developed in it. Set in Liechtenstein, the first part of the story talks about the tradition of some families taking cows up in the mountain pastures for months, living in seasonal structures, and milking the cows and making cheese on-site. When the weather cools, the people and the cows return. The villagers who did not go are waiting in their best outfits to welcome them home. The best producing cow of the herd leads the returning procession. One of the cows in the herd, nicknamed “The Weakling,” produces little-to-no milk and has a weak frame. Alois, the head of the pasture group, talks with Father Polda, who makes a nightly walk up to the encampment from the village, and says “The Weakling” needs to be taken to the knacker as she's good for nothing. Over the months, during their nightly conversations, Father Polda works on the heart of the gruff Alois, who begins to soften and enlists the help of Ludmila, his seven year-old daughter, to keep an eye on “The Weakling” when the rest of the herd is led up to the high ground to graze.
With each of these stories, I ended up blubbering like a little baby. There is a piercing spirituality in each of them. Gallico took bits and pieces of fairy tales, religious icons, and actual history and wove magic around them. The charming illustrations make them that much better. You could probably read all three on one afternoon or evening if you set aside some time. I highly urge you do to so. Your heart will thank you for it.
April 24, 2025
I love Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris and I also adore lovely-looking small books so when I happened upon this one in a local antique shop I could not resist. I loved this precious retelling of a legend from the mountains of Liechtenstein. I have been doing a deep study into miracles so it was fun to read about this one. And, given how my family feels about cows, this one is especially warm and wonderful. I am working hard to be one of those who do not need to have miracles explained.
"Perhaps it was not exactly as I am about to recount, for more than a century has gone by since these events happened, and the skull of the Weakling, as she was known, has weathered snow white at the feet of Saint Ludmila, where she stands benignly smiling in her niche. But the last time I visited her shrine I made my peace with her and asked in advance to be forgiven if I err. The expression carved on her countenance seemed to me tender and reassuring as though she knew that I too love these gentle and generous animals and have tried to do my best by one of them."
"A prayer need not be a rhetorical address, or an itemized petition, or lips moved soundlessly inside a cathedral, or even words spoken into the air. A prayer may be a wordless inner longing, a sudden outpouring of love, a yearning within the soul to be for a moment united with the infinite and the good, a humbleness that needs no abasement or speech to express it, a cry in the darkness for help when all seems lost, a song, a poem, a kind deed, a reaching for beauty, or the strong, quiet inner reaffirmation of faith. A prayer in fact can be anything that is created of God that turns to God."
"As with all prayers that arise from the sincere and loving heart, it was both heard and felt, in the far corners of the universe. For whereas evil has no power to extend beyond its own radius, the loving trust of a child, or the whispered confession of a sincere and tender heart can alter the stars in their courses."
Father Polda smiled, and gently shook his head. "I heard nothing," he said. "But sometimes little children can hear things that we cannot."
"Yes, you are right. The miracle is indeed explained for all those for whom miracles must always be explained lest humans be forced to confess that they are not as important as they believe themselves to be."
"Perhaps it was not exactly as I am about to recount, for more than a century has gone by since these events happened, and the skull of the Weakling, as she was known, has weathered snow white at the feet of Saint Ludmila, where she stands benignly smiling in her niche. But the last time I visited her shrine I made my peace with her and asked in advance to be forgiven if I err. The expression carved on her countenance seemed to me tender and reassuring as though she knew that I too love these gentle and generous animals and have tried to do my best by one of them."
"A prayer need not be a rhetorical address, or an itemized petition, or lips moved soundlessly inside a cathedral, or even words spoken into the air. A prayer may be a wordless inner longing, a sudden outpouring of love, a yearning within the soul to be for a moment united with the infinite and the good, a humbleness that needs no abasement or speech to express it, a cry in the darkness for help when all seems lost, a song, a poem, a kind deed, a reaching for beauty, or the strong, quiet inner reaffirmation of faith. A prayer in fact can be anything that is created of God that turns to God."
"As with all prayers that arise from the sincere and loving heart, it was both heard and felt, in the far corners of the universe. For whereas evil has no power to extend beyond its own radius, the loving trust of a child, or the whispered confession of a sincere and tender heart can alter the stars in their courses."
Father Polda smiled, and gently shook his head. "I heard nothing," he said. "But sometimes little children can hear things that we cannot."
"Yes, you are right. The miracle is indeed explained for all those for whom miracles must always be explained lest humans be forced to confess that they are not as important as they believe themselves to be."
November 25, 2024
This is more of a 2.5 than a three, so I rounded up. Paul Gallico wrote many books for kids, including several tales from around the world. This one is from Lichtenstein, which you really just don't read enough about these days. I think they're trying to stay hidden from the rest of us ... and I do not blame them one bit.
I read this strange story, set in 1823, of a dairy cow wanting to win fame at an annual festival many years ago, but still remember it. It's currently up on The Internet Archive (at least, for now) so I was able to reaquaint myself with it.
Although the main character is a cow, Ludmilla is the name of the local saint. It also happens to be the name of a little girl who is friends with the cow.
It's not that it's a bad fantasy story, but it really stretches the suspension of disbelief to the breaking point. Yeah, it's for kids, but Weakling the cow just doesn't seem very cow-like. Granted, I'm not an expert on dairy cows, but they really don't seem like the type of animals that want to carry a decorated milking stool on their heads. Just sayin'.
There are a lot of native vocabulary used, without any pronunciation guides, so good luck, kids.
The story, I felt, came to a very sad end, although the author doesn't treat it that way, because he has a Pro-Christian message (with elves) and nothing is gonna stop him from making you BELIEVE.
The art is much better than the story. These are simple but elegant black and white line drawings by Reisie Lonette.
I read this strange story, set in 1823, of a dairy cow wanting to win fame at an annual festival many years ago, but still remember it. It's currently up on The Internet Archive (at least, for now) so I was able to reaquaint myself with it.
Although the main character is a cow, Ludmilla is the name of the local saint. It also happens to be the name of a little girl who is friends with the cow.
It's not that it's a bad fantasy story, but it really stretches the suspension of disbelief to the breaking point. Yeah, it's for kids, but Weakling the cow just doesn't seem very cow-like. Granted, I'm not an expert on dairy cows, but they really don't seem like the type of animals that want to carry a decorated milking stool on their heads. Just sayin'.
There are a lot of native vocabulary used, without any pronunciation guides, so good luck, kids.
The story, I felt, came to a very sad end, although the author doesn't treat it that way, because he has a Pro-Christian message (with elves) and nothing is gonna stop him from making you BELIEVE.
The art is much better than the story. These are simple but elegant black and white line drawings by Reisie Lonette.
October 2, 2022
This was my read the world selection for Liechtenstein
I’m presuming this book was a retelling of a legend (??) about a small cow who desperately wants to be the best milk producing cow of the year and be paraded through the streets wearing a floral crown. When the local priest and indeed the cow (named Weakling) appear to pray to Saint Ludmila to intervene, the entire country join to celebrate a miracle.
I thought this was going to be a children’s book, however it’s most definitely for adults as I don’t think most children would appreciate the way this has been written! I was expecting a sweet little story and while it is, I also wasn’t overly engaged by it as much as I thought I would be, as I do love an animal story!
This was just ok in my opinion, however may be more appealing to those who are religious. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.
I’m presuming this book was a retelling of a legend (??) about a small cow who desperately wants to be the best milk producing cow of the year and be paraded through the streets wearing a floral crown. When the local priest and indeed the cow (named Weakling) appear to pray to Saint Ludmila to intervene, the entire country join to celebrate a miracle.
I thought this was going to be a children’s book, however it’s most definitely for adults as I don’t think most children would appreciate the way this has been written! I was expecting a sweet little story and while it is, I also wasn’t overly engaged by it as much as I thought I would be, as I do love an animal story!
This was just ok in my opinion, however may be more appealing to those who are religious. ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5.
October 3, 2024
Very short and sweet. The description of the cow’s inner thought life is perhaps a little mawkish, but I like the plot, the descriptions of simple peasant life and the fact that the miracle comes out of everyday experiences, but is nevertheless a miracle. Beautiful line drawings in my copy too.
July 11, 2019
Utterly perfect ;)
Want to read
December 21, 2020Liechtenstein
November 2, 2025
Such a sweet little story about a girl, a cow and the beauty of simple faith!
May 25, 2013
SURPRISING STRENGTH OF THE WEAKLING
This gentle, sentimental tale offers the possibility of an animal's ability to pray. What, that dumb beats of burden are endowed with spiritual grace and can actually recognize the need for intercessory prayer? It seems ludicrous that a mere cow could deliberately stop and place an unspoken request at the shrine of Ludmila, patroness of herders and dairymaids. Set in Switzerland in an age when faith in miracles must compete with modern, scientific notions LUDMILA attempts to explain the presence of a sun-scorched cow skull at the foot of the saint in her mountain niche.
Fanciful stuff for contemporary generations, nevertheless this book provides pleasant reading for those who are of fond of animals and who realize that Heaven hears all petitioners--not just those who can put their request in human language. On one hand we have Father Polda with his simple faith in miracles, declaring his conviction that the mute appeal of a lowly, scorned cow was definitively answered: to win the coveted prize of Best Milker for her poor owner at the annual end-of-summer milking contest. While on the other hand: Alois, the cynical chief herder, who understands all there is to know about the dairyman's art, yet remains woefully ignorant of the role of the heart--in Animals--and of faith in human beings. Is the "miracle" merely the result of eating special plants in a secret meadow? Even his own little daughter supports the side of Divinity in this Alpine debate.
This short book which can be read in one sitting, offers refreshing respite from the down-to-earth reality of animal husbandry. It uplifts the child-like spirit that is still granted to people with pure souls. No matter how the miracle occurred--in this story or in the Swiss legend--all miracles are the direct result of divine intervention. A quiet charmer of a read.
(June 21, 2011. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
This gentle, sentimental tale offers the possibility of an animal's ability to pray. What, that dumb beats of burden are endowed with spiritual grace and can actually recognize the need for intercessory prayer? It seems ludicrous that a mere cow could deliberately stop and place an unspoken request at the shrine of Ludmila, patroness of herders and dairymaids. Set in Switzerland in an age when faith in miracles must compete with modern, scientific notions LUDMILA attempts to explain the presence of a sun-scorched cow skull at the foot of the saint in her mountain niche.
Fanciful stuff for contemporary generations, nevertheless this book provides pleasant reading for those who are of fond of animals and who realize that Heaven hears all petitioners--not just those who can put their request in human language. On one hand we have Father Polda with his simple faith in miracles, declaring his conviction that the mute appeal of a lowly, scorned cow was definitively answered: to win the coveted prize of Best Milker for her poor owner at the annual end-of-summer milking contest. While on the other hand: Alois, the cynical chief herder, who understands all there is to know about the dairyman's art, yet remains woefully ignorant of the role of the heart--in Animals--and of faith in human beings. Is the "miracle" merely the result of eating special plants in a secret meadow? Even his own little daughter supports the side of Divinity in this Alpine debate.
This short book which can be read in one sitting, offers refreshing respite from the down-to-earth reality of animal husbandry. It uplifts the child-like spirit that is still granted to people with pure souls. No matter how the miracle occurred--in this story or in the Swiss legend--all miracles are the direct result of divine intervention. A quiet charmer of a read.
(June 21, 2011. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)
Want to read
September 4, 2007I have a copy of this acquired by my grandmother when she was in liechtenstein and signed by the baroness of liechtenstein. time to actually read the book now!
Read
August 25, 2014A pleasant little legend.
November 25, 2011
Delightful. Very short.
December 1, 2014
A short novel,by the amazing Paul Gallico, it tells of the Weakling, a sweet, thin delicate cow, who dreams of being,a champion milker, A tale of miracles, and love, A beautifully told story, ,
May 11, 2016
Heartwarming
May 13, 2023
This story is as small and endearing as Liechtenstein itself. A lovely little tale.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews