Does the word "Krkonose" for the Czech mountain area have any special meaning? I know that "krk" is "neck". Does it have to do with it? Thanks for your help.
The name Krkonose is not derived from the word "krk", but from the name of the guard of these north border mountains - KRAKONOS, who is believed to live there, rule over the weather (rain, snow, wind, sunshine etc.) and take care of the nature (feeding wild animals, protecting rare plants, flowers and trees and punishing all who dare to damage his kingdom). His other name is Rybrcoul - derived from the German name of the mountains (Riesengebirge, which means giant mountains) and he is represented as a giant old man with long beard, kind face and dressed as a forester. Museum of Krkonose (with an exhibition devoted to Krakonos) can be found in Jilemnice, a town in Krkonose mountains. The name Krakonos is derived from the noun "krakory" = cones of coniferous trees and from the verb "nosit" = to fetch, and it means somebody who is bringing home dry cones to use them as fuel, which was usual in the past in that poor region.
