The water mill

One of the most popular attractions at Huta Slavia is the Water Mill. Placed here so tourists can observe the craft of milling, this attraction draws both children and adults curious about the way in which the power of water can be used in the household.

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Water mills were most widespread especially during feudalism, being situated on the banks of rivers whose flow rates were quite high. According to feudal law, only the master could build a mill on his estate. Water mills were essential for the rural inhabitants, because it is where grain was ground, of which bread was made, people’s basic food. By means of water mills, villagers ground their cereal harvest and obtained the flour they needed to live on until the next harvest.

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Water mills, however, had other uses too. There were plank mills, which used the force of water to set the sawmills into motion, which then cut the woods and created the planks needed for construction. On the boundary of each settlement there was usually at least one mill, not at a very large distance for the inhabitants. The mill was located in an adequate place from a natural point of view, which would provide it with the water resource and a drop of water sufficient for setting the mill wheel into motion. The water mills have one or more wheels powered by the force of flowing water. The entire collectivity participated in the construction and repairing of the mill. For the rendered services, the miller and the mill master usually charged a third or fourth of the ground products: “At the mill we got in a line after those with the best-quality grain. It was said that you actually received the flour from the grain of the person in front of you, because it remained in the installation. And the flour from your grain got to the one after you.”, testifies a local.

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Another use of waterpower was washing big woven fabrics, like broadcloth, counterpanes, rugs. These were put in a place called a vâltoare (whirlpool), a traditional installation made of wood, which captured some of the river water. Under the water pressure and due to the strong oxygenation, the woven cloths were cleaned right away.

Janko mlinárech

(John the Miller)

Janko mlinárech

Na vŕšku leží,

[:A ten jeho mlin

A ten jeho mlin

Nadarmo beží:]

Ani nemele,

Len tak falšuje

[:Janko mlinárech

Janko mlinárech Dievki miluje:]

Švárna dievčina,

Dones do mlina,

[:Málo, lebo moc,

málo, nebo moc,

len dones na noc.:]

Já ti zemelem,
Míto neveznem,
[:Len ta já trikrát,
Len ta já trikrát Pekne obejmem:]

Aj ma obejmal,

Aj mi míto zal,

[:bodaj mlinárov,

Bodaj mlinárov

Šeckích čert zebral.:]