Simona Kossak - a real life faerie

Image: Lech Wilczek

Few people experience the natural world in the way Krakow born writer and animal advocate has done. After falling in love with a run-down cottage in Dziedzinka, in the middle of the Bialowieza Forest she proceeded to live there for thirty years.

Image: Lech Wilkzek

Many animals regarded her as a friend as she cared for them when they were injured or orphaned. Simona is perhaps best known for her terrorist crow friend who would steal gold from people and terrorise bicycle riders. A tame lynx slept on her bed and a boar shared the cottage. Simona also fought for lynx and wolves in the forest as researches were using barbaric traps to catch and tag the animals.

Many regarded her as a witch because of her lifestyle and communication with animals, which she describes as beginning when her deer friends alerted her to danger ahead by warning her verbally.

Simona also developed a warning device that alerted wild animals to trains.

Image: Lech Wilczek

Including radio talks, Simona wrote a book about her time in the forest and this has been translated to English by Elzbieta Kowalewska. There are a few copies around. I certainly intend to find one.

 Simona believed people should live simply, close to nature.  What a fantastic, brave woman.