Albania P40b, 1 Lek, worker, peasant woman / Rozafa fortress READ STORY UNC

Description

ALBANIA
Pick#.....................................40b
Banknote Book#.............    218b, with prefix OK
Denomination ....................1 Lek
Date......................................1976
Condition.............................UNC
Comments........................... Man with woman holding wheat sheaf on front.
Rozafa fortress near Scutari (Shkoder)
on reverse.  Here's the Legend of the Rozafa castle:
There were 3 brothers, all married  in what now is northern Albania. The 3 brothers worked to build a castle to protect their town, but every time they finished the work, the castle’s walls would fall down. They didn’t know why.  One day, they met an old man who told them that there was only one way to keep the castle walls from tumbling down: a sacrifice. The sacrifice consisted of burying one of the wives in the wall of the castle, particularly, the first wife to bring lunch to her husband the next day. The brothers promised, for the good of the castle and town, not to say anything about the sacrifice to their wives.
The 2 older brothers, once at home, explained the situation to their wives, while the youngest brother said nothing to his wife. The day after, the 3 brothers waited for lunchtime. The wives of the older brothers didn’t come with lunch, but , Rozafa, wife of the youngest brother, came with her box full of delicacies. The husband explained to her that she had to be sacrificed and buried in the walls of the castle in order for the castle to be finished. Rozafa didn’t protest. She accepted her fate, but under one condition: the brothers would leave a hole for her right breast so her newborn son could feed, another hole for her right hand to caress him and a third hole for her right foot to move his cradle. The castle never collapsed.
Watermark: curved B SH SH and star pattern.
Lek =
Named after 15th century Albanian feudal lord Lek Dukagjini
Printer: China Banknote Printing & Minting, Shanghai.
Image is not exact note in lot.
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