In Polish culture, the motif of a nobleman who sells his soul to the devil for worldly gains—which ultimately prove illusory—is fairly common. The most famous story, however, is that of Pan Twardowski, said to have been an alchemist or, in some versions, a sorcerer from Kraków. By signing a pact (cyrograf) with the devil, he became an extremely popular figure. According to legend, to escape fame, he fled on a rooster to Bydgoszcz, where he healed people and animals and even helped the mayor regain youth.

The 19th-century writer Józef Ignacy Kraszewski played a major role in popularizing the story of Twardowski’s supposed presence in Bydgoszcz. The city still celebrates the legend: every day, the figure of Pan Twardowski appears at the Old Market at 13:13 and 21:13, and many locals retain a fondness for Twardowski’s rooster, which was once a central attraction for children.