Klepetan and Malena were a couple of white storks who became famous in Croatia for their romantic endeavors. Since 2001, Klepetan has flown every spring from the Republic of South Africa to Brodski Varoš near Slavonski Brod to mate with Malena, who could not fly due to a broken wing.

Stjepan Vokić, caretaker of the primary school in Brodski Varoš, found Malena while fishing in 1993. The little girl was wounded by hunting bullets and therefore could not fly. Mr. Stjepan and Malena were lucky in each other's misfortune. A pensioner and widower 93 'found her with a broken wing. He saved her life and they have been inseparable ever since.

In 2002, Malena found the love of her life on the roof of Stjepan's garage. Klepetan, as Stjepan called him, came back to her every year and together they raised over 60 small storks. But every autumn brings a sad parting - Klepetan and the storks set off on a long journey back to Africa, and Malena is left alone in the village with Stjepan. The years go by, the seasons change and painful autumns always arrive, but also joyful springs.

Over the tracking radio tape, Klepetan was found to have flown 13,000 kilometers for a month from the Republic of South Africa to Brodski Varos to meet Malen every year. Vokić took care of their cubs since Malena could not hunt, feed them and build a nest and shelter for them.

Hunters shot Malena's wing 28 years ago and tied her to the ground forever. Taking her to him, Stjepan saved her life. Since then, the two of them have spent their days together, mostly in anticipation of a new spring and warm weather.

In the 19 years that their love lasted, Klepetan and Malena gave birth to 68 descendants and survived all the partings and encounters. Every year the Klepetan went far from the nest and looked for food for its young.

The story of the touching relationship between the two genders has long since crossed the borders of Croatia. Numerous foreign media reported on them, and two documentaries were made. The first, entitled "The Love of a Stork at a Distance" in 2017, was shown on the BBC.

British journalists saw a television report on Malena and Klepetan on YouTube and decided to make a film. The second, entitled "Old Man and Stork" by RTL journalist Tomislav Jelinčić, is currently being shown in cinemas. And it all started back in 1993, when Stipa found a genus with a broken wing in the nearby ponds in Jasinj. She was lying by a pond, wounded by poachers. She was supposed to fly to Africa, but she couldn't, so he took her to him. He named her Malena. Stipa provided her with a shelter in the garage for the colder winter, and as soon as the warm weather came, he built her a large nest on the roof. A few years later, a relative entered Malena's life with whom she raised five young people, but it was not Klepetan. He came back to her twice, but not the third time, so she was alone for a year. And then, in 2002, Chatterbox appeared. The little one immediately accepted him and great love was born. The chatter returned to her every year in late March or early April, despite the many challenges in their

Malena and Klepetan 'were a big hit at the Žar ptica theater

The story of the storks in love also underwent an artistic interpretation, one that the youngest adored. the entire ceiling of the theater was "dressed" in a projection screen on which films with the flight of storks were broadcast. The play also had a strong ecological moment, warning how many birds die during the flight to the south and back, in the habitats where they nest, and the theater got involved in actions to protect white storks in Croatia.

Their love story came to an end, after 19 years 2021 Malena died, Klepetan was left alone

She was at my house for about ten days and then she passed away. The chatterbox is also there, but this spring they had no youngsters. Klepo and I remain. I will still be there for him. I buried Malena in a special place "are the words of a man who lived the fate of this stork for 19 years" Malena.