The poetry of Ivan Krasko, a great Slovak poet, moved out of the shadows into the light; first unknown, later read by many people. He began writing poetry when he was a high school student. However, he concealed that fact from people. In the autumn of 1905 Terézia Vansová, editor of 'Dennica' magazine, opened a blue envelope which contained Janko Cigáň's verses. There were several poems which shared a common theme - the theme of disappointed love and betrayed confidence - and were signed by Janko Cigáň. Vansová liked the gentle, sad, and sentimental poems. She read them again and again. However, who was hidden behind the pseudonym of Janko Cigáň, for clearly it was a pseudonym? What had inspired the author of the verses? Loneliness? A break-up with his lover? Even though she did not know who hid behind the pseudonym, she decided to publish the verses in 'Dennica', because she knew she would appeal particularly to her women readers. She was tortured by curiosity and the author's audacity, because he dared to make puns about his anonymity in his poem "Letter". Four poems were published in the October 1905 issue of 'Dennica'. There was also a message for the author: "Janko Cigáň. Even though the pseudonym behind which you hide is rather transparent, please let us know your name. As you can see, today's issue carries your poems." Vansová sent the one poem dedicated to Hviezdoslav to that famous poet in Dolný Kubín. She wanted his opinion. She hoped he would recognize the author and help her to reveal the secret of the pseudonym. She was very pleased by the answer she received, because she herself had not expected such great praise for the unknown poet. Hviezdoslav said that the unknown poet was very promising, his poetry was very well crafted and included many original ideas. Vansová was encouraged by Hviezdoslav's words and published the other 5 poems in 'Dennica' in January 1906. She printed another message: "I never misuse a secret and I have never broken a confidence with which I was entrusted." However, the poet was not provoked by these words. There were many questions about the unknown poet in literary circles and among readers; everybody wanted to know who Janko Cigáň was and there were many guesses. Vansová met František Votruba, journalist, and Ján Párička, a young printer and publisher from Ružomberok, and they both bet her that Votruba would reveal the secret of the mysterious author within the year. Votruba was an administrator and editor of "Slovenský týždenník" newspaper in Pest. On September 7th 1906 the poem "In the West" appeared in his newspaper. It was written by František Votruba, but signed 'Janko Cigáň'. It did not take long for a letter of protest to arrive in the editor's office; a letter in which Janko Cigáň burst forth with indignation that somebody had misused his pseudonym and deceived the editorial board. Votruba had anticipated this reaction from the unknown poet, but he was more interested in the envelope. However, the post mark was not very readable and he could only read the first three letters: "Klo..." He remembered that there was a list of subscribers which included their addresses. He determined that the only possible town was Klobouky in Bohemia. And there was only one subscriber there: Ing. Ján Botto. This suggested only one solution to the mystery: the poet, Janko Cigáň, was an engineer from the sugar factory there. "An engineer and a poet? It doesn't go together," Votruba refused the possibility with disgust. However, Bohdan Pavlů, Votruba's close friend, who was in the army in Budapest, entered the room. Unconsciously, he took the envelope over which Votruba had been pondering just a few moments before. "What is Janko Botto writing?" he asked. "Botto?" the remark caught Votruba's attention. "How do you know who is writing to me? " Bohdan Pavlů answered, "Who wouldn't know his friend's handwriting?" František Votruba jumped for joy: "I've won the bet! Janko Cigáň is Ján Botto! You've just confirmed it."
Some time later Vajanský spoke with Škultéty in the editorial office of 'Národné noviny' newspaper in Turčiansky Svätý Martin and they also mentioned Janko Cigáň or Ján Botto. "He should not be left out of the pages of the 'Slovenské pohľady', remarked Vajanský. "He has not been," answered Škultéty. "We published his poems for the first time 11 years ago, in December 1896. And in 1902 I published another two poems, with only the initials J.C." When Vajanský left the office Škultéty rummaged through his desk drawers where he found other unpublished manuscripts of Janko Cigáň which he had received several years before. To grant Vajanský's wish, he published the verses in 'Pohľady'. After they appeared the editors received a letter from Ján Botto - a protest from the poet: "I was very surprised that in the last 'Pohľady' issue you published poems which I wrote as a 17 - 18 year old student. They are miserable as to their form and I am not happy at all that they have seen God's world."
Later Ján Botto met Vajanský and Škultéty and they agreed that they would publish a collection of his poems in Martin. Vajanský even wrote the introduction which was full of admiration for and praise of this great talent of Slovak poetry. He finished with the exclamation: "Have a good journey from the shadows to the light!" In July 1909 a small collection titled 'Nox Et Solitudo' was published. It was written by Ján Botto under the pseudonym Ivan Krasko. The pseudonym was taken by Vajanský from the village situated near Ján Botto's birthplace. Another collection, 'Verses' appeared three years later. This was the birth of a poet whose poetry is a turning point in Slovak lyrical poetry.