Legends of Lake Baikal

Following the legend, peoples in the Siberian lands appeared long time ago. At once they found that lands attractive owing to the rich forests and vast steppes. The only problem depressed them: there was no water at all. Once they met on their way an wayfarer that gave them an advice to not search for happiness from happiness. The people didn’t take into account his words and moved farther. They went round and round, got exhausted a lot, but managed to find no place where the gifts would be provided for them by God. Suddenly, they faced with that pilgrim one more time. Being extremely tired and furious they started yelling and insulting the old man. The sad wayfarer went up to the top of the neighbor mountain, took his heart out his burst and threw away into the valley. The heart burnt through the land depth, and pure and cold water poured in torrents from the gap formed there. The water turned out to be magically charming: everyone who drinks it will never forget that place named Baikal.

Till our days, when the ice blocks at the Baikal’s shore are enlightened by the sunset rays, it seems like these are the pieces of that wayfarer’s heart…

The Rich Baikal

In ancient time, the powerful Baikal was kind and marry. He had a beautiful daughter named Angara. He loved and cared her a lot. She was a picture of beauty, and it would be hard to find her match. She was lighter than the sky during the day, and the darker than the cloud in the evenings. All the people were admiring by her. Even the birds, flying through the Lake, went down close to the water but didn’t take the water. The old Baikal had no any suspicions about his daughter had already been in love with a young handsome Yenisey long ago. Always covered with snow, he started high in the Sayans. Yenisey layed out his way through the enormous stones, then spilled his waters about the vast steppe and flowed into the coldest sea in the world.

Once, at night, while the father was sleeping, Angara gathered all her waters and burst running as fast as possible to her beloved. Baikal woke up and furiously splashed with his waves. A terrible torment started. The mountains burst to tear, the forests laid down, the sky got black of grief, the animals seized with terror ran about the land, and the birds flew away to the sun, wile the fish escaped up to the bottom. The old Baikal couldn’t’t allow her only daughter running away. He hit the rock, broke off a big stone and threw it after escaping Angara.

The rock fell right on the beautiful girl’s throat. Then Angara implored, begged the rageful father’s pardon and asked for one drop of water. But powerful and furious Baikal replied that could give her only his tears…

Within hundred of years the Angara river flows with the Yenisey like a tear-drop, and Baikal has become horrible and sullen. The rock dropped after Angara people named “Shaman- Kamen’”. The locals believe Baikal gives shelter to all the spirits – both evil and kind ones. For that reason they consider it to be sacred Lake.

People made rich sacrifices to Baikal at that rock as they were frighten that he could take away the stone, and the water flooded all the land.

Nevertheless, all that happened long-long ago, and now people became more courageous and ceased being afraid of Baikal…

Omul barren

This story happened long-long time ago. That time the Russians had already catching Omul at Baikal, and were masters in the fishing as well as the aboriginal tribes the Buryats and the Evenks. The fishman second-to-none among all others was regarded the old fishman Savely. He knew perfectly to find the convenient place for catching the fish. The most beloved Savely’s point was Barguzinsky Bay. Namely at that place the fishmen stopped to have a breakfast with a rich fish soap of omul, and, then, had a rest there.  Among them was one inquisitive boy named Garan’ka. He wished to know as more as possible about the Sacred sea called Baikal. Once he asked Savely if it was true that the local winds had power under the fish of the Lake. In reply the old man told him one story about the Omul barren.

That happened long time ago, and it is unknown how that story had become popular among the people. That time, the winds-giants were reigning under the sea (Baikal) – Kultuk and Barguzin. They were close friends. Their beloved entertainment was to visit each other and have a fun in different ways. Their favourite toy was a omul barren that possessed unbelievable power. The fish flocks were always following her wherever it floated like if they wanted to get into by their own will.

Time after time, Kultuk and Barguzin were dropping the barren to each other to see who caught up the bigger fish flock. As soon as they started playing in their game, the sun light became seen no longer. They were taking fun in such a way not for the sake of the fish but they liked spending time as merrily as possible. The two giants could keep on living so if not falling in love with the mountain beauty Sarma. She had much stronger character compared to the Winds. A plenty of men wanted to marry such a powerful lady.

Sarma found both Kultuk and Barguzin attractive, and couldn’t opt who was better of them. She made up her mind to give them a task: to hand over the omul barren to her. Her husband would be the first who came at her place with the barren. At first sight, the task seemed to the giants quite simple: just to possess with the barren and drop it away to the Maloye More. However, in the mess that the winds-giants created it was difficult to define who was stronger. As soon as Kultuk took the barren, Barguzin picked it out at once. Their battle was heard all over  Baikal.   They were so absorbed by the battle that didn’t notice the battle disappeared. All their searchers were in vane. They managed to find no barren. It appeared neither a day nor a month after. Sarma married with no one of them. She just laughed at them as they were not powerful and strong bogatyrs (heroes of Russian folk legends) because they didn’t managed to hold the barren. “Since then, there is few fish in  Baikal, and where the omul barren is now, nobody knows”, - Savely terminated his story.

That omul barren hidden by Baikal within its depth, sank deep into the mind of Garan’ka. Frequently, he dreamed to find it and apply for the sake of good fishing. Much time passed before the fishmen came back to Barguzinsky Bay. The caught was poor. There was little fish in Baikal. Then, they decided to follow to the Maloye More. They set a tent of bark at the shore. The place was very picturesque. There were rocks and cliffs, and the green taiga all about. Suddenly a strong wind started blowing hard. The sky got dark, the sea became rough, the stone blocks fell from the rocks, and the age-old trees began crackling.  Sarma came on. When the sun appeared under the Maloye More, the fishmen went out the shelter and saw a barren lying on the bank next to them. The thought about that very omul barren crossed their minds. Suddenly a lot of gulls and gannets flied to the water and began with catching the fish one by one. There was so mach fish that the fishmen couldn’t take the seine net out the water. All their attempts resulted in cutting the net. The frustrated fishmen didn’t know what to do. It goes without saying that they had no desire to go away with empty hands. Then, the old Savely suggested throwing that barren away. By the common discussing it was decided that a few amount of fish would be better than too much of it, and that, at least, they would have a possibility to catch some fish in that case. Garan’ka felt depressed when saw the barren bringing away by the waves far from the shore. At once the sky got beclouded, high waves lifted up. It was Barguzin who came on. Garan’ka noticed that the wind-giant was holding the magic omul barren in his hands. In next to no time the barren had been dropped far away. At once the sea got smooth, the clouds came away, and the sun was shinning brightly. Barguzin passed into nothingness. The old Savely grinned and said: “Here is the magic barren. Kultuk is sure to appear now”. And as soon as he uttered that, the high waves emerged all over the lake. As Savely foresaw, it was Kultuk who had the barren now. It was seemed the game of the two wind-giants started again. The fact that Kultuk and Barguzin converted in friends again, gladded the old Savely a lot. And the Sarma’s wealth in the Maloye More would be big enough even without the barren.

In the afternoon the old Savely marched with his fishmen to the sea. They dropped the seine net in the water and went back. At the shore they started to pull the ends and, to their surprise, there were a great many of fish in the net. All the fishmen got happy and excited. The old Savely got marry and asked Garan’ka grinning: “Will you ever be rebuking me with the omul barren after that?”  “No, of course, I won’t. Your skills are better!”, - replied the boy overfilled with joy.

Eternal people and life-giving water

In old time, along the Earth’s edge a man was wondering. Once he saw an enormous bog through which no animal had ever come, no bird had ever flown to. The man wanted to know what kind of land was there beyond the bog. He took a run and reached the opposite shore. He saw a lot of saddled heirs there. At once from under the ground appeared little eternal people that were riding these animals. They told the man that a rapacious animal inhabited their land – a sable that bit to death one of the eternal man. They implored to the man to kill the sable.

The man went hunting and managed to kill the savage animal soon. The eternal people were very satisfied and happy. They thanked him for the all done by the life-giving water. The people promised to bring it to the place where the man was living.

The hunter came back home and told about the happened to his relatives about soon coming of the guests. The life-giving water could make all the people living eternally. Then, women began to light fireplaces and were looking forward the eternal people’s arrival. Promptly they saw them riding the heirs. All the people burst in laughing at their strange aspect.

The eternal people got offended and decided not to present the water. They poured it out on the trees –cedar, fir tree and pine, and turned back home, beyond the bog.

Since then cedars, fir trees and pines are always green all over the year.

External links

1. Legends of Lake Baikal Text by BaikalNature: site.