The most beautiful legends and myths. Atlantis - the legend of the lost paradise

The achievements of the ancient Greeks in art, science and politics had a significant impact on the development of European states. Not last role Mythology, one of the most well studied in the world, also played a role in this process. For many hundreds of years it has appeared for many creators. History, myths Ancient Greece have always been closely intertwined with each other. The realities of the archaic era are known to us precisely thanks to the legends of that period.

Greek mythology took shape at the turn of the 2nd-1st millennium BC. e. Tales of gods and heroes spread throughout Hellas thanks to the Aeds - wandering reciters, the most famous of whom was Homer. Later, during the Greek classical period, mythological stories reflected in works of art great playwrights - Euripides and Aeschylus. Even later, at the beginning of our era, Greek scientists began to classify myths, compose family trees heroes - in other words, to study the heritage of their ancestors.

Origin of the Gods

Ancient myths and legends of Greece are dedicated to gods and heroes. According to the ideas of the Hellenes, there were several generations of gods. The first couple to have anthropomorphic features was Gaia (Earth) and Uranus (Sky). They gave birth to 12 titans, as well as one-eyed Cyclops and multi-headed and multi-armed giants, the Hecatoncheires. The birth of monster children did not please Uranus, and he cast them into the great abyss - Tartarus. This, in turn, did not please Gaia, and she persuaded her titan children to overthrow their father (the myths about the ancient gods of Greece are replete with similar motives). The youngest of her sons, Kronos (Time), managed to accomplish this. With the beginning of his reign, history repeated itself.

He, like his father, was afraid of his powerful children and therefore, as soon as his wife (and sister) Rhea gave birth to another child, he swallowed it. This fate befell Hestia, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera and Hades. Nose last son Rhea could not part ways: when Zeus was born, she hid him in a cave on the island of Crete and instructed the nymphs and curetes to raise the child, and brought a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes to her husband, which he swallowed.

War with the Titans

The ancient myths and legends of Greece were filled with bloody wars for power. The first of them began after the grown-up Zeus forced Kronos to vomit the swallowed children. Having enlisted the support of his brothers and sisters and calling upon the giants imprisoned in Tartarus for help, Zeus began to fight his father and other titans (some later went over to his side). The main weapons of Zeus were lightning and thunder, which the Cyclops forged for him. The war lasted a whole decade; Zeus and his allies defeated and imprisoned their enemies in Tartarus. It must be said that Zeus was also destined for his father’s fate (to fall at the hands of his son), but he managed to avoid it thanks to the help of the titan Prometheus.

Myths about the ancient gods of Greece - the Olympians. Descendants of Zeus

Power over the world was shared by three titans, representing the third generation of gods. These were Zeus the Thunderer (he became the supreme god of the ancient Greeks), Poseidon (lord of the seas) and Hades (master of the underground kingdom of the dead).

They had numerous descendants. All the supreme gods, except Hades and his family, lived on Mount Olympus (which exists in reality). IN ancient greek mythology there were 12 main celestials. Zeus's wife Hera was considered the patroness of marriage, and the goddess Hestia was considered the patroness of the hearth. Demeter was in charge of agriculture, Apollo was in charge of light and the arts, and his sister Artemis was revered as the goddess of the moon and the hunt. The daughter of Zeus Athena, the goddess of war and wisdom, was one of the most respected celestials. The Greeks, sensitive to beauty, also revered the goddess of love and beauty Aphrodite and her husband Ares, a warlike god. Hephaestus, the god of fire, was praised by artisans (in particular, blacksmiths). The cunning Hermes, the mediator between gods and people and the patron of trade and livestock, also demanded respect.

Divine Geography

Ancient myths and legends of Greece are created in the mind modern reader a very contradictory image of God. On the one hand, the Olympians were considered powerful, wise and beautiful, and on the other, they were characterized by all the weaknesses and vices of mortal people: envy, jealousy, greed and anger.

As already mentioned, Zeus ruled over gods and people. He gave people laws and controlled their destinies. But not in all areas of Greece the Supreme Olympian was the most revered god. The Greeks lived in city-states and believed that each such city (polis) had its own divine patron. So, Athena favored Attica and its main city - Athens.

Aphrodite was glorified in Cyprus, off the coast of which she was born. Poseidon guarded Troy, Artemis and Apollo guarded Delphi. Mycenae, Argos and Samos offered sacrifices to Hera.

Other divine entities

The ancient myths and legends of Greece would not be so rich if only people and gods acted in them. But the Greeks, like other peoples of those times, were inclined to deify the forces of nature, and therefore other powerful creatures are often mentioned in myths. These are, for example, naiads (patrons of rivers and streams), dryads (patrons of groves), oreads (mountain nymphs), nereids (daughters of the sea sage Nereus), as well as various magical creatures and monsters.

In addition, goat-footed satyrs lived in the forests, accompanying the god Dionysus. Many legends featured wise and warlike centaurs. At the throne of Hades stood the goddess of vengeance Erinnia, and on Olympus the gods were entertained by muses and charites, patroness of the arts. All these entities often argued with the gods or entered into marriage with them or with people. Many great heroes and gods were born as a result of such marriages.

Myths of Ancient Greece: Hercules and his exploits

As for heroes, in every region of Greece it was also customary to honor their own. But invented in the north of Hellas, in Epirus, Hercules became one of the most beloved characters of ancient myths. Hercules is known for the fact that, while in the service of his relative, King Eurystheus, he performed 12 labors (killing Lernaean Hydra, capture Keryneian fallow deer and the Erymanthian boar, bringing the belt of Hippolyta, delivering the people from the Stymphalian birds, taming the mares of Diomedes, going to the Kingdom of Hades and others).

Not everyone knows that these acts were carried out by Hercules as atonement for his guilt (in a fit of madness, he destroyed his family). After the death of Hercules, the gods accepted him into their ranks: even Hera, who plotted intrigues against him throughout the hero’s life, was forced to recognize him.

Conclusion

Ancient myths were created many centuries ago. But they have by no means primitive content. The myths of Ancient Greece are the key to understanding modern European culture.

English lore warns travelers against traveling alone in mountainous terrain at dusk. If you believe, the surroundings of Cornwall, which is considered the birthplace of King Arthur, Celtic traditions and... giants, are especially dangerous!

In the mid-18th century, residents of the Cornwall peninsula were seriously afraid of meeting their giant neighbors. Many ancient myths and legends tell of the sad fate of those who encountered giants.

There is a legend about a simple woman named Emma May, the wife of farmer Richard May. One day, not waiting for her husband to arrive for dinner at the usual time, she decided to go in search of him, left the house and found herself in a thick fog. Since then, she has not been seen again, and although the residents of the village have repeatedly gone in search, Emma May seemed to have disappeared into the ground. The peasants believed that she was kidnapped by giants, who, according to rumors, lived in the surrounding caves and killed late travelers or took them into slavery.

What secrets do the seas and oceans keep?

Many ancient myths and legends are composed about sad fate sailors who were swallowed up by the depths of the sea. Almost everyone has heard chilling stories about sirens calling ships to the reefs. The wild imagination of sailors gave rise to many superstitions, which over time transformed into inviolable customs. In countries South-East Asia sailors still bring gifts to the gods in order to return safely from their journey. However, there was one captain (his name, alas, history has not preserved) who neglected the sacred traditions...

...The elements were raging, the ship’s crew was tired of fighting the elements, and nothing foreshadowed a successful outcome. Standing near the helm, through the curtain of rain, the captain saw a black figure emerging from him across right hand. The stranger asked what the captain was willing to give him in exchange for his salvation? The captain replied that he was ready to give all his gold just to be in port again. The black man laughed and said: “You did not want to bring gifts to the gods, but you are ready to give everything to the demon. You will be saved, but you will bear a terrible curse as long as you live.”

The legend tells that the captain returned safely from the voyage. But he had barely crossed the threshold of his house when his wife, who had been lying in bed with a serious illness for two months, died. The captain went to his friends, and a day later their house burned to the ground. Wherever the captain appeared, death followed him everywhere. Tired of such a life, a year later he put a bullet in his forehead.

The dark underground kingdom of Hades

Since we are talking about otherworldly demons, dooming a stumbled person to eternal torment, we cannot help but recall Hades - the ruler of the underground kingdom of darkness and horror. The River Styx flows through a bottomless abyss, carrying the souls of the dead deeper and deeper underground, and Hades looks at all this from his golden throne.

Hades is not alone in his underground kingdom, the gods of dreams also live there, sending people both terrible nightmares and joyful dreams. Ancient myths and legends say that the monstrous Lamia, a ghost with donkey legs, wanders in the kingdom of Hades. Lamia kidnaps newborns so that if the house in which the mother and baby live is cursed by a wicked person.

At the throne of Hades stands the young and beautiful god of sleep, Hypnos, whose power no one can resist. On his wings, he silently flies over the earth and pours his sleeping pills from the golden horn. Hypnos can send sweet visions, but it can also send you into eternal sleep.

Pharaoh who violated the will of the gods

As ancient myths and legends tell, Egypt suffered disasters during the reign of the pharaohs Khafre and Khufu - slaves worked day and night, all temples were closed, free citizens were also persecuted. But then Pharaoh Menkaure came to replace them and he decided to free the tormented people. The people of Egypt began to work in their fields, the temples began to function again, and the living conditions of the people improved. Everyone glorified the good and just pharaoh.

Time passed, and Menkaura was struck by terrible blows of fate - his beloved daughter died and the ruler was predicted that he had only seven years to live. Pharaoh was perplexed - why did his grandfather and father, who oppressed the people and did not honor the gods, live to a ripe old age, and he had to die? Finally, the pharaoh decided to send a messenger to the famous oracle. Ancient myth- the legend of Pharaoh Menkaure - tells about the answer given to the ruler.

“The life of Pharaoh Menkaura was shortened only because he did not understand his purpose. Egypt was destined to suffer disasters for one hundred and fifty years, Khafre and Khufu understood this, but Menkaure did not.” And the gods kept their word; on the appointed day, the pharaoh left the sublunary world.

Almost all ancient myths and legends (however, like many legends new formation) contain a rational grain. An inquisitive mind will always be able to penetrate the veil of allegories and discern the meaning hidden in stories that seem fantastic at first glance. How to use the acquired knowledge is a personal matter for everyone.

Do you know why the Chow Chow dog has a blue tongue? If such a question were asked to a resident Ancient China, he would not have difficulty answering. There is an interesting Chinese legend that says: “In very ancient times, when God had already created the Earth and populated it with animals, birds, insects, and fish, he was engaged in the distribution of stars in the sky. During this work, quite by accident, a piece of his sky fell off and fell to Earth. All the animals and birds, in horror, ran away and hid in secluded places. And only the bravest Chow Chow dog was not afraid to approach the fragment of sky, sniff it and lightly lick it with his tongue. Since then, the Chow Chow dog, and all its descendants, have had a blue tongue.” Thanks to this beautiful legend, the Chow Chow is still called “the dog that licked the sky.”

The Austrian city of Salzburg is known not only for its picturesque surroundings and famous resorts, but also for its many historical attractions. And, perhaps, the main one is the Mirabell Palace with a complex of fabulous gardens. The pink stone from which the palace is built gives it lightness and airiness. Of course, this is a beautiful creation of architecture, but it is not considered the main highlight, namely the Mirabell Gardens. Fountains, a garden of dwarfs, stone lions, trees and flower beds - very fancy shapes, graceful balustrades, a theater with hedges - it’s impossible to describe everything. This is a must see. The real pride of Austria.

Venice, a city shrouded in a light haze, seems almost ephemeral and exists only in our imagination. But you can still see it not only in pictures and in movies, it actually exists with all its squares, canals, bridges, cathedrals. I think that everyone who has not been there dreams of doing romantic trip to Venice to capture the mysterious and mysterious essence of this unusual and magnificent city. The gondola is rightfully considered one of the main symbols of the city. Perhaps someone noticed that they are all the same color and, like black swans, cut through the waters of the canals of Venice. There is a legend that answers the question: Why are all the Venetian gondolas in the “city of love” black?

Salzburg is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities in Austria. Located at the very foot of the Alpine mountains, literally 5 kilometers from the border with Germany. The name of the city itself is associated with a nearby deposit of table salt. They have been mining it since time immemorial. According to legend, a fortress was built here to control the export of salt. This is how the name Salzburg appeared, which means Salt Fortress.

If anyone has ever visited Krakow, they will never forget the enchanting atmosphere of this city. Complicated story unique culture, unique architecture make Krakow a real paradise for poets, musicians, artists and just any person. The city, covered in legends, gladly reveals its secrets to everyone who visits it. If you are not lucky enough to visit there, I highly recommend reading the book by N.G. Frolova "Old Krakow". One of the parts of this book is called “Characters of a City Play.” Who does not participate in this eternal Krakow performance: musicians, poets, warriors, kings, artists, adventurers...

This monument first appeared in St. Petersburg in 1999 on Malaya Sadovaya Street 3. The work of sculptor V.A. Sivakova. The exact name is “Monument to the Stray Dog Gavryusha.” But as soon as he was not called a monument to a good dog, and Gavryusha, and even just Nyusha. After sitting there for 8 years, the dog gave birth to either a rumor or a legend. The teenagers really loved the dog. And so they came up with the idea that if you write a wish to a dog, it will definitely come true. Since then, the courtyard on Malaya Sadovaya, where the dog stood, has become a place of pilgrimage for tourists and city residents.

Saint John of Nepomuk is one of the most revered Czech saints by the residents of Prague. He is considered the patron saint of Prague and the entire Czech Republic. He lived in the 14th century, during the reign of King Wenceslas IV, and was a priest. It is not known exactly what John of Nepomuk did wrong before the king, but one of the most plausible assumptions is the following. As the queen's confessor, he refused to reveal the secret of his wife's confession to Wenceslas IV. For what, after much torture and torment. the king ordered his execution. The priest was put in a sack and thrown from the Charles Bridge into the Vltava.

Charles Bridge is one of the main attractions of Prague. It was built by order of King Charles IV in 1357. For five centuries it was the only bridge across the Vltava. Later in the 17th century it began to be decorated with sculptures, the number of which reached 30. So the bridge turned into a real one art gallery under open air. Nowadays, the bridge is a pedestrian bridge and is favored by artists, souvenir sellers, street musicians and, of course, tourists. Many legends of Old Prague are associated with the Charles Bridge. Here is one of them.

A modern legend.

Mark Zuckerberg says that for a long time negotiated the connection between Facebook and WhatsApp. And the negotiations did not produce results.

For reference. WhatsApp appeared in 2009. It was founded by Jan Koum and Brian Acton. In 2014, when WhatsApp had 400 million monthly active users, Facebook wanted to acquire WhatsApp. Both WhatsApp and Facebook were expected to benefit from this merger.

Mark Zuckerberg invited Jan Koum to his home to once again discuss the terms of the acquisition of WhatsApp.

At some point in the conversation, Jan Koum said that he needed to take a break and just think, and a tense silence hung in the room.

And then a miracle happened. Here's what Mark Zuckerberg said later:

“My dog ​​Beast came into our room with a puzzled look. With all his appearance he shows that he does not understand why we are sitting in silence. After looking at everyone, he walked towards Ian and jumped into his lap. Ian began to stroke Bist and after a few seconds suddenly said: “Okay, deal.”

In one city they held a competition for the best artist.

And in the end, the jury chose the two best. But the judges could not decide which artist was the best. Then they turned to the Sage for advice.

The sage addressed the finalists with a question:

– How many shortcomings do you see in your paintings?

One artist said:

– If I saw a flaw in the picture, I would correct it immediately. This picture is flawless.

Salvador Dali was surrounded by legends and secrets. For example, he could tell buyers that he used a large number of bee venom mixed with paint. That's why this painting is so unusual and should cost at least a million.

Here is one of the legends. Salvador Dali often visited restaurants that were new to him, inviting him to lunch different people: rich buyers, art connoisseurs, critics and just friends. He treated everyone at his own expense. Dali ordered the most expensive dishes for his guests.

When the time came to pay the bill, the artist signed the check with a generous hand, and then... turned the check over and wrote a few warm words of gratitude to the owner of the establishment, completing the gratitude with his sweeping signature.

Dali was sure that the owner of the restaurant would never dare to cash such a check with the original signature of Salvador Dali himself!

That’s exactly what happened: restaurant owners did not cash such a check. After all, they understood that they would be able to help out much more over time. more money for this check than just the invoice amount. Essentially, Dali paid for an expensive lunch with a piece of paper with his signature.

But such a receipt under glass hung in the most visible place in the restaurant, saying: “Salvador Dali himself eats with us!”

Well, the artist saved a lot of money, acquired new customers and gained fame as a generous friend.

/ Legends / Historical legend / The legend of Salvador Dali /

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. But people seem to gravitate more towards myths and mysteries than truth. Legends amaze and enchant, especially when they involve famous places or personalities. This article will tell you about ten popular attractions and the amazing legends associated with them.

Sphinx

Experts agreed on only a few facts about the Great Sphinx of Giza: it is one of the largest and most ancient statues in the world, as well as a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man similar to Egyptian pharaoh. The rest comes down to speculation and beliefs.

The legend of the Egyptian prince Thutmose, the grandson of Thutmose III, a descendant of Queen Hatshepsut, is a favorite story of admirers of the Sphinx. The young man was a joy to his father, which aroused the jealousy of his relatives. Someone even plotted to kill him.

Due to family troubles, Thutmose spent more and more time away from home - in Upper Egypt and the desert. He was a strong and agile guy and enjoyed hunting and archery. One day, as usual, whiling away his leisure time by tracking down a wild beast, the prince left behind his two servants, sweltering from the heat, and went to pray at the pyramids.

He stopped in front of the Sphinx, known in those days as Harmachis - the god of the rising sun. The massive stone statue was covered in sand up to its shoulders. Thutmose looked at the Sphinx, praying to save him from all his problems. Suddenly the huge statue came to life, and a thunderous voice was heard from its mouth.

The Sphinx asked Thutmose to free him from the sand pulling him down. Eyes mythical creature burned so brightly that, looking into them, the prince fell unconscious. When he woke up, the day was approaching sunset. Thutmose slowly rose to his feet in front of the Sphinx and swore an oath to him. He promised that he would cleanse the statue of the sand covering it and immortalize the memory of this incident in stone if he became the next pharaoh. And the young man kept his word.

Tale with good ending or true story - Thutmose actually became the next ruler of Egypt, and his problems were left far behind. The story gained popularity only 150 years ago, when archaeologists cleared the sand from the Sphinx and discovered a stone tablet between its paws describing the legend of Prince Thutmose and the oath he swore to the Great Sphinx of Giza.

The great Wall of China

Story about tragic love- just one of many legends of the Great Wall of China. But the story of Meng Jiangniu - perhaps the saddest of them all - can touch you from the very first lines. It talks about the Meng couple who lived next door to another couple with the surname Jiang. Both families were happy, but childless. So, as usual, years passed until the Maines decided to plant a pumpkin vine in their garden. The plant grew quickly and bore fruit outside the Jiangs' fence.

Being good friends, the neighbors agreed to divide the pumpkin equally. Imagine their surprise when, having cut it open, they saw a baby inside. A tiny, beautiful girl. As before, the two amazed couples decided to share the responsibilities of raising the baby, who was named Meng Jiangniu.

Their daughter has grown very much beautiful girl. She married young man named Fan Xiliang. However, the young man was hiding from the authorities, who tried to force him to join the construction of the Great Wall. And, unfortunately, he could not hide forever: just three days after their wedding, Silyan was forced to join other workers.

For a whole year, Meng waited for her husband's return, receiving no news about his health or the progress of construction. One day Fan appeared to her in disturbing dream, and the girl, unable to bear the silence any longer, went in search of him. She traveled a long way, crossing rivers, hills and mountains, and reached the wall, only to hear that Silyan had died of exhaustion and was resting at its foot.

Meng was unable to contain her grief and cried for three days in a row, causing part of the structure to collapse. The emperor, who heard about this, thought that the girl should be punished, but as soon as he saw her beautiful face, he immediately changed his anger to mercy and asked for her hand. She agreed, but on the condition that the ruler fulfill her three requests. Meng wished to declare mourning for Xiliang (including for the emperor and his servants). A young widow asked for her husband's funeral and expressed her need to see the sea.

Meng Jiangniu never remarried. After attending Fan's burial ceremony, she committed suicide by throwing herself into the depths of the sea.

Another version of the legend says that the grieving girl cried until the wall collapsed and the remains of the dead workers emerged from the ground. Knowing that her husband lay somewhere below, Meng cut her hand and watched the blood drip onto the bones of the dead. Suddenly, she began to flock around one skeleton, and Meng realized that she had found Silyan. The widow then buried him and committed suicide by jumping into the ocean.

Forbidden City

In the past, an ordinary tourist did not have a chance to get to the Forbidden City. And if he could penetrate the walls, he would leave their heads. IN literally. This ancient palace complex is the largest in the world and the only one of its kind. During the reign of the Qing dynasty, it was closed to the public; for more than 500 years, only emperors and their entourage saw the city from the inside.

At least today, guests are allowed to explore the site and listen to the legends associated with it. One of them tells that the four watchtowers of the Forbidden City appeared in a dream.

Allegedly, during the Ming Dynasty, the city was surrounded only by high walls, without a hint of towers. Emperor Yongle, ruling in the 15th century, once had a vivid dream about his residence. He dreamed of fantastic watchtowers decorating the corners of the fortress. Waking up, the ruler immediately ordered his builders to make the dream come true.

According to legend, after the failed attempts of two groups of workers (and their subsequent execution by beheading), the foreman of the third group of builders was very nervous when starting work. But by modeling the tower after the grasshopper cage he had seen, he managed to make the ruler happy.

He also tried to include the number nine, a symbol of nobility, in the design design in order to further please the emperor. It is said that the old man who sold the cricket cages that inspired the watchtowers was Lu Ban, the mythological patron of all Chinese carpenters.

Niagara Falls

The legend of the Maiden of the Mist may have provided the idea for the name for the river cruise at Niagara Falls. As with most stories, there are different versions.

The most famous one tells the story of an Indian girl named Lelavala, who was sacrificed to the gods. To appease them, she was thrown from Niagara Falls. The original version of the legend says that Lelawala was floating along the river in a canoe, and she was accidentally carried downstream.

The girl was saved from certain death by Hinum, the god of thunder, who finally taught her how to defeat the huge snake that lived in the river. Lelavala conveyed the message to her fellow tribesmen, and they declared war on the monster. Many believe that Niagara Falls acquired its present form as a result of subsequent battles between people and the monster.

Incorrectly retold versions of this legend have appeared in print since XVII century, many attributed some of the errors to Robert Cavelier de La Salle, the European explorer North America. He claimed that he visited the Iroquois tribe and witnessed the sacrifice of a virgin - the daughter of the leader, and at the very last minute the unfortunate father fell victim to his own conscience and fell into the watery abyss after the girl. So Lelavala was named the Maiden of the Mist.

However, Robert's wife spoke out against her husband and accused him of portraying the Iroquois people as ignorant only in order to appropriate their land for himself.

Devil's Peak and Table Mountain

Devil's Peak is an infamous mountainside in South Africa. He saw a lot, could tell so many things: including a wonderful legend about how fog rises from the ocean and envelops the peak along with Table Mountain. Cape Townians and other residents South Africa still tell this tale to their children and grandchildren.

In the 1700s, a pirate named Jan van Hanks decided to leave his swashbuckling past behind and settled in Cape Town. He got married and married family nest at the foot of the mountain. Jan loved to smoke a pipe, but his wife hated this habit and drove him out of the house every time he took up tobacco.

Van Hanks got into the habit of going to the mountains to smoke quietly in nature. One completely ordinary day, he climbed the slope as always, but found a stranger in his favorite place. Ian did not see the man’s face, since it was covered by the wide brim of his hat, and he was dressed all in black.

Before the former sailor could say anything, a strange man greeted him by name. Van Hanks sat down next to him and began a conversation that gradually turned to the topic of smoking. Ian often boasted about how much tobacco he could handle, and this conversation was no exception after the stranger asked the pirate for a smoke.

He told van Hanks that he could easily smoke more than him, and they immediately decided to test it - to compete.

Huge clouds of smoke surrounded the men, swallowed the mountains - suddenly the stranger began to cough. The hat fell off his head and Ian gasped. Before him was Satan himself. Angry that a mere mortal had exposed him, the devil was transported along with Van Hanks to an unknown direction, flashed by a flash of lightning.

Now, every time Devil's Peak and Table Mountain are covered in fog, people say that it is Van Hanks and the Prince of Darkness who have taken their places on the slope again and are competing in smoking.

Volcano Etna

Etna - located on the east coast of Sicily, one of the highest active volcanoes in Europe. The first recorded awakening occurred in 1500 BC. e., and since then he has spat fire at least 200 times. During the 1669 eruption, which lasted four months, lava covered 12 villages and destroyed surrounding areas.

According to Greek legend, the source of the volcanic activity is none other than a 100-headed monster (similar to a dragon) that spews pillars of flame from one of its mouths when it gets angry. Apparently, this huge monster is Typhon, the son of Gaia, the goddess of the Earth. He was a rather naughty child, and Zeus sent him to live under Mount Etna. Therefore, from time to time, Typhon's wrath takes the form of boiling magma, shooting straight into the heavens.

Another version tells about the terrible one-eyed giant Cyclops, who lived inside the mountain. One day, Odysseus arrived at its foot to fight the mighty creature. The Cyclops tried to pacify the king of Ithaca by throwing huge boulders at him from the top, but the cunning hero managed to reach the giant and defeat him by plunging a spear into his only eye. The defeated big man disappeared into the depths of the mountain. Further, the legend says that the crater of Etna is actually the wounded eye of the Cyclops, and the lava splashing from it is drops of the giant’s blood.

Avenue of the Baobabs

The island of Madagascar resonates with many people around the world, and it's not just about the lemurs. The main local attraction is the delightful Avenue of Baobabs, located on the west coast. "Mother of the Forest" - 25 huge trees lined up on both sides of the dirt road. This is exactly where the indigenous inhabitants of the island are, in all meanings, and the largest representatives of their species! Naturally, their amazing location has given rise to many legends and myths.

One of them says that the baobabs tried to run away while God was creating them, so he decided to plant the plants upside down. This might explain their root-like branches. Others tell a completely different story. Allegedly, the trees were originally unusually beautiful. But they became proud and began to boast of their superiority, for which God immediately turned them upside down so that only their roots became visible. It is said that this is the reason why baobab trees only bloom and produce leaves for a few weeks each year.

Myth or not, six varieties of these plants are found only in Madagascar. However, deforestation poses a serious threat even against the backdrop of all the activities carried out there and the efforts made to protect and restore forest areas. If more is not done to protect them, the protagonists of these legends may disappear, most likely forever.

Giant's Causeway

Unintentionally creating the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland is what can happen if you get into a fight with a giant. At least that's what the legend convinces us of. While scientists believe that the basalt pillars in the shape of regular hexagons are an accumulation of lava aged 60 million years, the legend of Benandonner, a Scottish giant, sounds a little more intriguing.

It tells about the Irish big man Finn McCool and his long-standing enmity with Scottish big man Benandonner. One fine day, two giants started another squabble across the North Channel - Finn became so angry that he grabbed a handful of earth and threw it at his hated neighbor. The lump of mud landed in the water and is now known as the Isle of Man, and the place where McCool rests is called Lough Neagh.

The war was heating up, and Finn McCool decided to build a bridge for Benandonner (the Scottish giant could not swim). In this way they could meet and fight, resolve the old dispute - who is the bigger giant. After building the pavement, tired Finn fell into a deep sleep.

While he was sleeping, his wife heard a deafening roar and realized that it was the sound of Benandonner's approaching footsteps. When he arrived at the couple’s house, Finn’s wife was horrified - her husband’s death had come, because he turned out to be much smaller than his neighbor. Being a resourceful woman, she quickly wrapped a large blanket around McCool and placed the bulkiest cap she could find on his head. Then she opened the front door.

Benandonner shouted into the house for Finn to come out, but the woman shushed him and said he would wake up her “baby.” Legend has it that when the Scotsman saw the size of the “child”, he did not wait for his father to appear. The giant immediately ran back home, destroying the passage through the strait along the way so that no one could follow him.

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji is a huge volcano in Japan. It is not only a major attraction, but also an important part Japanese culture- the theme of many songs, films and, of course, myths and legends. The story of the first eruption is considered ancient legend countries.

An elderly bamboo collector was performing his daily task when he came across something very unusual. A tiny baby the size of thumb looked at him from the trunk of the plant he had just cut. Struck by the beauty of the little one, the elder took her home to raise her with his wife as his own daughter.

Soon after the incident, Taketori (that was the name of the collector) began to make other amazing discoveries while working. Every time he cut a bamboo stalk, he found a gold nugget inside. His family became rich very quickly. The little girl grew up to be a young woman of stunning beauty. Her adoptive parents eventually learned that her name was Kaguya-hime and she was sent to Earth from the Moon to protect her from the war raging there.

Because of her beauty, the girl received several marriage proposals, including from the emperor himself, but rejected them all, as she wanted to return home to the Moon. When her people finally came for her, the ruler of Japan was so unhappy at the speedy separation that he sent his army to fight family of origin Kagui. However, the bright moonlight blinded them.

As a parting gift, Kaguya-hime (which means “moon princess”) sent the emperor a letter and an elixir of immortality, which he did not accept. In turn, he wrote her a letter and ordered his servants to climb to the highest mountain peak in Japan and burn it along with the elixir, in the hope that they would reach the moon.

However, the only thing that happened while carrying out the master's order on Fuji was a fire that started that could not be extinguished. So, according to legend, Mount Fuji became a volcano.

Yosemite

Half Dome rock national park USA Yosemite is a real challenge when we're talking about about the climb, but at the same time the place is considered a favorite among hikers and rock climbers. When Native Americans lived here, they called it Broken Mountain. At some point, as a result of repeated glaciations and thawings of the rock, most of the rock was separated from it - this is how it acquired its present appearance.

The origin of Half Dome was the subject of a wonderful legend, still passed down by word of mouth, all of which are called "The Tales of Tis-sa-ak." The legend also explains the unusual face-shaped silhouette that can be seen on one side of the mountain.

The tale tells of an elderly Indian woman and her husband traveling to the Aouani Valley. Throughout the journey, the lady carried a heavy wicker basket made of reeds, while her husband simply waved his cane. This was the custom in those days, and no one would have thought it strange that a man was in no hurry to help his wife.

By the time they reached the mountain lake, the woman named Tis-sa-ak was thirsty, tired of the heavy burden and the scorching sun. Therefore, without wasting a second, she rushed to the water to drink.

When her husband came there, he was horrified to discover that his wife had drained the entire lake. But then everything only got worse: due to the lack of water, drought struck the area, and all the greenery dried up. The man became so angry that he swung his cane at his wife.

Tis-sa-ak burst into tears and started running with the basket in her hands. At one point, she turned around to throw a basket at her husband who was pursuing her. And when they met their gaze, the Great Spirit who lived in the valley turned them both into stone.

Today the couple is known as Half Dome and Washington Column. They say that if you look carefully at the mountainside, you can see the face of a woman, along which tears are silently flowing.