Interesting legends from all over the world. The most beautiful legends and parables

Akhtamar (Armenian legend).
A long time ago, in time immemorial, King Artashez had a beautiful daughter named Tamar. Tamar's eyes shone like stars in the night, and her skin turned white like snow on the mountains. Her laughter gurgled and rang like the water of a spring. The fame of her beauty spread everywhere. And the king of Media sent matchmakers to king Artashez, and the king of Syria, and many kings and princes. And King Artashez began to fear that someone would come for the beauty with war, or that an evil vishap would kidnap the girl before he decided who to give his daughter as a wife.
And then the king ordered to build a golden palace for his daughter on an island in the middle of Lake Van, which has long been called the “Sea of ​​Nairi”, it is so great. And he gave her only women and girls as servants, so that no one would disturb the beauty’s peace. But the king did not know, just as other fathers before him did not know, and other fathers after him would not know, that Tamar’s heart was no longer free. And she gave him not to the king or the prince, but to the poor azat, who had nothing in the world except beauty, strength and courage. Who remembers now what his name was? And Tamar managed to exchange a look and a word, an oath and a kiss with the young man.
But then the waters of Van lay between the lovers.
Tamar knew that by order of her father, guards were watching day and night to see if the boat was sailing from the shore to the forbidden island. Her lover knew this too. And one evening, wandering in longing along the shore of Van, he saw a distant fire on the island. Small as a spark, he fluttered in the darkness, as if trying to say something. And looking into the distance, the young man whispered:
Distant fire, are you sending me your light?
Isn’t it you, dear beauties, hello?
And the light, as if answering him, flashed brighter.
Then the young man realized that his beloved was calling him. If you swim across the lake at nightfall, not a single guard will notice the swimmer. The fire on the shore will serve as a beacon so as not to get lost in the dark.
And the lover threw himself into the water and swam to the distant world, to where the beautiful Tamar was waiting for him.
He swam for a long time in the cold dark waters, but the scarlet flower of fire instilled courage in his heart.
And only the bashful sister of the sun Lusin, looking out from behind the clouds from the dark sky, witnessed the meeting of the lovers.
They spent the night together, and the next morning the young man set off again on his way back.
So they began to meet every night. In the evening, Tamar lit a fire on the shore so that her lover could see where to swim. And the light of the flame served the young man as a talisman against the dark waters that open the gates to underground worlds, inhabited by water spirits hostile to humans.
Who remembers now how long or short the lovers managed to keep their secret?
But one day the king's servant saw a young man in the morning returning from the lake. His wet hair was matted and dripping with water, and his happy face seemed tired. And the servant suspected the truth.
And that same evening, shortly before dusk, the servant hid behind a stone on the shore and began to wait. And he saw how a distant fire was lit on the island, and heard a light splash with which the swimmer entered the water.
The servant saw everything and hurried to the king in the morning.
King Artashez was fiercely angry. The king was angry that his daughter dared to love him, and even more angry that she fell in love not with one of the powerful kings who asked for her hand, but with a poor azat!
And the king ordered his servants to be ready at the shore with a fast boat. And when darkness began to fall, the king’s people swam to the island. When they had sailed more than half the way, a red fire flower bloomed on the island. And the king's servants leaned on the oars, hurrying.
Coming ashore, they saw the beautiful Tamar, dressed in gold-embroidered clothes, anointed with fragrant oils. From under her multi-colored cap, curls as black as agate fell onto her shoulders. The girl sat on a carpet spread on the shore, and fed the fire from her hands with branches of a magical juniper. And in her smiling eyes, small fires burned like in the dark waters of Van.
Seeing the uninvited guests, the girl jumped to her feet in fright and exclaimed:
You, your father's servants! Kill me!
I pray for one thing - don’t put out the fire!
And the royal servants were glad to take pity on the beauty, but they were afraid of the wrath of Artashez. They roughly grabbed the girl and dragged her away from the fire, into the golden palace. But first they let her see how the fire died, trampled and scattered by rough boots.
Tamar cried bitterly, breaking away from the hands of the guards, and the death of the fire seemed to her the death of her loved one.
And so it was. The young man was halfway along the path when the light that had beckoned him went out. And the dark waters pulled him into the depths, filling his soul with cold and fear. The darkness lay before him and he did not know where to swim in the darkness.
For a long time he struggled with the black will of the water spirits. Every time the exhausted swimmer’s head emerged from the water, his gaze pleadingly searched for a red firefly in the darkness. But he did not find it, and again he swam at random, and the water spirits circled him, leading him astray. And finally the young man was exhausted.
“Ah, Tamar!” - he whispered, last time emerging from the water. Why didn’t you save the fire of our love? Was it really my fate to sink into the dark waters, and not fall on the battlefield, as a warrior should!? Oh, Tamar, what an unkind death this is! He wanted to say this, but he couldn’t. He only had the strength to exclaim one thing: “Oh, Tamar!”
“Ah, Tamar!” – the echo picked up the voice of the kaji, the spirits of the wind, and flew over the waters of Van. “Ah, Tamar!”
And the king ordered the beautiful Tamar to be imprisoned forever in her palace.
In grief and sorrow, she mourned her lover until the end of her days, without removing the black scarf from her loose hair.
Many years have passed since then - everyone remembers their sad love.
And the island on Lake Van has been called Akhtamar since then.

Very interesting legends and parables!

One day, little Fish heard a story from someone that there was an Ocean - a beautiful, majestic, powerful, fantastic place, and she became so eager to go there, to see everything with her own eyes, that it actually became the goal, the meaning of her life. And only The fish grew up and immediately set off to swim and search for that same Ocean. The Fish swam for a long, long time, until finally when asked: “How far is it from the Ocean?” they answered: “Darling, you are in it. It’s all around you!” “
“Ugh, nonsense,” Rybka grimaced, “there’s only water around me, and I’m looking for the Ocean...
Moral: sometimes in pursuit of certain “ideals” we do not notice obvious things!!!

And do you believe?







Believing Child: No, no! I don't know exactly what our life will look like after giving birth, but in any case, we will see mom and she will take care of us.
Unbeliever baby: Mom? Do you believe in mom? And where is it located?
Believing baby: She is everywhere around us, we abide in her and thanks to her we move and live, without her we simply cannot exist.
Unbeliever Child: Complete nonsense! I didn't see any mother, so it's obvious that she simply doesn't exist.
Believing Child: I can’t agree with you. After all, sometimes, when everything around is quiet, you can hear her sing and feel how she strokes our world. I firmly believe that our real life will begin only after childbirth. And do you believe?

And do you believe?
Two babies are talking in the belly of a pregnant woman. One of them is a believer, the other is an unbeliever. Unbeliever baby: Do you believe in life after childbirth?
Believing Child: Yes, of course. Everyone understands that life after childbirth exists. We are here to become strong enough and ready for what awaits us next.
Unbeliever Child: This is nonsense! There can be no life after childbirth! Can you imagine what such a life might look like?
Believing Child: I don't know all the details, but I believe that there will be more light there, and that maybe we will walk on our own and eat with our mouths.
Unbeliever Child: What nonsense! It’s impossible to walk and eat with your mouth! This is absolutely funny! We have an umbilical cord that nourishes us. You know, I want to tell you: it is impossible for there to be life after childbirth, because our life - the umbilical cord - is already too short.
Believing Child: I'm sure it's possible. Everything will just be a little different. One can imagine this.
Unbeliever baby: But no one has ever returned from there! Life simply ends with childbirth. And in general, life is one big suffering in the dark.

PRICE OF TIME
The story actually has a subtext: instead of dad there can be mom, and instead of work there can be the Internet, and the telephone and... everyone has their own!
Let's not repeat the mistakes of others
One day, one man returned home late from work, tired and nervous as always, and saw that his five-year-old son was waiting for him at the door.
- Dad, can I ask you something?
- Of course, what happened?
- Dad, how much do you get?
- It's none of your business! - the father was indignant. - And then, why do you need this?
- I just want to know. Please, tell me, how much do you get per hour?
- Well, actually, 500. So what?
“Dad,” the son looked up at him with very serious eyes. - Dad, can you borrow me 300?
- Did you ask just so that I would give you money for some stupid toy? - he shouted. - Immediately go to your room and go to bed!.. You can’t be so selfish! I work all day, I’m terribly tired, and you’re acting so stupid.
The kid quietly went to his room and closed the door behind him. And his father continued to stand in the doorway and get angry at his son’s requests. How dare he ask me about my salary and then ask for money?
But after some time, he calmed down and began to think sensibly: Maybe he really needs to buy something very important. To hell with them, with three hundred, he’s never even once asked me for money. When he entered the nursery, his son was already in bed.
-Are you awake, son? - he asked.
- No, dad. “I’m just lying,” the boy answered.
“I think I answered you too rudely,” said the father. - I had a hard day and I just lost it. I'm sorry. Here, have the money you asked for.
The boy sat up in bed and smiled.
- Oh, dad, thank you! - he exclaimed joyfully.
He then reached under the pillow and pulled out several more crumpled bills. His father, seeing that the child already had money, became angry again. And the baby put all the money together and carefully counted the bills, and then looked at his father again.
- Why did you ask for money if you already have it? - he grumbled.
- Because I didn't have enough. But now that’s just enough for me,” the child answered.
- Dad, there are exactly five hundred here. Can I buy one hour of your time? Please come home early from work tomorrow, I want you to have dinner with us.

BEING A MOTHER
We were sitting at lunch when my daughter casually mentioned that she and her husband were thinking about “starting a full-time family.”
- We're conducting a survey here. public opinion“, she said jokingly. - Do you think maybe I should have a child?
“This will change your life,” I said, trying not to show my emotions.
“I know,” she responded. “And you won’t sleep on the weekend, and you won’t really go on vacation.”
But that was not at all what I had in mind. I looked at my daughter, trying to formulate my words more clearly. I wanted her to understand something that no prenatal class would teach her.
I wanted to tell her that the physical wounds of childbirth would heal very quickly, but motherhood would give her a bleeding emotional wound that would never heal. I wanted to warn her that from now on she would never be able to read a newspaper without asking herself, “What if this happened to my child?” That every plane crash, every fire will haunt her. That when she looks at photographs of children dying of hunger, she will think that there is nothing worse in the world than the death of your child.
I looked at her manicured nails and stylish suit and thought that no matter how sophisticated she was, motherhood would lower her to the primitive level of a mother bear protecting her cub. What an alarmed cry of “Mom!” will make her throw away everything without regret - from the soufflé to the best crystal glass.
I felt like I should warn her that no matter how many years she put into her job, her career would suffer significantly after having a baby. She can hire a nanny, but one day she will go to an important business meeting, but she will think about the sweet smell of a baby's head. And it would take all her willpower not to run home just to find out that her baby was okay.
I wanted my daughter to know that the bullshit everyday problems will never be bullshit to her anymore. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room at McDonald's would be a huge dilemma. That there, among the rattling trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender will stand on one side of the scale, and the fear that there may be a child rapist in the toilet will be on the other.
As I looked at my attractive daughter, I wanted to tell her that she could lose the weight she gained during pregnancy, but she would never be able to shake off motherhood and be the same. That her life, so important to her now, will no longer be so significant after the birth of the child. That she will forget about herself at the moment when it is necessary to save her offspring, and that she will learn to hope for fulfillment - oh no! not your dream! - the dreams of your children.
I wanted her to know that the scar was from caesarean section or stretch marks will be badges of honor for her. That her relationship with her husband will change and not at all in the way she thinks. I would like her to understand how much you can love a man who gently sprinkles powder on your baby and who never refuses to play with him. I think she'll learn what it's like to fall in love again for a reason that now seems completely unromantic to her.
I wanted my daughter to be able to feel the connection between all the women on earth who tried to stop wars, crimes and drunk driving.
I wanted to describe to my daughter the feeling of delight that a mother gets when she sees her child learning to ride a bike. I wanted to capture for her the laughter of a baby touching the soft fur of a puppy or kitten for the first time. I wanted her to feel a joy so intense it could hurt.
My daughter's surprised look made me realize that tears were welling up in my eyes.
“You will never regret this,” I finally said. Then I reached across the table to her, squeezed her hand and mentally prayed for her, for myself and for all mortal women who devote themselves to this most wonderful of callings.

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We are sure that many of you still believe in unicorns. It seems wonderful to imagine that they still exist somewhere, and we just haven’t found them yet. However, even the myth about such a magical creature has a very prosaic and even somewhat frightening explanation.

If you feel like website If you are very skeptical and no longer believe in magic, then at the end of the article a real miracle awaits you!

Great Flood

Scientists believe that the legend of the Great Flood is based on the memory of major flood, the epicenter of which was Mesopotamia. At the beginning of the last century, during excavations of the tombs of Ur, a layer of clay was found that separated two cultural layers. Only a catastrophic flood of the Tigris and Euphrates could lead to the appearance of such a phenomenon.

According to other estimates, 10–15 thousand years BC. e. An incredible flood happened in the Caspian Sea, which spilled over an area of ​​about 1 million square meters. km. The version was confirmed after scientists found it on the territory Western Siberia sea ​​shells, the closest distribution area of ​​which is in the Caspian Sea. This flood was so powerful that there was a huge waterfall on the Bosphorus, through which approximately 40 cubic meters were poured per day. km of water (200 times the volume of water passing through Niagara Falls). There was a flow of this power for at least 300 days.

This version seems crazy, but in this case, ancient people cannot be accused of exaggerating events!

Giants

In modern Ireland, legends are still told about people of gigantic stature who can create an island simply by throwing a handful of earth into the sea. Endocrinologist Martha Korbonitz came up with the idea that ancient legends could have a scientific basis. Incredibly, the researchers found what they were looking for. A huge number of people in Ireland have mutations in the AIP gene. It was these mutations that caused the development of acromegaly and gigantism. If in the UK the mutation carrier is 1 in 2,000 people, then in the province of Mid-Ulster it is every 150th.

One of the famous Irish giants was Charles Byrne (1761–1783), his height was over 230 cm.

Legends, of course, endow giants with enormous power, but in reality, not everything is so rosy. People with acromegaly and gigantism often suffer from cardiovascular diseases, vision problems and frequent joint pain. Without treatment, many giants may not live to see 30 years of age.

Werewolves

The legend about werewolves has several origins. Firstly, people's lives have always been connected with the forest. Rock paintings of hybrids of humans and animals have reached us from ancient times. People wanted to be stronger, they chose a totem animal and wore its skin. These beliefs were also the basis for the narcotic drugs that warriors took before battle and imagined themselves to be invincible wolves.

Secondly, the belief in the existence of werewolves was also supported by the presence in people of such a genetic disease as hypertrichosis- excessive growth of hair on the body and face, which was called “werewolf syndrome.” It was only in 1963 that doctor Lee Illis gave the disease a medical basis. In addition to the genetic disease, there was also a mental disease known as lycanthropy, during attacks of which people lose their minds and lose human qualities, considering themselves wolves. In addition, there is an exacerbation of the disease during certain lunar phases.

By the way, the wolf from the world famous “Little Red Riding Hood”, according to, was none other than a werewolf. And he didn’t eat the grandmother, but fed it to her granddaughter.

Vampires

As for the scientific basis for these myths, in 1914, paleontologist Otenio Abel suggested that the ancient finds of dwarf elephant skulls became the reason for the birth of the myth of the Cyclops, since the central nasal opening can easily be mistaken for a giant eye socket. It is curious that these elephants were found precisely on the Mediterranean islands of Cyprus, Malta, and Crete.

Sodom and Gomorrah

We don’t know about you, but we always thought that Sodom and Gomorrah are a very large-scale myth and rather some kind of personification of vicious cities. However, this is quite a historical fact.

Excavations have been underway at Tell el-Hammam in Jordan for a decade now. ancient city. Archaeologists are confident that they have found the biblical Sodom. The approximate location of the city has always been known - the Bible described the “Sodom Pentate City” in the Jordan Valley. However, its exact location has always raised questions.

In 2006, excavations began, and scientists found a large ancient settlement surrounded by a powerful rampart. According to researchers, people lived here between 3500 and 1540 BC. e. There is no other option for the name of the city, otherwise the mention of such a large settlement would have remained in written sources.

Kraken

The Kraken is a legendary mythical sea monster of gigantic size, a cephalopod, known from descriptions of sailors. The first extensive description was made by Eric Pontoppidan - he wrote that the kraken is an animal “the size of a floating island.” According to him, the monster is able to grab with its tentacles capital ship and drag it to the bottom, but the whirlpool that occurs when the kraken quickly sinks to the bottom is much more dangerous. It turns out that sad end inevitable - both when the monster attacks and when it runs away from you. Really creepy!

The rationale for the myth of the “creepy monster” is simple: Giant squids still exist today and reach 16 meters in length. They really are an impressive sight - in addition to suckers, some species also have claws and teeth on their tentacles, but they can only threaten someone by pressing him down from above. Even if modern man Having met such a creature, one gets very scared, let alone medieval fishermen - for them the giant squid was definitely a mythical monster.

Unicorn

When it comes to unicorns, we immediately imagine a graceful creature with a rainbow horn in its forehead. Interestingly, they are found in the legends and myths of many cultures. The very first images were found in India and are over 4,000 years old. Later the myth spread across the continent and reached Ancient Rome, where they were considered absolutely real animals.

Chindo in South Korea. Here the waters between the islands part to a whole hour opening up a wide and long road! Scientists explain this miracle by the difference in the timing of low and high tides.

Of course, many tourists come there - in addition to simple walks, they have the opportunity to see the marine inhabitants who remained on the opened land. The amazing thing about the Moses Trail is that it leads from the mainland to the island.

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 an Egyptian pharaoh. The rest comes down to speculation and beliefs.

The legend about the prince of Egypt 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, while away his leisure time tracking 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 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.

A fairy tale with a good ending or a 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 the many legends of the Great Chinese wall. 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. 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 a disturbing dream, and the girl, unable to bear the silence any longer, went in search of him. She did long haul, 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 could not 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 desire 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. 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.

By 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 saw vivid dream about your 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. They say 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 away 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 South Africans 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 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 the story of Irish big man Finn McCool and his long-standing feud 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 the oldest legend in the country.

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 what happened, 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. Adoptive parents Over time, they learned that her name was Kaguya-hime and she was sent to Earth from the Moon for protection 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, the rock was separated from it most of breed - this is how it acquired its current 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 closely at the mountainside, you can see the face of a woman, along which tears are silently flowing.

A modern legend.

Mark Zuckerberg says that for a long time negotiated a 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 /

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