Crimean Legend - The blacksmith from Demerdji

Long ago the hordes of nomads - the conquerors - rushed into the Crimean land. The inhabitants of Crimea did not submit to the newcomers; they wiped out many uninvited guests. The farther the conquerors moved into the peninsula, the more arms the inhabitants needed. And they came to the mountain whose name was Funna - the Smoking Mountain. The neighbouring people were famous for their blacksmith's skill.

- Here we will forge our arms! - said the senior commander. From that time the conquerors began to get new arms forged at the top of the mountain by a black-bearded man, the blacksmith, who possessed some magic power.

The neighbouring settlements emptied. The strongest men were taken to the forge, where, put in irons, they worked until exhaustion. They perished of hard labour, hunger and deprivation.

The end drew near for all living things around the mountain: the streams were drying up, the vines stopped bearing, fruit trees were fading away.

Then one girl, Maria by name, decided to talk to the master of the fire.

- Listen to me, strange man, do not ruin people, go away.

- No, I will not go away. I will leave you here. You will be mine... He stretched out his hand to the girl. She pushed him away with all the strength she had.

He fell down near the furnace and burnt his hair and clothes. In irrepressible anger he gripped the dagger he had just forged - and Maria fell at his feet in a dead faint.

The old grey mountain could not bear such a villainy. It shivered from bottom to top, its crater opened wider, and the black-bearded man with his helpers - outsiders - fell into its scorching depth.

When the flame went out and the dust settled, the stone statues became visible - the ugly likenesses of the blacksmith and his helpers. And at the highest place of the mountain a rock appeared, like the head of a woman. It resembled Maria - the last victim of the cruel blacksmith.

From that time Funna went cold; the ancient name of the mountain - the Smoking Mountain - was forgotten. But the people remembered all the sufferings, and the mountain got its new name "Demerdzhi", which meant "The Blacksmith".

Crimea is temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. For now it is not a place for tourism.