Crimean Legend - The Thousand-headed Cave on Chatyr-Dag

It was long, long ago. Much water has flowed under the bridge since well-armed throngs of nomads rushed to the South coast of Crimea.

The dwellers of the South coast, unaware of violence, found themselves in servitude. Cruel enslavers deprived the hard-working people of everything: of freedom, honor, fruit of their labor. For three years the enslavers ruled with impunity in the southern villages. But people's patience was exhausted. Once the bravest people gathered together to think how to cast off the hateful yoke...

While they were coming to an agreement, danger was impending from the sea. Corsairs, famous for their devastating forays, appeared near the shores.

Frightened enslavers, unwilling to join battle with corsairs and expose their lives to danger, armed the slaves and ordered them to defend their native land.

Having occupied the whole coastal area, the slaves kept an alert eye on hostile ships, giving them no opportunity to approach the shore and land the robbers.

When the danger had passed the enslavers came down from the mountains, where they had been observing the battle, and decided in honor of the victory to make an imaginary feast.

While the enslavers were celebrating, the slaves took an oath not to lay down arms until not a single invader was left on their land. The slaves also came to the feast, but they were armed to the teeth with bows, sabers and stones.

Having become panic-stricken, the revelers fled away. But the formidable avengers overtook them everywhere - in villages, in forests, in mountains.

A thousand of the villains had managed to hide in a large cave on Chatyr-Dag. But they did not escape there either. The rebels blocked the entrance of the cave with stones and let not a living soul out.

Thus the enslavers were punished according to their deserts. No trace was left to remind of them except the thousand skulls in the cave on Chatyr-Dag. Since that time the cave has borne the name - The Thousand-headed Cave.

Chatyr-Dag is the Tent-Mountain, situated in the main ridge of the Crimean Mountains. By its outlines it looks like a tourist tent.

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