Crimean Legend - The blacksmith from Demerdji

The hordes of nomads - the conquerors rushed into the Crimean land long ago. The inhabitants of the Crimea were not submitted to the newcomes, they exterminated a lot of uninvited guests. The more the conquerors moved deeper into the peninsula, the much need in arms the inhabitants had.And they came to the mountain, which name was Funna - the Smoking Mountain. The neighbouring inhabitants were famous for their blacksmith's skill.

- Here we will forge our arms! - said the senior commander. The conquerors started getting new arms since that time, which a man with black beard had forged at the top of the mountain, the blacksmith, who possessed some magic power.

The neighbouring settlements were solitary. The most powerful men were taken to the forge, where, put in irons, they worked until one broke down. They perished of hard labour, hunger and deprivation.

The end drew near all the living beings around the mountain: the streams were drying up, grapes stopped to be born, 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 don't go away. I'll leave you here. You will be mine... He stretched out his hand to the girl. She pushed him away with all strength she had.

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

The old grey mountain could not bear such a villainy. It shivered from the bottom to the top, its muzzle opened wider and the black-bearded man with his assistants - newcomers fell in it's scorching depth.

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

Funna went out since that time, the ancient name of it - the Smoking, was forgotten. But the people remembered all the sufferings and the mountain got it's new name "Demerdji", which meant "The Blacksmith".