Crimean Legend - The cornelian cherry - shaitan

When Allah created the world and having done such a responsible work, was having a rest, the blessed spring came. The trees were green, buds were coming out, flowers appeared.Then all the living beings stretched to the heavenly blossoming gardens and a great noise arose. Somebody grabs one, the other pulls another, everybody is quarrelling, cursing.Allah couldn't bear all that, rose from his place and started bringing order. He called everybody and said:

- I order you to choose one plant and then you will just use it. Think properly, come to me and ask...

There was a fuss and excitement how not to be mistaken. Somebody asks for the cherry tree, others - the apple tree, the peach tree or the apricot.

And Shaitan (the Devil) came to Allah.

- Have you thought?

- Yes, I have.

- And what have you chosen?

- The cornelian cherry.

- All right, take the cornelian cherry, - decided Allah.

Shaitan jumped merrily. Of course! He was so crafty, having obtained the cornelian cherry. It comes into bloom earlier, it means that it will give the harvest earlier. And the first berries are the most expensive. He will take his cornelian cherry to the market and pay it through the nose. Shaitan will be the richest among all them!

Summer came, the fruits started ripening. But the cornelian cherry still stood green and hard.

Shaitan is sitting under the tree and he is very angry:

- Ripen quicker, the berry of Shaitan!

- How is your cornelian cherry? - asked Shaitan the people.

- It's disgusting, it's better for you to take it, - answered Shaitan and spit of disappointment, so the cornelian cherry turned black.

In the late autumn, when the harvest has already been gathered, the people came to the forest to gather the cornelian cherry. Gathering black, but sweet berries, they were laughing at Shaitan:

- Shaitan had been mistaken!

- He outwitted himself!

At that time Shaitan went mad of the anger and was brooding over the revenge for the people to remember that cornelian cherry once and for all. Finally he invented the plan.

Next autumn he did so that the cornelian cherry had been grown twice as much. For it to ripen, it took the sun heat twice as much.

People were glad that the harvest had been so big, but they were unaware of Shaitan's tricks.

The Sun, having been exhausted in summer, couldn't send the ground enough heat. And severe winter came, all the gardens had been frozen and the people were half alive.

There has been a sign since that time: if there is a big harvest for cornelian cherry - winter will be cold.