How did the Masurian Lakes come about?
One of the oldest legends is the one about the creation of the Masurian lakes. It is associated with the figure of a beautiful giant who lived in Masuria thousands of years ago, who owned a magnificent necklace of pearls, which allowed everyone who looked at it to forget about their worries and troubles. Unfortunately, one day the necklace broke, and the pearls scattered all over the region, creating the Masurian Lakes. Where the whole pearl fell, lakes of circular shapes were created, these broken ones created waters with irregular coastline. Regardless of the form, they retained the secret power of their "creators." Come to Masuria and see for yourself!
Garlic, Ash and the Story of Eternal Love
There is also an aura of mystery surrounding Čos. Locals believe that centuries ago a young couple - Čos and Jesiona - lived on this lake. The man was a fisherman and his wife took care of the household. One day, a small sturgeon, a descendant of the king of fish, fell into Čos's net. This angered his father, who persuaded the god Perkun to bring a storm to the lake. And so it happened - the wind capsized the boat, taking the fisherman's life. On the news of the death of his beloved, Jesiona fell into deep despair. This caused remorse in Perkun, who decided to end the girl's torment by turning her into a tree. To this day, it stands near the lake, which was named Garlic Lake in honor of the fisherman, recalling the eternal love and tragic fate of the young couple.
The legend of the treasure from Lake Ciche
Quiet is a place that was created because of... treasure. Or more precisely, a large chest that had been lying at the bottom of the lake for many years. It was guarded by a huge, extremely dangerous black crayon. Everyone was afraid of it except for a rich gentleman from Klewin, who decided to see what riches the closed lid was hiding. He asked the sorcerer for help. After agreeing on a payment, covering what was in the side compartment of the chest, the gentlemen got to work. After pulling out the trunk, it turned out that the pocket hid gold and precious stones, while the other parts were less valuable silver. As the men argued over the division of the valuables, the chest slipped back into the lake. Since then, no one has risked her recovery. Who knows, maybe she's just waiting for you?
Where Bel and Dana rest
The story of Lake Beldany is known only by few. It is worth knowing, because it has everything you would expect from a true legend: love, betrayal, redemption and a big dose of magic. It begins long ago in the Forest of Pisa, ruled by a king of the forest named Borowa. He had one daughter, Dana. Guarded by her nanny and forest demons, she spent her time exploring the nearby lake. One day, however, instead of her face, she saw the face of Bel, the son of the ruler of the Masurian waters. The young men fell in love without memory and have since started dating in secret from the girl's father. Unfortunately, their happiness did not last long, as one of the jealous admirers reported his daughter's secret affairs to the king. In anger, Bora ordered the demons to capture Dana. But before that happened, the waters of the lake parted, engulfing the couple in love. The father put all the blame on the nanny, then turned her into an old lady and banished her from his court.
The extraordinary story of Lake Mamra
The name of Lake Mamra comes from the name of a local nymph. She was not only beautiful, but also extremely talented, and in addition, she was able to transform into different characters. The choice of her heart was an elf, but her parents did not accept this relationship. The lovers ignored the protests and did not give up meetings. On news of the rebellion, the families hired four guards Dargin, Dobsk, Kirsaity, and Kisajno to separate the couple. To deal with this, Mamra decided to turn herself and her beloved into a lake. Unfortunately, the spell also passed to the guards, who joined the lovers, creating the Mamra complex known to all.
The extraordinary story of Lake Mamra
The legend of King Sielaw has several versions. The most popular one tells about a legendary fish whose size and power were so great that people believed that it controlled all the Masurian lakes. The fish king was wise, but capricious and often denied fishermen fishing. They created more and more sophisticated networks, but this did not bring any result. In the face of the famine, the wife of one of them turned to the Prussian gods for help. They, in exchange for the victim, gave her an iron link to make a new web. It turned out to be so effective that it caught... the king of Sielaw himself. In return for releasing the fish, she promised abundant catches. The fishermen decided to give life to the lord of the lakes, but tied him with an iron chain to the bridge in Mikołajki so that he could never threaten them again. It remains there to this day, which you can see by visiting Mikołajki.
A few words about the Queen of the Lakes
If there was a king, there must be a queen! She is a key figure in Masurian legend. She is beautiful but cruel - she seduces fishermen and sailors by luring them to the bottom of Lake Śniardwa where she lives. In anger, she can also turn people into rats and snails, but for tourists she is gracious. If they maintain their respect for the lake, she will ensure their safe passage through the waters of Masuria. And she will make them remember this unique corner of Poland for the rest of their lives.
As you can see, Masuria is not only a land of a thousand lakes, but also a place where magic intertwines with reality. Each drop holds a great story - you can discover it by listening to the sound of the waves. Who knows, maybe you will hear the whisper of a giant that scatters pearls, or feel the presence of the Queen of Lakes watching over you from the depths? Visit Masuria and find out today!
