Legends and stories

“FIRST SETTLERS”

1769 – from this date the official historical sources begin the existence of our cozy village. It was in this year that the first few families, released from the serfs, settled here.

People settled, began to rebuild, little by little start a farm. But the first thing that began with the arrangement is the distribution of land. Who received the largest plots? Those who had a large number of people in their families, that is, those who were able to cultivate as large allotments as possible, had a need for a larger farm. Also, as in any business, the fastest and the strongest won. A strong motivator is also such a character trait as greed – but in the matter of dividing the land, which from time immemorial (and especially at that time) was the greatest material value for peasant farmers, it is difficult to distinguish greed from healthy rural practicalism. The person who occupied the largest and highest quality land plots was a man by the name of Stepura, and his name was Savva. He had a large family – he had several sons, so he took the best and largest plot of land, also with a pond in which he bred tasty (according to the recollections of fellow villagers) and large carps. Either the eternal desire of people to discuss other people’s wealth was the reason here, or Savva really had such features, but from the stories we have memories of him as a greedy person. Whatever it was, but today one can only guess about the real character traits of this person. At least our village got its name “Savin” in his honor.

And from the stories that are firmly retained in human memory, the story of Sawa and the carp has come down to us.

“SAVVA AND CARPS”

The villagers envied how Stepura Savva and his family often caught beautiful carp in their ponds and feasted on fresh fish to their heart’s content. Once, one warm spring evening, the poor villagers Demyan and Karp came to an agreement and carried their traps to the Stepurin pond. They undressed, went into the water on the sly and set several traps near the watery thickets of the pond. “Catch, fish,” they said secretly, “until morning.” The farmers slept soundly all night, Demyan and Karp slept, not knowing what kind of misfortune would happen in the morning. Only Savva and his sons did not sleep all night. Since the evening he tracked down, as they say, new fishermen, and therefore in the morning decided to avenge his good.

Hardly had time to come with the first rays of the sun to the pond for fish Karp with Demyan, when the Stepura (as the storytellers recalled, “like wild animals”) attacked them with fists and bats. Karp was stronger, so he still managed to break free and run away, and Demyan soon died right there on the shore of the pond. The fish cost so much for Demyan. Soon this news spread throughout the entire farm. People glanced sideways at Stepura, but out of fear they kept silent. Regardless of the circumstances, the laws required responsibility for the murder and Savva Stepura began to look for a way to avoid responsibility. He knew very well that the influential Pan Konstantin Solonina, who had connections with representatives of the legal proceedings, lived in the village, so he harnessed a couple of good horses and quickly rushed to him. Stepura agreed to give Konstantin Solonin 60 acres of the best land for the fact that he would intercede for him in court. And so it happened: Stepura was not condemned, the promised plot was allotted to him, and friendly relations with Corned beef were fixed by the mogarych.

“HOW STYBIN LAKE APPEARED”

This legend has come down to us from ancient times (since the Neolithic times). In addition, it belongs to the category of cosmogonic (legends explaining the origin of the world, earth, man, mountains, rivers, etc.), because it reveals the secret of the origin of our deepest lake – Lake Stybin (its second name, which is still used – Deep)

In ancient times, its depth exceeded 20 m, but over time it silts up and today its depth fluctuates somewhere within 18 m.

This ancient legend tells us that once upon a time a terrible unclean force swooped down and tore out in its rage the greatest dirt of the earth.

She threw it with all her might – and a mountain appeared (now a hill), and the deep abyss formed on this place was filled with water – and a deep lake appeared from that time.

This legend makes sense, because there are compelling circumstances to assert that the lakes in our area are of meteorite origin. Therefore, it is not surprising that “a terrible furious evil force, which with all its might pulls out the huge dirt of the earth” may be the embodiment of a small (commensurate with the cosmic scale) meteorite.

To start thinking about such a version, it is enough to look at our relief from a height. This is how it looks in google maps:

A scattering of water bodies typical of lakes of meteorite origin. At least Lake Stybin has all the features of a lake: perfectly round, deep, has a nearby earthen embankment (elevation), and its water has healing properties.

Thus, the pages of the history of our village still lack accurate scientific information, and they are waiting for modern researchers to fill them in, and legends and folk tales are an excellent incentive for this worthy cause.