A legend about a lake

         This is the most beautiful lake in the world. One, who even once has seen it, is no longer able to live without going back and having a look at a beautiful mirror of the lake, its marvelous light radiating out of its depths, at the majestic mountains and forests, which protect its silence and beauty, creating an incredible uniqueness of the landscape.

Every mountain around the lake has its own legend, its own story, which dazzles you by the amazing simplicity of narration, a very clear, tenuous plot filled with aspiration of the people to unite with the surrounding nature. However the legend and mystery of the lake itself, which has absorbed the whole range of human relationships, interspersed with the events that took place in this blessed place, is incomparable. And, of course, all this becomes even more mysterious, because of a fantastic mass of rock, towering alone in the heart of the lake.

 A long time ago, when there was no lake, there lived a just and noble Khan, who governed a local people. He was powerful, tall and well-built, intelligent and wise, incredibly rich and generous, had a powerful army, a beautiful wife, innumerable flocks of sheep, thousands of horse herds, but above all things he held dear his only son. He adored, cherished and protected him from all sorts of misfortunes, he taught him assault of arms: swordsmanship, archery, reckless horse riding, as well as all knowledge of a ruler, and it seemed that it would always be in such a way.

But once there was a war. Bloodthirsty, fierce hordes of tramontanes, like hungry dogs, attacked a peaceful country, bringing immense suffering and deprivation. And then Khan and his son having got a huge army together, acted against the enemy. There was a battle.
For three days and three nights the battle continued, and finally Khan and the ruler of the foreigners came together in a fight, in which Khan won. Khan saw that the enemy army fled from the battle field, and being in blue fear, they left not only pillage, but all that was dear to them.

A lot of people were captured. There was a girl of extraordinary beauty among them, she was the daughter of the ruler of the enemies, who fell during the battle and died at the hand of Khan. As she was beautiful, so the hatred seethed in her heart to the murderer of her father was terrible, and the evil plan of revenge matured in her thoughts and dreams.

When she was brought to Khan, she pretended to be meek and humble, shifted her glance, and then looked appealingly at him, trying to show, that she had fallen in love with him.  Tired of fighting and lots of deaths lingering in the field of battle, he was struck by her extraordinary angel and peaceful beauty. An arrow of love, darted by her black heart, cut to his heart, which before that had been beating for the benefit of his people and friends only. The poison of love was so strong that in a day Khan decided to marry her and make her his second wife, regardless the traditions of the people to whom he had been serving with unblinking devotion during all the years of his reign. However it was not sufficient for a little avenger, she having got to know how much Khan cherished his son, decided to seduce the young man. On the very first acquaintance, she used all her charms to cut the young man to the heart. He was captivated by her heavenly beauty. He was astonished at her rapier glance, full of bliss and tenderness, her slender beauty, imposing curves of her thighs, golden locks of her hair. The poison of her revenge like a love arrow pierced in the heart of the young man, who for the first time ever came to know all voluptuousness in anticipation of love. And that anticipation made him forget about all the lessons he had from his father and mother, who since his childhood had been fostering generosity and prudence, unlimited devotion and love of his country and dear land. He became obsessive about his love.  But she, the little avenger, found herself being in love with the young man, with his sincerity, his shy and sweet smile, his non-youthful stateliness. And a sense of revenge in her heart started to dissolve in the bright rays of burgeoning love.

Upon returning home, Khan, despite objections from hostages to fortune, burning with fire of love, appointed the wedding day. He did not notice his wife’s sufferings and tears, he did not notice his son’s glance, extinguishing more and more every day because of overwhelming love and passion, he saw and felt only his love, blinded by its radiance.
          And the wedding day came. On the eve of it bringers carried the message across the steppes and a great many people gathered together to celebrate the wedding of Khan and his young ladylove. A happy, dressed up Khan, like a young eagle ascended the dais waiting for the bride, but for some reason she was not coming. After a while he began to worry and look around. Suddenly from the height of the dais he saw the runaway young couple, his son and his sweetheart. He was shocked. Such a treachery enraged him, and he began to chase them. No one knows how long the chase lasted, but Khan reached the lovers and in a blaze of anger, discharged two arrows, which struck the young people.

 When he approached them, they were still alive. They were dying, but they were holding hands and their eyes were radiating happiness in the union of infinite love:  they knew that they would always be together.  Nobody and nothing would be able to separate them ever.
              Everything stopped dead. Ringing silence hung over. The girl’s single tear stole down her cheek; her beautiful, forbearing, mournful smile appeared suddenly on her face and piercingly to the core, made Khan understand very clearly all the back story of what had happened. Once started as a revenge game ended in the greatest tragedy of love, love of people most dear to him.  Staggered with the truth, he found out that he kidded himself and became a torture of two loving hearts; Khan turned into a two-faced stone, which thence had become the symbol of the infinite search for the truth in oneself. A lonely tear of the girl turned into a lake that every time you look at it reminds of that love is stronger than hatred, and according to the legend, anyone who once plunges into the waters of the lake, will solve the mystery and depth of the greatest wonders of the world which is Love.