Karelian "Lake of death"

In the mid-nineteenth century, came a little-known novel of the Russian writers Nikolai Nekrasov and Avdotya Panaeva "Dead lake", which is then published in the Soviet Union. In the center of the plot - a pond, a neighborhood which is inhabited by evil spirits. This supposedly was the cause of many deaths and disappearances, which are described in the book... were by the lake a real prototype?

Sacrifices for the Sami goddess

The researchers suggest that this may be one of the two lakes located on the territory of Karelia. The first of them was called formerly of lake kuolemajärvi that really translates from Finnish as "Lake of death" or "Dead lake". It is located on the Karelian isthmus near Vyborg (now Leningrad region). According to one version, the ominous name is associated with the name of the famous Finnish educator and statesman of the XVI century, the Bishop Mikael Agricola. There is such a legend. Somehow Agricola returned from Moscow. Along the way he became very ill and was forced to stay in the fishing shack on the lake. At night, the Bishop died. Since then, the lake and called Dead.

According to another version, one detachment of Swedish soldiers decided to cross the lake on rafts. But a storm came and they all died, rather, was sunk in the lake of the Sami goddess Accrual.

The third version says that the body of water wore a terrible name even before these historic events. According to legend, in ancient times the local population was annually sacrificed to the goddess, Accrue one human life. The man was tied up and thrown into the water. If within seven years was not sacrifice, the goddess was angry. The lake was flooded, and all living things perished in the flood.

In the lake is drowning many people. This is attributed to the fact that at the bottom of the reservoir is cold the keys, causing severe and sudden seizures of the bathers.

It is also told that the reservoir has a double bottom and the Finnish war drowned the lot of both Soviet and Finnish tanks. In the vicinity of lake kuolemajärvi in the 1930-ies were located the fortifications of the Mannerheim Line. Subsequently, the divers found on the bottom of the lake remains of military equipment.

In 1948, the lake was renamed lake kuolemajärvi in a Pioneer – in honor of summer camp, built on the waterfront, on the site of the demolished Lutheran cemetery. The name it carries now.
 

Mutants, Kuolajarvi

Meanwhile, one of the most mystical in Karelia has always been considered a lake Kuolajarvi in Olonets province (now the neighborhood of Petrozavodsk). The translation of the title is the same "Lake of death". According to one version, the lake was called Dead because of stagnant, still water, on the other – there really was some kind of hell. Maybe he was described by Nekrasov and panaeva in his novel?

Legends of the lake tells many. So long since the locals were afraid of swimming in it: the pond was too deep to get to the bottom... After a few accidents in the early twentieth century the lake began to ignore the newcomers.

Livestock in the lake district usual, but the locals can tell you about the giant frogs and birds, devoid of feathers, but with large beaks. There is a superstition that to hear the cries of the animals – not good.

And supposedly meet near the lake kumarinovykh large size – the size of a bee. They have two pairs of wings and a very long proboscis. If a mosquito bites a human, it must be swelling all over the body, and if, God forbid, gets allergies, he faces a quick death.
 

Legends about beasts

Talked about monsters, though living in the pond. One of them in the war as if drowned teenager who went fishing on a boat in the middle of the lake. But a local resident claimed that in the postwar years allegedly met on the banks of Kuolajarvi... a mermaid. She looked like a woman, the whole body is covered with greenish-brown scales. The face is creepy: eyes without pupils, a lipless mouth... a mermaid basking in the sun, and when the witness tried to approach her, with an angry hiss, jumped into the water. The man noticed that it has a big as the catfish, tail.

It was rumored that up to 70-ies of the last century near lake met creatures like humans, but ugly appearance. Gradually there was a version that everyone who ever has gone missing in the places turned into monsters. Disappearance really occurred frequently. Twice people have disappeared in the pre-war period, once during the war and three times after the war, and all of the victims were visitors. It was assumed that they drowned in the pond.

But lately in the area of both "lakes of death", nothing strange seems to be happening. Neighborhood ponds does not look sinister, beautiful nature around, and the water beckons for a swim... it's Just that every place has its legend.

Translated by «Yandex.Translator»