Welcome to the 2022 A to Z Blogging Challenge! My theme this year is Gemstone Folklore. Because I love stories about shiny things. Read the introduction to the project here.
ROCK CRYSTAL (QUARTZ)
Quartz is a crystalline mineral composed of silicone dioxide. Clear, transparent quartz is often called "rock crystal".
The legend of Manpupuner
Mansi/Komi legend
In the Ural mountains there is a fascinating geological site that features seven tall stone pillars. They are 30-40 meters high, standing on a plain, and made of schist rock with veins of quartz. A local Mansi (according to other sources, Komi) legend explains their origin.
According to the story, once there lived a powerful chief who had a son and a daughter. They were both brave and handsome, and their people flourished. The chief was on good terms with the spirits, who helped him build a tower (and/or castle) of crystal.
However, the giants that lived in the nearby mountains heard about the beautiful maiden, and their chief decided to take her as his wife. His suit was rejected, so he returned with six of his men to attack the tribe and steal the girl. The chief's son was away on a hunting expedition. People fled to the crystal building, seeking shelter. The giants fell upon the crystal walls and shattered them - scattering rock crystal all over the Ural mountains, where it can still be found.
Eventually the spirits, hearing the cries of the besieged, sent a thick fog. Under the cover of the fog, the people escaped. By the time the fog lifted the chief's son returned with a sword and shield gifted to him by the spirits. They reflected the sun so strongly that the giants, hit by the rays of light, turned into stone. Their king is the seventh pillar that stands apart from the others.
If you built a castle from one gemstone, what would it be?
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