Myth about the origin of the lynx

Marija Mojsoska(VI grade, ES Grigor Prlichev – Ohrid)

Long time ago, along the shore of Ohrid Lake, in a

small village cottage, lived a beautiful girl named

Ristana.

Every morning she went to the shore of the lake to wash her face and comb her long blond hair which was as mane as the

Galicica forests.

Near the shore where she was going every morning, there was

a castle. In that castle lived the evil sorcerer named

Grison.

Every day he woke up with hope that the new morning will again bring the beautiful girl and once again to dazzle him

with her beauty.

Grison was so much in love with her that wanted to marry her and that beauty to be only his, but Ristana already had a

fiancé and she was in love with him.

One day, while Ristana combed her long hair heard a voice saying:

- Marry me Ristana, I love you

When Ristana heard that, she turned around to see where the voice was coming from. Then, in front of her, saw the evil

sorcerer and frightened she answered that she does not want to be him, that she is promised to someone else and cannot be

his wife.

When the evil sorcerer heard that, furiously ordered Ristana to be locked in the room of the highest tower in the castle. In the

room there was only one window from which the highest picks of Galicica can be seen.

Ristana was looking through the window constantly, with hope burning in her eyes, yearning to escape and hide in the thick

forest, never to be found by Grisom.

Every day he visited Ristana in her room repeating the same question:

- Do you wish to be my wife, my only true love?and always reminding her that until she give a positive answer,

she will remain a slave in the lonely cold room.

It was like this every day until one day Ristana, tired and depressed, with her last bit of strength said:

- I will never marry you even if I die alone in this room.

Then Grisom got upset and cursed her. Ristana’s beautiful long hair became her fur, her nails grew long and her body got the

shape of a cat.

- Leave this place now , he said to her , and live with the curse of your pride.

In that moment, the girl jumped out of the open window, sink her claws in the ivy which wrapped the tower and quickly hid in the place where she knew she would find her peace –

the thick forest of Galicica mountain.

When her fiancé heard about that, mad and distraught, went to look for Ristana in the mountain. He shouted her name

constantly:

- RISTANA, RIS !

And the eco repeated:

- Ris stana, Ris stana.*

Sad and tired, he returned in the village. The people asked him if he found his fiancé. He repeated sadly:

- Ris stana, Ris stana

Even today, when people visit the Galicica mountain, they secretly hope to see the lynx through the branches of the thick

forest, but the lynx runs and hides from their curious eyes, hiding the story about the curse of the evil sorcerer.

* The name Ristana, translated in Macedonian means became a lynx (ris – lynx, stana – became)

This myth took the 1st place in the second category (V and VI grade).

It is written by Marija Mojsoska, VI grade, ES Grigor Prlichev – Ohrid.