Savelieva Natalia

The Zhiguli Mountains

Zhiguli! How much is connected with this word. Ancient people hunted here, in the Middle Ages of Russia a fortress was built here, in the mountains. Invaders from Asia tried to conquer the Zhiguli, many things have our mountains seen, many things happened to them. From all these historical facts legends and fairy-tales were born , portraying people's love and pride of these mountains.

The Zhiguli mountains are very dear to Samara people just by the fact of their existence. They calm you with their magnificent sight, you miss them if you are far away. These mountains gave life to many legends, but only old people know them. If you are a geologist you will tell everything about the minerals in the Zhiguly mounts, if you are a scientist or you learn history you will tell that the Zhiguli are ancient mounts, and tell everything about their past, but you will never tell all their names, which people had given them, the legends and fairy-tales of Zhiguli, if you have not spent all your life since early childhood near them. Tell, where the names Molodetskiy barrow, Devia hill, cliff Sheludiak, Lisaya hill, hill Svetiolka, others come from? Not from their geographical position or sight, but from the wild imagination of the people, who lived here and believed in the Mistress of the Stone Hill.

It is difficult for us to understand them. I don't even know all my attitude to these mountaiтs. Maybe it is different each season of the year. In summer I feel safe and close to nature, when I rest there, in spring they give me joy and pleasure, when they awaken from winter, while in autumn I feel sad, when the flocks of birds fly to the south from the friendly forests of the Zhiguli mountains. Maybe that is why the trees become yellow, red and orange? Maybe they miss the birds’ singing? In winter I see their grandeur and calm consciousness of their force and it strikes me and makes me respect them.

My favourite place of the mountains is Solnetchnaya Poliana. Every year I spend some days there, with my relatives and with the mountains. When we go there by boat, we see the riches of the Volga-river and the Zhiguli mountains: green forests, fields, meadows, islands, blue deep water. All the palette is here and people admire it. Persons, who see the mountains for the first time, are surprised to see the nature so close and so far, to see such beauty. They will never forget this trip. At last the boat comes to our stop. Have a little rest and go for a walk to the mountains. While you are coming up to the top of one or that mountain, many things of the Zhiguli history fly near your eyes, even if you do not know it, and there is a moment, when you do not understand who are you and what time it is now. The birds sing in the forest, but maybe you hear the drums of those who came to build the town of Samara or something else... Who knows? Now you come up to the top on the small trail, squeezed by the trees on the both sides. But still you see high tops of the mountains before you. You can’t believe that it is the forest you have seen from the Volga, from the boat. It seemed so rare and now you find yourself in the green sea of oak-trees, birch-trees, maple-trees, ash-trees and other trees. At last youc come to the top. Lots of flowers bloom here. From the top of the mountain you the Volga-river, sparkling in the sun and carrying its waters to the sea. It was a long way, you must have a little rest. Lie down... You slept for some hours here lying on the flowers. Look! The sun goes down to the horizon and its beams begin to fade. Velvet night covers the trees, she stretches out her hands to you and you are ready to sleep again... No. Stand up and look around you. Volga loses her shine and becomes a mysterious creature, running in the darkness. You will feel such moments only in the Zhiguli, in its wonderful hills and mountains. We think that each piece of them is ours, but the Zhiguli don’t belong to people yet. Go there and you will find something very interesting and only yours, there’s no doubt.

As for me, I have never been to the Zhiguli mountains in winter. They are covered with deep white snow. It looks like a bridal dress- they are going to be married. Now they miss summer, because in summer it is warm and the trees are green, and the flowers bloom. In autumn sad nature of our mountains presents us with berries and mushrooms.

I really love our box of legends, fairy-tales and real events. It is a pity that the Zhiguli mountains can not talk and they can’t tell us many interesting facts about the history of Russia and of their own.

Savelieva Natalia, 7"B" grade, Gymnasium 11 *International*, Samara