Waterfall "Girl's Tears" … This is a romantic name for several jets gliding along the rocks. When the water, clean and transparent, quietly tends to down, does not fall with a roar, splashes and noise, namely, sadly streams on sheer stones, then, as a rule, beautiful and sad legends about a crying girl arise.
The most famous of the many
Waterfall "Girl's Tears" is near the Carpathians, in the Ternopil region, in Altai, in the Crimea. And also in the caves of the Samara region and near the city of Sochi.
There is a stunningly beautiful waterfall in Adygea, but the name is slightly different - “Girl’s braids”. He is really joyful, as if a girl, knowing the beauty of her braids, urges everyone to admire them.
Most often, at the mention of a crying beauty in the view, the Abkhazian waterfall “Girl's Tears” arises. This unique natural monument is very consistent with its name. Thousands of thin streams make their way through the wall and run down it, overflowing under the sun's rays. There are so many of them that they form a “crystal net”. Where is this amazing miracle located? On one of the banks of the Abkhazian river Bzyb. In the gorge, laid by her, the Maiden Tears waterfall falls down from the wall. Abkhazia is generally rich in waterfalls, their names are unusual - “Milky”, “Men's Tears” and so on. But the most popular and famous because of its beauty and unusualness is precisely the Maiden Tears waterfall.
Legends
The water in Maiden Tears is surprisingly clear, clear and cold. This happens because meltwater from high alpine meadows and streams, breaking through limestone rocks, undergo a kind of filtration. The waterfall is very old. From time immemorial there is a legend associated with it, in which the heroine is a girl. Rather, several legends that differ in some details, but the main character in all is one.
The most common version, in honor of which the Maiden Tears waterfall got its name, tells that a long time ago, when there was nothing in these places, there stood a lonely shepherd’s house, in whose family the beautiful daughter was born, as usual. The girl was not only a beauty, but also a smart girl, a novice and a hard worker. Helping her father, she and a herd of goats went to high mountain pastures, where she was seen and loved with all her heart by a powerful and omnipotent high mountain spirit. This unequal love outraged the evil witch, the mistress of these places.
At some point, the spirit was gone. An evil sorceress grabbed a defenseless girl and, lifting her high above the cliff, began to demand her to renounce love. The faithful beauty refused to listen to the witch and promised her that her tears after death would pour forever, reminding the cruel woman that she had ruined the beautiful love of the earthly girl. For hundreds of years, these eternal tears have been pouring countless trickles of crystal from a 13-meter height and fleeing into the Mzymta River, having previously formed a pond with clear cool water.
Interesting beliefs
The second version tells of the great love of mortals - girls and boys, whose names were Amara and Adgur. The evil mermaid, watching them, hated the lovers and killed the girl out of envy - she threw the unfortunate woman off the cliff. How did the mermaid get there? Both legends are also connected with the fact that loving men were absent at the very moment when they were in special need.
Another wonderful belief is connected with this place and attracts people here - any wish you make will come true if you tie a ribbon to a bush growing near a waterfall. Today, dozens of ribbons are decorated not only bushes and trees, but also rocky ledges - so strong faith in the indispensable fulfillment of a wish. The belief turned the foot of the waterfall into a place of worship. An attractive attraction for unmarried girls and women is the fact that if you just wash your face with water from it, then literally in the same year you can prepare for a meeting with the narrowed one.
So beautiful and mysterious is the Maiden Tears Waterfall. Sochi, the southern capital of the Russian Federation, is sometimes called the territory of waterfalls. One of them is "Girl's Tears."
Easy to get to
A visit to this attraction is included in all excursion routes from the famous southern city towards Krasnaya Polyana. The waterfall is the first attraction on the way to Lake Ritsa. It is located on the left side of the highway leading to the famous lake. Immediately after the village of Chvizheps, at the exit from the Adler - Krasnaya Polyana highway, there is the Maiden Tears waterfall. How to get to it? It is located on the territory of the Krasnaya Polyana forestry, on a bend uphill 2 kilometers from the village of Krasnaya Polyana. All fixed-route taxis and buses running along this route will bring those who wish to the sights.
Altai waterfall
As noted at the beginning of the article, the homonymous waterfall is located in the Altai Territory. Among locals, it is known as Shirlak.
The Tektu River is the right tributary of Chui, and it forms a waterfall, overthrowing from a mountain ledge. “Girl’s tears”, as the people call this 10-meter waterfall, is located on the Aigulak ridge in the Ongudai district of the Altai Republic.
The waterfall has its own legends about a girl, but not one of them is connected with love. Here heroism comes to the fore. All legends relate to the time of the fall of the Dzungar Khanate. In both the first and second cases, enemies attack Oirotiya (a region in Altai). Left alone, the girl with her younger brother runs away from enemies. In order not to be captured, they rush down from the cliff.
In the second case, two sisters, left alone in a village completely destroyed by the enemy, sit on one horse and rush into battle with the enemy. Having destroyed an inconceivable number of conquerors, they, again, in order not to be captured, rush off the cliff. In memory of them, of their feat, tears pour and pour, nature cries.
