Stories and legends

Alsunga:

About Vikings

In ancient times, when the Germans had not yet come to Courland, the sea stretched all the way to Alšvanga itself, and in its place Vikings had created their own port, from where they set sail. Then, one day, the local Curonians decided to expel the Scandinavians. Seeing the approaching Curonian troops, the Vikings hurriedly abandoned everything and rushed to the boats to flee. But before getting into the boats, they still managed to bury their stolen treasures on the steep bank. Many have looked for this treasure, but have not found it yet.

He who is not baptized walks gray

If the Suiti suiti wear their national costume with pride now, it was not the case before. Suiti were deliberately made different from other Latvians. What we call folk dress today is essentially a church dress to prove one’s faith in Catholicism. Bright clothes were ordered to be worn everyday. He who was not baptized walked gray. Suiti were ridiculed for their clothes. It often happened that when they went to the market with their traditional dresses with shiny double-breasted buttons, they had to listen to defiant cries: Suits, stand in a row, so that the buttons can be counted!

There is no definite record of what the costume of the people here was before this introduction of Catholicism. Only folk songs mention brown women’s skirts, while men’s jackets are gray and black. The dark blue shawls and crowns were also used earlier, only in later times did the tradition of wearing headscarves emerge.

Only Catholics are allowed to walk on the road

When Schwerin introduced Catholic faith in his Alšvanga, he forced the inhabitants to convert to it as well and determined that only Catholics were allowed to travel on the road while in his properties. But the Lutherans, whether they were pedestrians or on a horseback, were only allowed to move along the ditch. He also ordered that every Catholic has an obligation to drive those non-believers off the road, if they did not observe this rule. On the other hand, in order to distinguish the Catholics from the Lutherans, Schwerin introduced special costumes for the Catholics. Schwerin himself had ordered his coachman to strictly observe this rule and use the whip mercilessly when driving around his property.

Gold money in Elder

Looters have entered the Muižarāji farmstead. Only grandfather and children were at home. Noticing the approaching looters, the grandfather hid the money at home in Elder’s pond, and climbed the oak himself, forgetting (failing) to tell the children that they must not tell the looters anything. When the looters, having found the children at home, began to question them about where the adults are and where the money is, the children answered: opapa in the oak tree, gold money in Elder. Elderis is a pond southwest of Kalna Muižarāji houses (former Dekšņu manor). It was once said that it was very deep, even without a bottom. (Aivars Rozentals in Ventspils)

Zvirgzdu lake

Once upon a time, there were big meadows. It was already lunch time. People raked the hay. Then a man approached on a white horse and shouted: Zviergžģis is coming, Zviergžģis is coming!. People fled wherever they could and one wife was left with a child on a haystack. Then water came from the air and shone like gold against the sun’s rays. This is how the lake emerged. The child swam away with the whole haystack and did not drown. (M. Skuja, Edolė)

Ķiņķi linden tree

It has been said that the owner of Alsunga had lived for a long time in Poland and saw one lady who did not agree to marry him until he promised to accept the Catholic faith himself and to make the Alsunga residents accept it as well. He gladly agreed to that. Alsunga’s Lutheran farmers almost all accepted the Catholic faith. Only a small group remained with the previous Lutheran faith and for them it was better to leave. For the very last time, this group enjoyed the holy supper with their Lutheran pastor under a linden tree near the manor, and then they all scattered around the world. It has also been said that the pastor had prophesied that the Catholics would be in Alsunga as long as this linden tree remains alive. But when the tree will die, the Alsunga residents will return and accept the Lutheran faith of the gospel again. That’s why the Catholics of Alsunga call this linden tree holy, no one touches it, doesn’t hurt it, so that it stays green for as long as possible. (A. Bielenstein, Magazin 14, 1866).

The story of the Ķiņķi linden tree

It has been said that the linden tree, under which this last Lutheran service took place, must not be touched, otherwise the devil will not leave you alone. The linden tree comes closer to the Alšvanga church by one foot every year, and when it will reach the church, the church will become a Lutheran again.

About cutting down the Ķiņķi linden

There was a linden tree near Ķiņķi farmstead, where donations, money and various things were brought. Not everyone had become Catholic then. Others still held on secretly to the Lutheran faith, although they considered themselves Catholics. And they did not go to the church anymore, but went to the linden tree and brought the offerings there. Then one day the pastor said that the linden tree should be cut down. But everyone was afraid to touch that linden tree. Finally, the pastor himself took a saw and sawed off the linden tree. And that was the end. There were no more linden trees to bring donations to and people went to church. (Alberts Rozentāls, Alsunga)

Leishkalni castle mound

The castle is said to have sunk and a pile of wood branches was piled on top of it. When a male goose was let into this pile, it later swam out again in the nearby lake.

A sunken castle. There is an oak tree with a chain around it, to which the devil is tied.

About forest ranger Strauts and the old Potiņš

Strauts was a forester and the old Potiņš, it was over there by the Strauti graveyard, Potiš’s hut was there. Strauts was such a strict forest guard, he made sure that no one uprooted the bushes. Always on the edge of the fields, someone cut down a bush and uprooted it. If the ranger didn’t see it, he couldn’t say anything later. And that Potiņš was talked about as the one who collaborated with devils. Yes, yes, they used to be afraid of them. And so that Potiņš had cut down those alders, cut off all the roots, but left them still standing, as if they were still growing. And he did so with many alder trees. That Strauts had gone to look after this. He has always sensed where such things were happening and has been on the lookout. And that Potiņš felt that Strauts was watching. He spits in handfuls and with such a severe kick, like a yank, the whole bush is out, like a yank, out. Just throw it out, just throw it out. And before he calls all nine, yes, all nine (devils), to come to his aid. And then step by step, step by step, until all the alder trees are out. In the mean time Strauts, seeing all this, is passing away. And then Potiņš called out: and you, the lame, what are you waiting for here, take that man, who is hiding behind the fence! Oh, Lord! Strauts is said to have been ill for two weeks. He thought, it’s the end, it’s the end and there’s nothing left to do. (Pēteris Rozentāls, Dīķeniekos)

How many forest huts (future farmsteads) were established in ancient times

In the past, there were rules that if someone built a house in the crown forest and that house had a chimney, the kind through which the smoke went out, then it could no longer be driven out of the forest. And the ranger had no choice but to come and ask what will be the name of your house?. He couldn’t do anything there and he couldn’t any more evict these people. (Pēteris Rozentāls, Dīķeniekos)

Pumpas hill

Pumpas Castle stood here in ancient times, which at some point sank. There is a big hole left in the mountain. A shepherd’s boy was once let in with a rope during lunch, but it was no longer possible to pull him out.

Dižgabalkalns

During the Northern War, the Swedes built a hill to put cannons on. The legend says that to build the hill, the soldiers carried the sand with their hats. In the 1920s and 1930s, dancing parties were held in Dižgabalkalns. Before that, the such parties were taking place in Žibji bay.

Court hill

Schwerin, the owner of Alšvanga, was a harsh man who used to beat his people for every little reason. When he introduced the Catholic faith, he drove out the Lutherans and other people of his own, enemies arose both among the lords and among the peasants. Once some brave young men decided to kill the gentleman, but for unknown reasons it did not succeed. Schwerin got to know this, ordered them to be called to him and asked which of them dared to rebel against him. There was a dead silence. Then two young men from the group responded: We are here! He ordered their heads to be cut off on the Court hill of. One of the severed heads jumped up three times and shouted: False! The executed men were buried there on the Court hill. Two birch trees with human figures in the branches have later grown on the grave. Even now, a couple of gnarled birches grow on the top of the hill, with cankers on their branches, which was the inspiration for the legend about the ghosts of the condemned.

Court hill got its name from the fact that two peasants from Alšvanga were sentenced to death and executed here during the times of Schwerin rule. Thosed days, the peasants received up to 30 blows with sticks for disobeying their master. Two peasants: Sprīstiķis and Čāgalis walked to Saint Petersburg to complain to the emperor about the terrible beating of the peasants. They were caught on the road, brought to the manor and locked in a dungeon. Then they were taken to the Court hill (big, thick birches grew there at that time), and, after the surrounding peasants had been invited together, the executioner cut off the heads of both of them there. Scwerin was also present there and after the execution of the sentence he said: You will be obedient to your masters, this will always happen to rebels.

Where the Court hill is, there two heads were cut off. They were just those who wanted to arrange something for good. But you couldn’t do anything. If you want to arrange something, then you are still called a liar. Well, they have been sentenced to death and were being taken to the place of execution. And all the women, who bake bread in Padubji farmstead, left it all half-baked, because they all have to go and see how the two of them will be executed there. Heads were cut off with a sword. And then they saw that someone is riding from Kuldīga, a horse in the foam. It turned out the penalty had been lifted. But the heads are already cut off and nothing more could be done. But it was already organized in such a way that the messenger would not make it in time. (Alberts Rozentāls, Alsunga)

It happened a hundred years ago. One servant lived in Alšvanga manor. That baron who lived there was really nasty. He hated his servants. They were punished for the slightest things. And that baron had a stable boy. A stable boy and a servant were accused of slander by the baron. They were sentenced to death. On the appointed day everyone had to gather at the place where Court hill is now. Those who did not come were punished by the priest. The stable boy was fat, the servant was thin. The day came. Soon the executioners arrived, bringing the condemned. One of them took a sword and beheaded the convicts. Their wives begged for mercy, but nothing helped. The stable boy’s head, cringing from the rump, his lips were still moving, saying: Untrue, untrue! Executioners put their head on stakes so that others could see, what happens to those who slander the baron. The stakes were dug into the ground. The heads could not be taken down by anyone. After some time, big beards had grown on their heads. Their wives went to the baron to ask to to bury their husband’s heads. Finally, the baron gave his permission, heads were collected and buried. It was a dry sandy place. Nothing grew there but pines. The baron ordered planting of two birch trees, saying: If these men were killed wrongly, then the birch trees will grow, but if the accusations were true, then they will not grow. Birch trees grew. A birch planted for the servant grew thin. A thick birch grew for the stable boy. Then the servant’s wife had to mow the hay. She, overwhelmed by grief, was able to do anything. She went to the meadow and cried loudly. Then suddenly a big whirlwind broke out and immediately and all the grass was cut down. An even bigger whirlwind came next, which collected all the hay. Well, the wife thanked God for such mercy. (Jānis Sternbergs, Steras, Alsunga)

A stone in Škupele forest

Both the municipal parish storehouses and the Gudenieki church were built from pieces cut off from this stone.

About stones in Liekne

There is a legend about a devil who wanted to dam Venta near Kuldīga, but lacked stones. The devil came to the seaside one night to collect stones. Having collected enough to carry, he went with the stones to Kuldīga, but morning came on the way. The forest workers scared the devil and it started to run away. Throwing away the stones over a meadow where he ran. This meadow is in the Alšvanga Liekņa, about 3 kilometers from Alšvanga itself. Just to the north, where there is a place with lots of different stones. I don’t know how true all this is, but I heard it from old people. (Antons Mēters, Riga)

Bumbas (Ball) hill

In ancient times, when there were no horses and one man rode on another, a child was stolen from a devil in Kuldīga. Be that as it may. They stole a child, and he, I must say, became so angry, brought stones from the sea up here and threw them into Venta river, you know. Dumped one load where the Venta waterfall is now and dumped them in there. And went after another load, I must say, there at Saka, where that pile of stones was. But by a hut on that (Bumba) hill, a rooster sang, and devil, as we know, is afraid of the rooster’s song. And the rooster sang and the light came, and all the load of stones fell down on that hill, where they remained. And the devil did not manage to drown the Kudiga. Those stones fell down on that hill, fell down, and he got to run away. And so those stones were there. But the Russians needed stones, and blew them up, and there is nothing there anymore. (Andrejs Knipens, Anuži, Alsunga)

The devil has crossed over the great plain that was there. He had sand in his mouth. He poured this sand out of his mouth, and mountains rose up on the edge of the plain, stretching like a streak along the entire edge. Stones also emerged from the sand that was in his mouth, and while walking away, he pressed his foot on one stone. And now the whole plain is covered with stones, and devil’s foot is still visible. The Bumba hill is located 3 kilometers north of Alšvanga. (Grieta Kronberga, Alsunga)

Kartavu (Gallows) hill stone

On the Kartavu hill of Alšvanga, near Pidvilta valks, there is a large stone. A witch was burned on that stone in the past. This witch is said to have stopped all plow horses in the fields of the manor. Beating or whipping did not get get them moving. After half a day, he just let the horses go. For that the withc was burned. However, when the body of the witch was completely burnt, then the coals on the stone began to jump and crackle. People searched for what was there, and found the witch’s heart unburnt, in the coals. Amazed thet took a saber and cut the heart in half. But there were just some feathers in the witch’s heart, nothing else.

Underground passages in Alšvanga

There is a passage from the castle under Alšvanga lake and the other end of it goes out somewhere near some kind of stone. That stone is said to be in that birch grove over the lake. (Krists Orna, Sedliņi, Alsunga)

It is a fact that there was a passage from the Alšvanga castle to the church. And then again, you know, they went from the castle to where the Kalnbirze graveyard is now, they went there. (Teodors Brūklis, Dižarāji, Alsunga)

Būriņi oak

It has been said that money was hidden under the roots of the oak in ancient times and that no one has yet been able to find it. And that the person leaving the money had determined some words, that only the one who guesses them will be able to get the money. Ghosts have also been seen there, some road users have seen flames of a fire burning near it, but when they went to check it, no signs of the fire were found. The oak just hissed as if bent by a storm and everything fell silent. (Antons Māters, Jūrkalne)

There was no parish priest in Jūrkalne, they drove to pick up the priest and returned with him around midnight. At the Būriņi oak tree, the horses stopped and couldn’t go any further. But after sprinkling some holy water there, the horses moved on. (Marija Janvāre, Jūrkalne, Dzintari)

Kaziņavots

Half a kilometer from the Runģi farmstead, across the railway, there is a spring called Kaziņavots. In ancient times, there was a witch, a nasty old woman, and then there was such a bog, and then she was pushed into that bog and a big stone was pushed over her. That stone could still be felt with some longer stick. (Valija Baleviča, Runģi, Alsunga)

Altar lamp

When the people of Alšvanga remained Catholics, wife of the owner of Reģi manor took the altar lamp that she had given to Alšvanga church one night herself, carrying it on foot through the darkness to the Lutheran church of Ēdole. Since that time, the Reģi residents have been sticking by the church of Ēdole and, what is especially striking, the Reģi peasants have retained the right to sit in the first two pews in the Ēdole church as special places of honor. (A. Bielenstein in 1866)

The Jewish town of Alšvanga

A couple of hundred years ago, there was a small town near Alšvanga castle, it was inhabited almost entirely by Jews. At that time, Schwerin was offending the Jews (refusing to convert into Catholics) in different ways, putting four or six of them in front of his carriage and ordering them to pull at a fast pace, until they were so tired that could no longer move. Finally, the Jews secretly went away one night, but the town, as a result, was also destroyed. (A. Bielenstein in 1866)

The story of abandoning Alšvanga

At that time, a town was already inhabited around the castle. When Schwerin began to force his artisans and merchants to convert to Catholicism, they left Alšvanga and the town declined.

Witches corrupt cattle

Once a shepherd had a big black dog. The cattle were eating calmly, the shepherd was sitting and the dog was sleeping at his feet. But then, for once, he came in fiercely, running towards the forest and attacking a magpie bird. The shepherd looked – oh, so strange! Tailless magpie. He immediately ran to the nearby forge to the blacksmith. The blacksmith loaded his rifle with a cross thaler and shot the magpie. The next day, they heard that an old woman, a well-known witch, had died a quick death right around the time of the shot, and her sides had been thrown out, completely destroyed, in the nearby Bierandi farmstead. (J. Lēmanis in Alsunga)

Witches haunt people

Once, in the Raibuļi homestead of Almāle manor, near the Alsunga castle, on the bank of the Užava river, several boys were herding their horses (from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday, that night) and saw a witch with a white milk bucket in her hand in the early morning. They immediately attacked the witch and one, the strongest guy, was trying to grab the witch by the hair, but was unsuccessful. Finally, they managed to catch the bucket. The witch was begging to return the bucket and these fools have also returned it. But what happened next? They walked into the house, sat down by the table, and noticed, that one of them is not eating anymore – he is dead. It was the guy who first suggested that the bucket should be returned. (J. Lēmanis in Alsunga)

Why do devils live in swamps

In ancient times, devils could be bought in Riga, in the form of charcoal. Whoever had this charcoal soon became rich. One very mean and greedy peasant, who gave his workers very bad food, had such a charcoal. The devil brought to the peasant three gold coins and three sheaves of rye every night, but for this the owner had to give him one bucket of milk. Once the owner asked him to carry stones for construction of buildings. The devil had to carry the stones a long way and by the time he reached the bottom of Dižkārta valley, a rooster suddenly crowed. He got to throw rocks on the ground and run into the house. That is why there are still a lot of stones at the bottom of Dižkārta valley, which are still visible there, because there are so many of them that they cannot be broken or moved. Once a worker got to know that the peasant was meeting with the devil. He looked at what he was doing and saw that the peasant was bringing a bucket of milk to his barn. The servant decided to drink the milk and make fun of the devil. The devil, having come, found water instead of milk, got very angry and set his building on fire. He himself crept into the wheelbarrow to see what the peasant would do. The peasant was very scared when he saw the fire burning. He tried to extinguish the flames, but all in vain. The flames got bigger. The worker had again seen where the devil was staying, he quickly cut off the spikes of the aspen and blocked the devil in the wheel, which he then threw into the flames. The fire went out immediately. Well, the worker took the wheel and carried it to the swamp, where he threw it in. Since then, devils live in swamps. (M. Macpāne in Alsunga)

Mellā aka (Black well)

Mella aka is located at the Stūrīši intersection, a hundred meters along the old Suiti road towards Alšvanga, on the left side of the road. It is a wet hollow, where a horse and its rider are said to have sunk and drowned in ancient times. Since then, the place has been haunted.

Two lats

Alšvanga’s Catholic parish priest … was a hypocrite – on the one hand, a big egoist, but on the other hand, he taught to pretend to be pious and simple. He was in a higher position than a simple parish shepherd, so he also had quite a lot of influence in the surrounding Catholic parishes. All the Catholics of Ēdole (the Suiti) also went to Alšvanga to pray to God. Once, a wealthy Suti man from Ēdole went to … with a request that he be allowed to marry a Lutheran maid who was already expecting a child from him. He put a coin of two lats on the table for the priest, then told his problem. The pastor angrily slammed his fist on the table and shouted: What do you, non-Christian, want to marry a Lutheran woman? Drive her away so as not to desecrate the holy Catholic home! Then he pointed at the two-lats and said: With a piece of two lats, you want to buy the shepherd of your parish, so that he will allow you to fertilize with the dung of the Lutherans? Nothing will happen, my son! For three Sundays you will read three times thirty holy masses for me and repent, but in the church you will pay thirty lats to the holy treasury. The priest put also the already given two lat coin into his desk drawer. What is given is given. (The narrator describes this case as true, it happened at the beginning of the thirties. The owner did not marry the maid, however, and she raised the child with only a small allowance. (Jānis Brūveris in Ēdole)

About wolves

In the past, there were a lot of edge hunters in Alsung and Ēdole. There were also many wolves in the forests, so hunting was not easy for those hunters. A Suit from Ēdole, while winnowing grain, heard someone scratching behind the door. When he opened, for God’s sake, there were three big wolves behind the door. But he ran inside and grabbed a large stick. The door remained open. Well, then wolves came one after the other and were trying to pull the man down to the ground. But but he started to beat them. At each hit, there fall a couple. But the wolves keep coming and coming, they didn’t stop. The Suit spit into his hands and shouted: If neither Saint Mary nor Saint Peter will help, then let the ray of my pants do the job! He took off his wide trousers, wrapped around his right arm and grabbed one wolf by the legs. So he beat with the caught wolf the others below. Soon all the wolves died. The one who hadn’t fallen was frozen in fear. Since then, wolves have almost disappeared in Alšvanga and Ēdole.

About the incompatibility of the Suiti and Lutherans

In the past, the Lutherans lived with the Suiti in a very hostile manner. If the Suiti went to Liepāja to sell something, then only in groups. To be able to protect themselves. However, one Suit was very strong and was not afraid of Lutherans. He left Liepāja alone and, on the way back, went to a roadside inn to eat – it was the Binderi inn. The suit was wearing a jacket with shiny buttons. The two peasants from Ēdole, the Lutherans, were already there, and were currently eating breakfast. One of them, being a big joker, asked: Hey, Suiti Miķel, how much do buttons cost per pound? Suit blushed, but nothing yet, he sat dow at the table and opened his food package. But the Lutherans did not rest. What a cute cat howls, you can’t even eat without Saint Mary! When these are so, the Suit goes up, takes the bench and starts to hit them. But what are you going to do, other Lutherans come in through the door. One cannot beat them all! The Suit finally droped the bench and jumped out of the window himself. And then he set fire to the pub. Since it was a dry summer, the pub burnt down very quickly. Soon the inn was completely gone. After a couple of weeks, the same Suit is driving the same road again. He stops. There should have been a pub here, but there is only a mountain and the wind blows ashes. He poked with the handle of the whip – under the layer of ashes there are still bones of Lutherans. (Brūveris Jānis from Mežabrūveri of Ēdole parish).

The story of Schwerin’s sister

The fanatic Schwerin tried in vain to convert his sister to the new Catholic faith. Once at Easter, when he tried to take it by force to the church, she jumped out of the tower window and broke both legs.

About the poisoning of Schwerin

That Sviriņš (Schwerin) wanted to change everything here. Everyone here was already Lutheran. But he married a Polish wife and converted to Catholicism. He also wanted to get Ēdole to the Catholics. It was agreed that they would come to Reģi (it is a middle point) from Ēdole, he would come from Alšvanga, and conclude an agreement that the people of Ēdole would also become Catholics. But there was poison added to that food. And that coachman was given diarrhea medicine. When Sviriņš felt that he was not well, he hurried home, where he had a good doctor. But the coachman could not drive. He drives a short streach and he has to get his pants off, after a while the pants off again. They got as far as Raibuļi, where they poured milk into Sviriņš’s stomach, but they couldn’t do anything anymore. That’s how Sviriņš went to nothing and died. But Ēdole remained to the Lutherans. Confessional chairs are still standing in the Ēdole church, as it would be usual in a Catholic church. However, the Catholics did not get it. (Alberts Rozentāls, Alsunga)

About the Schwerin tombs

The story about the owners of the castle has also been preserved. The Schwerin family is buried under the floor of the church. When the church was expanded in 1882, the tomb was uncovered and the workers, having noticed Schwerin’s embalmed body, wanted to make a joke and stuck it to the wall. Unfortunately, it fell and the deceased’s nose was broken. The Schwerin family had regularly visited the graves of their family members to dress the dead in other cloths and to take care of them. It is said that there were some removable bricks near the altar and they entered the basement through the passage.

Holy man

There lived a man in the forest nearby, who used to walk across the lake in the Midsummer. Then there was nothing else to do. He did not go to church, he lived quietly at home, he prayed to God in the forest near a tree stump. But as everyone goes to church, the man also decided to go once to see how things are in that church. And as he walked, he went straight across the lake, because the water did not come into his shoes, did not soak them at all. So across the lake he enters the church and he sees everything, what is there and how. He was already very holy, he had never sinned in his life. And those, who are holy, can see everything. He sees, how the priest runs his business there. Boys and girls have gone to church to see each other, look at each other, laugh, and, oh, there the devil stands next to the altar and writes down on a calfskin every one who laughs. Well, the service has come to an end and the devil has started to run out of space to write on his skin. Someone else there laughed, but the devil spreads and stretches that skin so much that it tears a little. Stretches but breaks. The man sees this and laughs too. Well, the devil also writes this down. When the man goes home after the service, his feet are already sinking in water up to his ankles. After coming home, he says that he will never go to church again. I will worship the God in the forest, near the stump. This is the best. I did not sin there. Whoever believes in God, whatever faith he has, you must not mock that faith. But if you laugh, you laugh at God himself. (Alberts Rozentāls, Alsunga)

Animals are not to blame

The revolution of the 1905th year began with the strikes of the estate workers. The workers of Reģi manor also went on a strike. And because of these strikes, the livestock were not fed in the stables of the manor. The authority of the municipal parish in Alšvanga was taken over by the revolutionary Executive committee, which was located in the house of the former Alšvanga parish board. The baron of Reģi, who tried to maintain a conciliatory attitude towards the revolutionaries, decided to go to Alšvanga in the morning to see the head of the committee and ask him to cancel the strike, at least with regard to livestock feeding.

When the baron drove up to the municipal parish house, the head of the Executive committee and the scribe decided to play big bosses. The scribe came out on the porch and said that the baron would have to wait a little while, as the Boss had not yet risen. After the baron had waited an hour in his carriage, the scribe came out again and said that the baron would have to wait a little longer, as the Boss was drinking coffee. Only after two hours of waiting, the Boss was ready to receive the baron.

Then the baron explained the situation, that he well understands that the revolution requires sacrifices, but why should livestock, who are not guilty of anything, suffer from the revolution. The head of the Executive committee agreed with the baron that the livestock were really not to blame and that their feeding should be done even during the strike. Since he knew very little about writing, let alone drawing up documents, he took a piece of paper and wrote three words on it: The animals are not guilty and signed it. The Baron of Reģi showed this page to the striking employees of the manor, and on the basis of this page, livestock feeding was resumed in the Reģi manor.

Gudenieki:

Katlāpu hill

Mother still knew that there used to be a forest and swamps all around here. Only Katlāpu hill rose above the plain, where the manor’s sheep settlement was established. There had been many wolves in the area that had killed many sheep. For this, the shepherds were called to the Gudenieki manor and brutally beaten with sticks. After the beating, the men still had to kiss his Lord’s hand. The path that goes along the Katlāpu hill to the Zvirgzdu lake is in the place of the former wolf trail. Therefore, the road does not have any curves. (Anna Gotfridsone, Gudenieki 1967)

Near the Katlāpi hill there is a small hill, the Mēra hill. It is said that the Mērkalna manor was later built there and land was allocated to those who had served 25 years in the Tsar’s army. The name Katlāpu hill has been preserved from the times when Swedish troops were here. One of the soldiers was repairing the farmers’ pots, receiving food in return. Hence the name as Katlāps means potmender. An oak tree grew on Katlāpi hill, from which the sea was visible. The name Mērkalns arose because the land there was barren, there were floods and the plague raged in the area. (Anna Gotfridsone, Gudenieki 1967.)

Bassi:

Maltīte (Meal) hill

In the Basi municipal parish, near the Birži manor, there is Maltītes hill, which has a small swamp at the bottom. During the Swedish War, the Swedes were forced to retreat. They ate their last meal on that hill. Then Swedes threw their weapons and belongings into the swamp and that’s how they stayed there. (written in Ēdole by G. Matroze in 1938)