The Legend of Zmiyeva Cave (Kyrylivska, Smorodynska)
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The Legend of Zmiyeva CaveZmiyeva Cave (also known as Kyrylivska or Smorodynska Cave) is an ancient artificial cave in Kyiv, roughly 4,000–3,000 years old. It lies on the slopes of the Smorodynskyi ravine, not far from St. Cyril's Church — which is where its alternate names come from.
Legend has it that a lair of a massive serpent, or Zmiy, once stood on Kyrylivska Hill. He lived in a cave so deep it reached all the way down to hell itself. Every day, the serpent demanded a tribute from the Prince of Kyiv in the form of young men and women (according to another version, he demanded only young women). No one could defeat him or put an end to his deeds. From here, the legend branches into several different endings.
The caveIn the first version, the serpent — Zmey Gorynych — is defeated by the bogatyr Dobrynya Nikitich, who could not find himself a wife because the serpent kept abducting young women.
In the second version, a Kyiv craftsman named Kyrylo Kozhumyaka forged a giant plow, harnessed the serpent to it, and plowed a furrow along the borders of the Slavic lands. The serpent lost his strength, crawled back into his cave, and has slept there ever since.
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