One of the oldest legends, taken from the local elders, tells about The Legend Of The Silver Lamprey* –  he is the one who gave the name of Chisinau …

It is said that once upon a time, when fairies walked on Earth, and Dragons stole girls, the sun never set, and the moon shone next to it in the sky, there lived a Boyar, named Acbash. He was a fair-haired man with white noble locks; in his youth he wore a coat of arms and a sword, and fought for his people with pride and humility.

But the wars had ended, and, with the mercy of God, there was peace in his land. He was the proud Boyar of his working people, and enjoyed peace under the protection of his worthy and brave soldiers.

Everything pleased the Boyar: the peace so rarely found in the country, and selected fruits, which his land gave him, but yet the Boyar was not happy enough. A great sorrow was grinding his soul – the only daughter, beloved Albishoara, with long and blonde tresses to the ground, was exhausted for many years by a heavy illness. She was everything that had been left as a memory of his beloved wife. And the cruel disease did not allow her to run with her girlfriends through the plains, collect blackberries and braid wreaths from dandelions. Being fatigued and powerless, the girl kept seeing with her eyes. And all the healers in the world couldn’t find the cure.

In order to comfort his soul, completely grieved the Boyar would go hunting at times. While wandering through the old wood with his fog of hunters, he arrived one day to a meadow near a waterfront. Because they were tired of the road, they descaled, lay on the shore, and let their horses have some rest. Suddenly, a hunter whispered to the Boyar in his ear:

– Your Honour, do you know where we stayed today? We’re in old Chiprian’s Glade! Look, in the hollow of the secular Oak there lives the famous hermit. Perhaps, humbly, you want to ask him for advice? People say that he does not refuse to help anyone, when someone comes for advice.

The Boyar got up, grabbed a basket of dishes and approached the hollow. He kept talking to the hermit, listened to his stories, then kissed his hand and left him a bag of money:

– If you cure the girl, I’ll build you a monastery.  Do you promise me, Chiprian?

– I do promise!

Returning home, he immediately picked up his daughter in the carriage, took  some reliable servants with him and set out on the road to find the miraculous springs of which the old priest told him.

The Boyar had been going for a few days with the sick girl in the carriage-more dead than alive, until he found the springs. He counted them, and at the 40th he stopped. The servants raised Albishoara in their arms and slowly submerged her in the water. And then a snake-fish which Chiprian told The Boyar about, the Silver Lamprey, rose to the surface from the depths of the water. It curled around the middle of the girl and plunged her into the water. Acbash was scared that the girl would drown, but he did not risk shouting or throwing himself into the water – the Boyar remembered what the hermit told him – to be silent, not to be afraid and to trust in the power of God.

A few moments later the girl returned to the surface. She was healthy, ruddy, and full of power. Her disease was gone and her cheeks were no longer pale. The Boyar burst into tears because of the great happiness, and embraced his dear child.

History is silent about how the Boyar lived with his daughter further. We hope that they had a long life, that the girl married for love and gave birth to many grandchildren for The Boyar Acbash. We only know precisely that the Boyar bought the place and the springs, dug a well nearby, that people could drink water and be healed, and called it Albishoara, after the girl’s name. And the future city built between Seven Hills bears the name of Chisinau…

And the hermit, did he keep his word? In the Codrii of Moldova, not far from the capital, there is a monastery, founded by gentlemen, boyars, and metropolitans – Capriana Monastery.

Note:

*And the future city built between Seven Hills bears the name of Chisinau, that comes from Romanian word „Chiscar”, which means ‘Lamprey”.