Carpathian Mountains

The Carpathian Mountains are a mountain range spanning across Central and Eastern Europe. They encompass several countries in three portions: the Western Carpathians (Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary), Eastern Carpathians (southeastern Poland, eastern Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania), and Southern Carpathians (Romania and eastern Serbia).

The region known for various European myths and legends, primarily from Romania but also from the Hutsul people between Romaia and Ukraine. It is also associated with the literary character Count Dracula, a vampire created by the Irish author Bram Stoker.

Romanian folklore
Much of the folklore and myths associated with the Carpathian mountains are of Romanian origin. The Geto-Dacians, the ancient inhabitants of Transylvania, worshiped the god Zalmoxis, a prophet and mystic who discovered the immortality of the soul after retreating to a cave in Mount Kogaion for 3 years.

It is also associated with the legend of Baba Dochia, which tells the story of an elderly lady who forced her daughter-in-law to pick berries in the forest during winter. Upon seeing her in tears for being assigned such an impossible task, God appeared in the form of an old man and sent her berries to bring back. The surprised Baba Dochia thought that spring had returned, and set out to bring her flock to the mountains and removed her coats to cool herself. As she reached the mountaintop, however, winter had suddenly returned, freezing her and her sheep into the rock formation known as Babele.

Another version of the story concerned a much younger woman named Baba Dochia whose beauty captivated the Roman emperor Trajan. The Romans destroyed her city and forced her father, King Decebal, to commit suicide. In her desperation to avoid being forced to marry Trajan, she asked Zalmoxis to turn her into stone.

The Solomonari, a branch of weather-controlling wizards, are said to reside in the caves of the Carpathians. They ride dragons and are said to bring hail. They are sometimes thought to be taught by the Devil, though their reputation is not always negative. Some people believe that they disguise themselves as beggars, rewarding good people and punishing the bad.

Hutsul legends
The Carpathians are also home to various legends of the Hutsul people, who live on the borders of Romania and Ukraine. It is believed that they are home to the Molfares, who like the Solomonari, are capable of dissolving the clouds, summoning thunder, speaking to animals, and levitation.

Another myth concerns Chugaister (the Woodman), who lives in the forest and loves to sing and dance. He often invites visitors to dance, and protects herdsmen who offer him food.

Lake Nesamovyte (the Frantic Lake) is a glacial lake in the Carpathians whose bottom is said to contain a frozen "mirror" which brings storms to terrorize the people and serves as a destination for the souls of sinners.

Dracula
The most popular myth of the Carpathians concerns the vampire Count Dracula, a creation of the novelist Bram Stoker. In the book Dracula, the vampire resides in a ruined castle on a Carpathian mountaintop in Transylvania. The vampire decides to relocate to England and terrorize London before being chased back and destroyed in his castle by a group of vampire hunters led by Abraham Van Helsing.