Tree near us

Birch.
In Komi Republic there are a lot of birch trees. A birch tree is a symbol of Russia for a long time . This tree reaches 30-40 meters. On its white trunk one can see black spots as if somebody draw it with black paint. In bathhouses birch “venic”is used for heating.
A birch tree is a beautiful and useful tree. (Igor)

Tree of Love. This is a tree of love. There is a legend that this tree contains two people in itself.
In ancient times on two riversides two tribes lived. For the whole life they fought between themselves not knowing why. A lad lived on one side of the river. One morning he went to the river and saw a girl on the other side of it. She wiped the cloth. He fell in love with her. He took a straw, and breathing trough it, he swam across the river. So they began to meet. But a traitor was in the village. He told to the chief of the tribe that the boy and the girl met. The war began.
Both tribes, wanted to kill the lovers. The boy and the girl embraced each other, and a wonder happened. They changed in to this tree.
(by Stas)

There is a “Pagan Wood” near Kortkeros. You can learn more about such trees on the site http://www.ufo-komi.narod.ru/

(By Masha S.)
Trees are very important for us. They are everywhere in our life and in fairy- tales.
A Komi tale.
For a long time in the forest two pine- trees lived . Pine-trees had fluffy branches and a strong trunk. They were very high and old. At night pine-trees whispered, they talked about people. Under the wide branches, trees gave shelter to the hunters. Under the trees people saw good dreams. Many, many years pine- trees stood and spoke, till clouds began to touch the trees. And trees fell.

There is a Komi legend about a cedar.
(by Olya V.)
One man lived under a cedar. Once the man heard that somebody spoke in the yard. He went out, there he saw nobody. Only his very big cedar stood. It was a remarkable and beautiful tree. Why didn’t the man see that before? He didn't know. Looking at the tree the man forgot everything, shut his eyes and died.
They say, that this tree killed him. People were afraid the cedar.
It was a very big tree. It was like a terrible witch. It was terrible, horrible and very, very, very gloomy… it killed people, animals, insects and birds… His leaves were like needles.

CYPRESS
The homeland of cypress is Greece and Asia. A cypress is the tree of sadness. It is very big and high. This tree grows in the southern countries. Cypress can be found near the sea. This tree is very important for us. From this tree people make crosses. In Asia people plant it on the graves. Doctors say to ill people to walk along cypress's groves. It has an interesting form. It is an ever-green tree. It is a coniferous tree. It has small cones.
(by Rada and Katya)