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Remember the saying: the fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it. Probably, therefore, mythological characters are so enduring – all kinds of spirits fields, forests, rivers, lakes … However, miners also have them, for example, which of us in childhood was not read by the Ural tales of Pavel Bazhov about the Mistress of the Copper Mountain (see video)? ..
But it turns out that Donbass miners have their own mythological mountain spirit – Good Shubin. The miners of Donbass do not just believe in him, as in some fairy-tale character, they can talk about it a lot of interesting things. Good Shubin, judging by these stories, constantly helps the miners, warning them in advance about collapses, and then a rich coal plate will indicate that is why they called it good. Although Shubin does not like negligent and lazy people and may even punish or at least scare a little.
Among the miners, it is customary to respect this spirit, speak only kind words about him, more often thank you, less often – with any request, share lunch, well etc. And in Donetsk itself there is even a monument to the mountain spirit and produced beer “Good Shubin”.
A photo from open sources
It is difficult to assume that this may please the mythical spirit, but but in reality it strengthens the faith in it of the miners themselves and their loved ones, who every time seeing the miners underground, hope for help from the Good Shubin.
One of the legends about Good Shubin
According to legend, Good Shubin appeared at the mine workings Donbass no later than the XIX century, although it is quite possible that the miners knew about him from the very beginning of the development of coal here, then there is still from the XVIII century. What is this spirit and where did it come from, no one plainly does not know now, but there are several interesting stories related to it. We will tell you only one, the most interesting and even instructive in many ways.
They say that once an English entrepreneur appeared in the Donbass John James Hughes, who heard from somewhere about this coal-rich region and came to Russia to improve their financial situation. Here he organized mines, built a metallurgical plant, near which gradually grew the working village of Yuzovka – the future of Donetsk. But this, as they say, was only later, and first John a long time could not feel for a coal vein and even began to doubt the success his enterprise.
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But … one day he met a shepherd in the field, a tall old man with with thick eyebrows and burning eyes. And the old man told him that there is really a lot of coal in the local land and that he will show the master, where to find him. True, with one condition that Hughes will not be false repair, offend workers and never breaks the map borders. With this, the shepherd gave the Englishman a map of coal deposits. With joy, Hughes danced right there, take a look – the old man and the trace is cold.
And since then, the English gentleman has gone smoothly: the mines develop, coal goes to iron smelting – business is booming. But it was all for the time being, while Hughes kept the word given the mysterious shepherd. But greed is the main enemy of any person. AND British entrepreneur did not pass the test, violated the boundaries permitted, and the workers began to oppress. And then he appeared to him scary old man flashed his burning eyes and angrily said – get ready for the worst, wait for trouble.
Misfortunes immediately fell on the head of a negligent industrialist: a serious misfortune happened with his wife, his son died, not to mention about the business itself, which suddenly rolled downhill. The master rushed was to seek a shepherd to ask for forgiveness, but where is he in find something in the world? ..
Here only Hughes found on the map given to him by the mysterious the old letter “Sh”, and the old miners explained to the owner that it means she is a sign of the mountain spirit of Shubin …
Time
