VOA新闻杂志2024--Dovbush Rocks: Secrets of the Stone Giants

　　Dovbush Rocks: Secrets of the Stone Giants

　　Editor's note: This story is one of the winning entries from the "Teach Us about Ukraine" writing contest sponsored by VOA Learning English and GoGlobal.

　　Hello everyone. My name is Natalia Lavryk. I am an English teacher from Ukraine. I would like to introduce you to my country—its beautiful nature and very hard-working and friendly people, who most of all want peace, freedom, and independence.

　　As the world watches Ukraine's fight for freedom, its soldiers have become a symbol of unbreakable resistance. For Ukrainians, nothing represents that spirit more than the giant stones in the Carpathian Mountains called Dovbush Rocks.

　　Located on the border of Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv areas, Dovbush Rocks covers about 100 hectares. The website vidviday.ua says the volcanic¹ giant stones once rested at the bottom of the ancient sea. They are now surrounded by green forests. Named a national monument in 1981, they are seen as a "place of power" and are popular with visitors seeking a mystical experience.

　　The rocks are named after Oleksa Dovbush, a Robin² Hood-like figure, who used them as a hideout in the 18th century. As a leader of a group of rebels, he fought against the oppressive forces that ruled the area. The rocky terrain³, with its numerous caves and narrow passages, provided the perfect refuge for Dovbush and his followers⁴.

　　Ancient storytellers said that Oleksa was killed by the husband of his former lover Dzvinka, who turned into a rock for her betrayal. And Oleksa's body was dismembered and spread throughout the mountains.

　　Visiting Dovbush Rocks

　　Last summer I visited this mysterious place with my students from the Lyceum of Otyniia, a school for students ages six to 17. The energy of this place is impossible to forget. We felt there was a special force that inspired us to do great things and build our inner strength.

　　The path through the cave is so narrow that, at times, it may seem that there is no way out. In some places, the distance between the rocks is very narrow, only 20 to 30 centimeters wide. In the caves between the rocks, it gets darker and you can hear the rustling⁵ of bats' wings and the echo of dripping water.

　　Above the cave is an unusual rock in the image of a lion. Visitors can climb on top of the lion to see the beautiful view of Prykarpattia and look for their hopes and dreams on a "wishing stone."

　　According to folk legend, the lion is there to guard Dovbush's buried treasure which no one has been able to find yet. It is said that after Dovbush's death, his fellow rebels hid gold taken from tavern⁶ keepers and merchants in the Odynets cave. The entry to the cave is covered by a rotating stone. One needs to say a magic word to turn the stone and open a passage to the cave. The person who knew that magic word died long ago. So the gold has been lying under the rock for more than a hundred years.

　　Another mysterious place is Devil's Gorge⁷. Only 20 centimeters wide, the gorge is difficult to get through. People put a lot of effort into getting through this narrow gap because, as legend has it, they could be set free of sin.

　　For Ukrainians, Dovbush Rocks represents both the power of nature and the resilience of the human spirit. The rock formation inspires us to rethink our place in nature, and our culture and history. It is a beautiful place where everyone should experience all its magic for themselves.

1 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

2 robin   

n.知更鸟，红襟鸟

参考例句：

• The robin is the messenger of spring.知更鸟是报春的使者。
• We knew spring was coming as we had seen a robin.我们看见了一只知更鸟，知道春天要到了。

3 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

4 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

5 rustling   

n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的

参考例句：

• the sound of the trees rustling in the breeze 树木在微风中发出的沙沙声
• the soft rustling of leaves 树叶柔和的沙沙声

6 tavern   

n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店

参考例句：

• There is a tavern at the corner of the street.街道的拐角处有一家酒馆。
• Philip always went to the tavern,with a sense of pleasure.菲利浦总是心情愉快地来到这家酒菜馆。

7 gorge   

n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃

参考例句：

• East of the gorge leveled out.峡谷东面地势变得平坦起来。
• It made my gorge rise to hear the news.这消息令我作呕。