Long ago, when Montenegro was young and wild, the mountain Lovćen towered like a gray crown above the villages. The people said the mountain was alive, its heart beating under stone. Its guardian spirit, Vila Lovćenska, protected all who lived with courage and truth—but punished deceit and cowardice.
In a nearby village lived two brothers: Petar, brave and steady, and Milan, clever but proud. Their father had left them a single herd of goats, and peace between them was their mother’s dying wish.
For a time, they kept her word. But when the mountain winds turned cold, food grew scarce, and greed crept like frost. One evening, Milan hid half the herd in a ravine and told Petar, “The wolves took them.”
Petar, grieving their loss, climbed Mount Lovćen to beg the spirit for help. “Vila of the mountain,” he cried, “save my brother and me from ruin.”
The air shimmered, and the Vila appeared—tall, with hair of starlight and eyes of stone. “Your brother’s lie has already stirred the heart of the mountain,” she said. “Only truth can quiet it.”
Petar returned and confronted Milan. “If you’ve wronged me, confess it, or the mountain will answer.”
Milan laughed. “Superstition! I built my fortune by wit, not prayers.”
That night, thunder rolled though the skies were clear. The earth trembled, and a crack split the slope. Goats fled bleating down the valley. Milan ran to save them, but the ground gave way beneath him. He fell into the ravine he had used to hide his deceit.
Petar searched for him until dawn. When he found the place, the stones had closed like folded hands. Only Milan’s silver belt lay atop the rubble.
Petar laid the belt at the mountain’s base and said, “Take it, spirit. Let his pride rest with your stones.”
Years passed, and Petar grew old. One spring, travelers claimed to hear a faint cry from the cliffs—“Brother, forgive me!”—carried on the mountain wind.
When Petar died, the villagers buried him beside the river that runs below Lovćen. The next morning, a new spring gushed from the rock above, clear and sweet. The people called it The Tear of the Mountain, believing it was the Vila’s gift of peace between the brothers.
Even now, when storms strike Mount Lovćen, the thunder sounds like two voices—one pleading, one forgiving.
Moral of the Story
Pride divides what only truth can mend. Mountains remember the honesty of those who walk their slopes.
Knowledge Check
- Where is Mount Lovćen located?
In Montenegro, near the coastal highlands. - Who were Petar and Milan?
Two brothers divided by greed and deceit. - What angered the mountain spirit?
Milan’s lies and betrayal of his brother. - How did Milan die?
He fell into the ravine where he hid his theft. - What did Petar do afterward?
Returned Milan’s belt to the mountain as an offering. - What formed after Petar’s death?
A clear spring called “The Tear of the Mountain.”
Origin: Montenegrin folktale (Lovćen mountain oral tradition)
