Rusupite

On the shore of Lake Burtnieks lived a twelve-headed dragon. It ate all of the fish of the lake and all of the crops as well. Therefore people could not live like this. 

Where ‘’Burtnieki’’ manor stands now, a strong man used to live. He went to kill the dragon. He cut three of the dragon’s heads off, but new ones soon grew back instead, so the dragon was able to grab the man, carry him to a forest next to a mountain and tie him up to a pine tree. The dragon went back to the lake shore. A peasant was walking through the forest, found the man and untied him.

The man went again to try to kill the dragon. He cut off four heads, but they soon grew back as before. Once again the dragon seized the man, carried him and tied him up to the same pine tree. The dragon stayed himself to guard him so that he would not escape. The dragon lit up a bonfire to warm himself, but the warmth made him fall asleep. The strong man got rid of the ties, pulled out his sword and cut off a head of the dragon. After that he grabbed a log from the bonfire and smeared the ashes on the neck of the dragon. Now a new head was not able to grow. This is how the strong man cut all of the dragon’s twelve heads. The blood was flowing in streams,  creating the river Rusupite.