"And now we are going to the Holy Spring," Grandpa said to Sanzhar. "This place is a preserved corner of nature, which has an ancient spring with healing water. As with many places, this region has a history of its own. The locals are rightfully proud of it and are ready to share an amazing story created in immemorial times. Inspired by the beauty of their native land, people sang it in an interesting legend.
It happened two hundred years ago. One time during the winter, a local resident went to the forest to stock up on firewood. While wandering through the forest in the dim light of the moon, he finally got lost in a dense thicket, ran out of strength and began to freeze, losing all hope of salvation.
It was a dark night. Like it usually happens in the bitter cold, the man fell asleep. He was already on the verge of life and death, when suddenly a great thunderstorm broke out. Lightning flashed brightly all over the place. The sky sparkled with different colors. The wrathful element clearly illuminated a spring gushing in a nearby ravine. The exhausted wayfarer ran to the water with all his strength. In the light of the lightning zigzags, he saw the spring of water pouring from under the roots of the poplar tree. He heard a light murmur – as if the spring wanted to tell him something. In the moonlight, the source shimmered and sparkled with a silvery light, like a lit candle.
The man hurried to the stream and touched the water with his lips. The water was very warm. He began to swallow it greedily, and the taste of the water he drank reminded him of his native village, home and family. After drinking and washing, the wayfarer felt that he was no longer freezing. He warmed up, his eyes became bright and clear, joy lit up in them, and the strength returned to him again. A smile lit up his face, it shone, his mind brightened. His fatigue disappeared without a trace. The muscles, weary from a long walk through the forest, were no longer sore. He realized that this water is life-giving, and filled himself a full flask. The wayfarer's mind lifted. With renewed strength, he was ready to continue searching for a way out of the dense forest thicket. Luminous fire strokes helped him see the area. Then everything went quiet. But he had already managed to look around and figure out where he was, and soon managed to find his way back to the house.
Shortly after, the sound fame of the life-giving spring spread far around.
"The spring in the Semipalatinsk steppes near the city of Semey was discovered under mysterious circumstances," grandpa told Sanzhar, "but it has existed there since ancient times." Archaeological finds confirm that these places were inhabited as early as the Bronze Age. Probably, even four thousand years ago, folks settled here to receive healing from diseases, given by the waters of a natural spring. It is possible that in ancient times there was a pagan sanctuary near it, where ancient people worshiped and offered sacrifices to their god Tengri.
The miraculous water was used against diseases and epidemics, curses and the evil eye. According to folk rumor, in the last century there was a notebook in which evidence of real cases of healing was recorded, but one day during a strong fire it burned down.
The water in the spring is crystal clear, transparent as air. It is very cold during the summer, and warm during the winter. The spring never freezes even in the most severe frosts, while plants grow green at the bottom of it even in winter. Century-old pine trees stand around. Earlier, a monastery was founded in these places, and today the Holy Key has become a spiritual center that brings together followers of all sorts of religions. Different beliefs, different legends, while the place is one - beautiful, quiet, sacred, preserved with love. Each day, in the afternoon and in the evening, you can meet people of different nationalities and faiths here. Believing in the extraordinary power of the Holy Key, people drink the purest spring water, wash themselves and take a little water with them for medicinal purposes. People say: "The power of water is unfathomable," "The soul of water inspires the soul of a person." Folks call the Holy Key the fountain of youth.
Scientists have analyzed the mineral composition of the spring water and confirmed that it is absolutely clean, it does not contain any impurities and heavy metals. Nevertheless, the townsfolk like to think that there is at least a small suspension of silver in the spring water, which makes it curative.
Sanzhar really enjoyed the story about the unusual water source near the ancient pines. He took another close look around the area. The reflections of the trees in the malachite surface of the spring resembled a living watercolor painting. Delicate flowers and fragrant medicinal herbs grew nearby. "Nature here is a true healer of both soul and body," said Grandpa. "People come here to feel the eternity, to stock up on water and the energy of the spring. As it is not only a source of clean drinking water, but also a living string that connects the past with the future..."
