Legends and fairytales have always been connected to natural phenomena: depths, caves and rock labyrinths inspire awe and imagination. In the traditional tales fairies are mythical creatures with supernatural powers. They live between this and that world, around waters and on forest borders where they appear at dusk or dawn. They often live on rocks, in caves or bottomless pits which is why many places were named after them. The Fairy Cave – where supposedly no human has entered – is located near the Blue Lake. The Fairy's Resting Place is situated on the serpentine road leading to the lake shore.

A spectacle at the bottom of Blue Lake

When the Blue Lake dries up, its bottom becomes a stage for a rather unusual soccer match, which is unique in the world. In these lands, the legends and stories about elves and werewolves are tied to natural phenomena such as lakes, pits and caves, which inspire awe, as well as human imagination. This also gave birth to the idea to name the two teams, which are "sworn" enemies, the Werewolves and the Elves. These two teams played their first game way back in 1943, and the tradition is still running strong today, whenever the Blue Lake dries up, and if the weather and other conditions allow. This year also the lake dried up in early September and the teams put on a real show. The game ended in a tie (2:2), and this is one of the rules. Namely, the result always needs to be a tie in order to maintain the city's peace. This year's match had two novelties: for the first time ever the Imotski City Orchestra played the Croatian hymn at the opening of the match, and the first woman ever ran out onto the field, as one of the Elves.

The legend of Red Lake

The hypnotising beauty of the water hides beneath it a terrifying legend that has survived to the present day. Many years ago, a very wealthy man by the name of Gavan lived in the Imotski area with his wife Gavanica and their children. He had the outer appearance of a man, but his soul was that of the devil. He harassed his servants and the locals, and his only interest was hoarding wealth. To witness Gavan’s arrogance first-hand, an angel descended down from heaven and came to his palace one night, disguised as a beggar asking for charity. The man’s wife Gavanica opened the door and refused to give him any food or water. When he asked her whether she feared God’s punishment, the arrogant rich woman responded curtly: „What good is your God to me, when I have my Gavan?“. At that exact moment, the angel took off his ragged clothes and pulled out a fiery sword. A violent tempest broke out, with thunder raging like wild horses. The ground shook so violently that it split open, and the deep holes, now occupied by the Red and Blue Lakes, swallowed up the Gavan family and their entire wealth.

Hasanaginica – folk ballad

The ballad was handed down from generation to generation in oral form until it was finally written and published in 1774 by Italian traveler and ethnographer Alberto Fortis in his book „Viaggio in Dalmazia ('A travel across Dalmatia')“  while traveling through Dalmatia. According to the legend, the grave of Hasan-aga Arapović's wife, Fatima Pintorović, the heroine of the ballad Hasanaginica, whose heart is broken from sadness and injustice, is located on the site of the theme park near the Blue Lake. Hasanaginica is one of the most beautiful folk ballads, and Hasan-aga's wife Fatima remains one of the most remarkable heroines in world literature. The story of Hasanaginica is a simple yet painful one. It describes the sad fate of a woman who dies of grief after being soullessly driven away from her home and her five children by her husband.

The Legend of Bride's rock (Cro. Nevistina stina)

Legend has it that there was once a great love between a young girl and a young man who were fatally turned to stone at Nevista. According to the legend, a young girl from the “upper” parts, probably from Dalmatia hinterland, was intended to marry in the Littoral area. Her mother was against this love but above all, was against her daughter's decision to marry someone not chosen by her family. Perhaps the problem lay in the fact that the young man was from the Littoral region and as such from a poor area!? In any case , the mother sent her daughter away with the following words: “When you look at the sea, hope that God turns you into stone!” Despite those terrible words, the bridal procession moved, led by the bridegroom and the bride on horseback, and she had not even hinted at the strength of her mother's curse. But, when the happy group arrived at the peak of the mountain above Brela, the curse came true. Proof can be seen in the stones in the form of a horse with a bride and bridegroom on it, a loaf of bread and goatskin bottles. If you look more carefully, you can see the bride's veil which at that moment the wind drew away from her head. You can also see the wedding guests who followed them, perhaps it is a little more difficult now if you aren't sure what you are looking for, as over the years a thick pine wood has grown around them.