The Switez by Adam Mickiewicz. Short summary

5 seconds

The poem tells of the extraordinary beauty of Lake Svityaz. It is especially magnificent on a starry night. However, you should not go there after sunset, as sometimes at this time, devils are feasting.

1 minute

There is a deep lake Svityaz in Novogrudskaya area. The lake is situated in a huge circle and reminds one of a blue plain. On the shores of the lake you can see dark forests. The surface of the lake is like a clean, smooth ice floe.

If you come to Svityaz at night, you can see stars and moon not only above your head, but also in the lake itself. It’s impossible to tell if a crystal wall goes to the sky, or if the height of the crystal blue skies comes down, bending down to your very feet.

It is difficult to determine where the shore ends, and it seems as if one is suspended in space, embraced by the azure abyss. Although these places are very beautiful at night, you should not go there at this time, because there are sometimes devils feasting. More than once the narrator heard about it from the elders.