Kazicu Bikakmens (Bull Stone) is located in Rundēni parish of Ludza municipality. There is a road going to Rundēni turning left from the road Ludza – Ezernieki between Brodaiža and Vertilova. You can find the Stone in wet, bushy valley, on the bank of a stream, about 200 metres north-eastwards from the first houses of the village, which is 200 metres from the turning to Rundēni, on the left side of the road to Rundēni.

In the large stone (length – 5.3 m, width – 3.5 m, height – 1.8 m) there are two carved crosses and a sign resembling a horse-shoe, looking as a deer or bull head. On a side of the stone there is one more carved diamond-shaped sign.

Legend about the Bull Stone

The land around Rundēni village is rich in stones. One of the granite boulders is the Bikakmens or Bull Stone. It is located in Kazicas, on a bank of a small river, deep in bushes. In the stone there are two carved crosses and a sign of horse-shoe form with two horns resembling a bull or deer head. It is possible that the latter sign became the reason for the stone’s name. On a side of the stone someone made a diamond-shaped carving.

We do not know what the stone was used for. Maybe it used to be a border stone.

Once local blacksmith Yelizars decided to hide under the stone. When he dug a small hole, a big black bull appeared and attacked the blacksmith. Yelizars managed to jump on the stone and to take a large hammer. He hit the bull with it on the horns and one of the horns was broken. Suddenly the wind starting to blow heavily, trees cracked and fell down. Then suddenly everything became calm. After regaining his consciousness the blacksmith took the broken horn and went away. Later it tuned out the horn was not an ordinary horn, but it was from pure gold. The blacksmith became wealthy. By the bottom of the stone you still can see the traces of digging and on the stone surface there is the name of the brave Yelizars.

They also say that in the summer solstice night the Bull Stone becomes as hot as an oven. Then there is a black cat sitting on the stone and purring.

They say that no everyone can get the gold that once was hidden under the stone. There must be special pre-conditions for it. First, the possible finder must see the stone and a white bull (or a horse) in his dream. After dreaming he must take a spade and go to the Bull Stone. But on the way to the stone he must meet a white bull or a horse, if it does not happen, the dream was not real.

 

 J.Urtāns Robežakmeņi.- 1990

The legend was recorded by a pupil of Rundēni basic school O.Kuzņecova, teacher L.Korobova, sent by A.Kazakova