1. The legend of Jūratė and Kastytis
During ancient times, the fairest of all goddesses was Jūratė, a mermaid Goddess of the Sea. Jūratė
lived in an amber palace at the bottom of the Baltic. Kastytis, a courageous fisherman living along
the Baltic coast near the mouth of the Šventoji River, often cast his nets to catch fish from Jurate's
kingdom. Displeased by this intrusion, Jūratė sent her mermaids to warn Kastytis to leave her fish
alone and disturb the sea no more. Paying no attention to her warnings and resistant to the charms
of her mermaids, Kastytis continued to cast his nets and bring in fish. Watching the fisherman pull
his catch into his boat, Jūratė saw how handsome Kastytis was and admired his great courage. Since
she was a mermaid and possessed human failings, Jūratė fell in love with the mortal, Kastytis, and,
in spite of great differences between them, Jurate took the fisherman to her amber palace.
Perkūnas was the God of Thunder and the father of all gods. He had promised Patrimpas, God of
Water that Jūratė would be his wife. And he therefore became greatly angered upon discovering the
immortal goddess in love with a mere mortal. In his fury, Perkūnas sent a lightning from the skies,
striking Jūratė's palace, demolishing it into thousands of fragments and killing her beloved Kastytis.
Jūratė, crying tears of amber for Kastytis and their tragic love, was punished by being chained to the
ruins of her castle.
Text source: http://www.kaunovartai.lt/?id=232&sw=2