The Sgora

Real animals, legendary animals. Have you ever heard of the Sgora?

Male voice – “The reed beds sheltered a large amphibious creature whose harsh cries at night filled those at home with fear for the men out working on the lake in their boats. I never managed to see the Sgora myself, but I remember a friend who suddenly found one in his boat while he was among the reeds. It was an amphibious creature about the size of a medium-sized dog, bad-tempered and very aggressive. My friend told me that he had to fend it off with his oar, almost falling into the water, but eventually he managed to drive it away. The Sgora wreaked havoc on fish and rats; it even ate nests full of chicks. Its dreadful call could be heard across the entire lake. I believe it did not survive after the excavation of the shoreline. The shelters it used were almost entirely levelled. This animal, too, had very little chance of survival, just like the dozens of species of fish and birds that disappeared or became extinct after the 1960s.”
This was a story told to children, because every family living by the lake owned a boat and, for the youngsters of the village, the greatest attraction and favourite pastime was to go out on the lake, swim and play together. The danger, however, was that they might also do so at night. At that time, there was no lighting like there is today. Moreover, the lake was surrounded by a thick belt of reeds. From the shore, it was not even possible to see the water itself. You actually had to make your way through narrow channels in the reeds and out onto the lake by boat. And so, to frighten children, stories like this one about the Sgora were told. The Sgora was described as an amphibious creature, but in reality, judging by what it was said to eat, it was probably inspired by the otter, which was present in the area at the time and survived here until around the 1960s.