The Loch Ness Monster [antikvár]

THE LOCH NESS MONSTER Loch Ness is one of the most famous tourist sites in the world - not simply because of its stunning beauty, but miostly because of the mystery of the 'Monster' that may lurk in its waters. Known affectionately as 'Nessie', this elusive creature has been chased with great zeal for most of the 20th century, and this enthusiasm shows no sign of diminishing. A monster at Loch Ness was first chronicled in ad 565, in an episode concerning the Irish missionary-saint Columba. According to his biographer, St Adamnan (who wrote a century afterwards), one of St Columba's disciples was swimming across the River Ness to fetch a boat for his master. Suddenly, a monster broke the surface, 'with a great roar and open mouth'. Not unnaturally, the onlookers were 'stricken with great terror', but St Columba made the sign of the cross, saying: 'Think not to go further, nor touch thou that man. Quick, go back ' The creature obeyed. The saint's intervention seems to have been extraordinarily effective, for in the 1400 intervening years, the Monster has not only refrained from attacking any of its dozens of witnesses, but has been remarkably silent, too. It roars no more.