Evening was approaching, the sky above the Inturkė forest began to redden, it seemed as if my very heart mounted up for the hunt and sang with excitement. The horses’ hooves thudded over the soft moss, and the damp evening air caressed my face. The grandeur of nature always stirred my soul, but this time even more so, I couldn’t take my eyes off the beauty of the thicket.

Ah! Seeing a huge moose perfectly blending into the forest greenery, I didn’t hesitate for a moment: I turned to my companions and, shouting to them, rushed to chase the beast. I urged my horse on, driven by the determination to confront the wild forest spirit in the form of the beast. I didn’t notice how I drifted away from the other hunters. Looking back, I saw that the forest around me had darkened and showed no sign of a path back. The moss carpet muffled the horse’s steps, and the silence of the darkening forest paralyzed my body. Still, I continued the moose hunt.

However, the prey seemed to vanish, hiding under the thick tree foliage, and I began to wander aimlessly through the forest. I wanted to call out to my guards, but my voice, bouncing off the tops of old spruces, returned as an empty echo. I felt the coolness of the night approaching, like an invisible veil, and the howl of a wolf echoed in the distance like a prophet’s voice. My heart trembled as I realized I was all alone in these endless forests. For the first time in my life as a ruler, I felt so small against the wild grandeur.

Suddenly, the waters of a lake appeared before me — the beautiful Urkis, like a mirror reflecting the last rays of the dying sun. The horse stopped abruptly, perhaps sensing the proximity of the dangerous swamp. I stopped, closed my eyes, and began to call for heavenly intercession:

“Merciful Mother, lead me out of this kingdom of twilight, so that my wandering through the forests does not turn into death. If I miraculously escape, here, by these waters, I promise to build a Church for You, so that the sacrifice of gratitude will always be alive.”

After saying these words, the darkness seemed to relent, and nearby I saw flickering lights, like beacons from another world. They were the torches of my servants! Who could describe the joy! I spurred the horse with my heels and galloped towards the lights. It seemed as if nature itself was guiding me towards them, allowing me to safely pass through the thickets and swamp traps. The people of my entourage, with deep sighs, greeted me as if I had returned from oblivion. My heart trembled with gratitude and devotion: after all, I had made a promise.

Upon returning to the grand palace, my thoughts were restless. The promise was already made. The miraculous escape from the depths of the forest left a mark on my soul. Soon I issued an order — to build a church by Lake Urkis. I knew that this dark corner of the woods would now have a spiritual center: no traveler would be forgotten, just as I was not forgotten. Having fulfilled my promise, I felt at peace, seeing the majestic log walls rise from the damp earth, and the wooden towers reaching towards the sky.

Time quickly showed that this place turned into a new town, which our people later, with a smile, recalling my wanderings, began to call Inturkė — meaning “upon Urkis” (from Lithuanian ‘ant Urkio’), the whole region soon merged into this name. My promise became their everyday life, a house of faith where people’s prayers and sorrows intertwine. Their gratitude paved the way for community, allowing the distant land to experience royal patronage.

No matter how many years have passed, I still hear that wolf’s howl, which did not let me succumb to pride. Every time the bells of Inturkė ring in the silence of the forests, it seems I hear again how the darkness of the forest retreats, and I joyfully remember that the Heavenly Mother granted me and this land great grace. So I, Queen Bona, boldly declare: even getting lost can become the beginning of a new light if the heart is ready to turn a given word into reality.