Two men working in a mine extracting malachite and other ore had gone for a brief rest on a nearby meadow. They lied down on the grass and went to sleep. Suddenly one of the men named Stepan Petrovich awoke by a sudden push on his side. He then saw a strange "woman" sitting in front of him near a large stone. Her outer appearance was that of a very attractive young woman with black plaited hair, she had several red and green beads attached to her plaits. She was not very tall and moved with inhuman speed, like "mercury" changing her position numerous times. Petrovich called her "mercury-girl". Petrovich then heard her speaking to someone that was apparently invisible in a language that was totally unknown to him, evidently laughing at the witness and obviously talking about him. Her manner of dress amazed Petrovich, she wore something like a silk dress but apparently made out of malachite stone (?). The witness became frightened, since he had already heard tales of encounters with a strange female entity in this same area. She was called "The Mistress of Copper Mountain". He also heard of the different tricks played on humans by entity or entities, he thought to escape, but she suddenly turned around and smiling said, "So why are you staring at my beauty Stepan Petrovich? People pay money just to look at me, Come closer, we will talk a bit". Somehow the stranger knew the witness name. Seized by fear Stepan told her that he had no time to talk, but she insisted and the young man was forced to obey. The stranger ordered Stepan to approach her and at this point he noticed what appeared to be hundreds of "lizards" all around her, off different colors, green, bluish, brown ones with gold spots, etc. "Don't step on them!" The strange woman warned, "They are my army". "Look how big and heavy you are and they are small". She then clapped her hands and the lizards went away. Stepan came closer to her and stopped, but the strange woman clapped her hand again speaking to him in a humiliating manner, and threatening him, "Now you have no place to go, if you step on my servants, you will be in trouble!" He looked down and saw hundreds of lizards gathered at one spot. The female then said, "Now you have recognized me Stepan. Don't be afraid. I will not harm you." But Stepan pointed out that he was indeed very afraid. The strange woman then ordered Stepan that tomorrow once he was down at the mine he must tell his bosses the following words, "The owner-mistress of the Copper Mountain is ordering you, you stinking he-goat (!) to leave the Red Mountain pit at once. If you continue in destroying my iron cap, I will drop the entire copper deep into the bowels of the earth and it will never be found". She made Stepan repeat her order and again told him not to be afraid. She then ordered Stepan to leave and not to tell anything to his companion. She clapped her hands once more and the lizards again went away. She jumped up grabbed a stone and also ran away. At this moment the stunned Stepan noticed that her outer appearance had suddenly changed, he could see now that she had green paws, a tail with a black crest running down her back, but her head still remained human in appearance. She climbed to the top of the mountain and said, "Don't forget what I told you Stepan, if you follow my instructions, I will marry you!" Stepan replied disgusted that he would never marry a lizard and spit in her direction. She laughed and said, "We will meet again later, maybe then you would have reached a decision." She then jumped again and disappeared behind a large rock. The stunned Stepan pondered what to do since he was both afraid of the reptile woman and his boss. But soon he made the decision to do what he was asked. The next morning he approached his boss in the pit and gave him the message. This infuriated his boss, who accused Stepan of being either drunk or crazy. But Stepan remained firm stating that it was the Mistress of the Copper Mountain's will. The boss then ordered the others to tie up Stepan with a chain and to beat him mercilessly. He was then imprisoned deep in an underground pit, riveted by a long chain, and exposed to mockery and humiliation.

Google map of this location.