Lake Ülemiste facts for kids
Lake Ülemiste (pronounced OO-leh-mis-teh) is a large lake in Estonia. It's the biggest lake near Tallinn, which is the capital city of Estonia. This important lake provides most of the drinking water for the people living in Tallinn.
Lake Ülemiste: Tallinn's Water Source
Lake Ülemiste is super important for Tallinn. It's like a giant natural water bottle for the city! Most of the clean, fresh water that people in Tallinn drink every day comes from this lake. Imagine how many people rely on it for their daily needs.
Where Does Lake Ülemiste Get Its Water?
Lake Ülemiste gets its water from a few different places. Most of its water comes from a small stream called the Kurna stream. It also gets water from a bigger river, the Pirita River. The water from the Pirita River travels to Lake Ülemiste through a special channel. This channel is called the Vaskjala-Ülemiste canal. These natural waterways help keep the lake full and ready to supply water to the city.
The Legend of the Old Man of Lake Ülemiste
There is a famous old story, or legend, about Lake Ülemiste. The legend says that a magical being called the "Old Man of Lake Ülemiste" (in Estonian, Ülemiste vanake) lives in the lake.
If you ever meet him, he will always ask you the same question: "Is Tallinn ready yet?" This is a very important question! If someone answers "Yes, the city is ready," the old man will get very angry. He will then send all the lake's water to flood and cover the city of Tallinn.
So, if you ever meet the Old Man of Lake Ülemiste, you must be very careful with your answer! The legend says you should always reply: "No, the city is not ready. There is still a lot of work to do!" By saying this, you can save the city from being flooded. It's a fun way to remember that there's always more to do in a busy city like Tallinn!
