Most legends related to
Kazan are contradictory and Zilant is no exception. There are several variations on the Zilant legend. According to one story, a beautiful damsel married a resident of
Old Kazan. She had to get water from the
Qazansu River and complained to the local
khan his capital was poorly situated. She advised him to move the city to Zilantaw Hill, and the
khan agreed. However, the hill was infested with numerous snakes which were "stout as a log". Their leader was a giant two-headed snake, i.e., Zilant. One head ate only grass, while the other swallowed virgins and youths. A wizard advised the khan to build a straw and wood pile near the hill. In spring, the snakes came out from their winter burrows and crept into the pile of straw. A knight errant was sent out to set the pile of straw on fire, burning out the snakes. They were deadly even in death, "killing people and horses with their stink". However, the gigantic two-headed snake-dragon escaped to the
Qaban lakes. According to the story he still lives in the waters of the lake and, from time to time, takes vengeance on the citizens. According to other stories, the giant snake was transformed into
Diü, a spirit who founded the underwater kingdom of the lake. It is also said that Zilant did not escape to the lake but instead tried get revenge upon the knight, who by that time had ridden some 50
çaqrım away from Kazan. During the fight that followed, Zilant cut the hero into six parts. The knight, however, had managed to stab the dragon with his poisoned pike, and Zilant eventually died. There is also a legend about Zilant's return to Zilantaw. They say that Zilant re-established himself in a big cave near the hill. The dragon would occasionally fly over the panic-stricken city and drink water from the Black Lake. At first the people of the city paid tribute to him, but later they managed to kill him with a wizard's help.
Related legends According to one legend, when
Bulgars came to found the town of
Bilär, they discovered a big snake. They decided to kill it, but the snake begged for peace and pleaded with
Allah to give her wings. Once she had her wings the snake flew away from Bilär. Another great snake was said to live in a pagan tower temple at
Alabuğa. Although the Bulgars adopted
Islam as early as the 10th century, the snake survived until the time of
Tamerlane's invasion after which it disappeared.
Ibn Fadlan, who visited
Volga Bulgaria in the 10th century, referred to numerous snakes, especially in trees. Ibn Fadlan wrote about a huge fallen tree, longer than hundred ells. He saw a big snake at the trunk of the tree, almost as large as the tree itself. The Bulgars allayed his fears by assuring him that the snake was not dangerous. ==Interpretations==