The oak of Karveliai
The oak growing on the side of the forest Kamšą in the district of Kaunas was one of the favourite pigeon breeding places. Such a number of them used to gather here and they used to coo so loudly that the oak was named Karveliai.
Woodcutters glanced at this oak counting 700 years time and time again. The wood of this oak was extremely valued for its solidity or durability. The engineers of the bridge of Aleksotas had seen the oak of Karveliai as great construction material 150 years ago. It was planned to be used as the bridge piles. However, they couldn’t find a proper saw to cut down the trunk of the tree with its thickness of 7 meters. So that they wouldn’t have to trouble themselves over it with smaller saws, it was decided to cut down the top of it and see if the tree is healthy. Once it was cut off, the gap opened up. When they saw that the tree is not suitable for the construction, the workers left the tree be.
Left without its top the oak of Karveliai hadn’t grown higher than 17 meters. It gave all his strength to the lower branches and the roots. No winds could move this tree so firmly clinging to the ground. It can be predicted that this oak might even reach the age of the oak of Stelmužė.
Whether the oak of Karveliai is similar to the mighty oak of Stelmužė can be found out in the village of Pypliai in the district of Kaunas, at the edge of the forest of Kamša.
