The Turtle of the Returned Sword
Legend says a giant turtle in a Hanoi lake took back a magic sword from Vietnam's king. Giant turtles really did live in the lake, until 2016.
What was reported
Hoàn Kiếm, 'Lake of the Returned Sword', lies in the heart of Hanoi. Legend says that in the 15th century, the emperor Lê Lợi was given a magic sword to drive out invaders, and after victory, while boating on the lake, a giant golden turtle rose and took the sword back to its divine owner.
For centuries, people reported seeing a huge turtle surfacing in the lake, and its appearances were taken as omens.
Explanations offered
A real giant softshell turtle lived in the lake, one of the last of the species Rafetus swinhoei, among the largest freshwater turtles in the world. It was treated with great reverence, and when it died in January 2016, it was mourned across Vietnam. Only a few of the species may survive.
- When
- Legend from the 1400s; last turtle died in 2016
- Where
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Witnesses
- Hanoi residents and scientists
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.