According to an ancient Lithuanian legend, the sea-goddess Jurate fell in love with a fisherman Kastytis. When the thunder-god Perkunas found out, he became very angry at Jurate's love for a mere mortal. He struck down Kastytis and shattered Jurate's undersea palace made of amber.

It is said that, when winds whip up raging storms in the Baltic Sea, one can still hear Jurate moaning over her loss and, afterwards, one can still find small pieces of her amber palace washed out on the Baltic shore among the seaweeds.