Long ago, Gediminas, the Great Grand Duke of Lithuania, hunted with his retinue in sacred woods, as was the privilege of a man of his status. He hunted down a large bull at a place now called the Taurus Hill and offered sacrifice to the Gods. As evening approached, Gediminas and his companions rested and feasted by campfire. Then weary from the hunt, they slept soundly in a hilltop grove.

That night, Gediminas dreamed of an iron-clad wolf high atop a hill, who seemed to howl with the voice of a hundred wolves.

Gediminas could not understand the dream, so he visited the High Priest, Lizdeika, at the grove-shrine of Perkunas, the Mighty Thunderer. Lizdeika scried into the fire, divined and interpreted it so:

"Great Ruler, the armoured wolf is a city which you shall build. It will be as strong as iron and protect the land from its enemies. And the wolves that you heard, were the voices of its heroes whose great deeds will make this city reknowned throughout the world."