Published by Via Lettera Ltd.
Translation from Bulgarian: Diana Nikolova
Cover and illustrations: Kamena Dimitrova
ISBN paperback edition: 978-619-7204-20-9

Year of publication: 2023
240 pages
Format: 130 x 200 mm

‘Myths and Legends from Bulgaria. The Enriched Collection’ is a book that invites you to take a deep dive in times too remote to be known and stories that have travelled a long way through history to reach us. The collection contains seventy-six myths and legends from all parts of the country, spanning over a period from obscure antiquity to the realm of the supernatural beliefs, still existing today.

The stories in this book have been taken from various sources, both Bulgarian and foreign. The author has tried to divide them into four parts – ‘Myths of the Ancient World’, ‘Legends of Creation’, ‘Legends of Saints & Sinners’ and ‘Legends of the Supernatural’. The first chapter contains myths of heroes, gods and places, related to Antiquity. The second chapter is dedicated to the legends of Christianity and those of the Bogomils that have persisted in the popular local beliefs. The third part looks into the deeply rooted understanding of Bulgarians of good and evil, the true manifestation of virtue and the role of particular saints in the life of ordinary man. The fourth chapter takes a closer look at the surviving legends of supernatural creatures who resided in the fantasies of the Bulgarians, helping them explain the wonders of nature.

Founded on the crossroads between East and West, Bulgaria has been the heart of ancient Thrace, the newly established state of the old Bulgars and the home of many Slavic tribes. The stories in this collection range from the creation of the world, the origins of man and animals, to the life of famous heroes as well as superstitions and rituals, tapping into the endless imagination of our ancestors. The transition from the old world of pagan times to the new world of Christianity in combination with the exuberant local folklore have turned Bulgaria’s cultural heritage into a gold mine, waiting to be discovered.