Within the fragrant forests and beautiful mountains of Bulgaria lies a land of gold, a hidden world of ancient myth and folklore, of shape-shifting dragons, wild women, giant-hearted heroes, vampires and demons of the night.
Beyond Nine Forests is a fabulous collection of Bulgarian traditional tales that range from the magical to the macabre, from fairy tale to heroic epic. In addition, the author delves into Bulgaria's folklore and ancestral mythologies going back to ancient Thracian times, to explore the roots of these stunning stories and their deeper meanings.
Acclaimed British-Bulgarian oral storyteller Moni Georgieva Sheehan has retold the tales in a way that is true to the heart of the original narratives in this trailblazing work. Translated from authentic sources and little known in the West, they cross the boundaries of time and space to speak to the heart, mind and soul.
With a foreword by Professor Ronald Hutton, the book features artwork from some of Bulgaria's finest artists.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
FOREWORD BY PROFESSOR RONALD HUTTON
PREFACE
Artwork
INTRODUCTION
Bulgaria Through Myth And History
Prehistory
The Thracians
The Slavs
The Bulgars
The Establishment of the Bulgarian State
Ottoman Rule
Bulgarian Myth and Folklore
The Bulgarian Oral Tradition
Myths
Sung Narratives
Spoken Narratives
WONDROUS WEDDINGS
The Traditional Bulgarian Wedding
A Dragon Speaks to a Fir Tree
The Uninvited Guest
Little Stag Brother
SHAPE SHIFTERS AND MAGICAL ANIMALS
Bears in Bulgarian Myth and Folklore
The Bear Was Once a Woman
The Bear's Son
Deer in Bulgarian Myth and Folklore
The Stag Son
Lyulyana Found in the Forest
The Doe Bride
Doichin and the Stag
A Young Madcap Races a Deer
Snakes in Bulgarian Myth and Folklore
The Snake Bride
The Good Deeds of the Woodcutter, Dobri
Dimcho's Wedding
BULGARIAN DRAGONS
The Zmey
Gyurgeliya and the Zmey
The Cave Roussin Kamuk
The Zmey's Bride
Magic to Banish a Zmey
Lamya, Demon of Drought
Hala, Demon of Hail
A Dark Fog Fell
The Three Brothers and the Lamya
The Dragon's Black-Dressed Daughter
The Stone Child
SAMODIVI, THE WILD ONES
Stoyan and the Three Samodivi
The Boy and the Blind Man
Ivan Choban and the Samodiva
The Samodiva Bride
Yovan Popov and the Samovila
The Head Shepherd and the Samodivi
THE GOLDEN SUN
Why the Sun Doesn't Marry
The Sun and Immortal Gold
What Honey Is Made of, and Why the Sun Can't Marry
The Sun's Wedding
The Wondrous Oxen
EPIC HEROES AND HORSES
Krali Marko
The Arvatska Maiden
Horses in Bulgarian Myth and Folklore
Krali Marko, Yv-e and Vida Bazdarzhikya
Krali Marko Loses His Strength
Child Sekula and the Three-Headed Serpent
DEMONS, SPIRITS AND ANGELS
Vampires and their Relatives
The Vampire Fiance
Karakondzho
The Girl in the Watermill
The Chuma
The Chuma, the Man and the Frog
The Talasum
The Legend of Kadin Most
The Angel of Death
Archangel Michael and the Golden Apple
HOW THINGS CAME TO BE
The War between Wild and Domestic Animals
Wolves in Bulgarian Myth and Folklore
God and the Devil
Why Summer isn't the Only Season
God and the Devil Create the Earth and People
God's Contract with the Devil
TRICKSTERS AND TROUBLE-MAKERS
Nastraddin Hodja Explains the World
Hitur Petur and the Rich Man
Hitur Petur, Nastraddin Hodja and the Roast Lamb
Baba Marta Helps a Poor Man
Tortoise Went Ploughing
The Greedy Priest and His Wife
THE RITUAL YEAR
25 December: Christmas, Koleda
Vida the Maiden
25 December-5 January: The Dirty Days
New Year: Survakari and Kukeri
8 January: Midwives' Day, Babinden
1 February: St Trifon the Pruner, Trifon Zarezan
Trifon and the Mother of God
1-3 February: Wolf Holidays
10 February: St Haramlampus Day, Plague Day
11 February: St Blaise's Day, Vlasovden, Mooing Day
1 March: Grandmother March, Baba Marta
Baba Marta and the Goatherd
25 March: Annunciation, Blagovets
Horses' Easter: Konski Velikden, Todorovden
St Lazarus Day and Palm Sunday
Orthodox Easter
1 May: Snake Day, Zumski Den
6 May: St George's Day, Gergyovden
May or June: Ascension Day, Spasovden
May or June: Fairy Week, Rusalska Sedmitsa
May or June: Rain-making Rituals - Gherman and Peperuda
21 May: Sacred Fire-dancing, Nestinarstvo
24 June: Midsummer's Day, Enyovden
15-17 July: The Hot Ones, Goreshtnitsi
20 July: St Ilya's Day, Ilinden
14 October: St Petka's Day, Petkovden
26 October: St Dimitur's Day, Dimitrovden
8 November: Archangel Michael's Day, Arhangelovden
11-21 November: Wolf Holidays
30 November: St Andrew's Day, Bears' Day, Mechkinden
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND ABBREVIATIONS
Moni Georgieva Sheehan inherited her love of Bulgaria from her mother, and is inspired by Bulgaria's rich traditional culture and its roots in the past. She trained in Bulgarian folk dance in Plovdiv, formed the ground-breaking British-Bulgarian storytelling company A Spell In Time in 1995, and has featured on the BBC World Service, Bulgarian national TV and radio, and in Newsweek magazine. She is also a founder member of the award-winning London Bulgarian Choir, and has established a thriving oral storytelling group in Bulgaria to help preserve the country's rich oral heritage. She lives in London with her husband.
