Published by Via Lettera Ltd.
Translation from Bulgarian: Diana Nikolova
Editor: Roberta Moretti
Cover and illustrations: Kamena Dimitrova
ISBN paperback edition: 978-619-7204-14-8

ISBN e-book: 978-619-7204-13-1

Year of publication: 2019
204 pages
Format:  130 x 200 mm

‘Myths and Legends from Bulgaria’ 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 over sixty 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 three sections – ‘Myths of the Ancient World’, ‘Legends of Creation’ and ‘Legends of the Supernatural’. The first section contains myths of heroes, gods and places, related to Antiquity. The second section is dedicated to the legends of Christianity and those of the Bogomils that have persisted in the popular local beliefs. The third section takes a closer look at the surviving legends of the supernatural world that the Bulgarians have used to 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.