The Dragon From the Pirin Village

     Many years ago an old dragon possessed the forests between Struma River and Mesta River. The monster had two sons that were also dragons. He sent them to work in the surrounding areas. You will ask what their work was. It was to put clouds in order, to spread rains, hails, thunders and lightnings.

    Once the younger son was flying over the Pirin village. It was Easter and there was a big chain dance. Among the dancing peasants was also the most beautiful maiden of the village, whose name was Yana. The dragon was attracted by the charming girl. For a fraction of a second he swooped down and grabbed her from the chain dance before anyone could make out what happened. Her devastated father asked about her everywhere, he searched for her but there was not a single trace of his beloved daughter. A lot of time passed and Yana’s parents got used to their loss.

     On a sunny summer day Yana’s father ascended to the Dragon Rock in order to collect firewood. However, he felt as if something was dragging him higher and higher along the rock slope. The father reached the top of the rock and there he saw his daughter. She was wearing lovely clothes decorated with coins. Father and daughter embraced each other. Tears of joy rolled down the man’s cheeks. Yana recounted what had happened to her. She had married the dragon. They were so absorbed in their conversation that the young woman began to fear the consequences of an encounter between her husband and the uninvited guest. That’s why she hurriedly sent him away. But before her father left, she gave him a present. Yana filled a sack with coins. However, she had learned dragon spells and used them to make the gold as light as a feather. In this way, it would be easier for her father to carry the sack. Yana told him to open the sack when he got home. They bid farewell and the father left with the sack on his shoulder.

     While he was walking, something pushed the man to open the sack and see what was inside. Finally, he couldn’t resist the temptation any more and opened it. The sack was full of onion flakes. The father got angry, emptied the sack, put it in his pocket and went home. As soon as he got home, he decided to check the sack again and when he opened it, he saw a coin stuck in its bottom. 

    Yana’s father told his wife what had happened. She told him off and sent him to collect the onion flakes as soon as possible. The man left his home in a hurry but when he reached the place it was already too late. In the same place a big river with warm water was springing. It had swept everything downhill. When the father had emptied the sack, Yana had seen him and  had feared that the dragon might notice what had happened and get furious. In order to prevent that, she had started praying to God for help. He had heard her prayers and had made hot water spring from nearby and sweep the onion flakes.
  Since then this river is known as Toplica, which in Bulgarian means “warmth”.

Tags: Pirin, village, dragon, maiden, ToplicaRiver