The Magy of the Mountains

By Hristo Alexandrov Santulov

Dear children, I present you with my fairytale world in the hope that it will make you happy. In it you can see yourself, foresee your future as all people are grown up children and we live with our favorite character all life long. They always accompany us and share their wisdom with us, we understand them better, and with them - ourselves. If

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookTrail Publishing
• Release date: Dec 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781959082309

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Copyright © 2022 Hristo Alexandrov Santulov

Illustration by ANIMART studio, Sofia

Editors: Maria Santulova and Elena Santulova

Translator: Maria Santulova

Paperback: 978-1-959082-29-3

eBook: 978-1-959082-30-9

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022917847

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction

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Contents

The Lonely Swan

1    The Abduction

2    The Black Swan

3    The Escape

4    The Chase

5    In The Warm Lakes Ends

6    Reunion by the Mirror Lake

The Emerald Castle

The Eagle From the Samodiva Lake

The Lonely Swan

1    The Abduction

One day, I don’t know why, but I wanted to be alone and went to the shore of Blue Lake. I looked into the distance, where the heavy morning mist had not yet lifted, and dived in thought. It was quiet, it felt mysterious to me, and my daydreaming imperceptibly intertwined with a legend that people still tell along those shores.

There, on the opposite shore, in a small house, lived Grandpa Petko and Grandma Tanya. Grandpa Petko had built the house himself, painted it light blue because they lived by the Blue Lake. He was a lake fisherman - he caught only as much fish as they needed themselves.

Every summer, their granddaughter Yana would come to visit - a girl with a white face, thick long black hair, and olive black eyes, always cheerful and playful, smiling and happy. Every time Yana arrived, the air by the lake got filled with her resounding, joyful voice. The old people were filled with affection, the home was filled with love.

One day, early in the morning, just before sunrise, when the thick fog had not lifted, Grandpa Petko untied his boat and set out into the lake to catch fish to treat Yana with the most delicious fish soup that only Grandma Tanya could cook right.

This morning, Grandpa decided to go deeper to catch bigger fish. He rowed with his strong hands, hardened by toil, and slowly, imperceptibly, entered the damp mist. The boat was lost in the thick clouds and the shore was no longer visible, only the clatter of the oars could be heard. Since he had fished many times in the fog, the old man did not worry at all but simply chose a suitable place to cast his net into the waters of the Blue Lake. It’s alright here. It looks pretty deep and there must be big fish. - the old man thought. He stood up and was ready to cast the net, when suddenly a shrill cry rang out, which startled him so much that Grandpa Petko froze motionless.

Hey, old man, you entered my kingdom this morning! Grandpa Petko heard a shrill female voice that came as a fantastic ominous echo from the depths of the lake. Don’t you know everyone who came into these limits would be enchanted by me? Many fishermen like you are down in my possession! The voice for a long time continued to ring in the old man’s head.

Hearing this, the grandfather trembled with fear and having not thrown the fishing net into the water, collapsed heavily on the seat of the boat. He did not know what to say, but suddenly a clear memory came to his mind when his father had strictly ordered him not to go too deep into the lake, because there, in its depths, lived a very evil and ugly sorceress. Every time someone crossed the borders of her kingdom, she captured him and dragged him to the bottom, turning him into an aquatic animal.

The old man spoke softly:

I’m sorry I broke your peace, great magician. Allow me to return to the shore and continue taking care of my wife and granddaughter. If they were left alone, there would be no one to take care of them, he sent his request humbly, adopting his guilt.

Okay, I’ll let you go, but in return, I’ll come and get your beautiful granddaughter right now and turn her into the most beautiful swan in this land. She will pull my golden chariot instead of the two black crows! the sorceress returned the request. Go now and don’t come here again!

Oh, poor child, what did I do? How could I? What will happen now? the poor old man muttered confusedly. He grabbed the oars again firmly and set to shore, which was barely visible. The boat slid away from the thick fog, but grandfather Petko’s ears were still ringing with the piercing voice wording the evil wish of the sorceress. He rushed home to tell Grandma Tanya everything, to warn her about what was threatening their granddaughter.

Not long after, the boat reached the shore and the old man jumped off it, tied it up, and ran to the house. There, Grandma Tanya was frying the softest bays that all three in the family loved so much.

Hearing the door slam, she turned and saw her husband standing in the doorway, staring strangely and bowing his head.

What’s up, Petko? What happened?

He looked up. His frown and the line of his thick white eyebrows suggested that he had something terrible to tell her.

Tell me straight away, please don’t delay. It bothers me so much! she urged him.

Tanya, this morning, I decided to go deeper into the lake to catch a bigger fish. But when I set sail, I got lost in the fog. And there, I heard the voice of the witch who lives in the depths. I had heard about her from my father, but I didn’t really believe much of his words then.

What are you telling me, Petko? Have you got senile already? What sorceress? Pull yourself together! Have you brought fish for the soup? almost angrily, replied Granny Tanya.

I’m telling you the truth, Tanya. She let me go, but she wanted to take our beautiful granddaughter for herself and turn her into the most beautiful swan in our land to pull her gold chariot. quietly, almost in tears, explained the grandfather. I don’t know what to do, how to save Yana.

Are you serious, Petko? an embarrassed and hesitant voice came from his wife, who still could not fully understand whether this was true or something was