In the village of Peštani, an ordinary woman gave birth to a zmaj. The zmaj had wings, but they were very small. The zmaj fought against storms and various lamias. Lamias brought hail and devoured the crops. For instance, a lamia destroyed a vineyard in Gabrovo. One day, a black cloud approached, and a lamia started to ravage the vineyard in the village of Peštani. The zmaj said to the villagers, "You lie down and rest a little, and I'll be back soon." And his body was there, but his spirit – who knows where it wandered. He fought with that lamia.

In the village of Kusić, there lived a farmer named Ilija Bordan. It was said that he was born to fight the Ala. He had a tail. When thunder began in the sky, Ilija's appearance would change – he fought with the Ala. If the Ala was overpowering, he would lie down and sleep. But if he was defeating it, the clouds would disperse, and the sky would clear.

In the village of Šljivovica, a tractor driver named Živko, at the age of one hundred, became a wind-rider. Before a storm, he would become restless. When a black cloud approached, he would leave his tractor in the middle of the field, strip naked, put on a long cloak, and go into the mountains to fight the wind. We would see him after the storm, standing in the yard, utterly exhausted.

Once, in the village of Rsovci, during haymaking, a storm began. One mower lay on the ground and told the others to swing their scythes above him, or else the Ala would kill him. They did as he said – all swung their scythes over him, while he fought the Ala up above. He was very tired when he returned and said, "Thank God, we killed the Ala!"

ZDUHACHI are not much different from ordinary people. Only they sleep very soundly and it is difficult to wake them up. and during that time their spirit is absent. IT comes out TO guide the winds, chase the clouds, bring and carrie away hail, and TO fight with other ZDUHACHES.

Broom in one hand, three spindles in the other. Stay over the ravine, raise the wind from the bottom. The wind will rise, catch your name, carry it to the other bank.

Shower hail over the river, gather stones from the riverbed. Melt your name in the water, turn it into a catfish's dream.

In someone else's dream, but on your own ground, gather straw, tie a sheave. Straighten the ears, unbend the grass, lean a ladder against the sky.

A straw in the pocket, a log in the bosom. Stay by the wolf's gates, lit a wooden spill, threaten the wind with a rooster's feather. Reclaim your name.

ONLY TWO CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE USED TO BE CALLED THIS WAY: MASTER ARTISANS & SORCERERS. it is a story of the secrets and mysteries of mastery, of ANIMATE AND INANIMATE things, of the invisible and THE unknown.