In Bulgaria when someone is said to be “chasing the wind" that means they are not clear about their goals and ideas. When someone gets “wind-blown on a white horse” they are careless, distracted... and just don't care. “Windy job" means something unreliable, flighty, something that arouses suspicion. In this edition of Folk Studio we tell you more about folk beliefs and legends connected with the wind.

Wind is defined as "a movement of air masses from places of high to places of low atmospheric pressure." The first known scientific description of wind was given in the seventeenth century by the Italian physicist Evangelista Torricelli. Centuries ago, in a number of cultural systems wind was personified as a deity or a group of supernatural figures. In Hinduism it is god Vayu; in Greek mythology there are several gods associated with the four cardinal points. Fūjin is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the oldest Shinto gods who was present when the world was created. Njörðr is the Scandinavian god of the wind, who also has four dwarf assistants. Since ancient times people inhabiting the lands of Bulgaria have been studying the different types of wind. In an effort to protect families, homes and the fruits of their labor, they have described accurately the time of occurrence and effects of winds typical of their region. In Bulgarian folklore winds are classified first according to the four cardinal points. Wind coming from the north is called Northerner or Dunavets (because of the Danube), or Dolnyak. The southern wind bringing warmth and good weather is called the White Wind. Because of the mist coming from the Black Sea, the wind coming from the east is called Maglar, Krivets or Chernomorets (derived from Cherno More, Black Sea ). From the west comes the Gornyak, also called Sofianets (derived from Sofia). Koshàva is called the wind from the southeast, while the Kozitsa comes from the northeast.

According to one legend, winds are trapped in a huge cave. According to another, they live inside a leather sack guarded by an old man who has lost his hearing. Sometimes the sack is guarded by a dragon, a blind old woman, Saint Elijah, or even the Lord himself. If the wind starts blowing that means the old man (or any of the other guardians) has opened up the cave's mouth. And if the wind blows for a long time, the old man can't find the cave opening (or that of the leather sack) and stop it up. In Southern Bulgaria it is believed that all winds are born on Christmas eve and they are baptized before Epiphany. In fairy-tales winds often argue and sometimes their quarrels really scare people. A folk legend tells the story of four wind-brothers - Black, White, Blue and Red wind. The worst of them was Black because he ate people. They married the four daughters of a poor old man. Black's wife was very unhappy with his evil-doings. She found out that while she was asleep, her husband's heart turns into an egg, which lies in an eagle's nest. One night the bride took the egg and went up into the mountains to wait for the sunrise. Once the sun rose, the egg burst in her hands and she was free of her tormentor.

Besides evil winds there are a number of benevolent wind heroes in folklore. People have given one of the most beautiful names to the breeze that blows in the morning, late evening and at noon. They called it polibnik, derived from the word for love. According to traditional belief, this wind is brother to the samovilas (or woodland fairies). Especially useful is the wind during threshing as it helps in separating the grain from the inedible chaff. In the region of Strandja they even had a special ritual with offerings to the wind. There are a number of songs dedicated the White Wind and also for the Goryanin or Forester (which comes from the mountain). In some folk lyrics the girl-harvester asks "the unstoppable wind" to carry her voice to the forest where her beloved is with the flock.

In "Boy and the Wind" - one of the most popular folk tales, the wind is first mischievous before turning helper and protector. Once upon a time there lived a widow with her young son. They worked tirelessly and managed to fill the barn with wheat. One night the mother sent the child to bring flour from the cellar. He did so, but once he went out in the yard, the wind blew the flour out of the cup in his hands. This was repeated several times and the boy ran to chase the villain in anger. All the way people told him it was stupid and even dangerous to chase the wind, but the boy kept running. He finally caught up with the wind and told him he wanted the flour back. "Hey, boy, can winds keep any flour?" the wind laughed and in return rewarded the brave boy with a magic napkin. He only had to say, "Give me something to eat!” and food was served. On the way back the boy spent the night at an inn, but the inn keepers stole the napkin. The boy went back to the wind and this time he gave him a magic rooster with gold coins falling out of its beak. The greedy innkeepers again robbed the boy. The third time the wind decided to punish them and gave the boy a magic stick, which on command started striking out right and left. Thus the boy managed to get back his napkin and his rooster and then happily returned home.

English: Alexander Markov