Part snake, part bird, part human, zmeys are associated with both fire and water. They live in caves, lakes or mountain palaces and glow as they fly. They can summon whirlwinds or become invisible at will. They are immensely strong, and a human who eats a dragon's heart gains some of that power.
They are shape shifters and can take on an alluring human form but they can also change into dogs, flower garlands, or even necklaces. Zmeys often fall in love with humans, who then may grow pale and lovesick. They may pine away, for dragon love can be deadly. The only cure is to take a potion made with herbs such as gentian, tansy and wormwood to repulse the dragon.
The fairy tale recipe I have embraced is
The Emperor' Golden Apples Banitzi
- adapted from the fairy tale "The Emperor's Nine Peahens and the Golden Apples."
Once upon a time, the great emperor of Bulgaria's golden apple tree was robbed every night, so his sons set themselves to watch it. The older two slept, but the youngest stayed awake. Nine peahens arrived. Eight riffled the tree, while the ninth came down beside him and became a beautiful maiden. She talked with him. He begged her to leave one apple, and she left two. This went on for two nights, until his brothers spied on him and saw how it happened. They made a bargain with a witch, and the next night she leapt up and cut off a lock of the maiden's hair. The prince caught the witch and had her executed, but the peahens did not return.
Grieving, the prince set out in search. He found a castle with an aging empress, who had one daughter. On hearing that nine peahens bathed in the lake outside, he set out, despite her efforts to have him stay. The empress bribed his servant to blow a whistle when the nine peahens approached. This threw him into an enchanted sleep. The ninth tried to wake him, but to no avail. She told the servant they would come on the next day and never again. The next day, the servant put him to sleep again, and the maiden told him that if the prince wanted to find her, he should roll the under peg on the upper. The servant repeated this to the prince. The prince cut off his head and went on alone.
A hermit directed him to a castle, he found the ninth peahen, and they were married at once. One day his wife, the empress, had to go on journey, and forbade him to go into the twelfth cellar. When he went in, a cask with iron bands about it asked him for water. He gave it three cups. It burst, and a dragon sprang out to fly off and capture the empress.
He set out in search of her. He saw a fish on the bank, helped it into the water, and received a scale to call it; a fox in a trap, and received a couple of hairs; and a wolf in another trap, and received a couple of hairs. He found where the empress was held captive, and they tried to escape. The dragon saw them, his horse told him there was plenty of time to eat and drink before setting in pursuit, and after he ate and drank, the dragon captured them. He let the prince go because of the drinks of water, but promised it would be the only clemency.
The prince returned to the castle and had the empress ask the dragon where he got the horse. The dragon told how a witch had a mare and foal, and whoever watched them for three days would get his pick of her horses, and whoever failed would lose his life. The prince set out, and found she had poles about her house, every one of which except one had a skull on it. She hired him to look after the horse. He watched all day, but in the night, he fell asleep, and they escaped into the water. He asked the fish, who told him the charm to get them out. When he went back for dinner, the witch scolded the horse, heard its reason, and told it to go among the foxes; he used the fox hairs and got it back, and then, the next day, the wolf hairs.
He asked for the ugly horse in the corner and would not be dissuaded. Then he returned to the castle and carried off the empress. When the dragon saw them, he asked whether he could eat or drink first, but the horse said he would not catch whether he ate first or pursued at once. Still, the dragon rode after, and the horse complained to the prince's of the effort of catching him.
Afterwards, when he mounted it and gave it its head, it flew, flew like a bird, and in a jiffy arrived at the dragon's palace. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he bade the empress to get ready for flight. She was not long in getting ready they both mounted the horse and set off. They had not long started in flight when the dragon arrived--looked about. No empress. Then he said to his horse: Shall we eat and drink, or shall we pursue?' 'Eat or not, drink or not, pursue or not, you won't catch him.' When the dragon heard this, he immediately mounted his horse, and started to pursue them. When the prince and empress perceived that he was pursuing them, they were terrified, and urged their horse to go quickly, but the horse answered them: 'Never fear; there's no need to hurry.' The dragon came trot, trot, and the horse he rode called to that which bore the prince and the empress: 'Bless you, brother, wait! for I shall break my wind from pursuing you.' The other replied: 'Whose fault is it, if you're such a fool as to carry that spectre on your back? Buck, and throw him on the ground, and then follow me.' When the dragon's horse heard this, up with his head, a jump with his hind-quarters, and bang went the dragon against a stone. The dragon was smashed to pieces, and his horse followed the prince and empress. Then the empress caught and mounted it, and they arrived safe and sound in the empress's dominions, and fast went home where they all celebrated with a Emperor'
Golden Apples Banitzi.
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
- 18 sheets filo dough, thawed
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, melted
- 4 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and grated
The prince heated the oven to 400 degrees, whilst the empress mixed walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and bread crumbs.
The prince placed one sheet filo dough on a tea towel, brushed it lightly with butter and repeated this 2 more times so there were 3 layers of filo.
The empress made sure to portion out 1/5th of the walnut mixture on the entire surface of the filo. Then, placed 1/5th of the apples in a 1/2-inch-wide strip along the short edge and 1/2 inch away from the sides. She folded up the bottom edge first, then sides, and then roll away from herself, using the towel to help, until she had a tight cylinder. She repeated this with remaining filo dough.
Finally, the prince placed the banitzi on a parchment-lined pan and baked for 20 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
The empress served warm, they both enjoyed it and live happily ever after.
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