Once upon a time there lived a king whose name was Danubian. He was kind, intelligent and very wise. He lived in peace and understanding with his neighbours. He loved and protected his loving subjects. More and more people from the neighbouring kingdoms, together with their land and animals, joined his kingdom. His Possessions extended its boundaries. He had numerous livestock and lot of happy subjects…

And… the dream of the king was, while alive, he could his daughters married. One day he called Vida and said, “My dear, you're my first child and the smartest. I’ll live my last days with you, so I want to make you the Bdin lady with all the land up to the Carpathians. The morning sun will greet the Danube waters and, in the evening, it will hide behind the high mountains of your kingdom.” When Vida heard all that, she hugged her father and tears of happiness and gratitude rose to her eyes.

A month later King Danubian called his second daughter and said, “Kula, you're my most gentle and obedient girl. I’ve never heard you say that you don’t want or you can’t do something! That’s why I want to make you the ruler of my best possessions - the most fertile lands, shady forests and picturesque lowlands up to flourishing city of Zaichar and all the Timok valley.”

A few days later he talked to Gamza,” You’re, my sweet child, the youngest, but the most clever of all and the one, always submissive to advice. You enjoy everything that surrounds you. You’re very hard-working and that’s why I’ll give you the lands which are the horn of plenty – vineyards, corn fields, lush meadows…”

One evening the king gathered his daughters and said, “I am already pretty old. That’s why I want to see that each one of you has family and an honest husband. And follow my advice! To be a good ruler respect your loving subjects and do not treat others the way you don’t want to be treated!”

A few months later Gamza got married to the king of Serbia. But, before long, it turned out he wasn’t kind and loving at all. He spent all his time with his friends, lived in luxury and wasted all her fortune! When Gamza tried to bring her beloved to his senses, he got very angry and banished her in a monastery…

Some years later, Kula married to a Bulgarian boyar who turned out to be worse than Gamza’s husband! One day Vida and Kula went to the monastery to see her sister. There were no traces left of her heavenly beauty! She didn’t look herself any more…

“My poor sisters, looking at you, I decided never to get married! I’ll dedicate my life to the prosperity of my people. I’ll fortify my castle. I’ll build tall towers from where everything northwards and southwards will be visible! They will be orientation points for travellers, coming from East and West! “

Vida Baba Vida castle!” “These towers will bear my name! They’ll survive for centuries. Everybody who catches a glimpse of them from afar, standing there, on the Danube bank, would say, “ Vida lived here, strong and lonely like the towers she’s built! That’s her castle – Baba Vida castle!”

Collaborative legend, Written in Vidin, Bulgaria. Decorated in all countries, two pages each, as a proof of our wonderful collaboration and friendship. Written by Bulgaria. Decorated by: Page 1,2 – Bulgaria Page 3,4- Spain Page 5,6-Poland Page 7,8-Finland Page 9,10- England