Chernogor is a village from Ludogorie border area also called in Turkish Deliorman. The area was previously covered with dense forests of ancient oak trees. After 1947, in order to get new agricultural areas, forests have been cut gradually on the village’s land it was established the State factory for cattle “Yanko Zabunov” . Now around Chernogor are scattered fields of wheat, corn and sunflower. On one of the fields, like some lonely giants there are two old oak trees left (Quercus robur), named by the locals – big meshe and small meshe. Located approximately 3 km from the village, big meshe has a trunk circumference at the base of 7 meters and the circumference of the trunk of 4.50 meters. It is supposed to be more than 400 years old. Small meshes circumference at the base is 5.50 meters, while the trunk has 4.10 m.
There is a legend passed from mouth to mouth and from generation to generation, that the trees in Karahadarlar (s. Chernogor) and Deli Isuflar (s. Krasnogor) villages were so thick that 2-3 people could not embrace them. There lived a mysterious girl, who gave the name of the forest “Kaz Koria” (translated from Turkish “forest girl”). It was a fragile, handicapped and helpless orphan, but with an unexpected lust for life. They did not want her either on our land, nor in our sky. So she created the forest. People do not dare to say openly that the girl was attacked and assaulted and she committed suicide.
After her death, the virgin became a mystical woman, mysterious, unearthly beautiful, eternally young, with long blond hair and a magical look. In the evening when the moon rises, the fairy danced and sang around the trees and green lawns. But if you see fairies don’t look in their eyes and don’t listen to them, because you will be destroyed. She lived under old trees, which she illuminated with a mysterious white light. She came out only during the night and was hiding when the sun raised. She protected her possessions and those who broke them disappeared or became incurable ill. People heard her laughter, but saw only a vague light between the trees.
The fairy was the guardian of the forest and no one dared to cut it. The lush meadows were covered with a thick carpet of green grass, but the cattle did not feed there, only small lambs and young calves and only after St. George’s celebration. Therefore, she was equally respected by both Muslims and Christians. Gathered together there under the dark shadows of old trees to celebrate St. George (Hadarlez), they offered prayers together for health and even for rain.
The last celebration in the forest “Kaz koriya” was in 1947, before its massive cutting. Every family has received from the newly formed SAE (State Agricultural Economy) a part of these huge meshes wood to make beams for construction of houses, animal troughs, barrels, carts and only a few people refused, remembering the legend. Meshe received most of the new immigrants from Northern Dobrudja who settled in the village after 1940, ignoring or not knowing the stories of the cursed forest.
The fairy disappeared when the forest was cut but she did not cease to remind them about her. It is said that until today she revenges for what they did cursing for bad luck and death the ones that used the wood from the forest or stones from the old Turkish cemetery where she was buried.