Libretto - Alexander Malchev
Based on the novel of the same name by Elin Pelin

First performance: 1989, Burgas Opera

First performance in Ruse: 1 June 1991, director and choreographer Stoyan Georgiev, artist - Ivan Tokadzhiev.

Short synopsis:
First scene
A small clearing on the outskirts of town in front of the Potter's workshop. Jan Bibiyan and Ia are happily playing. The Potter comes out of the workshop and calls the two children. He suggests that they make a boy out of clay together. With laughter and banter, they begin their work.

An old woman comes out of the forest, bent over from the weight of the pile of wood she is carrying on her back. Jan Bibian and Ia rush to help her. Under the masterful fingers of the Potter, the boy's clay figure is now ready. Jan and Ia's joy is so great that they involve not only the old potter in their game, but also the clay boy Calcho.

At the far end of the clearing near the forest, the evil sorcerer Myrilai and the Old Devil appear with their retinues. They start bragging to each other about who has done more mischief to the people.

Watching the merry game of Ia and Jan, Myrilai and the Old Devil make a bet between themselves - who will hurt the two children more.

Myrlaylai turns Ia into a crow, and the little devil Futh flops on Jan's back, and the Old Devil quickly swaps his head with that of the clay boy.

Jan Bibiyan is now unrecognizable with his new head. He begins to throw stones at the Crow, to smash the vessels arranged in front of the workshop, to stab with a stick the figure of the boy, which only a moment ago he was so happy to make himself.

The old potter is stunned. What is going on with Ian? He tries to calm him down, but Jan starts stoning him too. Mirilai and the Old Devil are very pleased. They have no more business here. The potter chases away Jan and his new friend Fyut.

Ia-Vranata is left alone on the stage - where to go, how to save herself and Jan from the evil magic...

Second scene
In the backyard of the Cutter's house. Jan and Foote sneak into his chicken coop and start throwing his chickens over the fence. Alarmed by the noise, the Butcher enters the yard. Foote spots him and hides behind the fence. Unsuspecting, Jan Bibiyan continues to dump chickens. The Butcher grabs Jan by the neck and, despite his pleas, pushes him into a barrel, which rolls down to the river. The raging river carries it away and, bumping from bank to bank, stone to stone, the barrel with Yan trapped in it floats downstream. Futh, very pleased with his devil, runs along the bank, following the barrel floating in the water.

Third scene
Dark Night. Deep in the woods, in a clearing by the river, by a fire, a group of outlaws are recounting their exploits. Each of them wants to seem a bigger hero and a bigger outlaw than the others.

From behind the trees, Futh appears, listens to them for a while and decides to test their mettle. He quickly pulls the barrel out of the water and rolls it towards the fire. There is a bit of a stampede among the robbers, and they all rush at the barrel, expecting a heap of gold to pour out of it. To their horror, Jan pops out of there, but in their fright the big "daredevils" take him for the devil himself.

Stumbling over each other, the robbers scurry through the woods as far away from this devilish place as they can.

Jan is no less frightened than the robbers. Bethesda knows where he is, and, trembling with fear, begins to call out to Fyut. But instead of Phyut, Crow appears. This frightens Jan even more, and he begins to chase her from the clearing. The Crow struggles to get close to him, and with her anxious cries she seems to want to tell him something. Jan stops the chase and Crow, flapping his wings, tries to lead him away from this scary place. Jan is ready to follow her, but at that moment Futh, who, hidden in the forest, has been watching the whole scene, appears and chases the Crow away. She continues circling over the clearing, waiting for Jan to follow her. He is quite confused. He stays with Futh, but his mind is drawn to the Crow.

Not knowing how to improve Jan's mood, Fyut calls on the help of the three women of Myrilai: Dry - the Iron Woman, Scary - the Golden Woman and Pretty - the Silver Woman. The three surround the two heroes and begin to revolve around them, with Fyut nudging Jan now toward one and now toward the other.

To Jan Bibiyan's horror, everything begins to circle before his eyes. He begs Fyut to stop this devilish spinning, but he is so pleased with his act, so cheerful, that he does not hear Jan's pleas at all. Overcoming his frustration with great difficulty, Jan chases after Fyut and manages to catch up with him, grabbing his tail to hold him, but it breaks away. Foote screams in pain and hides in the woods. The three women follow him, but Silver Woman returns to help Yan, and at that moment the ground beneath Yan Bibian opens up and he slowly begins to sink down into the Realm of Evil.

Everywhere down here there is a terrible silence and loneliness. No noise, no sound from anywhere. A bluish ghostly twilight is everywhere and you cannot tell if it is day or night.

Fourth scene
In the dark kingdom of evil. A large black hall, the walls and floor of which are covered with large black mirrors. A large black throne stands in the middle of the hall. Ian Bibian fearfully enters the hall. In his hands he holds Fyut's tail firmly, waving it like a whip.

Passing by the mirrors, Jan Bibiyan stops in amazement and fear in front of each one, because the people he has caused harm to are looking at him from there - the Potter, the Cutter, the Calcio, the Old Woman, the Crow. Despairing of all that is happening to him, barely stepping with heavy feet, Jan slumps at the foot of the throne, covers his eyes and weeps bitterly.

The Silver Woman - the Pretty Woman appears, accompanied by the Crow, who quickly runs up to Jan and nudges him on the shoulder. Jan jumps up and wags his tail, when he sees the Crow, he stops and slowly steps towards her.

The crow tells him about the cruel bet between Myrlaylai and the Old Devil and reveals that it was her, his friend in the games, Ia. The Silver Woman tells them how they can save themselves and others enchanted like them - they must take the Book of Knowledge from the evil sorcerer Myrlai at all costs.

The silver woman hears footsteps, she grabs Ia's arm and they both hide behind the throne.

Into the hall enters Mirelai himself, an old man with a long white beard to the floor, with a frowning and pale face, and a broad black cloak on his shoulders. He carries a huge book in his hands - the Book of Knowledge. His aim is to take the devil's tail from Jan.

Jan Bibiyan bravely throws himself against Myrlai and, swinging the tail of Futh, succeeds, together with the crow Ia and the Silver Woman, in driving him away. In his surprise at this unexpected attack, Myrlai drops the Book of Knowledge.

Jan, Ia and Silver Woman start reading the Book of Knowledge.

Into the hall rushes Mirelai at the head of his retinue of hatchlings and with his other two wives. Ian, Ia and the Silver Woman manage to capture him, and his hatchlings and two women flee in terror.

Left alone, Mirelai becomes very kind. He persuades Jan, Ia, and the Silver Woman to return the Book of Knowledge and the Devil's Tail to him, and in return he will summon his other two wives to lead them out of the dark realm of evil.

Out of the bowels of the earth emerge the Old Devil and Futh, along with the two women of Myrilai - the Dread and the Dry. They all surround Jan Bibiyan, the crow Ia, and the Silver Woman, but the three friends are not intimidated by them and with what they have learned from the Book of Knowledge and armed with the power of the Devil's Tail, they drive away the evil wizard Mirelai and the Old Devil, followed by the Hatchlings. Also unsuccessful are the attempts of the Scary Woman with the tobacco and the Dry Woman with the alcohol to force Jan to forget what he has learned.

The magic is broken, the evil is forever destroyed. A miracle happens - Ia is no longer a crow, Beauty and Futh the devil become good people again. The three of them help Jan Bibiyan and the other prisoners to free themselves from the dark kingdom, which is transformed into a beautiful garden that echoes with happy children's laughter and merry games.