Symeon (The Bleeding Moon)

Symeon was the headman of the the Bulgarian village of Gramada. He and his brother Rossen were the only two men who owned muskets in the village. Symeon was a natural leader, and a good headman for the village.

Symeon was angered when on of his people, Todor, was murdered by men from the village of Kula, but was hesitant to seek reprisals. Forty days later, the vilage was plagued by Todor's vurkolak, who attacked the full moon one night. As the villgae watched, the moon completely vanished into the vurkolak and began to glow red. Hours passed, and the vurkolak continued to feed upon the moon. The villagers resolved then to drive it off. They gathered together pots and pans and began beating on them to make noise. While the vurkolak was bothered, it wasn't until Todor's cousin, Petko, convinced Symeon and Rossen to get their muskets. After each fired off their heavy guns, the vurkolak retreated.

Not long after that night, Symeon traveled to Vidin to deliver the annual tribute of sheep to the Turks. He learned that the village of Kula had come to misfortune. From their description, Symeon realized that the vurkolak had begun preying on Kula. He professed sympathy he didn't feel and returned home, reporting the story to Gramada.