It is 140 years since the birth of the children's poet, writer and translator Ran Bosilek - the writer, called the "master of children's literature", "sweet talker", "wise storyteller" and "magician of words", whose work has become part of the literary memory of generations of Bulgarian children, BTA notes.
Ran Bosilek, literary pseudonym of Gencho Stanchev Negentsov, was born on September 26, 1886 in Gabrovo. He grew up in a poor, large family. His father was a craftsman and volunteer in the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), who died when Ran Bosilek was 7 years old. From his mother, as a child, he was introduced to oral folk art through the fairy tales that she told him. These early impressions later found a place in his work, in which folk tales and folklore plots occupy a significant place.
In 1904, he graduated from the Aprilov Gymnasium in Gabrovo, after which he began working as a teacher in his hometown. In the period 1904-1910, he also worked as the chairman of the teachers' association, librarian of the National Community Center “Aprilov – Palauzov - 1861“, as well as a participant in the theatrical life of Gabrovo. For his students, he created his first children's poem "On a pigtail", published in 1906 in the magazine "Firefly". In the same magazine, as well as in the "Picture Gallery for Children and Adolescents", he published poems in the period 1906-1914.
From 1908 to 1910, he studied Slavic philology and law at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". In 1916, he graduated from law with a doctorate in Brussels, Belgium. After returning to Bulgaria, he worked as a lawyer for a while, but gradually parted ways with the legal profession and turned to children's literature.
„CHILDREN'S JOY“ AND THE PATILANTS
After devoting himself entirely to children's literature, Ran Bosilek participated in the editing of the magazine “Firefly“, and from 1922 he edited the newspaper “Sparrow“. At the same time, he collaborated with the “Picture Gallery for Children and Adolescents“ and the magazine “Orthodox Christian“. In 1923, he began his long-term work with the magazine “Children's Joy“, of which he was the editor in the period 1923-1947. Through his editorial work in “Children's Joy“, he contributed to the appearance of hundreds of works for children by Bulgarian and foreign authors, especially in the 1920s and 1930s of the 20th century, defined as the “golden period“ of Bulgarian children's literature.
For a quarter of a century - from 1923 to 1948 - he was also associated with the publishing house "Hemus" as a writer, translator, editor and manager.
In 1923, his first book "Kose Bosse" was published, followed by "The Sisters of Max and Moritz" (1924), "Kuma Lisa", "Kumcho Vulcho" and the poetry collection "Chik Chirik" (1925). In these early works, Ran Bosilek combines fairy-tale plots, folk motifs, humor and rhythmic speech, gradually building his characteristic image as a storyteller for children. In 1926, "Unborn Maiden" was published, and from the mid-1920s, the cycle of stories about Patilantsi took shape. "Patilancho. Letters from Patilancho to Smehurka" was published in 1925, followed by "Patilansko Tsarstvo" and "Bate Patilan. Letters to Smehurka" (1927), "Patilancho Dancho" (1929), "Patilancho in the Village" (1935) and "Patilansko Uchitel" (1939). (1942).
The Patilan stories first appeared on the pages of “Children's Joy“, for which they were created specifically, and quickly became some of Ran Bosilek's most recognizable works. Through them, he developed humorous plots and situations in rhymed and rhythmic prose, and the characters and incidents from the children's world were presented with playful language and a sense of humor. His other works were constructed in the same way, including “The Sisters of Max and Moritz“, created based on motifs by Wilhelm Busch.
In the 1930s, his work expanded with new tales and poems - among them “Sinchec“ (1930), “Golden Apple“ and “Boy and the Wind. Barebeard“ (1931), “Living Water“ (1933), “Cuckoo and Meow“ and “The Devil with the White Tail“ (1934), as well as “Merry Eyes“ (1936). His fairy tales intertwine original fiction and reworked folk plots, populated by animals and characters close to children's imagination.
He continued to write in the following decades, creating “The Golden Lizard“ (1942), “Naughty Hands“ (1945), “Merry Peycho“ (1946), “New Song“ (1953) and other books for children. Along with narrative prose, poetry remains an important part of his work, and the poem "Tell me, white cloud", written in 1916 in Brussels, becomes one of his most recognizable texts.
ATTENTION TO THE ARTISTIC DESIGN OF CHILDREN'S BOOKS
As editor of “Children's Joy“ Ran Bosilek attracts to children's literature the established Bulgarian writers of his time. Among the authors who begin or expand their work for children through the publications with which he is associated are Angel Karaliychev, Kalina Malina, Dora Gabe, Elisaveta Bagryana, Lachezar Stanchev, Asen Raztsvetnikov, Georgi Raichev, Konstantin Konstantinov and Svetoslav Minkov. Among the writers attracted to children's literature with his assistance is Nikola Furnadzhiev.
He pays special attention to the artistic design of children's books. For the illustrations and layout of the publications, he attracted artists such as Iliya Beshkov, Alexander Bozhinov, Vadim Lazarkevich, Boris Angelushev, Georgi Atanasov, as well as other leading artists of the period.
With Vadim Lazarkevich in 1934-1935, he created in “Children's Joy“ the cycle “A Raven Cries on a Chimney, Long-eared Paw Mill“, published in books 1-7 and designed as a sound film. At that time, such a combination of drawing, text and audio-visual narration was a novelty for a children's publication.
Ran Bosilek also contributed to the development of the children's book as a publishing form. He is among the creators of the artistically designed children's book in Bulgaria and strives for the text, illustration and overall layout to be intended together for the child reader.
THE SOCIETY OF CHILDREN'S WRITERS
On November 11, 1928, the Society of Children's Writers was founded, and Ran Bosilek became its first chairman. He was repeatedly re-elected to this position until 1944. As chairman, he participated in initiatives related to the development and popularization of children's literature.
On his initiative, the first anthology of Bulgarian children's literature was compiled - “Ognishte“ (1933), and the newspaper “Detska kniga“ was founded. Ran Bosilek also attaches great importance to direct meetings with children, through which he maintains contact with the readers of his books and the publications he edits.
RETELLS AND TRANSLATES WORLD CLASSICS
In parallel with his own work, Ran Bosilek works as a translator and reteller. He presents fairy tales of Norwegian, Russian, Indian, Swedish and Japanese origin in Bulgarian. He translates or Bulgarians works by Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, Wilhelm Busch, Mark Twain, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov and Homer.
His work is important for expanding the range of works of world literature available in Bulgarian for children. With his retellings, he adapted classic plots to the language and age of young readers, while maintaining their connection to the original literary works.
In 1932, the book “Unborn Maiden“, containing fairy tales retold by Ran Bosilek and illustrations by Georgi Atanasov, published by “Hemus“, received the “Shoemaker“ award at the Second International Book Exhibition in Brussels.
Ran Bosilek's works have been translated into Russian, Polish, Czech, English, French, Turkish and Arabic.
LATER YEARS
Among Ran Bosilek's later books are “New Song“ (1953) and other collections of poetry and collections of fairy tales and prose for children. The same year he began working as deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine “Druzhinka“, where he remained until 1958. The writer Ivan Davidkov, quoted by the publication “Nova svetlina“ in 1986, remembers and tells about this period: “He came to the editorial office first – at the same hour as the teacher comes before the bell has rung – and everything he touched was illuminated by attention and love. Many of today's most prominent children's writers remember with gratitude the hand he gave at the beginning of their path. He knew how to discover young talents, guide them and rejoice in their successes.“
LEGACY AND MEMORY
Ran Bosilek died on October 8, 1958 in Sofia. From 1928 until his death he lived in the capital, in a house on “Tsar Ivan Asen II“ Street. 10. A memorial plaque has been placed on the facade of the building, and a monument to him has been erected on the site of his birthplace in Gabrovo.