Bolla

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This article refers to a dragon. For the Icelandic bun, see Bolla (food). For the skipper butterfly genus, see Bolla (butterfly).

In ancient Albanian folklore, the Bolla (known as Bullar in South Albania) is a type of dragon (or a demonic dragon-like creature) with a long, coiled, serpentine body, four legs and small wings. This dragon sleeps throughout the whole year, only to wake on Saint George's Day, where its faceted silver eyes peer into the world. The Bolla does this until it sees a human. It devours the person, then closes its eyes and sleeps again.

In its twelfth year, the bolla evolves by growing nine tongues, horns, spines and larger wings. At this time it will learn how to use its formerly hidden fire-breathing abilities, and is now called a Kulshedra. The Kulshedra causes droughts and lives off human sacrifices. The Kulshedra is sometimes also represented as an enormous woman with a hairy body and hanging breasts.

The monster can cause a shortage of water and it requires human sacrifices to propitiate it. The creature is also known as Bullar in south Albania.[1]