In Dervent village (now Barziya, Berkovitza municipality, Montana county), a girl named Bârza lived. Like any young woman, she listened to the advice of her grandparents who told her to bathe every day in the river that runs through their village, to be thin and beautiful. And indeed, she quickly became a very beautiful girl. And while she was beautiful, so hardworking she was … She met a boy at the round dance – skilful, thin and handsome. He didn’t miss a sitting or a holiday to be with her, and sometimes he was waiting for her at the well. The two young people really liked each other and fell in love. They promised that they would do the wedding soon, at which people from the two villages would gather. But the beauty of the girl was observed by a rich and old Turk, who wanted to give it to his youngest son. When he asked Bârza and found out who her chosen was, he decided to kill the boy. Two paid killers have done this terrible thing for a handful of coins.
The poor boy lais wide-eyed all night, staring up at the sky, regretting his young life and lost love. In the morning the shepherds found him. The girl, Barza, cried with sadness and pain. Their house turned into a wilderness without her laughter and her joyful songs. No one saw her going to the water.
But she walked every day to the river that passed near the village. She sat for hours on end, and her tears mingled with the clear waters of the river. They ran along the river telling the sadness of the grieving girl. The beautiful face of Bârza was darkened, the shining stars in her blue eyes faded. She was going to the river and staring out into the darkness, as if looking for something invisible and expensive. There were long periods of time, lost in sweet thoughts and memories. Since then, the river is named after her – Barziya. Later the village was also named in memory of the girl who remained true to her first love and faith.