Hitar Petar is a popular hero in Bulgarian folk tales and is found in hundreds of stories set during the Ottoman yoke (1393-1878). His "partner" is the Turkish hodja, Nastradin, who usually plays the part of the canny fool; the interaction between the two involves friendly jokes containing no malice. During the twentieth century, a number of famous Bulgarian authors had adapted some of the stories about Hitar Petar into novels. He is a stereotypical representation of the poor Bulgarian villager, who always finds a way to ridicule the rich.