(From the book of D. A. Gavrilov, A. E. Nagovitsyn. GODS OF THE SLAVES. PAGANITY. TRADITION. M .: Refl-Buk, 2002, -464 p.)
If we turn to medieval sources, the pagan Kupala is a summer god, according to the Gustinsky chronicle: “The fifth (idol) Kupala, as I think, was the god of abundance, as in Ellin Ceres, he is insane for the abundance of thanksgiving at that time, when the name comes harvest". In the Teaching against paganism "On the idols of Vladimir" - Kupala "the god of the fruits of the earth." And everything turns out that John the Baptist was not even standing next to it!
The name of this god received an unusual distribution among the Eastern Slavs. On the night of Ivan Kupala, a combination of fire and water takes place (with the obligatory appearance of life-giving steam and boiling water) and miracles happen: even before the harvest and beyond ... ”, - the Gustinsky chronicle reports. - “In the evening, simple children, of both sexes, gather, and weave crowns of poisonous potion, or roots, and girdling the former, they kindle a fire, but in others they put a green branch, and, going by the hand, they turn around this fire, singing their own songs, devouring Kupala ; then they will skip ahead of that fire, offering sacrifice to this demon.”
K.M. Galkovsky cites teachings against paganism, containing the names of Kupala, Kolyada, as well as Lelya and Lado already in the 18th century *, the description of the holiday is almost identical, which indicates the stability of the folk tradition.
In the message of the abbot of the Pskov Eleazarov Monastery, Panfil to the Pskov prince Dmitry Vladimirovich Rostov (according to the Pskov Chronicles **, 1505), it is said that on the eve of the birth of John the Baptist, "enchantresses" - men and women in meadows, swamps, forests, fields are allegedly looking for some mortal flowers "for the destruction of man and cattle", "immediately they dig divia roots for the indulgence of their husbands: and they do all this by the action of the devil on the day of the Forerunners with the judgments of Sotanin." And on the very feast of the Forerunner, coinciding with the summer solstice, actually with Kupala, “on that holy night, not all the city will rise, and in the villages the tambourines will go berserk, and in the snot, and with the hum of the strings, and all sorts of incomparable Sotonin games, splashing and splashing , but for women and virgins and heads with nodding, and with their mouths the cry is hostile, all the nasty demonic songs, and their wobbling with a creak, and jumping and trampling at their feet; the same is a man and a youth a great fall, the same is for a woman’s and girl’s staggering prodigal they also have a view, there is also defilement for wives and virgins of corruption. and in laughter and in the basket of his days, those who do not prophesy the truth, as if the demonic idolaters of this feast celebrate this holiday "..." For every summer, as an idol, the service custom of the Soton calls on him, as the sacrifice of the bringer of all filth and lawlessness, bogomeric offering; like the day of the Nativity of the Great Forerunner is celebrated, but by their ancient custom.
According to the encyclopedia "Myths of the peoples of the world" *** it is believed that the rites and names of Kupala come from the verb "to bathe", "to boil", a related name of the deity lat. Cupido (Cupid) - "Aspiration": "cp" with the Indo-European root - "kup" with its meaning "to boil, boil, passionately desire." This indicates the correlation of Kupala rituals with fire (earthly and heavenly - the Sun, represented by a fire wheel in Kupala rituals) and water, which act as brother and sister in Kupala myths.
This myth is based on the motif of incestuous marriage, embodied by the two-colored flower Ivan da Marya, the most important symbol of Kupala rites. Yellow represents one of them, blue represents the other. There is a version of the fairy tale where the brother is going to kill his sister, and she asks to plant a flower on the grave. Three types of magical herbs and flowers collected on this night correspond to the three daughters and three snakes of Kupala.
Kupala's sister is called Marya, Mara, Marya-Morevna, in later periods and far from everywhere she is called Kostroma. It is believed that Kupala personifies fire, Mara - water. On the night of the solstice (the night of Kupala), a fern flower allegedly blooms - treasures are found. During the ceremony, Marya-Kostroma (i.e., for a fire) is burned, combining her, water, with fire in marriage. They jump over the fire, the higher the jump, the higher the bread will be. If a young couple in a jump over the Kupala fire does not disengage their hands, the young do not let each other go, in the fall it is possible to celebrate a wedding.
Presumably, Kupala is the son or hypostasis of the god of light - Dazhdbog. He spiritualizes the world, covers it with spirit and dies during the ceremony. He is the son of the ancient Slavs and the spirit of God for the real, manifest world. He suffers death for the rebirth of the world. That is why he is associated with John the Baptist, because he is baptized with fire and water. Kupala is drowned during the ceremony - that's why he “baths”, they throw firebrands into the water or launch a raft with a fire, which already combines fire with the water element in marriage.
Marya is the bearer of the earthly dual (life and death) beginning. Her marriage to her brother Kupala is a marriage of spiritualization and irrigation of the earth. Kupala is a heavenly god, he is the ray and archetype of everything. The spirit of heaven is fire. The fiery wheel is rolled into the water during the ceremony. This is the act of marriage, sacred intercourse. Let us recall that protomatter - chaos was represented by almost all peoples as water ("And the spirit hovered over the waters." Bible); primary matter - ice "Is" among the Scandinavians is melted by fire and life appears. Dozens of examples could be given.
Fire boils water. Recall the word "boil" cognate with the name of Kupala. Water evaporates and rises to the sky - spiritualizes, dying and being born in a new quality as the life-giving moisture of the fields. Rusalia holidays often preceded or coincided with the Kupala holiday. Kupala in the water dies and is reborn again. Finding treasures and outlandish healing and magical flowers and herbs that night is a symbol of the union of Kupala and Mary and their wedding gifts - reviving love, strength, life. Kupala is similar in its characteristics to Dionysus and Osiris. He is the god of ever-renewing nature.
* * *
Girls plucked flowers
Yes, Ivan was tortured:
"What kind of flowers?"
"These are the flowers of Kupala,
Girls - washed,
And the guys - sigh!
Dry, dry guys
Sitting behind the ridges
Looking at the girl
That the girls are good
And the guys are naked:
The spearmen don't talk about souls!
Probably, the pagan hero Ivan, who recaptured Mara (Marya-Morevna) from the fabulous Koshchei, was Kupala. Not coincidentally, he sacrifices her in some versions of the myth. Union and unity, and not just burning as a sacrifice, is considered to be expressed in the flower of Ivan (Kupala) da Marya (Morena). It is blue and yellow. Blue is the color of water, yellow is the color of fire (the sun) - the flower is a symbol of fertility and life, joy and love. Even the never-blooming fern, rejoicing at this union, blooms on this night. The next day the sun shines the longest, people feast. Not the death and feast of Kupala are celebrated, but his marriage to Mara. The intercourse of brother and sister, like heaven and earth, was considered a sacred incest, a more secret rite than any other marriage.
The holiday of Ivan Kupala is one of the most common and favorite holidays of the Slavic peoples, which is still celebrated everywhere on the night of June 23-24 according to the old style in Siberia. Its revival is also taking place in the European part of Russia today. The ancient walls of Moscow remember this holiday. The Moscow people, despite the adoption of Christianity, did not forget their grandfather's customs and rituals. Almost until the 20th century, the forests near Moscow witnessed, for example, such ritual poetry:
In the forest, in the forest,
By faith, by faith
The conic walks, the conic walks
Little raven, little raven.
On that horse, on that horse
The saddle lies, the saddle lies.
On that saddle, on that saddle
Ivan sits Ivan sits
Behind him is Marya, Now, Marya,
Running after, running after:
“Wait, Ivan, wait Ivan!
I'll say something, I'll say something!
I'll say something - I love you,
I love you, I love you
I love you, I will go with you
I will go with you!”
* * *
Nonche Kupala,
Ivana tomorrow.
Bathing at Ivana!
bathed Ivan
Yes, he fell into the water.
Oh brother sister
The yard is calling.
Calls to the yard
Wants to lose.
"Oh my brother
Ivanushka!
Don't ruin me
On a weekday
ruin me
Sunday.
lay me down
At the fence
sit me down
Strelitz,
Hang me up
basting,
Cornflowers!
Well done go
Arrows rip.
The old ladies go
They take notes.
Vaselechki tear,
Vaselechki tear,
Wreaths viet.
I'm young
They will remember."
Folk names: brother and sister, yellowberry, Ivan's grass.
Magic use: anti-demon herb. She removes evil spirits due to the fact that with the help of the reserves of the organism itself, it eliminates energy holes into which evil penetrates. This beautiful grass has practically no effect on a person’s thoughts. Ivan da Marya is used only in infusions.
This herb allows the body to achieve harmony of Yin and Yang energy, helps a person achieve happiness in life, attracts to him what he lacks.
It calms the nervous system, with the constant use of this herb, a person becomes noticeably prettier. But this herb retains its strength for a very short time. Having collected it near the day of Ivan Kupala (when it ripens), you will be able to fully use it for no more than a full lunar month. When dried, it loses about 10 percent of its healing properties every lunar month, although its chemical composition remains the same. But even more so, try not to miss the opportunity to wash yourself with a whisk of Ivan da Mary on the evening of July 7 (on the day of Ivan Kupala) in order to wash off those entities that, having stuck to you, devour beauty and well-being.
Many legends were composed by the Slavs about this flower, common in Russian fields and forests.
These are mythical brother and sister, who, according to one version, did not know about their relationship and got married. For violation of custom, they were turned into a flower by God.
In another way - they turned themselves, so as not to be separated.
Thirdly, the brother intended to kill his sister because she wanted to seduce him, and she asked to plant a flower on her grave.
There is another beautiful legend: once Ivan da Marya went to the forest for mushrooms. They came to the forest, and then a thunderstorm began. The mushroom pickers had nowhere to hide, and Ivan shielded Marya with himself. The storm subsided, and Ivan and Marya returned home safe and sound. And in the place where the young man saved the girl, grass rose with beautiful purple leaves, which protect yellow flowers from bad weather, just as Ivan protected Marya from a thunderstorm.
Combining yellow and blue, the flower reflected the Kupala meanings of fire and water, which are so widely used during the festival. The central characters in the rituals and songs were Ivan and Marya. The holiday of the highest flowering of natural forces became the apotheosis of human love, therefore this flower was the embodiment of a strong love passion. Giving this flower to each other, they confessed their love, devotion and fidelity.
Not quite accurately, the flower is identified with a tricolor violet, or pansies. Pansies - this name has its own mythological explanation. Allegedly, this is a girl who was turned into a flower for excessive curiosity about someone else's life.
Ivan da Marya- not such a harmless plant as it might seem at first. It has special suckers on its roots that attach to the roots of other plants and suck the juices out of them. Thus, oak maryannik receives additional nutrients.
It is known that the Ivan da Marya flower got its name in honor of two loving hearts - the young Ivan and the beautiful Marya. Popular legend says that Ivan and Marya turned into beautiful flowers so that they would never be separated from each other. That is why the plant always has flowers of two sharply distinguishable colors: Ivan has a purple shirt, and Marya has a yellow handkerchief. In this publication, a general description of Ivan da Marya, the chemical composition, the use of Ivan da Marya in folk medicine, as well as methods for harvesting and storing the plant will be considered.
In the common people, the Ivan da Marya plant (Melampyrum nemorosum L.) has several more names: brother, brother and sister, jaundice, zheltyanitsa, Ivan grass, meadow bell, oak maryannik, honeydew, copperhead, fire flower, tricolor grass. However, the name Adam and Eve (Ivan da Marya) has gained great fame ... At the celebration of Kupalo Day, fortune-telling is carried out using wreaths made of four different colors - attributes. The composition of such a wreath also includes Ivan da Marya.
Previously, there was a belief that if Ivan da Marya flowers were collected on Kupala on June 21-22, they would protect the house from various evil spirits for a whole year, and the grass protects the family hearth and contributes to finding long and strong love between spouses. It should also be noted that the fragrant juicy seed sacs are very popular with ants. These forest workers spread the seeds throughout the forest, thereby contributing to the spread of the plant.
Magic use: anti-demon herb. She removes evil spirits due to the fact that with the help of the reserves of the organism itself, it eliminates energy holes into which evil penetrates. This beautiful grass has practically no effect on a person’s thoughts. Ivan da Marya is used only in infusions.
This herb allows the body to achieve harmony of Yin and Yang energy, helps a person achieve happiness in life, attracts to him what he lacks.
It calms the nervous system, with the constant use of this herb, a person becomes noticeably prettier. But this herb retains its strength for a very short time. Having collected it near the day of Kupala (when it ripens), you will be able to fully use it for no more than a full lunar month. When dried, it loses about 10 percent of its healing properties every lunar month, although its chemical composition remains the same. But even more so, try not to miss the opportunity to wash yourself with a whisk of Ivan da Mary on the evening of June 21-22 (Kupala Day) in order to wash off those entities that, having stuck to you, devour beauty and well-being.
Many legends were composed by the Slavs about this flower, common in Russian fields and forests.
These are mythical brother and sister, who, according to one version, did not know about their relationship and got married. For violation of custom, they were turned into a flower by God.
In another way - they turned themselves, so as not to be separated.
Thirdly, the brother intended to kill his sister because she wanted to seduce him, and she asked to plant a flower on her grave.
There is another beautiful legend: once Ivan da Marya went to the forest for mushrooms. They came to the forest, and then a thunderstorm began. The mushroom pickers had nowhere to hide, and Ivan shielded Marya with himself. The storm subsided, and Ivan and Marya returned home safe and sound. And in the place where the young man saved the girl, grass rose with beautiful purple leaves, which protect yellow flowers from bad weather, just as Ivan protected Marya from a thunderstorm.
Combining yellow and blue, the flower reflected the Kupala meanings of fire and water, which are so widely used during the festival. The central characters in the rituals and songs were Ivan and Marya. The holiday of the highest flowering of natural forces became the apotheosis of human love, therefore this flower was the embodiment of a strong love passion. Giving this flower to each other, they confessed their love, devotion and fidelity.
Not quite accurately, the flower is identified with a tricolor violet, or pansies. Pansies - this name has its own mythological explanation. Allegedly, this is a girl who was turned into a flower for excessive curiosity about someone else's life.
The Ivan da Marya flower has a racemose inflorescence, consisting of many individual flowers. Each flower is located on its own pedicel, hidden in the axils of the upper leaves. All flowers face the same direction. The upper bracts are purple, bright purple, crimson or blue. Moreover, the top of the bract has a more saturated color. The calyx is hairy, the corolla is bright yellow. The fruits of Ivan da Marya are oblong boxes, which, when opened, are divided in two. Ivan da Marya usually blooms in late spring and blooms until autumn.
plant habitat
Ivan da Marya is a medicinal plant and is found mainly in clearings, edges, shrubs and light forests of the European part of Russia, as well as in the North-West and West of the forest-steppe of Ukraine, in the Caucasus, and even in Siberia.
Plant harvesting and storage
The plant Ivan da Marya (leaves, fruits, stems, flowers) is used for the preparation of medicines. For this, the fruits of the plant are stored in July - September, and the aerial part - in May - September. Dry grass should be in the shade, and store - separately from other plants and no more than 10 months.
The chemical composition of the plant
The plant contains elements such as the glycoside dulcite, alkaloids, and its seeds contain the poisonous glycoside aucubin.
The use of Ivan da Marya in folk medicine
The honeydew plant has an insecticidal, anti-inflammatory and good wound healing effect.
Infusion of grass has found application in folk medicine. It is used internally for hypertension, dizziness, heart disease, neuralgia, epilepsy, diseases of the stomach and organs of the gastrointestinal tract and externally in the form of washings and baths for skin tuberculosis, scabies, diathesis, eczema, various rashes, diseases of the chest, rheumatism and as a wound healer.
The crushed fresh grass of Ivan da Marya promotes rapid healing of wounds. A decoction of the fruits of this plant is used to kill harmful insects.
Recipes for making infusions
Infusion for external use:
In a bowl put 3 tbsp. l. crushed grass plants and pour 1 liter of hot boiled water. Insist for 2 hours, after which the filtered infusion is used as local washing and baths for skin diseases.
Ivan da Marya herb infusion is used as an effective remedy for baths and local washings in the treatment of scrofula, various rashes and scabies. For its preparation 3 tbsp. l. maryannik is poured with 1 liter of boiling water and, after insisting for about 2 hours, filtered.
In the treatment of hypertension, dizziness, heart disease, neuralgia, epilepsy, diseases of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, another infusion of oak maryannik is used. For its preparation 1 tbsp. l. herbs are poured with a glass of boiling water, then insisted for half an hour and, after straining, take half a glass twice a day.
With the help of freshly chopped grass and its powder, they accelerate the healing process of wounds, and with a decoction of fruits they destroy harmful insects.
Infusion for use in epilepsy:
In a bowl put 1 tbsp. l. crushed herb plants and pour 1 cup of hot boiled water. Infuse for 30 minutes, after which the strained infusion drink half a glass twice a day.
Contraindications
Attention! The composition of the plant includes toxic glycosides, so its use requires great care!
That was a long time ago. The moss of oblivion overgrown with events that once happened and even rumors about them have sunk into oblivion.
In one village there lived a young man, well done - handsome. And next door lived a girl, next to whom the star shone brighter, she was so beautiful.
Everything was fine, they lived, they didn’t grieve, until one gloomy morning, at an unkind hour, disaster struck - a fierce beast from the surrounding forests and swamp marshes kidnapped the red maiden. For what, only he knows.
The young man was grieving, because he loved his Maryushka more than anything in the world. He went to the great Mages to help him in a difficult matter. But they nodded their heads that, they say, we know about your grief, but we won’t be able to help, because we need help not magical, but of a different kind.
The young man threw a cloak over his shoulders, took a bow and arrows to kill the uninvited beast, and set off.
And not far from the village, so to speak, in the suburbs, lived an old man, gray-haired, thin. But a master of all trades. And shoe a horse, and he could talk heart to heart.
So the path led the young man to the old man. The guy asked for help, to which the old man answered him -
Love hobbles any horse and turns a wild boar into a meek lamb, you just need to show the feeling in its entirety as if it were not a beast at all, but a fierce man wounded in the heart by anger, who decided to take revenge on the whole world for his unrequited feeling.
And the old man told that a long, long time ago, a fairy, a beauty and an enchantress, an enchantress, lived in this forest. She liked the Forester, who lived nearby. How much effort he made to be heard by her, how many arrows of love he fired from his heart, we do not know about that, we only know that the sorceress aimed at the death of his soul, and did not want to bestow a reciprocal feeling.
The spell worked. The soul of the Forester was enslaved by malice, and the atrocities turned him into a beast. Not a single beauty could melt his hearts, for stolen love is not love at all.
And so the beast lived, tearing his heart to pieces and taking revenge on everyone who was at least a little happy with love in return.
The young man listened and thought.
How to be?
After all, now it was not a fierce beast that stood before him, but a heart broken by bitterness.
And he decided to ask for help
At the Clear Light, the beautiful Sun,
At Voditsa - Moloditsa,
At the Wind - Bogatyr
And at the hope and support of all good people - Zemlitsy - Intercessor.
Having prayed three times, having bowed to the Four Directions of the World, he called on the Forces of Good and Order and managed to enlist their support in this difficult matter.
And with good fellow travelers -
Living Water, flowing Stream,
Descended from the Heavenly Source,
Holy Earth and Gray-winged Wind,
That fills with vivacity and strength,
And most importantly - the ability to GIVE
LOVE, and wait for the result
Only where the Light is manifested in full force
Lights of LOVE, giving wings to people.
And, having prayed to God three times,
Enlisting his support in the matter,
I walked boldly into the forest to test,
And everything, I tell you, was skillfully managed,
He covered the beast with solar chain mail,
He said that he would give love to him as a friend,
And the wind gave them a scent to drink
Wonderful flowers, and a magic board
He covered the dwelling dark, miserable,
By highlighting it, and on the way - the road
He flew away, thereby doing a good deed -
Salvation of the soul, Sage skillful!
And the young man, glad every time,
Began to be filled with a sunny diamond
From the Light of the rising Luminary,
Dawn Glorious - Hot Yaril!
O! As the Ray of Light disperses the darkness,
And this Ray from the heart sends
The youth is brave, and pierces the heart of the beast
With your love! Is it to be a loss?
After all, it has a small heart Ray
Epic Power, Mighty Valor!!!
And in a moment a sprout grew from the heart of the beast,
Filled with hope and trust
To the one who undividedly could
See in this monster a wonderful Light!
Krasna returned - the Maiden to Ivan,
They are glorious in honor, without deceit,
Ascended under the White Stone Vaults
In Love, Hope, Faith and Freedom!
They called themselves spouses gladly,
Each other became a fiery reward,
Warmly congratulated them, bread and wine
They ate, suddenly went into their house
A wanderer whose roads are sewn together by the wind,
He bowed to them, read prayers,
And wished them to be kept by fate
And for endless centuries - Beloved!
This traveler was able to comprehend a simple law -
You can become your favorite if you are in love
In endless fields, forests and clear rivers,
It is important to fall in love and remain a Human,
That even if the feeling is not shared
No need to take revenge, otherwise you will be a beast!
TO WHOM IS GIVEN TO LOVE, THAT WILL BE HAPPY,
AND THIS LIGHT WILL GIVE GOOD PEOPLE!!!
Natalia Kovaleva
/my8.imgsmail.ru/mail/ru/images/my/compass/icon-s6bdbb4381a.png" target="_blank">http://my8.imgsmail.ru/mail/ru/images/my/compass/icon -s6bdbb4381a.png); background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 0px -2878px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">GREEN FORCE MAKOSHI
Continuation of the material about Kupala herbs. In we learned about such useful herbs as: Gap-Grass, Rich, Plakun-Grass, Chernobyl, Spread, Shepherd's Purse, Nettle and Hare Cabbage. We also recommend reading the article in order to find out exactly how to collect herbs. Now let's talk about such herbs that are of particular importance on Kupala - this is Ivan da Marya and Fern Flower.
The tradition of collecting healing and magical herbs for the Kupala holiday has existed for a very long time. Some abbot of the Pskov Eleazarov Monastery Panfil wrote to Dmitry Vladimirovich of Rostov about 1505 that on the eve of John the Baptist (which coincides with Kupala or the summer solstice), men and women walk through meadows, fields, forests and swamps in search of "mortal flowers", "on destruction by man and cattle”, “immediately they dig divi rooting for the indulgence of their husbands: and they do all this by the action of the devil on the day of the Forerunners with the sentences of Sotanin.” That there is a description of the collection of medicinal herbs by herbalists and ordinary people.
Ivan da Marya
Ivan da Marya(Oak maryannik, brother and sister, yellowberry, Ivanova grass, meadow bell, well-aimed grass, brother, medullary, copperhead, fireflower, jaundice, Adam and Eve, scrofulous grass, magpie shavings, kusharka, lucrets, mare grass, yellowhead, Kupala flowers ) is the name of a plant whose flowers are distinguished by two different colors, most often yellow, blue or purple.
It is on Kupala that they tear the Ivan da Marya plant, which has special properties. The magical properties of this plant, which is plucked on the summer solstice, is that it helps to escape the pursuit of the one who keeps it with him. There is also a belief that a person who has this flower with him can drive fast even on an old horse. In keeping with the spirit of the times, it can be assumed that Ivan da Marya can help a racer who uses a car instead of a horse. Previously, messengers and scouts carried it with them. In addition, fresh juice squeezed from this flower is given to drink to those who have lost their hearing or mind, memory, or reason. Also, flowers collected on Kupala and stored in the house protect the home from people with bad intentions, evil spirits (anti-demonic grass) and restore harmony between spouses. The flowers of this plant are placed in the corners of the house. Such a ritual helps to protect the home from thieves. Brother and sister (yellow and blue flowers) will talk to each other, and the thief will think that the owners are saying this, after which he will go home.
Ivan da Marya is, of course, one of the most important plants of the Kupala holiday. A rare herbalist will not go into the meadows to find exactly Maryannik. For the festival itself, Kupala da Mavka is one of the herbs that are included in a wreath weaving for divination.
Ivan da Marya is considered curative even in our time and is used to make various preparations. Stems, leaves and flowers are collected and dried in the shade under a canopy and in a well-ventilated area. You can store no more than 10 months, separately from other plants. Fresh grass, which is crushed, heals wounds well.
A few recipes:
3 art. l. pour over a liter of boiling water over the herbs of the oak maryannik, soak for 2 hours, filter. Use for washing and local baths for skin diseases.
1 st. l. pour a glass of boiling water over the herbs of the medicinal plant Ivana da Marya, soak for 30 minutes, and then filter. Drink half a glass twice a day for epilepsy.
Also, experienced herbalists advise taking a steam bath with a whisk of Ivan da Marya in the bath, as a result of which you will receive a lot of useful substances in your body.
It is worth knowing that this plant should not be abused and large amounts of medicinal grass should not be taken, as it contains poisonous glycosides.
Fern(fern, fern, undershot, cupirode, devil's beard, flea beard, stinkweed, luminous flower, Perun fire-flower, fire-flower) (common bracken, Pteridium aguillinum) has always inspired people with some suspicion and even apprehension. This plant is unlike any other that grows in the northern and middle latitudes. It looks more like southern palm trees, which few of the ancient Slavs saw, or fossil plants that people learned about at the end of the second millennium AD. Among other things, the fern, as a rule, does not grow in open and bright meadows and glades, but closer to swamps, in damp and semi-dark places. All this led people to the idea that it was the fern that could hide some secret and was far from being a simple offspring of the plant kingdom.
The beliefs of the Slavs say that the fern blooms. Modern botanical science refutes such a possibility, but magical deeds do not fit into the context of any material science, and therefore the belief is still alive. A fern can bloom only once a year, for a very short time, exactly on the night of Kupala (when everything is possible, even the most incredible) and its flower is unusually beautiful. We can say that on Kupala the fern is the king of plants.
It blooms for only a few moments, so finding it is even more difficult. The bright fiery color blooms and can give the one who finds it a truly divine gift. The color of the fern is not only searched for by people. He is hunted by various spirits and entities of another world. There is a belief that as soon as a person sees such a flower, he must immediately pick it, without a second's hesitation. Otherwise, someone's invisible hand will tear it off and then you can say goodbye to it. Also, having picked a flower, you need to hide it in your bosom and go away without looking back. The spirits of the forest will call, call out, stomp, scream, but in no case should you look back, otherwise, according to the beliefs of the Slavs, you can say goodbye not only to the find, but also to life. A fern flower can give power over everything, all dreams will come true. Such a lucky person will learn to understand the language of animals, find out all the hidden secrets, be able to bewitch people and even gain the gift of invisibility. As you yourself can understand, the possession of such talents is worth a lot. According to another belief, the flower can indicate the location of the treasure. If a person managed to pick a flower, then all the treasures themselves will go into his hands. Therefore, not only in pagan Russia, but to this day, people go out into the forest to Kupala to find the cherished fern flower.
In the Vologda region, a legend has been preserved, which says that if you find a large fern on Kupala and sit near it without moving and covering yourself with a cloth, then you can learn all the secrets of healing herbs. Before such a person, all the herbs will run, they will name themselves and tell - from what ailment they help.
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Legend of Kupala
According to the legend of the ancient Slavs, Kupala had a sister, Kostroma. In childhood, they were separated by the Sirin bird, which took Kupala to distant lands. Many years later. Once Kupala was sailing in a boat on the river and picked up a wreath of a girl from the water, which turned out to be Kostroma. Brother and sister did not recognize each other, and according to custom they were supposed to get married. And only after the wedding, the spouses learned that they were blood relatives.
Deciding that their family could not endure such a shame, Kostroma threw herself into the river and became a mermaid (mavka), and her brother died by jumping into the fire. One of the gods took pity on Kupala and turned it into a flower, which was later called Ivan da Marya.
The history of the holiday Ivan Kupala
Before the baptism of Russia, our ancestors celebrated Kypala or the Solstice, which was of great importance, since people lived according to natural cycles. With the adoption of Christianity, the date and name of the holiday was associated with the birth of John the Baptist or the Bather, which is celebrated annually on July 7th. Since the date has shifted, the actual day of the solstice no longer coincides with the Kupala holidays. For example, in 2017, the longest daylight hours fell on June 21, and Midsummer Day will be celebrated on the night of July 6-7.
Traditions and rituals of the holiday Ivan Kupala
Ivan Kupala Day is full of traditions and rituals, many of which have survived to this day. The main role was given to the forces of nature, and the symbol of the holiday was the Sun. Ancestors believed that water and fire on this day are endowed with special properties and can save a person from troubles and illnesses. Washing with water and cleansing with fire have become an important tradition of the holiday in memory of Kupala and Kostroma.
On this day, it was customary to kindle fires on the banks of rivers and jump over them, dance, swim in ponds, collect herbs, weave wreaths, with which the girls could find out their fate. Also, according to beliefs, on the night of Kupala, evil spirits roam the area, but they can be scared away and driven away with the help of bonfires.
Early in the morning people usually went to bathe in rivers and lakes. It was believed that bathing in a pond cleanses a person, since on a festive night the water is charged with magical energy and protects people from spiritual and bodily diseases. For the same purpose, at dawn, one could wash with dew.
Fire also had special properties, so it was customary to make fires and jump over them. There was a belief that the one who jumped and did not touch the flame would be lucky for a whole year and be able to find happiness. Mothers burned the clothes of sick children on Kupala bonfires so that the child’s illness would burn with it.
On the night before Ivan's Day, the guys and girls split into pairs, exchanged wreaths and jumped over the fire, holding hands. It was believed that if sparks fly after the couple, and the lock of their hand is not disconnected, then there will be a wedding soon. And those who jumped the highest will be the happiest in marriage.
People paid special attention to plants that, on the night of Ivan Kupala, acquire magical powers and become especially healing, protect from evil spirits and diseases. Herbs were collected at night or at dawn, dried and used throughout the year, until the next summer.
The flower of Ivan da Marya was the symbol of the holiday. Our ancestors believed that the juice of this plant returns lost hearing and mental clarity to people. Ivan da Marya flowers were collected and placed in the corners of the rooms so that thieves would not enter the house. Wormwood also had protective properties, but already from evil spirits. This plant was dried and hung in the house, and also woven into wreaths. And in order to scare away witches, nettles were laid out on the windowsills and doorsteps of the house.
The legend of the fern flower
Talking about the holiday of Ivan Kupala, one cannot fail to mention the legend of the fern flower. According to beliefs, the fern blooms only once a year - on the Kupala night. A bud appears in the center of the bush, which blooms at midnight and becomes a fiery flower. Anyone who manages to break it will be able to see treasures in the ground, understand animals, open locks, take on any form and predict the future. But the flower hunter needs to be careful. When he finds a fern, he should draw a circle around himself with a knife and wait until midnight. Picking a fern flower can be prevented by forest evil spirits, which will call a person by name and make noise. You can’t respond or turn around, otherwise you will lose your life. Having picked a flower, you need to immediately run home without looking back.
Divination on the night of Ivan Kupala
The most common fortune-telling for Kupala were those that could predict an imminent marriage. For the holiday, the girls wove wreaths, inserted lit candles into them and lowered them into the water. If the wreath floats quickly, the wedding is coming soon, and the groom will come from the side where the wreath floated. If she drowns right away, the girl will be unmarried all her life. But the happiest one will be the one whose wreath lasts longer on the water, or the one whose candle burns out more time.
At midnight, the girls plucked an armful of herbs and hid it under their pillows. In the morning they looked: if there are 12 different plants, this year there will be a wedding.
They also guessed on chamomile. To do this, water was poured into a wide and shallow container and two chamomile flowers without stems were placed in it. If they swim in different directions, the lovers will part. If the flowers stick together, the couple will be together all their lives.
One could find out about the future in the following way: light a fire at night and throw grass into the fire. If smoke spreads along the ground, it means that trouble awaits a person, and if it rushes up, there will be happiness, prosperity and prosperity.
It was also believed that if you climb over 12 fences at night, making a wish, it will surely come true within a year.
Photo: website of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.