A large crop of rowan omens. Superstitions about rowan
RYABIN - (lat.Sorbus aucuparia) - from the Celtic word "sor" - tart, and Latin aucupari, which means "to catch birds." This name is probably associated with catching thrushes who love to feast on rowan berries.
The Russian name comes from the Old Slavic "ryab" - pockmarked (according to VI Dalyu - speck, freckle). Indeed, the fruits of mountain ash are visible from afar, bright specks, decorating the forest.
People call rowan birders, winter berry - only after frost the rowan becomes tasty. There is a very unusual name - the lot of the bull, for the bright red color of its berries, to which the bulls react sharply.
The pomeranian legend explains the origin of the mountain ash name as follows. The husband and wife once lived, and they had two children. The eldest, unloved daughter, was angry, jealous and gave her a name unkind - Eight. And the younger one, son, was kind and friendly, his parents called him Romanushka and did not like the souls in him. Disliked the Eight of Eight Romanushka and conceived to destroy him. Once I had a child in a rotten swamp and drowned. But she could not destroy it altogether. A friendly, curly tree grew up in that place, and since then it has been growing all over the Russian land and people have called it affectionately mountain ash.
Another ancient legend tells us that rowan came from great love. She turned into a wife, at whose feet her beloved husband died. Evil people wanted to separate them, but they did not achieve this with the help of gold or with the help of the authorities. Then they killed her husband, but even death did not separate them. The wife, having kissed him for the last time, prayed to God so that he would not separate her from her beloved. At the same moment she turned into a mountain ash on his grave. Since then, it sways in the wind, and in the fall the clusters of its red berries are burning, like blood shed in the name of true and ever-burning love.
And according to Belarusian legends, the mountain ash was created by Satan at the place of tears that had been poured out of Eve, expelled from Paradise, as a sign of his victory over man. However, the Lord, seeing that the leaves on the tree resemble a cross, took a rowan from the devil's garden. Having lost power over the tree, in retaliation, the devil, in order to harm people, made them bitter.
Our ancestors, the ancient Slavs, believed rowan, along with oak, birch, willow, a sacred tree. They believed that in the crown of mountain ash perunov lightning hiding (as red as its berries). A branch of a mountain ash with berries was perceived as a symbol of Perun’s mace, capable of protecting a person from all evils. Since ancient times, it has banned pybit, breaking, cutting flowers and berries of the ashberry. It was allowed to cut off its large branches only for the staffs of clergymen and wanderers, who set off on a long journey. And small branches with flowers or fruits - to decorate homes and conduct rituals.
It was believed - who breaks it or fails, he will soon die himself or someone of his relatives dies. Therefore, before breaking the rowan branch, they bowed to the tree, asked for forgiveness, and explained why they were taking a particle, otherwise it would be misfortune, the smallest of which is toothache.
Not only among the Slavs, many nations have the best wand for the wizard — the rowan tree, the best wreath for the bride — from her flowers, the best guardian against evil forces — clusters of her berries.
In folk art, mountain ash, along with birch, is a poetic symbol of Russia. From time immemorial it was also a symbol of fertility and well-being. Its berries (like viburnum) are considered a symbol of family happiness, strong and faithful love, and therefore a strong family. Therefore, the newlyweds planted it near their home, bunches of berries laid out on the window sill or between the frames. According to the old belief, while the berries retain their color, the family union is not threatened and, moreover, it was believed that rowan protects the house from evil forces. This tradition is still alive, although most no longer know its meaning. The quarreling lovers were advised to sit together in the shadow of a rowan tree. Under rowan, met and parted, asked rowan from the council.
In folk songs, mountain ash is associated with an image of a woman who is longing to be separated from her beloved. The brightest of all, in my opinion, is told about it in the ancient Novgorod legend. Once, a merchant’s daughter fell in love with a simple guy, but her father didn’t want to hear about the poor son-in-law. To save the family from shame, he went to the sorcerer, and his daughter accidentally found out about it and decided to run away from his home. On a dark rainy night, she hurried to the riverbank to meet her beloved. At the same time the sorcerer appeared there, but the boy noticed him. In order to divert the danger from the girl and distract him, the brave young man rushed into the water.
The sorcerer waited until he swam across the river, and when the guy was already going to the shore, he waved his magic staff. Then lightning flashed, thunder struck, and the young man turned into an oak. All this happened in front of the girl, who was late for the meeting because of the rain. The sorcerer and bewitched her. The maiden thin camp became the trunk of a mountain ash, and the arms-branches stretched towards his beloved. So there are two lonely trees loving each other on different banks. In the spring, the mountain ash puts on a white outfit, and in the fall it drops red tears into the water, grieving that “the river is wide, do not step over, the river is deep and not drown”, and in any way “it’s impossible to cross the oak to the oak; sway". Perhaps it was this legend that formed the basis of the popular song, “Thin Rowan”.
And although mountain ash is a low fragile tree, it is not afraid of drought or frost and lives and bears fruit for about 100 years. It is not surprising that in Russian folklore it was perceived by a tree with a strong character: “Her curls are ruffled by the wind, tearing off the white color, but stronger than the mountain ash of a tree in the world.” They believed that she was able to ward off death from a seriously ill patient, bring him back to life, can block the way for ghosts and ghosts, and can empower people with her own power.
One of the Bashkir tribes who lived on the banks of the Yaik (the Ural River) —the Old Man — fought bravely against the Mongol hordes that had flown in locusts. Having been repulsed, the Mongols did not go further to the Urals, but turned the other way. People of other clans explained the courage and militancy of the ussergens by the fact that the tribal tree of their tribe was rowan, and their blood was rowan.
Since ancient times it was believed that mountain ash is a powerful and effective amulet. If you look closely, you can see that on the underside of its berries is a pattern resembling an asterisk. In pagan culture, the star was one of the most ancient and most important symbols - a symbol of protection. Probably, therefore, the idea of mountain ash appeared as a tree capable of protecting from evil forces, damage, diseases, and it is characteristic of many peoples of our country.
So, in one Chuvash legend it is told that evil spirits decided to destroy God, they say, he does not allow them to do evil deeds. They surrounded God and began to argue how to kill him. God at this time ran away from them, climbed onto a mountain ash and hid in its crown. So mountain ash saved God. Therefore, consider the Chuvash, her power is able to protect a person from any misfortune.
The Vepsians (the Finno-Ugric people, living mainly in Karelia) had a custom - to turn to mountain ash to protect them from fire. It was believed that its bright berries will be able to stop the red flames. And in Russia, with the same purpose, they planted mountain ash around the hut, and its clusters hung in the passage in case of loss from the furnaces.
The popular evil character of the Udmurt folklore Palesmurt lives in the forest. It is like a person, dissected along the body - with a half of the head, a half of the body, one arm and a leg, one eye, its insides are visible. He always hurts people, for protection against him it was necessary to remember the heavenly god or hide behind rowan.
Rowan, like an apple tree, is considered a female tree. It is their first that she takes under her protection, gives beauty and health. No wonder no wedding in Russia could not do without rowan. In Voronezh Governorate, the matchmaker rained rowan roots over the top of his fiancé to prevent damage to him at the wedding. Rowed leaves lined the shoes of the newlyweds, and wreaths of its branches with placers of berries were put on their heads. It was believed that in such a dress young are hidden from the evil eye from head to toe. Her branches cleaned the bedroom for the first wedding night, the bride wore rowan beads, and the groom could attach the bunches to her belt so that they would not jinx it.
There will be a lot of signs associated with rowan - if a wreath of rowan, worn on the head by the bride during a wedding, is broken, it means that she is not married out of love or her life is unhappy. If a wreath of berries retains its freshness for a long time and does not dry out, it means that sincere feeling in the hearts of young people will be all good. If the beads from the berries, hung around the bed of the girl, suddenly break and crumble on the floor, it means that soon there will be a wedding. And which side of the world more berries poured, and from there the bridegroom will come.
If a girl suddenly saw berries scattered through the snow, or a branch stuck in a window, or just a few berries on the windowsill, she would soon be happy. It was also believed that if a girl took a steam bath in a bath with a mountain ash broom, and then threw him into her husband’s yard, he would find her “by smell”, and the girl would always be young and beautiful. If the mountain ash growing in the yard suddenly stops fruiting, is sick and wasting away, it means something is not good for this family. The same means if the rowan seedlings, planted to protect the house from evil and misfortune, suddenly withered and died.
In mountain ash, they sought help with infertility, female diseases, and frigidity. Rowan berries have traditionally been part of the love potions, helping to overcome unrequited love, they were made charms for protection from foreign charms, the removal of damage, protection from the evil eye. Even nowadays, girls and women in villages in the fall make beads from rowan berries, without thinking that before such beads were an important ritual amulet. These beads were worn for a whole year, until new ripe berries appeared. Such a talisman has always been considered the best defense against alien magic of any kind. When new beads were made, old ones were burned or buried.
Rowan served as a talisman not only for women. According to popular belief, she guards the warrior in a campaign. Equipping husbands for war, wives sewed crosses of rowan twigs to their clothes, tied them with red thread. Mountain ash clusters were placed in hiking bags as a remedy for scurvy and fatigue on the road. It was believed: if a person suffers from insomnia, it means that evil spirits torment, does not give sleep. It is necessary to take a branch of a mountain ash, to outline with it a circle around itself - the evil will disappear and insomnia will pass. In the case of the Mari, babies were symbolically soared with a mountain ash broom, believing that then the child would be protected from diseases. The Olonetsian medicine man treated it like this: he found a suitable mountain ash in the forest, split the trunk in half, crawled through the hole, and then left a letter for the devotee with questions in this split trunk.
In olden times, mountain ash was used in funeral rites, considering that it protects the living from the world of the dead. Therefore, it was a tradition to put a cross from rowan-tree branches, which were tied up with red threads, on a fresh grave. This cross helps the dead person to calm down in the grave and not disturb the living. In the Novgorod province, returning from the cemetery, rowan rods hung over the door so that the dead man would not return home.
With the advent of Christianity, attitudes towards mountain ash did not change, just took other forms. Our ancestors dedicated to the mountain ash a special day on which its name day was celebrated. The people called him the day "Peter - Pavel Ryabinnikov." He fell on September 23, the day of St. Peter and Paul. According to legend, from this day the sun goes to sleep for the winter, closes its eyes until spring, the Indian summer ends and the real autumn comes. The first frosts are already occurring, the bitter rowan becomes sweet and it can be collected, made preparations for the winter, necessarily leaving some berries to the birds. A beautiful tradition born by believing that the one who gathers all mountain ash from a tree on this day will be awaited by misfortune ahead.
Clusters of mountain ash tied in bunches and hung under the roofs of houses, at the gate, in barns with cattle. Thus, the peasants "disown" from the machinations of evil forces, from "dashing people and bad news." On this day, organized folk festivals, baked pies with meat, mushrooms, berries. The girls made a doll-guardian "Ryabinka" as a symbol of motherhood and family harmony, they drove round dances. The holidays were accompanied by a special bell ringing, which was popularly called “Ashberry Jingle”. And on October 31, they celebrated the Day of red mountain ash and flown tits.
In Russia, in Ukraine and Byelorussia in the old days there existed an almost forgotten today concept of “ashberry or passerine” night. So called the night with a strong thunderstorm or summer lightning, and considered them the time of rampant evil forces. There was a belief that in each year there are always three rowan nights: the first is when the rowan blooms, the second is when its berries are formed, and the third is when these berries are completely ripe (in spring, summer and autumn). In Belarus, the rowan night appeared at the same time as the time of rampant evil spirits, and as the time when a storm and lightning strikes destroy evil forces. In ancient Russia, a kind of heavenly battle was also associated with the rowan night. In Kyiv region, the sparrow was called the night of September 1, when “the devil changes the sparrows.” In fact, any thundery night with wind and lightning can be called a rowan or sparrow.
There is a lot of signs about mountain ash. In the old herbalist we read: "In the event that the mountain ash was richly born this year, then you need to wait for terrible misfortunes - war or famine with a sea of generals." Researchers associate the appearance of such negative signs with the fear of ordinary people in front of a mountain ash, as if with a witch tree and the fact that its berries resemble blood in color.
Perhaps the most famous folk omen is the abundant harvest of mountain ash foreshadowing a cold winter. There is a beautiful ancient Indian legend about this. One day, many years ago, a cold winter came. The hunters wandered through the woods in search of food, struggling through the great drifts. The more they walked, the more fear fettered their souls: the forest was literally littered with dead birds and small animals from the cold. The tribes united and offered their prayers to the Great Manitou asking them to help them.
The Great Spirit answered: “Take a drop of blood from every dead bird and animal, and oil the tree with it.” The Indians executed the order. The next morning, clusters of red berries appeared on all the trees that they had smeared with blood, and birds and small animals sat on the branches and ate them with joy.
The happy Indians danced until late at night, praising the Great Manitou, who promised them that whenever the cold winter approaches, there will be a lot of berries on the mountain ash.
A few more signs associated with rowan.
If the mountain ash has fully blossomed, then there will be no more frosts.
If the mountain ash leaves wither and remain for the winter, there will be severe frosts. By the way, this sign is valid not only for mountain ash, but also for other trees.
Three rowan trees around the house - fire protection
Rowan in front of the window - protection from envy
Rowan at the porch - wealth in the house.
Rowan in the garden - you will always be with the harvest.
And, in conclusion, an interesting fact. Rowan has bactericidal properties, therefore it is, along with silver, an excellent means for purifying water. From time immemorial, when people went to the meadows, they threw a bunch of mountain ash into the backwaters so that the water would be drinking. But hunters, fishermen and tourists still use this technique: they put a rowan branch with leaves into the musty water for two hours - and the water is disinfected, becoming drinkable.
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Rowan represents one of the most common trees in the world. It grows in Europe, North America, Asia. Only in Russia there are as many as three species of this representative of the plant world. Bright and mysterious, able to feed and please the glance of mountain ash simply could not enter into the world sacral history. This tree is actively involved in the magical and priestly practices of the Celts (in particular, the Druids), the Vikings, the Slavs and other representatives of the pagan mystical and religious denominations. In the post-pagan period the mountain ash continues to be used in the practice of sorcerers and healers. The latter, by the way, has a formal justification, since the fruits of this tree have beneficial medicinal properties: a light diuretic and diaphoretic. All this for centuries has gathered around the mountain ash a lot of signs and beliefs, in particular, related to the abundance of the crop of the tree. This will be discussed in the following story.
The main signs and beliefs associated with a rich harvest of mountain ash
- A bountiful harvest of mountain ash is considered a fertile sign for the plowers: there will be a lot of wheat and rye. And, therefore, as previously thought - and the year will be full and comfortable, however, in contrast to this agricultural sign, there is another - if the mountain ash abundantly blooms in the spring, the bread will not be born.
- Bunched mountain ash foreshadows a rainy and lingering autumn. And again in this case one can observe a contradiction with the spring flowering of the tree, where its abundance speaks of arid autumn weather. Naturally, in order to partially remove the contradiction, it must be borne in mind that abundant flowering does not guarantee abundant fruiting.
- A lot of rowan says that the winter will be very cold, alternating with an unpleasant drizzle.
- This sign does not apply to observations of natural phenomena and is most likely based on some coincidences. However, due to its prevalence, despite the minimal plausibility, it is given here as an acquaintance with this we believe a wide range of readers. "In the event that the mountain ash in this year is abundantly bred, then you need to wait for terrible misfortunes - war or famine with the sea seaweed." Some researchers associate the appearance of such negative signs not only with random coincidences, but also with the fear of ordinary people in front of the mountain ash, like a witch tree, and the fact that the berries resemble blood in color.
Rowan and Kalina red in Russia revered long since. Sad legends of love were associated with them. It was believed, therefore, that the pain of unrequited love subsides, it is only necessary to attach the viburnum branches to the chest. A young ryabushku planted near the house, as soon as the newlyweds settled in it.
The holiday was special in Russia. And Saints Peter and Paul were called "ichainas". It was on this day that wonderful berries were harvested. Because after the first frost grabbed berries they were considered the most useful. And their taste becomes much more pleasant. The windows of the houses were decorated with berries to repel evil spirits. The symbol of the god’s mace was its branches: the tree guarded the house.
Rowan flowering was associated with the onset of heat, and it was a signal to sow flax. After all, a great harvest was expected when they managed to do it while the tree was in bloom. At the same time, they sowed cucumbers, pumpkins, peas. Later, the flowering of mountain ash was associated with a long autumnal season. A bad harvest of the mountain ash itself means that the autumn will not be rainy. But if the branches are covered with berries generously, the rains will charge, and the winter will be frosty.
Preserved a tree not only from evil, but also from the dead. Immediately after the funeral, a cross of rowan-tree branches was placed on the grave; it was fastened with red threads. The branches of the tree and strengthened the door of the house. By the way, it was not allowed to chop mountain ash, and the one who did it should have fallen ill and died. If the branches were needed for a good cause, they asked the rowan for permission to take them.
Energy rowan is able to clean the human body of toxins. To do this, press your back to its trunk for 5-10 minutes. If the pollution is too strong, it can become bad: the pressure and temperature will rise. The procedure should be carried out when the tree blooms or its berries ripen completely. And, oddly enough, in the city, not in the forest.
August 11 - Kalinov Day
The name of the tree comes from the ancient name of the Sun - Kolo and symbolize the immortality of the genus. That is why even now the wedding towels are filled with bunches of viburnum. And she is also a symbol of women's fate, and in order for a newborn girl to grow up happy, she was bathed in water with viburnum berries.
The personified tree of the goddess, who patronized lovers. And the wedding loaf was decorated with bunches of viburnum. Kalina symbolizes fire and water, which give strength to the metal, and by its name it is obliged to the word "to pee," that is, to "harden." And if it is hard on the soul, it has long been advised to hug Mother Kalina, and she will calm and give strength.
Special signs on Kalin's day
If there was fog in the morning of Kalinowa, it meant that the harvests of barley and oats would be rich. And, if the latter throws out the green shoots again that day, autumn will be rainy. At the same time, beekeepers should take care of their bees, because it is an unfavorable time for insects. Often, on August 11, frosts were observed in the old days, and it was noticed that it meant that it would be warm in early autumn. With the flowering of viburnum coincides with the spawning of carp.
This tree is also a tool of magicians, for it contributes to illumination. Beads made from pieces of branches can help develop the ability of clairvoyance in an ordinary person. It is only necessary, without removing them, to wear them. They will be a talisman against the evil eye. Strengths will give and the roots, if insisted in mixed in equal parts of cognac and camphor alcohol.
Rubbing such impregnated roots of the palm, a person absorbs the energy of this. By the way, it is not considered so strong compared to other trees. But viburnum is one of those amulets that give their strength to the protected person all without a trace. A handful of viburnum are carried with them, like an amulet, and gambling players.
There are two trees in Russia - bushes, which were given magic by ancient beliefs.
They were even “tied up” with relatives, despite the fact that they are not related. M
for many centuries, viburnum and mountain ash have been kept and honored, putting a considerable amount of care on them. They guard the house and look after their health and take away the evil one. Many rituals, folk signs and festivities are associated with them.
Kalina is a fairly common plant in Ukraine and in Central Russia, it is found in the Middle Urals and the Southern part of Western Siberia, a frequent guest of the Caucasus.
She is honored and known for a long time, about this epic and legend. One of the ancient Slavic legends explains why the viburnum berries with bitterness ...
“Sisters” are always “invited” to the wedding. Kalina in wedding ceremonies served as a symbol of the purity of the bride. If on the first wedding night the girl turned out to be “honest”, the branches of viburnum were hung under the roof of the house, and the wedding table of the “second day” was decorated with viburnum bouquets.
Girlfriends, leading a young woman out of the bedroom, sang a wedding song about Kalina, which is “clean as white snow.”
A wedding ceremony is also associated with viburnum, which in ancient times was called “breaking the Kalinka”. On the table, the young were placed the meat ham and shtof wine, plugged with a bunch of viburnum with a scarlet ribbon in the leaves.
They were not touched until the bride and groom walked around all the houses in the village, feeding all their relatives, neighbors and visiting guests. Upon returning to the wedding table, the bridegroom "tears down" the ham and, "splitting" the viburnum, spreads the wine, treating those sitting at the table.
The wine “from under the viburnum” tried everything, asking the young to stifle its bitterness with a sweet kiss. Didn't the famous Russian “Bitter” go from here?
Along with viburnum at weddings, her girlfriend was also revered - curly rowan, the red berries of which reminded people of Perun’s lightning color, and the branches were taken as a symbol of his club.
Such a high comparison was not accidental. Rowan served as a talisman, a tree from the evil and unclean.
With the branches of mountain ash, the matchmaker would certainly walk around the house where the newlyweds had to spend the night. Special attention was paid to the bed. Rowan leaves lay under the pillows, and next to the marriage bed, a sprig of rowan with magic symbols carved on it was put.
So that the young people were not spoiled, the matchmaker would put rowan leaves in their shoes, the bride would wear a rowan beads, and the bridegroom would have a bunch of berries attached to her belt.
Rowan stores, ill does not order
Rowan has always been a talisman who guarded the living from the realm of the dead. Not without purpose, immediately after the funeral, a small cross made of mountain ash branches, tied with red threads, was put on the grave of the deceased person.
Returning from the cemetery, the peasants reinforced rowan branches on the doors so that the dead man could not return home. Giving rowan holiness, it was kept, forbidding hacking and breaking.
This ban was not on paper, but on beliefs, so it was stronger than state laws. It was believed that the person who “offended” the mountain ash would soon get sick and die. Before breaking the rowan branch, it was necessary to bow to the tree and explain to him why it was taken part of it.
Then the mountain ash will not repair the harm to the offender, but, on the contrary, will do what they are asked to do. A fool who has risked breaking a rowan just like that will have to toil with his teeth and ask for forgiveness from a tree while kneeling.
There was even a special conspiracy for toothache, which was pronounced in front of the tree in the morning dawn. "Rowan, Rowan, take my illness, from now on, and until the ages I will not eat you."
According to legends, mountain ash helped to get rid not only of toothache, but also from more serious ailments.
The wise men treated people, asking them to crawl through a rowan bush three times, and then stand every hour, with their backs tightly against the rowan stem.
It was believed that in this way the body is completely cleared of the cause of the illness. A patient was given a rowan juice for several days and fed with a paste of mountain ash berries.
A lot of folk signs will be associated with rowan and viburnum. “Wait for heat - the Kaliina bloom has blossomed,” the peasants said, going to sow flax.
If you finish sowing it before it passes around the viburnum color - the harvest will be canceled.
Flowering mountain ash was considered a good time for planting cucumbers, beans and pumpkins. If the tree blossomed late - waited a long autumn. Noted the national calendar and the harvest of viburnum.
Few berries are bred - autumn will be dry, and if the rowan branches are bursting under clusters, it means that the autumn rains will charge, and the coming winter will be frosty. In August, the 11th day marked Kalinov day.
It was often frosted, which the people called Kalinnik. Fearing them, the peasants said: “Carry, O Lord, Kalinnik by the sea, that is, by fog, not by frost.”
If the morning of the Kalinovo day was foggy, an excellent harvest of oats and barley was expected. In September, which was popularly called a rowan, as many as two rowan holidays were celebrated.
On the eighth day of the month, they welcomed Natalia-rybinnitsa.
If Natalia was cold in the morning, it means that winter will be early and icy. On this day, began to collect rowan clusters, hanging them to dry in the barns and attics.
Half the crop was left on the branches for the birds. September 23 was a special holiday. On this day, the rowan celebrated birthday. Immediately, the two saints Peter and Paul in her honor were called “ashberry”.
After them, in the last week of September, the berries, caught in the first frosts, were collected for jam and medicines. They were considered the most valuable and useful.