Ronesa Aveela's Blog, page 2

The Threads of our Lives: Blessings Encoded within Bulgarian Embroidery (Shevitza)

Kickstarter campaign update:

Our Kickstarter campaign for Light Love Rituals is available now for preview. Please take a look and feel free to give us any feedback before we launch the campaign next month.

Unlike other campaigns, we’re not offering digital rewards besides the ebook. We have permission to use the artist’s illustrations for the book and for promotional purposes, but we cannot share them in other ways. Copies are available, however, from the artist’s son through his Facebook site, so we welcome you to visit there.

Today’s article is about the Bulgarian embroidery, shevitza. You’ll see these symbols throughout our updated copy of Light Love Rituals. We hope this brings more understanding to the importance of these symbols.

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When you look at traditional outfits from different nations, what stands out? If the clothing is Bulgarian, you’re likely to notice the colorful embroidery along necklines, sleeves, and hems. These embellishments are more than merely decorations, however.

Bulgarians perform many customs and rituals to keep people safe from evil forces—whether from spells or spirits. Not least among these protective methods are the more than 800 known shevitzi, the symbols embroidered within their clothing. Some are traditional Slavic designs, while others have been integrated and modified from other cultures over the ages.

Symbolism

Each motif serves a purpose, although the meaning of many is now long forgotten or has been changed and re-interpreted by the women who embroidered the symbols. Within the stitches, mothers, mothers-in-law, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers have encoded blessings for health, happiness, longevity, love, abundance, children, prosperity, and spiritual cultivation.

Flowers and plants to this day remain among the most popular symbols, while animals, considered to be among the oldest symbols, are less frequent. Those images that remain are highly stylized, as are images of pests and vermin, which are embroidered into clothing as a means to keep them away. Other motifs may be for tools and common household items.

More recognizable motifs are The Tree of Life (reaching into the three realms of heaven, Earth, and underworld), the Mother Goddess (a fertility symbol representing a woman giving birth, who often is shown with horsemen or the sun and moon on either side), the Celestial Turtle (interlocking infinity symbols that represent wisdom, perseverance, and longevity), Elbetica (for the four seasons), and Kanatitsa (three pairs of triangles that represent the cycle of life).

The motif used and its magical meaning can vary depending on what part of the garment they are embroidered on. Some are used on clothing that is worn only on special occasions, while other motifs are strictly only on either men’s or women’s clothing. Designs also indicated a person’s marital status, social class, or where they lived.

The Wedding Shirt

Shirts have much significance among Bulgarians and are given to people at special occasions, such as weddings, name days, and baptisms. The wedding shirt, in particular, is lavishly ornamented. In the past, it was considered sacred. It was made of linen or hemp because people believed these fabrics held protective power, and linen was associated with the sky. The inability to count the threads in the sleeve was also considered protection against wickedness on Earth, acting as a secure passage to heaven.

Girls began creating their wedding garments around the age of 12. After their wedding, they no longer embroidered their clothing, until the time they taught the craft to their daughters. This wedding shirt was carefully stored until old age as a garment for heaven. It was believed that in paradise, the man and woman would recognize the wedding shirt and so would reunite for eternity.

Embroidered Colors

Red is the predominant embroidery color, with other colors being white, blue, green, yellow, and black or brown. As with the symbols, the colors also have special symbolism.

White and red are the main colors in wedding attire, which symbolize male and female, heaven and earth, connected in a sacred marriage with each other. White is a symbol of the feminine principle, of innocence, purity, and virginity; and red of the masculine principle, of fire and fertility.

Green is the color of nature and new life. It is associated with the Tree of Life.Blue represents the sky, the sea, the water. It embodies truth and trust, purity, serenity and contemplation.Yellow is a symbol of gold and the Sun, a source of joy and merriment, fire, light, as well as the afterlife and the dead.Black or brown is the color of Mother Earth. It embodies stability and security, fertility.

The shevitza is colorful and complex like Bulgarian culture itself and symbolizes the soul of the Bulgarian people.

Sources:

Ganeva, Dr. Radoslava. “Bulgarian Folk Costumes – Symbols and Traditions.” Bulgarian Diplomatic Review, Supplement to Issue 3/2003, Year 3. http://www.protobulgarians.com/English%20translations/Bulgarian%20history%20in%20English/Bulgarian%20folk%20costumes%20-%20Symbols%20and%20traditions.pdf.

MacDermott, Mercia. Bulgarian Folk Customs. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1998.

Montiglio, Daniel. “The Secret Symbols In The Bulgarian Embroidery.” https://www.foreigner.bg/the-secret-symbols-in-the-bulgarian-embroidery/.

Wine Maketh Glad the Heart of Man

Dionysian Feasts by Keazim Issinov

February is the month of wine and roses, with Valentine’s Day celebrated on February 14. This day is also when Bulgarians celebrate Trifonovden, a day focused on vineyards.

Many theories abound about the origins of winemaking. Scholars debate who first brought viticulture to the region of Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. Some speculate that when Thracians populated the area, they brought grapevines, cultivated them, and began wine production.

What is less debated is that Trifonovden originated from spring-awakening rituals. Thracian Rozalii performed these rites in forests to celebrate Zagreus, the god of wine and fertility, more popularly known as Dionysus. People commonly associate these celebrations with Maenads, wild woman often depicted in a state of madness, who ripped animals apart and ate them raw.

That’s the god’s dark side.

Violence was not always the case in Dionysian celebrations, however, and a lighter side reflected ideals of life and transformation. One train of thought is that the god’s followers, consumed both wine and drugs to intensify their emotions. These substances transported them from a state of mind concerned with daily matters to one of euphoria. The worshipers danced wildly with others as a way of expressing their ecstasy as they transformed from one state of being to the next.

This continued until they obtained self-forgetfulness. It was only then that the worshippers could identify and unite with Dionysus. In this state they became beings who escaped into the world of nature.

Certain celebrations and rituals may have been performed during special phases of a man’s life. The god was there to ensure the transition from one phase of life to the next was a happy occasion.

Wine, in this situation, has been said to be a metaphor. In order to produce the drink, one must grow and prune the vines to ensure a bountiful crop. After being harvested, the grapes are crushed to release their juices, and finally poured into vats where, with time, they ferment into wine. The fruit must die to become something stronger and perhaps better. All these things reflect the transformation of those who participated in the Dionysian rituals.

Sources:

Henrichs, Albert. “Loss of Self, Suffering, Violence: The Modern View of Dionysus from Nietzsche to Girard.” Harvard Studies in Classical Philology 88 (1984): 205–40. https://doi.org/10.2307/311453.

Isler-Kerényi, Cornelia, and Wilfred G.E. Watson. “DIONYSOS IN ARCHAIC GREEK ART: A SUMMARY.” In Dionysos in Archaic Greece: An Understanding through Images, 209–34. Brill, 2007. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1163/j.ctt1w76w9x.12.

KIckstarter Campaign and Free Sample

Light Love Rituals has been edited and we’re currently doing the layout work on it. We have the first chapter ready, and you can download a FREE sample here to see more about the information the book contains. We’d love for you to follow our campaign so you know when it goes live.

What’s in a Name? Honoring St. Nick

December 6 is Nikulden, a festival in honor of St. Nicholas, the Wonderworker, the saint associated with Christmas. He’s the patron of children, fishermen, sailors, bankers, and merchants. He’s also considered to be in charge of controlling all water bodies and reigns over creatures living in them. Often described as “Lord of the Sea,” Nicholas is compared to the Greek god Poseidon. Born 280 A.D. Died Dec. 6, 343 A.D.

Nikulden is a favorite saint’s feast day for many Bulgarians. He has various names in different parts of the world. Whether you know him as Father Christmas, St. Nick, or Santa Claus, his reputation for giving gifts makes him popular. Children leave stockings for him to fill on Christmas Eve. In Bulgaria, as well as in German-speaking countries, on the eve of December 5, children place wooden shoes by the fireplace, hoping the saint fills them with sweets, gifts, and coins.

The most famous story about the saint’s generosity tells how he secretly threw three purses of gold coins through the window of a poor man’s house for his three unmarried daughters. In those days, women needed a dowry to marry. Without marriage, a woman’s life was even more harsh.

In some parts of Bulgaria, unmarried women leave gifts at the saint’s icon in the church as part of pre-marriage rituals. Another custom is that those who have lost someone to the sea make wreaths, and toss them into the water in the departed’s memory.

Associated with these saint festivals comes the concept of name days, which is sometimes called a “half birthday.” The festivity is like a birthday, but more popular. Instead of celebrating the day of a person’s birth, people celebrate a day associated with that person’s name. Most often, these are held on saint feast days. So, a person named Nicholas would celebrate his name day on December 6. This is also Nelly’s name day, so please stop by wherever you find her on social media and wish her a happy name day!

Those celebrating name days most often provide food and beverages for guests. Since everyone knows when it’s another person’s name day, no special invitations are needed. Anyone can drop by to wish the person a blessing and happiness on his special day. Visitors bring a small gift; in olden days, a common gift was a shirt, a bottle of wine, or an apron.

At one time, if people didn’t want visitors on their name day, they placed ads in the paper stating they wouldn’t be receiving guests.

~ Origins ~

Long ago, a person’s name was like a magic word, an amulet, or a spell. Knowing someone’s name gave you power over him. Many fantasy novels work this fact into their storylines.

Even today, Bulgarians consider a person’s name important. One proverb says, “The name makes the man,” while another states, “A man with no name is no man.” On a person’s name day, it is customary to greet him with “Long live you and your name.”

Name days may have come about because people in ancient times didn’t know the exact date of their birth. They’d mention the day of their birth as “born after St. Demetrius’ Day,” “at threshing time,” “before grape-picking,” or “on Holy Virgin’s Day.”

People often named their children after saints, believing the saint would protect and bless the child. Over time, people associated the celebration of the saint’s feast day more with their name than with the saint.

Kickstarter

As Nelly and I gear up for our next Kickstarter campaign for a special edition of our book Light Love Rituals, we’ll be posting about Bulgarian rituals and customs. The book takes you through the calendar year, detailing 17 popular holidays. You’ll discover how the days are celebrated, their origins, plus a walk through the holiday with a fictional family. Included in the book are children’s activities, quizzes, fun facts, and a dozen of Nelly’s own tasty recipes to try.

This special edition of the book, which will launch April 16, 2024, is in celebration of the ten years Nelly and I will have been publishing books together. The content will be expanded from the version that’s already published and won’t be available in any of the major retail stores. We’re also making the book extra special by adding gold foil to the cover and sprayed edges. A true collectible book. Well-known Bulgarian artist, Keazim Issinov’s paintings will be used to illustrate the holidays as well as the cover. We’re planning other special rewards as well.

Please follow our campaign to get updated the moment we go live: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/light-love-rituals?ref=4tofit

Treacheries in the Water – the Tragic Rusalki

If you type the word русалка (rusalka, plural rusalki) into a translation program, it will spit back “mermaid.” That is how westerners think about these water maidens. However, although they have characteristics of mermaids, rusalki lack one essential feature—fish tails (although more modern descriptions, ours included, may portray them this way).

The name “rusalka” may be derived from an old Slavonic word rus (river or stream), ruslo (river bed), or even rosa (dew). Others have thought it comes from the word rusyj/rusaja (strawberry blond, golden [of hair]). Many scholars, however, believe the name of the spirits comes from the spring rusalia festival. Although the rusalia festivals have been mentioned between the twelfth and eighteenth centuries, the term “rusalka” is more recent, first appearing in the eighteenth century.

In ancient societies, people worshipped nature, especially water, and the spirits who lived there—but water spirits were also the most feared of those that roamed the community. Water spirits, who lived the farthest away from the homestead, were the most dangerous and cruelest among their brethren. They lured people into the water with the sole intent of causing them harm. The community never considered drownings to be accidents. Everyone who drowned was a victim of these spirits, who had dragged the unfortunate person beneath the surface.

Although some nature spirits with a connection to water caused death, others also brought life. Among these are the collective beregini fertility spirits and one-time Great Mother earth goddess called Berehynia, who embodied female empowerment. Some believe beregini are the ancestors of rusalki, since these spirits brought moisture to the land. Their name possibly comes from bereghy (“riverbanks” or “shore”).

In time, however, these spirits were vilified, and the rusalki were considered demons or the “unclean dead.”

They are women or girls who died during a liminal (that is, in between or transitional) phase of their life: before baptism, on the verge of marriage, or while giving birth. Those who died unclean did not receive proper Christian burial rites as the deceased were considered cursed. These bad deaths deprived the community of the female’s potential fertility, and as such went against society’s social order and moral code (to produce offspring). By dying, she failed in her societal role and therefore wasted her reproductive resources.

The rusalki are the spirits of young women. Not just any young women, but those who have passed from this world in a traumatic way. Specifically, rusalki are the spirits of those who have died in or near water or committed suicide by drowning, especially if it was a result of being spurned by a lover. A few sources claim that any women who don’t marry can become rusalki when they die, because they’re shirking their duty of being wives and mothers. Even married women who drown themselves because of unhappy marriages have the potential to become rusalki

Rusalki wander around the place where they died, moaning about their untimely fate, and they haunt deceitful lovers and seek revenge, unable to find peace until they are avenged. These water maidens love to sit on tree branches, especially willow and birch. From there, they call out men’s names, trying to entice the males to come closer. Those who dare find themselves surrounded by the rusalki who tickle the men to death. Swimming can be fatal to men as well. They become entangled in the rusalki’s long hair and the maidens drag the men to the depths with their iron grips.

In death, however, as rusalki, the women also have the opportunity to bestow their fertility upon the land. When they brush their thick green hair, water flows and nourishes the land. Also, their voices, when not used to seduce men, sing in eternal harmony and bestow life upon the land. Not only their voices, but rusalki’s mere touch brings nurturing power to growing crops. But they do more than touch. They frolic among the rye, corn, and wheat fields, hanging off the stalks, making them sway as if tossed about by a strong breeze. Even more than their touch, rusalki’s dancing stimulates the soil.

The spirits remain in this undead state, unable to move to the other side, until various conditions are met: 1) they live out what would have been their normal lifespan if they hadn’t had a violent death or committed suicide, 2) they are avenged of their jilted lover, 3) they become human again through the miracle of the cross and baptism, or 4) until Christ returns to the world (what’s commonly called “the second coming”).

If you’d like to learn more about rusalki, check out our book about them, A Study of Rusalki – Slavic Mermaids of Eastern Europe.

 

Don’t Go Near the Water (Bull)

The Water Bull has been described as a Bulgarian Loch Ness monster. Except, I don’t think any folktales exist the Nessie was tamed by love, not that Nessie is considered a vicious monster to start with. The similarities between the two creatures exist in the fact that both make their homes in deep bodies of water. While Nessie is in Scotland, the Water Bull’s home is in Rabisha Lake in the Belogradchik municipality, in northwestern Bulgaria. This lake, at 1.25 square miles with a depth of 49 feet, is Bulgaria’s largest interior lake, having plenty of room for the monster to hide away.

He’s a frightening creature, a massive-sized being with the head of a bull, body of a man, and tail of a fish. He sports erect horns that point straight ahead. Those people who have seen him, describe him as “naked without hair” or “without skin.” Accounts vary on his coloring: it may be black, gray, or red. Other people are steadfast that the creature is invisible. You can tell he is around because he roars like a beast and stirs the water in which he lives.

Water Bull. Cover of book 3 in the Dragon Village series. Image by Alexander Petkov.

As you can imagine, he is an otherworldly creature. The fact that he lives in the depths of the water makes him a chthonic being. He is the sabiya, the lord and owner, of that water body. As the sabiya, he has been perceived as dead, a zoomorphic ancestor, even a deceased shaman. In this role, he has the power to both protect and punish. The water itself is at his command. With it, he brings life and fertility. According to one legend, every spring, the sabiya turned the water in a certain spring a pale red from a blood sacrifice he made. But he is also destructive and can cause the water to flood the land and bring death, or make the water disappear entirely.

Besides causing flooding, the Water Bull inflicts other damage to villagers. Or, more specifically, their cattle. First, he attacked oxen, especially any that ventured close to the water, and he caused pestilence among the cattle. Second, he mated with the females. The calves they birthed were sickly animals and “half naked.” They could live neither on land nor in the water and soon died.

Both of these types of actions, flooding and injury to cattle, were threats to the survival of humankind. And so, as people advanced with the knowledge of metals and forging iron and with the growth of agriculture, however, the Water Bull lost his prized position as sabiya. This chthonic being was no longer a master. All that was good about him was transferred to a celestial deity, the god of lightning and thunder. The Water Bull has become a creature that needs to be destroyed. The chthonic being must be exiled while the celestial one becomes exalted.

He can be defeated in the ways all demonic creatures can – by iron. For this reason, villagers put iron on the tips of their bull’s horns to it could fight the Water Bull when it ventured from the water to devour one of the oxen. Animal must battle animal.

When the water became bloodied, it was proof the Water Bull had been defeated, although perhaps not killed. This had an adverse effect, however. The water source would dry up and appear in another location, often even in another village. The defeated Water Bull took it with him to a new, and – he hoped – friendlier location. Some said the water had been tamed, and would no longer be ruled by the Water Bull. In another instance after the water source had dried up for ten years, villagers wanted to move away. Finally, the one who had slain the Water Bull offered a kurban, a sacrificial animal, to restore the flow of water.

What Does This Mean?

These types of occurrences have been described as people explaining the reality of nature through a folkloric means. Since water is essential for human existence, it is considered sacred. The creatures that inhabit it must be reverenced and worshiped. Sacrifices must be offered to ensure these beings are appeased. Otherwise, the water creatures will take offense and create havoc. In the case of the Water Bull, he will kill cattle, cause flooding and cattle pestilence. As a way to prevent the cattle from being harmed, people would prohibit livestock from grazing too closely to the water. In this way, water would have a better chance of not being defiled by animal waste.

A Different Kind of Dragon?

The Water Bull and dragons may seem to be completely different beasts, yet still, in folklore, they have similarities. Did you know that in some stories, they function in like manners? Slay the beast or drive it away to protect the living. The well-known tale of St. George slaying the dragon is one such story.

I found an interesting look about this in a post from Old European Culture (http://oldeuropeanculture.blogspot.com/2019/03/water-bull.html).

The fact that the “monster” to whom the young girls were sacrificed was identified as both dragon and bull is very interesting. Dragon represents the destructive power of the burning summer sun. And summer starts in Taurus (Bull).

Summer starts on the 6th of May, Jarilo day, Beltine (middle of Taurus). Jarilo represents the sun’s heat, symbolized by the snake and the dragon. Funnily Jarilo was Christianized into St George, the Dragon killer, who kills Dragon-Bull.

On occasion, villager accounts also compared the Water Bull to the male dragon, the zmey, who loved human girls and desired to kidnap them for his bride. People in one village tell a tale of a zmey who came out of the water he lived in. Like other zmeys, this one could appear as a young man. The way to tell the difference was the small wings below his armpits. One time this zmey came out and a girl’s father or brother was there to greet him with a rifle. The dragon was shot and tossed back into the water. The water turned red with his blood and disappeared.

One major difference here is that the Water Bull harms animals, while the dragon has malicious intents toward humankind. If he doesn’t get what he wants, he can cause droughts. Similarly, the lamia, a three-headed female dragon, is often said to control the waters and is known for drying up the water. She requires human sacrifices in order to keep the water flowing.

We talk more about the roles of dragons in our book A Study of Dragons of Eastern Europe.

Rabisha Lake. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.The Legend

Now, how was the Water Bull tamed by love? A tale from the eighteenth century tells how a Water Bull terrorized villagers living around Rabisha Lake. Every year, the most beautiful girl from the area was offered as a sacrifice to the beast. She was paraded from the village to the water’s edge, where she was put on a boat, along with other gifts, as an offering to the monster. She was never seen again.

One year, however, the girl to be sacrificed held beauty far beyond any of those who had been offered to the beast before. When the boat she was on reached the middle of the lake, the Water Bull arose, ready to devour his prey. However, one look at her and he became enchanted. He had no desire to consume her. Rather, he was consumed by her beauty.

With love burning in his heart, he beseeched his sister, who was a sorceress, to find a way to make the girl immortal, so she could live beneath the water with him. His sister complied, and the Water Bull descended to the bottom of the lake with his beloved bride. No more did he demand sacrifices. He and his love are said to still live happily within the depths of Rabisha Lake.

Tangled in Thorns – Ispolini, Giants of Old

In folklore, the Ispolini were a race of people the gods created after the Dzhudzheta, the little people or dwarves. They died out because their slight height prevented them from being able to protect themselves from wild animals. They also found themselves inept at cultivating the land.

Then the gods corrected this problem and created a towering species, the Ispolini. They rose about the land to a height of up to 3 meters (9.8 feet). Not only were they tall, but they possessed huge heads and sometimes three. Each had only a single eye. Some tales described them as having only one leg.

In some Slavic lands, people believed the wind could waft the soul of a sleeping man to mountain summits. When enough of them had been gathered, they merged and became giants. Animal spirits, particularly oxen, could also form part of this monstrous being. During spring and autumn, they actively uprooted trees to use as clubs and hurled rocks at one another.

Their domain was caves in mountainous regions. Their voices rang out from one mountaintop to another. Unlike the Dzhudzheta, the Ispolini did not till the land. They survived on raw meat, perhaps even that of dragons, who were their natural enemies.

A Serbian giant, Balachko, possessed three heads. One could breathe fire, while the others blasted out icy cold wind. To defeat the giant, one had to wait until he exhausted himself and the fire and icy winds ceased. Thus vulnerable, the epic hero, Miloš Vojinović, could defeat the monster.

The gods congratulated themselves. Here was a race that could survive in the world. But, alas, the deities patted themselves on the back too soon. For the Ispolini, too, had a fatal weakness. They easily got entangled in blackberry bushes. Unable to free themselves from the thorns, they stumbled, broke bones, and eventually the giants began to die.

Once more, the deities allowed this species to die out. They did they by giving animals the ability to hide or conceal themselves from their main predator, the Ispolini. Thus, the little people died out because they could not till the land, and the tall people because they could not hunt.

Their third attempt was humankind, of a height between the small people and the tall people. And I’ll let you be the judge whether or not the third time was a charm.

Image licensed from Depositphotos.Ancestral Giants

But there is more to these giants than what folklore tells. Among the Thracians, the giants were considered ancestors. As the giant race died out and the human one began, the races interbred, creating the heroes of old, like Krali Marko, Sviatogor, and Ilya Muromets. The Proto-Bulgarian epics describe them as having divine blood mixed in with their human bloodlines. This does not necessarily make them good. They tend to be both infinitely good and terribly bad.

The name Ispolini is thought to be derived from spali. These refers to defeated Goths living in southern Russia. In the Strandja Mountains, there’s a place called the “Propada” graveyard, a necropolis where more than 100 tombs have been discovered. Those buried there were miners. The graves of those found lower on the hill are cheaper and smaller burial plots, probably of the common people. Higher up, the tombs become more elaborate, and at the peak is found a tomb that likely belonged to a wealthy landowner.

However, a tomb found near a family plot deserves more attention. It belonged to a man with fiery red hair and who was over 2 meters tall, much taller than any of the others found. It’s estimated the person lived around 100 or 200 BC. Nearby is a tomb believed to belong to his wife, who are normal height. It’s believed that the tall person was not local and was likely a Goth, a race that was attacking the empire at that time.

Another thought is that these giants came from a Thracian warrior tribe, Peons, who were allies of Troy. Dozens of skeletons of men of giant stature have found near the village of Pastouch, Bulgaria, where this tribe lived. The giant skull of a child is believed to be contained within a chest inside the Holy Trinity chapel there.

Although legends say they were 3 meters tall, graves found indicate these foreigners were closer to 2 meters (6.6 feet). To the people of the day, who rarely exceeded five feet tall, anyone that height would be considered a giant.

Kickstarter Campaign

Won’t you join us before October 12 to visit the land of Zmeykovo, Dragon Village, where you can meet this mighty giants from the past?

Dangers lurk in Dragon Village, but also secrets. Can Theo solve the mysteries before an evil creature conquers the magical and human worlds?

Do you have an adventurous soul, ready to encounter strange magical creatures?Have you ever wished you could travel through a portal to another world?Do you love the reluctant hero, strong female friends, and quirky sidekicks?

If this sounds like you, then step through the gate into the magical world of Dragon Village.

Campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/dragon-village?ref=3i92sy

Do Vampires Eat Dung?

The Western world is filled with stories of blood-sucking vampires that they say came from Slavic lands. In fact, the original Slavic vampire was not a Dracula-clone. This blood-sucking behavior was transferred to Slavic vampires only after the graves of supposed vampires were dug up. It was then that people noticed the deceased bloated body and a residue around the mouths that was taken for blood. Obviously, good ole Freddie (may he rest in peace) has been out having the time of his life (or death, as it were) drinking the blood from anyone he chose.

And why were these graves desecrated in the first place? Because of a rash of deaths, illnesses, crop failures, you know it. Anything that went wrong had to have been the fault of those pesky vampires.

“The Vampire”, lithograph by R. de Moraine (1864). From: Féval, Paul-Henri-Corentin. (1864) “Les Tribunaux Secrets.” Paris: Boulanger et LeGrand. Vol. 2, p. 112. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

That being said, in folklore, blood did play a part in some of the vampiric traits. When the decease first made its way out of the grave, it would have a rather odd form: a shapeless, jelly-like bag of blood. Inside, it lacked bones. This shape allowed it to escape from the grave through any tiny crack or opening.

These kinds of vampires cause mostly harmless mischief around the community, although he did drink blood for sustenance, but for the most part, these vampiric troublemakers, in death, got payback on those who were their enemies in life. The undead haunted homes like a poltergeist. They made noises in the attic, broke dishes, created a mess in the kitchen and pantry, tormented livestock, and other such misadventures. This all lasted until the first rooster crowed. Then back to the grave the vampire went.

If you wanted to get rid of the vampire or recognize him as one, you’d have to do so within the first 40 days after the deceased was buried. As he continued to drink blood, he gradually took on human form again, even though he still lacks bones. Stronger, he can even go about life as he did before and not have to creep back when daylight arrives. To avoid being recognized, he’ll travel to another village to life his new undead life. He may marry again and become either a butcher or a barber. However, a single cut to himself, or you can prick him with a hawthorn thorn, and boom, he bursts to become a pool of blood and that jelly-like substance he after is still remains.

But the title implies he eats dung, you say. Yes, this is true. This is how the vampire survives when not drinking blood. He consumes animal refuse.

How Vampires Come into Existence

Vampires were among the spirits, or undead, affected by this. The Slavs held many beliefs about how a person could become a vampire: a cat or other animal leaping over the corpse or its grave, a bird flying above the body, or even a shadow falling onto the body or grave could trigger the curse. One major factor determining this was improper burial procedures. If the prescribed customs and rites were not performed or were done so incorrectly or not completely (such as a body that was not washed properly), lock the doors. Good ole Freddie was coming back after you.

If you’re not sure if you did all the rites correctly, one method of protecting a deceased loved one from becoming a vampire is to make his coffin from maple or pine. On top of that, you can lay inside the coffin grasses and herbs blessed on the Feast of the Transfiguration.

Graphics by Maciej Sieńczyk for Oskar Kolberg’s text on the physical confrontation of Polish peasants with ghosts (Lubelskie, Part 2). Source: Adam Mickiewicz Institute – Project: Phantom, via Wikimedia Commons.

Some people never even had a chance. Those who died a violent death (murdered, struck by lightning, falling to their death, for example), or committed suicide, were more than likely to come back as some kind of monster or evil spirit, vampire included. Not only them, but people who led what were considered “evil” lives could come back as vampires, even if they lived to a ripe old age: thieves, murderers, drunkards, lechers, whores, sorcerers, and so on. These people were not even allowed to be buried in consecrated ground. Outside the churchyard they went.

One suggested reason for so many dead becoming the undead among the Slavs was that in pre-Christian times, the dead were cremated, separating their spirits or souls from the body and allowing them to fly free to the otherworld. Orthodoxy, however, demanded that the body be put into the ground because of the spiritual belief in the bodily resurrection. Therefore, in order to prevent poor ole Freddie from making his way out of the grave, precautions were put into place, such as stones in the deceased’s mouth or a sickle across his throat.

Not only people can turn into vampires after they die, but so can objects. Any object left outside under a full moon will become a vampire. Specifically, this applies to pumpkins. If you leave it outside for ten nights, full moon or not, it will become a vampire. The vampiric pumpkin begins to shake and make a “brrrr” sound (I guess it got cold being left outside for so long). Then it will make its way inside your home and do you harm. Fortunately, being as they are still pumpkins, the damage the do is minimal. If you’re unsure whether your pumpkin has turned into a vampire or not, check for a drop of blood somewhere on it.

Protecting Yourself from a Vampire

If you’re out and about at night and you sense you’re being stalked by a vampire, you can protect yourself by swallowing some of the earth from the creature’s grave. However, this also results in you yourself becoming a vampire when you die. And what is the likelihood you’d have some of that special dirt on your person at the time?

A better protective method is to leap across a stream if you can, as these kinds of creatures cannot cross water (unless carried over). Salt is something the creature fears, and this is more readily available than coffin dirt. Other objects the vampire fears (at least in more modern folklore) are a piece of iron that’s been broken up, hawthorn, wild rose, garlic, and tar. He also cowers in thunder. If his grave is struck, there goes the vampire as well. If it’s the first storm of the season, the mere sound of the thunder itself can vanquish your undead foe.

This just touches the tip of the iceberg that is the Slavic vampire. And much of this has been influenced by the western world and the whole blood-drinking monster belief. A future book in our “Sprits & Creatures” series will take a deeper dive into the who and what of the Slavic vampire of folklore.

Mystical, Magical Firebird, Champion of the Poor

The Firebird (Zhar-ptitsa) is a creature found in the wonder tale (volshebnaia skazka). She represents a rare treasure. Her eyes are crystals, and her feathers are silvery, golden, or orange-red and glow like embers. A single feather shines brighter than numerous candles. It can brighten a room as if a thousand lights were shining within or as if the setting sun itself illuminated the room. When the light in the feather finally dims and goes out, the feather itself turns to gold. Like attracts like, and so the feather, being a treasure, will enable one to find other treasures, particularly gold within the earth.

Her feathers burn to the touch. Because of her flaming feathers, she is linked to the sun. She is said to be the keeper of the world. She covers the fiery vision of the sun to protect all Earthly life from being devoured by the heat of the sun.

She lives an idle life eating and singing. Her diet is golden apples or magical grasses. The apples are prized by humankind because they bestow youth, beauty, and immortality on the consumer. Her song is a powerful healer. It can cure any disease, prolong life, and restore sight to the blind to any who listen to her sing. When she sings, lightning appears and pearls fall from her beak.

A single feather, whether taken from her or found by the wayside, has magical powers and its golden color is a symbol of prosperity. But to take a feather spells doom. It becomes a blessing and a curse for the one who bears the feather on his journey.

Rich men lust after the Firebird. When they see a single feather that glows bright as the sun, they desire to hold her captive in a golden cage to behold her beauty and listen to her enchanting song. She is said to live in a garden in Iria, where the Tree of Live grows. But when she flies free at nighttime, it is poor to whom the Firebird shows her benevolence.

She becomes a Slavic Robin Hood, a folk hero, stealing golden apples from the rich and giving them to the poor. Lacking apples, she’ll drop pearls from her beak as she flies over peasant villages. These treasures, although by themselves have no use to the peasants, are a means for them to trade for food, clothing, and every other necessity for their humble existence.

Ivan Bilibin’s illustration of “Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf.” Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Origins

Where did this marvelous bird come from?

The Firebird has been said to be descended from the god Simargl, a winged dog, who was the protector of seeds, new shoots, and roots. The name Simargl is theorized to have come from simurgh, a Persian magical bird-deity. Although both of these concepts are debatable. The simurgh, however, was a mediator between worlds as is the Firebird.

Some sources claim that Perun, the Slavic god of thunder, traveled in the guise of the Firebird when he left the thirtieth kingdom. This was a fertile and prosperous land, where the Slavic pantheon was said to live. The fruit on the trees added years to one’s life, and the waters there restored life.

A medieval Russian creation story says it was the Firebird who soared over the great ocean that engulfed the universe. Within the primal chaos, she laid an egg from which all life was brought forth, as well as Heaven, the Earth, the Underworld, and all the stars.

Another legend places the Firebird in the Garden of Eden. She observed mankind’s downfall after Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit (which some sources say was the quince, which has been called a golden apple). While all others in the garden also partook of the taste-test, the Firebird alone refrained. For her loyalty, God granted the bird immortality, but that came with a cost. She would suffer a painful death each autumn to be reborn in the spring. Other tales say each dawn, she enters a death-like sleep, from which she revives when the sun sets.

One Tale

The golden-apple stealing Firebird in “Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf” is perhaps one of the most well-known stories about this mythical creature. Ivan Bilibin’s illustration portrays this story wonderfully. I’ve always been fascinated by this renowned artist’s colorful illustrations. Back in 1990, I had the opportunity to visit Moscow. A street called Arbat is filled with art. Think of Montmartre in Paris. The Arbat has existed since at least the 15th century, which makes it one of the oldest surviving streets in the Russian capital. Among the many other fascinating artwork, I discovered hand-painted boxes from the famous Palekh school. These, as well as a reproduction of a book with Bilibin illustrations, now are part of my collection. One of the tales is in the book is “Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf.”

But, the Zhar-ptitsa appears in other tales, as well, like the summary below from Ralston’s Russian Folk-tales. (London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1873, pp. 283-285, tale taken from Khudyakof, No. 110, from the Nijegorod Government).

It had been predicted that a certain baby princess would begin flying about the world as soon as she was fifteen. So her parents shut her up in a building in which she never saw the light of day, nor the face of a man. For it was illuminated by artificial means, and none but women had access to it. But one day, when her nurses and Mamzeli had gone to a feast at the palace, she found a door unlocked, and made her way into the sunlight. After this her attendants were obliged to allow her to go where she wished, when her parents were away. As she went roaming about the palace, she came to a cage in which a Zhar-Ptitsa, ‘lay [as if] dead.’ This bird, her guardians told her, slept soundly all day, but at night her papa flew about on it. Farther on she came to a veiled portrait. When the veil was lifted, she cried in astonishment ‘Can such beauty be?’ and determined to fly on the Zhar-Ptitsa to the original of the picture. So at night she sought the Zhar-Ptitsa, which was sitting up and flapping its wings, and asked whether she might fly abroad on its back. The bird consented and bore her far away. Three times it carried her to the room of the prince whose portrait she had so much admired. On the first and second occasion he remained asleep during her visit, having been plunged into a magic slumber by the Zhar-Ptitsa. But during her third visit he awoke, ‘and he and she wept and wept, and exchanged betrothal rings.’ So long did they remain talking that, before the Zhar-Ptitsa and his rider could get back, ‘the day began to dawn—the bird sank lower and lower and fell to the ground.’ Then the princess, thinking it was really dead, buried it in the earth—having first cut off its wings, and ‘attached them to herself so as to walk more lightly.’

After various adventures she comes to a land of mourning. ‘Why are you so mournful?’ she asks. ‘Because our king’s son has gone out of his mind,’ is the reply. ‘He eats a man every night.’ Thereupon she goes to the king and obtains leave to watch the prince by night. As the clock strikes twelve the prince, who is laden with chains, makes a rush at her; but the wings of the Zhar-Ptitsa rustle around her, and he sits down again. This takes place three times, after which the light goes out. She leaves the room in search of the means of rekindling it, sees a glimmer in the distance, and sets off with a lantern in search of it. Presently she finds an old witch who is sitting before a fire, above which seethes a cauldron. ‘What have you got there?’ she asks. ‘When this cauldron seethes,’ replies the witch, ‘within it does the heart of Prince Ivan rage madly.’

Pretending to be merely getting a light, the princess contrives to splash the seething liquid over the witch, who immediately falls dead. Then she looks into the cauldron, and there, in truth, she sees the prince’s heart. When she returns to his room, he has recovered his senses. ‘Thank you for bringing a light,’ he says. ‘Why am I in chains?’ ‘Thus and thus,’ says she. ‘You went out of your mind and ate people.’ Whereat he wonders greatly.

Kickstarter Campaign

The Firebird plays an integral role in our story and is at the center of an evil demon’s plot to conquer the world.

We’re planning to launch the complete Dragon Village series on September 26. Here’s a preview of our campaign story.

Dangers lurk in Dragon Village, but also secrets. Can Theo solve the mysteries before an evil creature conquers the magical and human worlds?

Do you have an adventurous soul, ready to encounter strange magical creatures?Have you ever wished you could travel through a portal to another world?Do you love the reluctant hero, strong female friends, and quirky sidekicks?

If this sounds like you, then step through the gate into the magical world of Dragon Village.

Campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/dragon-village?ref=3i92sy

If you’re interested in other Bulgarian beliefs, why not check out one of our book Light Love Rituals: Bulgarian Myths, Legends, and Folklore, available direct from us or from retail stores.

Laughter in the Forest – A Walk with Leshy (part 2)

Last week, we talked about Leshy’s “good” side. Although some people may think that pranking is not good, in these instances, Leshy didn’t do any real damage to anyone. He just had a good laugh. His “bad” side, however, was not always so humorous.

First, let’s talk about a few of his vices.

According to some sources, Leshy likes to drink. After a long night of carousing, when he’s incapacitated, his friend the bear stands guard to protect this forest spirit. When the bear is not around, a wolf will watch over his master. For bear and wolf, and even horned owl, are Leshy’s faithful companions.

He’s also a card player and is wont to gamble away squirrels and mice and other creatures he’s in charge of in one fell swoop. This is much to the annoyance of the villagers who hunt in those woods. For, lo and behold, a mass migration occurs after Leshy loses to another of his kind. The debt has to be paid, and the winning Leshy now has double his possessions. Some people describe him as a demon. So, when he plays cards, the deck lacks clubs, since they are said to resemble the cross.

As you can imagine, if one Leshy loses to another, it’ll cause ill will between them. Battles take place. Anyone wandering through the forest after one of these events will come across trees uprooted as if a hurricane passed through the area. But unlike the devastation a hurricane causes, the disturbed area is only a small space.

This kind of fighting usually occurs in early spring right after he’s woken from his winter slumber. He has so much pent-up energy that he has to let it out somehow. Thankfully, this doesn’t last too long, and soon he’s back to protecting the forest and its animals. During the summer, he like to play tricks. As autumn approaches, he starts getting riled up again, knowing he’s in for a long winter hibernation. If it wasn’t a battle taking place, it could also have been Leshy’s wedding ceremony. During the feasting, Leshy causes so much discord that the birds and beasts alike vacate the scene.

And to add to these vices, he likes a good smoke. If you feel up to it, when you leave him gifts in the forest, don’t hesitate to propitiate him with some tobacco as well. If you find that you feel ill after being in the forest, it’s likely you forgot to leave him some kind of offering, whether it’s tobacco or one of the other things he enjoys.

I. I. Izhakevich. Leshy. Drawing from Niva magazine. 1904. No. 22.), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

If you’ve happened to run across Leshy without knowing it, and you’ve done nothing to make him accept you in his domain, when you exit the forest, you’ll be covered with moss. Worse, you may be mute. Even if you get your voice back, from that point on, you’ll be unable to concentrate, and you’ll act oddly. It could be even worse. If an angry Leshy finds you, he may tickle you to death.

Another of the negative traits of Leshy is that he has been known to abduct humans. He may be lusty and steal maidens to be his slaves. Or, he may steal children, particularly if a parent or woman during childbirth curses her offspring by saying, “May Leshy take you.” He takes you up on the offer.

Girls they raise become rusalki, while boys become other Leshys if they are not found within seven years and their names blessed. The children may be taught secret healing knowledge that they bring back to their community when they are set free or escape. In other cases, however, the children may become wild. They forget how to speak, and they stop wearing clothing. Moss is their attire. Over time, these children lose shape and become invisible.

When he steals your child, there’s a good chance he’ll replace him with either a piece of wood of a child of his own. You’ll know this is the case because this changeling is not very intelligent and has a voracious appetite. If that child tries to return to his first home, the forest, he fails and becomes a tramp.

The moral of the story is to do a few simple things before you enter the forest. Be kind. Be respectful. Be generous. And take only what you need.

Kickstarter Campaign

The Lesnik in our story likes to have fun. He’s not one to kidnap or harm, but he also like to drink and play cards.

We’re planning to launch the complete Dragon Village series on September 26. Here’s a preview of our campaign story.

Dangers lurk in Dragon Village, but also secrets. Can Theo solve the mysteries before an evil creature conquers the magical and human worlds?

Do you have an adventurous soul, ready to encounter strange magical creatures?Have you ever wished you could travel through a portal to another world?Do you love the reluctant hero, strong female friends, and quirky sidekicks?

If this sounds like you, then step through the gate into the magical world of Dragon Village.

Campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/dragon-village?ref=3i92sy

If you’re interested in forests and tree, why not check out one of our latest books, Magical Healing Trees in Slavic Folklore, available direct from us or from retail stores.

Laughter in the Forest – A Walk with Leshy (part 1)

Les means forest, so this nature spirit’s name is “one from the forest.” He’s probably most commonly known as Leshy, but he goes by similar names depending on the country of origin. Among the Bulgarians, he is Lesnik. This creature, like many Slavic ones, has a good side and a bad side. Today, we’ll show you his lighter side, and next week we’ll discuss his vices.

Leshy is the protector of his domain. Although he allows hunters to hunt and woodsmen to cut down trees—if they ask permission and use moderation in their endeavors—you’re also likely to hear him weep whenever a tree is cut down. He knows you need it for fuel, housing, or domestic items, but it breaks his heart nonetheless.

When the forest spirit is not out doing his rounds, he likes to live in a cave or a hollowed-out old mossy-covered fir. If he’s more sociable, he’ll marry and build a spacious home in the forest for his family. His bride may be another of his kind, a Lesovikha, or even a swamp Kikimora.

Leshy is a shape-shifter, so you may not be aware of his presence, especially since he casts no shadow. An often-quoted fact about him is that he can be as tall as the tallest forest tree or as small as a blade of grass.

If you do happen to catch a glimpse of him, he may have a somewhat human appearance, but he definitely doesn’t look like you or me, or anyone you’ve met. He’s a whole lot of green: his glowing eyes (which may be crossed or shaped like stars), beard, and scraggly hair (combed to the left) are all that color. His pale skin is blue-tinged, rough like bark, and covered with hair, and his face may lack eyelashes or eyebrows. A large wart moves around his face. Or he may be missing his right ear. His head is a bit pointed, and his hair trails to his toes. He has been described like a devil with wings, horns, goat hooves, and a tail and is covered in black hair. He’s likely to be carrying a club and a horn with which he summons the forest animals. In this appearance, he looks like a toddler who’s dressed himself, with clothing on backward and shoes on the wrong feet.

Н. Н. Брут, Magazine «Leshy», Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Even if you don’t see him, you’ll know he’s around. If you come across triangular marks like slingshots, you’ve stumbled upon one of Leshy’s trails. Be warned: he leaves no footprints, so you won’t know if he’s been there recently.

Do you hear the magpies squawking? That’s because they’re his messengers, and they notify Leshy whenever anyone trespasses in his forest. He’s certain to be nearby soon after that.

One thing Leshy is most well-known for is that he loves to play tricks on those who enter the forest. He may appear as another traveler and give you what seem like good suggestions for shortcuts. Don’t be deceived. He’s trying to get you lost. If that doesn’t work, he’ll remove boundary rocks or signposts. Or all he has to do is simply walk around his intended victim in a circle. When you’re knee deep in a swamp, you’ll hear him chuckling away at what a good prank he’s pulled.

You can prank him yourself by dressing as he does. He’ll either think you’re another Leshy, or he’ll get a good laugh at your appearance, especially if you’ve stripped naked in the forest to switch your clothing around. In either case, with you dressed like him, he probably will leave you to be on your way.

Bending down to look between your legs and chanting “I walked, I found, I lost” is another way to protect yourself from his games. Leshy will appear from his hiding place and exclaim, “You figured it out.” Then he’ll be gone. You can also try chanting “Sheep’s mug, sheep’s wool” to protect yourself.

To avoid Leshy’s bad side in the first place, ask permission before entering the forest. It is his home, after all, and he doesn’t like trespassers. Even then, it’s best to offer him gifts when you go to the forest, whether it’s for a nature walk or to hunt or cut wood. He likes hardboiled eggs, pancakes, or bread and salt left on a clean linen cloth. He’s even happy if you leave him a cookie (he likes gingerbread) or candy on a stump. Leaving him your first catch of game is another nice offering.

If you want to ask him for help, such as finding lost livestock that may have wandered into the forest, don’t expect Leshy to do it for free. First, though, you’ll have to get his attention—if the magpies haven’t already alerted him. One method is to cut down several birch saplings. With their tips all touching, position the trees in a circular formation. Stand in the center and yell, “Grandpa!” for that is a term of respect.

If you want to make sure he looks more human when you call him, say this instead: “Grandpa, come to me now, not as a gray wolf, not as a black raven, not as a flaming fir tree, but in the shape I wear.” Otherwise, he could appear as anything: a hare, wolf, bear, raven, pig, horse, rooster, flaming fir tree, or mushroom (Amanita muscaria), in particular. Stories tell about how one creature or another dissolved into the air after they tried to capture it. This, of course, was Leshy in disguise.

Before he makes his bargain with you (and beware, he usually gets the better deal), he may attempt to frighten you by barking, neighing, howling, or any sound of the forest, as well as hysterical laughter. At other times, you’ll know he’s nearby because the trees rustle as he rocks on their boughs, he whistles but forbids others to do so, he claps his hands or cracks a whip. The strong wind that blows around him creates an eternal echo of his sounds.

For the most part, though, he’s only out for a good laugh while he’s out protecting his home.

Kickstarter Campaign

The Lesnik in our story is like the one described above. He’s out to play trick on Theo.

We’re planning to launch the complete Dragon Village series on September 26. Here’s a preview of our campaign story.

Dangers lurk in Dragon Village, but also secrets. Can Theo solve the mysteries before an evil creature conquers the magical and human worlds?

Do you have an adventurous soul, ready to encounter strange magical creatures?Have you ever wished you could travel through a portal to another world?Do you love the reluctant hero, strong female friends, and quirky sidekicks?

If this sounds like you, then step through the gate into the magical world of Dragon Village.

Campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/dragon-village?ref=3i92sy

If you’re interested in forests and tree, why not check out one of our latest books, Magical Healing Trees in Slavic Folklore, available direct from us or from retail stores.