Rowan nights Rowan nights are strange and mystical, filled with ancient magic and covered in legends and beliefs - short nights with thunderstorms and lightning. On these nights, you can make powerful amulets and perform effective rituals, because such nights are ruled by a mysterious force, ancient and powerful.

Rowan or sparrows?

Sparrow night, rowan night - a night with a strong thunderstorm or lightning; time of rampant Evil Power.

Expressions are known in Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian literary languages and dialects. Both names probably go back to a single ancestral form “Rowan Night”, recorded in the Old Russian language starting from the 15th century. The meaning of the Old Russian “rowan” is associated with the meaning of “pockmarked” and related Indo-European names for color. The names have many dialect variants, which form two large areas. For the southern Russian regions and Ukraine, the main options are those with adjectives meaning “passerine”; for the Eastern Belarusian, Belarusian-Polessye and Western Russian territories - adjectives with the meaning “rowan”.

Sparrows are considered cursed by the Christian god, that is, this bird is associated with Demons. There is a Tsar Sparrow - the Imp Berikapka. When Jesus was hidden from the Romans, a sparrow indicated his location. Before the crucifixion of Christ, swallows carried nails from the Romans. And the sparrows found it and brought it back. When he was hanging on the cross, swallows sat on him, wanting to show the Romans that Christ was dead. And the sparrows jumped nearby and shouted: “Alive, alive!”, which prompted the guards to stab him in the heart.

For this, the sparrows received two curses.

**First. They cannot walk, but only jump.
**Second. Sparrow nights occur several times a year in every country.

The spirits of the elements are allowed to rage on these nights. The wind tears off the roofs. Rain floods the earth in torrents. The earth shakes and hums. Lightning flashes so often that sparrows mistake night for day and leave their nests. They get hit by the elements and fall dead. In the morning the ground is covered with broken branches mixed with the corpses of sparrows. Since sparrows are cursed birds, witches hatch devils from their eggs. So, they take a sparrow egg and carry it in a canvas bag under the left arm, without soaking it, until the devil in the shape of a sparrow hatches. Naturally, this is accompanied by certain rituals.

There are several nights a year with such names.
*The first ones are in the spring, when the mountain ash blooms.
**The second - in the summer, between June 17 and 26, when each night is like one “leap” of a sparrow, so they are short.
***Third, starting from Semin's day and until the Equinox.
****But in fact, any stormy night with lightning can be called Sparrow Night.

In Ukraine and Belarus these magical nights are called “peacock nights,” and in Russia they are also called “passerine nights.” The strange, at first glance, connection between the concepts of “rowan” and “sparrows” still has several versions, each of which is quite convincing: in the Ukrainian language the words “gorobina” (rowan) and “gorobets” (sparrow) are consonant, and the formed The adjectives from them are identical - “gorobiny”.

At first, nights with thunderstorms were called rowan nights, meaning “pockmarked, motley” because of thunderstorms, lightning and lightning. On “pockmarked”, thundery nights, sparrows get scared, fly out of their nests and chirp. The name is based on a purely visual impression: the similarity of the blazing sky with the color of rowan berries. It is believed that “rowan nights” occur only when the rowan tree is in bloom - however, there are also disputes about the time and number of rowan nights. Without thunder, a rowan tree cannot ripen; alternatively, when a rowan tree ripens, such silence is restored in the world that the rumble of thunder sounds simply deafening.

This night has nothing to do with sparrows or mountain ash; in fact, this night is Gorovin - on behalf of the Eastern Slavic god Gorovin, the god of thunder and lightning. But rowan is the berry of Perun, the thunder god. The night is short, such that the sparrows will not be able to sleep/hop over.

“Dark sparrow, or rowan, nights, when August gives way to September, on Simeon the Stylite (September 1/14), all the sparrows suddenly disappear from the fields and flock to one place, where the devil or an evil spirit measures them with a huge yardstick, rowing them there. He sweeps those who do not fit into the measure from its edges and releases them to reproduce, and keeps the rest for himself, pours them into hell and kills them.” “... In ancient Russian legends, the sparrow never plays a good role. An evil spirit can turn into it, bringing money to its owner. There are bad omens associated with it: say, if a sparrow flies into a window, it means trouble, for example, a dead person.”

So when did these rowan-sparrow nights happen?

For example, in Ukraine, according to one version, this is the night of Simeon the Stylite (September 1/14). By the way, I read somewhere that once a year practicing witches make an offering to the dark forces in order for the work to go well next year, and this action took place precisely on the day of Sineon Stylite according to the church calendar. In my native land, it is believed that ferns bloom on such nights, but this is not necessarily Kupala - just a magical night. Therefore, looking for ferns on Kupala is not a productive activity))) although you can stock up on the necessary herbs. There are also versions that a real Sparrow Night occurs once every seven years: “For 100 rowan nights, there is only one sparrow night.”

Or maybe there are three of them, three magical nights for collecting witchcraft flowers and berries: the first night comes when the rowan tree blooms - and this color can be used for love magic. On the second night, the rowan tree blooms and you can do damage and quarrels, and on the third night the berries ripen and you can attract good luck and wealth with these fruits! How to use the ancient magic of rowan and what power a simple string of berry beads has is worth highlighting as a separate story.

The first rowan night

The “first” rowan night is considered to be any of the seven nights from the moment the rowan tree blooms. Branches of blooming rowan are used in love divination. This is not difficult to do. Draw a sprig of rowan around the place where the date took place, and then light it. Hold the lit rowan branch in your outstretched hand, chanting the words into the smoke:
“Sparrows, sparrows, wild winds, you fly, fly and bring (name).” Oh, fly, fly and bring (name) to me, bring him, carry his thoughts.”
Pour the ashes burned on the stick into the “footprints” of your loved one - where his foot stepped. And then be sure to draw a closing circle around this place. Carry a half-burnt rowan stick with you “for love.” Rowan flowers, picked on the first rowan nights, contribute to the development of the gift of prediction, and many fortune tellers keep them in a box with cards.

Second Rowan Night

The “second” is any of the next seven nights. At this time, the rowan tree fades and is used to heal diseases. To heal from diseases, a young rowan tree was split in half to the very base and stepped over the crevice. It is believed that this especially helps children with hernia or spinal diseases, and adults with skin diseases. You might as well get rid of your enemies this night. To do this, it is enough to step over a split tree, having some “enemy” thing with you, and then your ill-wishers will leave you behind.

The most powerful way to get rid of everything that prevents you from living a normal life is to jump over a cleansing fire of rowan branches.

Third Rowan Night

The “third” rowan night is considered to be any of the seven nights from the moment when the rowan tree has bloomed and its berries have begun to set. If you bury money (a symbolic amount) under a rowan tree on this night, then the spirit of the rowan tree will send you profit. A rowan tree branch picked on this night kills evil spirits and brings offspring if it is used to whip an animal... or a wife who cannot give birth to a child .

Three rowan branches with berries that had just appeared were carried with them against the evil eye and damage. But the rest of the time, the great protector and helper, the mountain ash tree, retains its magical power. Its branches, plucked during magical nights, placed around the apartment in dry bouquets, will save you from dangerous diseases, and if you place the branches in the corners of the house, they will ward off demons from you and your home. A rowan branch in your pocket will bring you good luck.

If a rowan branch is thrown against the wind, it can stop a hurricane, and left on the outside of the house it will protect the house from lightning and fire. If you place a rowan branch with berries in a children's room, the children will be less naughty and will become more capable of learning. Rowan beads They will return your beauty, and a rowan bracelet on your hand means you will definitely be asked to marry. Before the wedding, newlyweds place a sprig of rowan in their shoes. In the morning they must be thrown away, having first asked the mountain ash for forgiveness.

How to pay quadra on time
Our ancestors highly revered the patron of the sun, Yar. He personifies victory, so they asked him for positive changes in life: good relationships with friends, family, health, good luck in all endeavors. It is best to ask Yar about this in March, from the 9th to the 19th. At this time of year he has no serious business yet. The last day when you can ask Yar for help - March 19 - is a big magical holiday. On the night of March 19-20, witches usually flock to the Sabbath, and knowledgeable people light a fire, cast spells and pay quadra (gratitude) for the past year in the form of grain, precious stones or something else equally valuable. If you want to get what you want, you need to be patient and perform a small ritual at the right time. This ritual is considered very ancient. To do this, somewhere in nature you need to choose a small hill, stand facing the sun, spread your arms to the sides and say:
“Let the power of Yar help me (in this and that). Let it be so! And so it will be!”
It is advisable to do this from 10 am to 2 pm. Having completed the ritual, leave without looking back. Don’t tell anyone why or where you went. And then pour out 1 kg of grain in honor of the lord of the sun - in payment for everything that you said to come true quickly and without interference. Scatter the grain in handfuls, mentally repeating your desire. This is exactly how our ancestors asked the sun for a better life.

The summer night of the second half of June is just as short as the sparrow's leap. Hence the original popular name – “sparrow” nights. Sparrow night, rowan night - a night with a strong thunderstorm or lightning; time of rampant evil spirits. Expressions are known in Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian literary languages and dialects.

Both names probably go back to the same ancestral form “Rowan Night”, recorded in the Old Russian language starting from the 15th century. The meaning of the Old Russian “rowan” is associated with the meaning of “pockmarked” and related Indo-European names for color. The names have many dialect variants, which form two large areas. For the southern Russian regions and Ukraine, the main options are those with adjectives meaning “passerine”; for the Eastern Belarusian, Belarusian-Polessye and Western Russian territories - adjectives with the meaning “rowan”.

The mention of Sparrow Night is first found in the Tver Chronicle when describing the battle between the squads of Yaroslav the Wise and his brother Mstislav. It says here: “And when there was a night of rowan trees, there was darkness and thunder and lightning and rain... And there was a slaughter of evil and terrible, as if prayers were illuminated, so their weapons shone, and as lightning illuminated, only the swords of the leader, and so each other slash, and no thunderstorm is great and the slash is strong.” In Belarus, “Rowan Night” was interpreted both as a time of rampant evil spirits and as a time when storms and lightning strikes destroy “charms” and evil spirits. One might think that in Ancient Rus', the “rowan tree night” was associated with the idea of a kind of heavenly battle.

Beliefs about the Night of the Sparrow were in many cases based on folk etymology. For example, in the Kiev region, the night of September 1 was called “sparrow night,” when “the devil measures the sparrows” (see Sparrow). The expression “rowan night” is usually associated with the image of a rowan tree. This association may reflect phenological observations (in particular, it is believed that “rowan nights” occur when rowan trees bloom and when their berries ripen) or be based on associations between rowan trees and the color of the sky during a thunderstorm.

Ideas about the number and timing of the Sparrow Night are determined, for the most part, by real observations of nature, however, the latter are closely intertwined with popular beliefs. In particular, in some places it was believed that there were always one or three Sparrow Nights per year, or that Sparrow Night happened once every six or seven years. In the Zhitomir and Kiev regions, Sparrow Night was associated, as a rule, with one of the June nights on the eve of Ivan Kupala or Peter, and there was also a belief that ferns bloom at this time; in a number of Kyiv and Zhytomyr descriptions it is simply indicated. that Sparrow Night is the time when the fern blooms (without a specific calendar reference).

A.L. Toporkov

How the devil measures sparrows

On dark sparrow or rowan nights, when August gives way to September, on Simeon the Stylite (September 1/14), all the sparrows suddenly disappear from the fields and flock to one place, where the devil or an evil spirit measures them with a huge yardstick, rowing them there.
He sweeps those who do not fit into the measure from its edges and releases them to reproduce, and keeps the rest for himself, pours them into hell and kills them.

This legend arose already in later Christian times.
Punishment overtakes the little birds for bringing nails when the Savior was crucified.
But before this, the sparrow betrayed Christ with its chirping, and then angrily chirped “alive and alive,” encouraging the torment of the crucified Jesus.
For this reason, their legs are forever “tied with a string”: sparrows do not walk like other birds, but jump up slightly.
Their meat is considered unclean and is not eaten in Christian countries.
According to an older legend, the birds tied the sparrow's paws for misconduct during the election of the bird king.
Therefore, in ancient Russian legends, the sparrow never plays a good role. An evil spirit can turn into it, bringing money to its owner.
Bad omens are associated with it: say, if a sparrow flies into a window, it means trouble, for example, a dead person.

E.A. Grushko, Yu.M. Medvedev "Russian legends and traditions"

Sparrow night is a summer stormy night with continuous lightning flashes and thunderclaps. - The lightning did not stop for a moment; it was what people call a sparrow night. Turgenev. - Do you know what such nights with continuous lightning are called? “No,” Klava answered. - Passerines. Because sparrows wake up from bright flashes, begin to rush around in the air, and then, when the lightning goes out, they crash into trees and walls in the dark. Paustovsky.

Rowan or Sparrow Night is not so much a holiday as a day of power with a special mystical meaning. Find out below when and how many times a year such a night occurs, what to do during this magical time and how to protect yourself from evil spirits.

The meaning and essence of the holiday

The Slavs have long called sparrow night nights with a strong thunderstorm or bright lightning on the horizon. Perhaps its original name was rowan night, that is, pockmarked or motley, like a sparrow. In Ukrainian it sounds like this: “ little pea" This adjective can be translated into Russian as “passerine” and “rowan”. The first mention of the definition is found in an 11th century chronicle describing the battle between the troops of Yaroslav the Wise and Mstislav the Udal.

Sparrow night is a time of rampant evil spirits. Devils and demons celebrate their holiday, witches organize a Sabbath. Neophytes offer offerings to the darkness, establish contact with the forces of evil and gain knowledge of black magic. Watching the bad weather reign outside the window charges you with magical energy and replenishes the magician’s wasted resources. Elemental spirits are on the rampage. Rain floods the streets, the wind tears off roofs. Lightning strikes cause fires, the earth trembles and moves away from under your feet.

At the same time, beliefs claim that thunderstorms strike devils and witches with lightning. There is a connection here with Perun, the celebration in whose honor with the advent of Christianity turned into. The thunderstorm personifies the struggle of the thunder god with evil spirits, and the Sparrow Night is an echo of his cult.

When does Rowan Night come?

The time of the onset of Rowan Night depends on the region in which beliefs about it were formed. In Central Russia, these are three dates that coincide with the flowering and harvesting time of rowan. According to Belarusian superstitions, we are talking about the period between Elijah’s Day and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary - from August 2 to September 8. Smolensk beliefs point to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary - August 28.

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In Central Ukraine, special power is attributed to thunderstorms on the night of Ivan Kupala, on the eve of it and after Peter's Day - July 6, 7 and 12. Sometimes Sparrow is called the shortest night of the year - 21st of June. So they say: “the night is so short that even a sparrow will jump.” Less common are similar references to the night of the Autumnal Equinox.

In the south, Sparrow is considered night from 1 to 2 September(sometimes from the last day of August to September 1) regardless of the weather. On this date, “the devil measures the sparrows.” Those who fit in are sent to hell, those who don’t fit in are set free. This is the punishment for the birds who carried nails to the Savior’s cross. This is why there are so many dead sparrows after a thunderstorm.

The number of Sparrow thunderstorms per year also depends on the region. Somewhere they believe that this is the only date in the year, but in other places their number reaches up to ten. It can be assumed that the dates of mystical thundery nights are related to the climate and the time of flowering and ripening of mountain ash. The richest time for thunderstorms is the period of Rowan Nights. In some regions this is the name given to any night with severe thunderstorms.

Legends have been preserved according to which the Sparrow Night occurs once every 7 years: “for a hundred rowan nights there is only one sparrow night.” Representatives of evil spirits know about the exact date, and reveal it only to witches and sorcerers, so that they come to the Sabbath.

Sparrow and rowan - symbolism of the mystical night

The sparrow is closely associated with thunderstorms. Weather omens claim that bad weather can be predicted by their restless behavior. He is also considered unclean bird- sparrows brought nails for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. That's why they don't walk, but jump - God tied their legs with an invisible rope as punishment. Evil spirits can take the form of a sparrow. A witch can hatch a helper devil from his egg.

Most are bad. If he flew into the window, expect trouble. Flew over your head - to failure. Making a nest on the balcony means serious illness or death. Bringing a sparrow into the house means showing death the way.

Rowan nights often occur during the flowering and ripening of the fruits of the tree of the same name. Our ancestors considered rowan thunder tree. According to legend, she will not be able to ripen without night thunderstorms. The more there are, the greater the harvest of magic berries. This tree protects from dead energy and restless spirits. With its help, you can remove damage to death and other negativity induced through the graveyard. Rowan helps to communicate with higher powers and predict the future.

In Slavic legends, along with oak, it is one of the attributes of the thunder god Perun. Its lightning bolts are hidden in the crown of the rowan tree, but the wood serves people as a talisman against them. Among the Scandinavians, rowan was one of the 12 sacred trees. In world legends, it appears as a tree with a strong character of a warrior, protector, and light magician.

The symbolism of a magical stormy night combines two opposing meanings. The sparrow personifies evil forces, the rowan - protection from them. This coincides with the occult meaning of a thunderstorm - the struggle between light and darkness.

Signs about lightning and thunder

Anyone injured by lightning was considered a sorcerer who made friends with evil spirits. A thunderstorm will not punish a pure-hearted person, since on this night it is aimed at eliminating evil. The survivors were considered to be chosen by God, receiving magical abilities to help people and fight evil spirits.

If an object caught fire from a lightning strike, it means that it killed the devil sitting on it. There was no fire - the devil managed to elude retribution. Lightning goes into the ground, and after three years it reminds itself of itself with the appearance of the “devil’s finger” mineral.

During a fire caused by lightning, you cannot talk, so as not to fall victim to heavenly fire. It is useless to extinguish it with water; you need to trample the flame with your feet or pour it black cow's milk. This is an unusual fire; it is not the house that is burning, but the devil sitting in it. Therefore, the building was often allowed to burn to the ground in order to burn away all the evil spirits and not interfere with God’s providence.

On a sparrow's night you cannot wear a short dress and let your hair down, otherwise God will confuse you with a witch and strike you with lightning. and other animals will protect you from punishment. Perhaps this is why witches preferred dark-colored pets.

In order not to suffer from a weather disaster, a dirty Easter tablecloth was hung in the yard. Another amulet against lightning is a red thread, which was tied under the roof. So that the child is not afraid of thunder, he is treated to moldy black bread, willow buds or rye inflorescences.

Waking up to thunder or a flash of lightning is a good omen. Ordinary people should not look at the flashes; it would lead to madness. Only magicians contemplate a thunderstorm, restoring energy with this spectacle.

Rowan and other magical plants

Talismans and other magical tools made from rowan this night will have more power than usual. In the old days, girls wore beads and berries to preserve beauty and health, to get married successfully and to protect themselves from old age. Rowan staves are popular among white magicians. Houses were decorated and fumigated with branches to drive away evil.

A good omen is to plant a rowan tree in front of the Sparrow at night. It will protect beauty and youth and block access to the house of evil spirits. In the old days, it was believed that a rowan tree, a source of energy, should grow near the house of a bright magician.

It is not only rowan that can be collected and planted at this time. Any herbs will have special powers. Consider their properties. Wormwood is needed to remove damage, lovage and oregano are love plants, birch can cure a serious illness. Collecting herbs during a night thunderstorm is not an easy task, but their magical qualities will make your efforts worth it.

After bad weather, it is worth finding a tree that was struck by lightning. Even a small chip from it will protect the house from weather disasters. Fumigation with wormwood eliminates negative energy. If held on Rowan Night, the power of the plant will be multiplied by the power of the legendary natural disaster.

The magic of the Rowan thunderstorm - conspiracies and rituals

Any natural phenomenon is filled with energy. If this is a legendary night thunderstorm, which occurs only once every few months, you should not miss such a powerful time from a magical point of view. A powerful flow of energy is released, which enhances conspiracies and rituals. Sparrow night is favorable black magic and protection from it, appeals to the gods of lightning and thunder.

Perunov conspiracy-amulet

This appeal to Perun is read during bad weather. It protects from lightning and fire, damage, the evil eye, the machinations of enemies and diseases:

Cut it, Perun,
The feats are heavy,
Accelerate, Perune,
Enemy forces
Amulet, Perun,
Kolo salt,
Give it back, Peruna,
The enemy has had enough! Goy!

Appeal to the Prophet Elijah

This conspiracy for health and protection from negativity is best read August 2– this day is dedicated to the prophet Elijah, the thunder saint. But any Rowan night is also suitable. Go outside into the rain. Wait for the thunder, raise your hands up and say:

Oh, great Elijah the prophet! Just as your chariot is strong, emitting heavenly thunder, so I, the servant of God (name), will be strong and healthy now and forever. Amen.

Worship of Berikapka - the sparrow king

The ruler of the sparrows, on whose orders these birds went over to the side of the Devil. He is revered by black magicians. Berikapka grants wishes in exchange for honors. You will need a dead sparrow found on Rowan Night. Wrap it in red silk and place the package in a bowl filled with fresh honey. During these manipulations, read:

There is Berikapka, the king of the sparrows, he raised his army of sparrows, drove Christ away, and when they hung Christ on the cross, Berikapka flew up to him, pecked him on the crown, Christ died. I will not worship the fool Christ, but the Sparrow King Berikapka the Goddess. Here I will take you, Berikapushko, you will be warm with me, in sweet satiety, everyone will bow to you. I remembered you, I didn’t forget, I will pray and bow to you, so don’t forget me, bestow your mercy.

With the same words, place the bowl with the dead sparrow behind the icon of the Savior, in the red corner. When you need Berikapka's help, turn the icon over. Place a cut glass half filled with grain in front of it. Cross yourself a hundred times with an equilateral cross, and bow to the ground the same number of times. Each time during the sign of the cross say:

A beak, a feather, and two wings.

Take the grain and go outside in search of sparrows. Throw them grain in handfuls, for each one read:

Here Tsar Berikapka ordered you and ordered, so don’t you dare disobey, go, fly, do (your wish).

Now return home without turning around or engaging in conversation. The icon can be turned over the next day.

Removing damage from a house with rowan

People don't live well in a damaged house. There is no luck, harmony in the family, money. To remove such damage caused by evil spirits, you need to hang the house keys on a rowan branch on a stormy night. The plot is read three times, from memory:

It is not I who fly, it is not I who speaks, but Mother Red Rowan. She heals, washes, calls the truth to help with the heavenly powers, with the scarlet dawn, with the evening star. I’ll come to the mountain ash tree, find the iron key and go home. I will lock the door with three locks, three cast-iron hooks, prop it up with grabbers, and block it with shovels. No one will open the locks, remove the hooks, knock out the grips, or lift the shovels. No one will harm the servant of God (your name) either at the feast, or in the world, or at home. My word is strong!

Put your keys in your pocket. Leave an offering under the tree - baked goods or coins. Thank the rowan tree in your own words and go home without looking back. Lock all the locks, close the windows. Place a strip of salt in front of the threshold. No one should cross it until dawn.

Rowan or Sparrow night is a strong time for black witchcraft and protection from it. This is the time of the ball of evil spirits, and the forces of light strive to kill as many of its representatives as possible with lightning. Rowan has special powers, like other plants. It can be used for both good and evil deeds.

Sparrow or rowan nights are nights when the sky rumbles with the sounds of thunder, incessant thunderstorms rage and rain pours, and a strong wind blows, tearing down everything in its path. It is believed that many sparrows die on such nights, which is why this night got its name. In addition, sparrows have a pockmarked color, which also explains the etymology of this word.

There is a second version of the appearance of such a thing as sparrow nights. When Jesus was hidden from execution by the Romans, a sparrow led them to him, then returned the nails carried away by the swallows from those who carried out the crucifixion, and also told the guards deceived by the swallows that Jesus was alive, so they stabbed him in the heart. Higher powers punished these traitorous birds - they can only jump and fly, and also several times a year, when the elements rage at night, sparrows, confusing night with day, fly away from their nests, fall under lightning strikes and branches torn off by the wind, and die . In the morning you can see the ground strewn with the bodies of sparrows.

When are sparrow nights

The first is in the spring, during the flowering of rowan. The second - June 17-26, the nights are short, like a sparrow's jump, and the third - begins from the Seventh Day (September 14) until the day of the equinox. Although any night can be called a sparrow night, when thunderstorms with lightning are walking across the sky.

The magic of sparrow nights

Summer nights

On the night of June 17-18 is a magical period when it is customary to perform various rituals. So the day before, they catch a bat and bury it in a fresh anthill, and they also put the thing of the person they want to bewitch there. It is believed that as soon as the ants eat the body of a mouse, a person will immediately fall in love and will not be able to live without the one who bewitched him. The body of a frog was used for the lapel, representing a rival in its image. They also put the frog in the anthill. Every day, as the frog’s body gradually disappears, the relationship between lovers will exhaust itself.

The night of June 20 is also considered magical, when various rituals are performed using wormwood. It is picked at dawn and placed under the pillow to be imbued with the necessary energy. Then at midnight they take it out, brew it and pour the broth over the whole body, feeling how vigor and beauty penetrates every cell. They go to bed without drying themselves; the body must dry itself. In the morning, cross yourself on all four sides and read “Our Father.” After such a ritual there will be no end to men.

June 21 after midnight is a great time to look for a place for a well. For this they take a new cast-iron frying pan, into which they say the following words: “The frying pan is clean, not stained by anything, so let the water found be crystalline and beneficial. It will bring health and take away all troubles.”. After this, the frying pan is turned upside down, and in the morning, if there are drops of water inside it, then you need to dig a well, but if it’s dry, you need to look for another place, performing this ritual every night until the 26th. People born on June 21 were often chosen to search for a well, as it was believed that they had a natural gift for sensing the location of groundwater.

If a woman could not get pregnant for a long time, then she would pick a bouquet of St. John's wort at dawn on June 22, and she should not be wearing clothes. She tore it into small pieces, wrapped it in a headscarf and put it in bed at the time of conception. Very soon she found out that she was pregnant. Those born on this day have great strength - physical and magical.

On June 23, all the evil spirits come out of the swamps and forests to drive wild animals and birds to people’s houses, so on this night it was customary to sleep with the windows closed, otherwise you could bring trouble upon yourself. They tried to baptize children born on this day the next day in order to protect them from evil spirits.

On June 24, it was impossible to collect herbs, because for seven years they would not be useful. Anyone born on this day will have developed intuition.

We collected mistletoe and woodruff on the night of the 25th and laid them out around the house - they can protect from fire.

Autumn nights

On September 14, it is customary to bury insects in coffins made of carrots or turnips. They are taken out into the yard and buried in the ground. Then they take a dirty rag and drive the flies out of the house: “Flies, fly, bury your flies, and at the same time grab everything evil from the house.”

If you find the body of a dead sparrow on the night of September 14-15, you can perform such a ritual. Wrap the bird in silk cloth and place it in a container with fresh honey. Place it near the icon of Jesus Christ, while saying the following words: “The sparrow is buried in honey, it will become my defense. And I ask you, Jesus, to help cleanse his soul, and at the same time mine, in order to take all trouble away from me. So be it, so be it". Let this glass sit for three days in a row, and then bury it in the forest, where no one walks. While she lies there, all troubles and adversities will pass by.

Every year there are certainly three rowan nights: the first - when the rowan blossoms (end of spring), the second - when the berries on the rowan begin to ripen (mid-summer), the third - when these berries are completely ripe (beginning of autumn).

And those nights were special. Many stories have been preserved that reflect the belief that rowan nights were the name for those times that were accompanied by strong thunderstorms with lightning and lightning, which violently and aggressively destroyed the rampant evil spirits. Since ancient times in Rus', a branch of this flexible and, in general, not the most powerful, in the opinion of the ignorant man, tree was a symbol of Perun’s club. And Perun, as is well known, is the God of Thunder. And he cannot do without thunderstorms and lightning when he administers his Judgment. It is this voice of the thunderer, who has embarked on the path of cleansing the ward territory from dark forces, that is demonstrated by the rowan nights.

It is curious that they are also called passerines. Some explain this by the transformation of the “pockmarked” colors (characteristic of the mentioned bird) into rowan, others by the similarity with the Ukrainian “gorobiny”, meaning both “passerine” and “rowan”. However, the described phenological phenomena (thunderstorms, lightning) appeared on sparrow nights later, and for this reason a special version was given, which is better to talk about separately. But the rowan has long been considered a sacred tree, and not only among the Slavs, but throughout Mother Europe. In Ukraine and Belarus these magical nights are called “peacock nights,” and in Russia they are also called “passerine nights.” The strange, at first glance, connection between the concepts of “rowan” and “sparrows” still has several versions, each of which is quite convincing:

In the Ukrainian language, the words “gorobina” (rowan) and “gorobets” (sparrow) are consonant, and the adjectives derived from them are identical - “gorobiny”.

At first, nights with thunderstorms were called rowan nights, meaning “pockmarked, motley” because of thunderstorms, lightning and lightning.

On “pockmarked”, thundery nights, sparrows get scared, fly out of their nests and chirp.

The name is based on a purely visual impression: the similarity of the blazing sky with the color of rowan berries.

It is believed that “rowan nights” occur only when the rowan tree is in bloom - however, there are also disputes about the time and number of rowan nights.

Without thunder, a rowan tree cannot ripen; alternatively, when a rowan tree ripens, such silence is restored in the world that the rumble of thunder sounds simply deafening.

The night is short, such that the sparrows will not be able to sleep/hop over.

“Dark sparrow, or rowan, nights, when August gives way to September, on Simeon the Stylite (September 1/14), all the sparrows suddenly disappear from the fields and flock to one place, where the devil or an evil spirit measures them with a huge yardstick, rowing them there. He sweeps those who do not fit into the measure from its edges and releases them to reproduce, and keeps the rest for himself, pours them into hell and kills them.” “... In ancient Russian legends, the sparrow never plays a good role. An evil spirit can turn into it, bringing money to its owner. Bad omens are associated with it: say, if a sparrow flies into a window, it means trouble, for example, a dead person.

August 22. Birthday people: Anthony (Anton), Julian, Markian, John (Ivan), Yakov (Yakub), Alexey, Dmitry, Photius, Peter, Leonty, Maria, Margarita (Marina).

By this time, most of the work in the field has already been completed, which means that you can straighten your back at least a little, although real “adpatching” is still far away. And in general, the cycle of peasant work is almost endless. At the end of the calendar summer, the August “hot weather” goes away, the days become cooler, and the nights become even colder. So, “the man who herded Maciej on the ground is no longer able to do so.”

The work takes place not so much in the field as at the mill, where they go “with a new zbazhyna” and with “wrapped in a palatno pachastunka” - after all, according to custom and tradition, the miller should not do anything for nothing. In short, “don’t worry about Lauryn.”

25-th of August. Birthday people: Sergius, Ilya, Vyacheslav, John (Ivan), Anthony (Anton), Matvey, Micah, Dmitry, Savva, Arkady, Markell, Yakov (Yakub), Fedor, Peter, Alexey, Vasily, Leonid, Nikolai, Kapiton, Alexander, Photius .

August, 26th. Birthday people: Alexey, Yakov (Yakub), Nikolay, John (Ivan), Maxim, Tikhon, Vasily, Ippolit.

August 27. Birthday people: Micah, Nikolai, Alexey, Arkady, Alexander, Vasily, Markell, Matvey, Fedor, Fedosy, Vladimir, Eva, Evdokia.

The last day of the Dormition Fast, the most “spazhynaga”. After all, the ban on fast food at this time is not at all terrible - so much has grown and ripened in the beds and gardens, and there are a lot of mushrooms in the forest...

August 28. For the Orthodox - the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Belarusians also called this day “Prachystaya”, “Spazha”, “Splenne”, “Zelnaya”. By this time, most of the fruits and spring ones were ripening. Therefore, in the morning they brought new bread and “sweetened greens” to church to consecrate. The consecrated first grain was mixed with the rest and set aside for sowing, so that the next year's harvest would be rich, the weather would not fail during harvesting, so that the grain would be well preserved, would not gain excess moisture and would remain strong in the spring. In folk songs, even the Mother of God herself, the “Pure One,” acts as a helper in the field, in the vegetable garden, in the apiary: “The Pure One brought the bread of Chystaga,” “The Pure One fell, pcholak ladzits, poured tubs of honey.” In many regions, the following characteristics were added to the name “Prachystaya”: “first”, “flaccid”, “big”, and this distinguished it from the other “menshai”, “small”, which was celebrated in September. After “Prachystai” they began to sow winter crops and dig potatoes: “Splenne - tsyagni bulba for karenne.”

At the end of August, during the period of the Savior, according to popular beliefs, a “rowan night” is expected, when terrible thunder roars, lightning flashes throughout the sky, as if the prophet Elijah was indeed riding menacingly in his fiery chariot. A strong wind bends trees to the ground, tears off branches, and raises terrible whirlwinds like tornadoes. Some say that on this night all the evil spirits come out to celebrate their holiday, creating fear around. Others, on the contrary, believe in the cleansing powers of the “Rowan Night,” when the main elements - a powerful wind that tears down and drives away clouds, lightning and pouring rain - unite to destroy everything evil. Usually, already the day before, the weather gives signs of the impending rampant nature, so on this day they tried not to go far into the forest or field - for their own safety. And in order to protect the house and outbuildings from lightning and fire, red threads were hung under the roofs, and in some regions an unwashed Easter tablecloth was also hung - all this was considered a true talisman. Sometimes the night remained "dry" - with thunder and lightning, but no rain. People also believed that thunderstorms were needed for rowan berries to ripen. And if the berries are not ripe, wait for a bad end of summer and an early cold autumn.

The first mention of the Sparrow Night is found in the Tver Chronicle when describing the battle between the squads of Yaroslav the Wise and his brother Mstislav. It says here: “And when there was a night of rowan trees, there was darkness and thunder and lightning and rain... And there was a slaughter of evil and terrible, as if prayers were illuminated, so their weapons shone, and as lightning illuminated, only the swords of the leader, and so each other slash, and no thunderstorm is great and the slash is strong.” In Belarus, “Rowan Night” was interpreted both as a time of rampant evil spirits and as a time when storms and lightning strikes destroy “charms” and evil spirits. One might think that in Ancient Rus', the “rowan tree night” was associated with the idea of a kind of heavenly battle.

A.L. Toporkov

How the devil measures sparrows

E.A. Grushko, Yu.M. Medvedev "Russian legends and traditions"

The original form of the combination is rowan night, that is, “pockmarked, motley night” - a night with lightning, wind and thunderstorms. A pockmarked night, like a sparrow, when the darkness is interspersed with lightning and flashes. On these nights, sparrows fly out of their nests, chirp anxiously, restlessly gather in flocks, etc. Based on the expression rowan night later, as a result of etymological degeneration, the speech turn turned out rowan night, and then sparrow night. In Ukrainian, for example, the expression little pea means not only “passerine”, but also “rowan”.

First time concept Rowan night found in the chronicle when describing the battle between the squads of Yaroslav the Wise and his brother Mstislav (): “And there was a rowan night, there was darkness and thunder and lightning and rain... And the slaughter of evil and terrible came, as if the prayers were shining, so their weapons glittered, and As lightning illuminates the skin, only the swords of the leader, and so they cut each other, and the thunderstorm is great and the slash is strong.”

An assumption about this expression was made by Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences F.P. Filin: it, which still exists today in Smolensk and Belarusian dialects, came into the Kiev koine from the Krivichy lands. A. M. Finkel associated it with the word pockmarked.

In Ukrainian the expression little pea associated with the excitement of sparrows during a thunderstorm: “During the summer there are several stormy nights, with hail, rain and thunderstorms, and these nights are called passerine nights. The downpour can be so strong that it drives the sparrows out of their shelters, and the poor things fly all night long, chirping pitifully” (“Dictionary of the Little Russian dialect, compiled by A. Afanasyev-Chuzhbinsky,” St. Petersburg, 1855). Konstantin Paustovsky writes in the story “The Heroic Southeast”: - Do you know what such nights with continuous lightning are called? “No,” Klava answered. - Passerines. Because sparrows wake up from bright flashes, begin to rush around in the air, and then, when the lightning goes out, they crash into trees and walls in the dark.

It is possible that the expression Rowan Night may also be associated with the image of the rowan tree. Indeed, such nights occur during the flowering season of the rowan tree and the ripening of its berries.

Rowan Night time

Time in different places Rowan night is defined differently. In Central Russia, this is the time when the mountain ash blooms or the period from June 19 to 22, when the day is at its longest - 17 hours 37 minutes, and the night lasts 6 hours 23 minutes. Old Smolensk and Belarusian beliefs say that Rowan Night occurs around the Assumption (August 15, old style) or between Elijah's Day and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (September 8, old style). There are no strictly defined times for such nights: in some places there are 1-3 of them a year, in others 5-7 (this depends on the area and the characteristics of nature. In the Kiev and Zhytomyr regions, for example, it was the night before Ivan Kupala or Peter's Day, in some In some places, peasants believed that this was the time when the fern would bloom... Rowan night is also often called an ordinary night with strong thunderstorms and lightning.

Rowan night as a mystical phenomenon

In southern Ukraine, comprehension Rowan night occurred on the basis of the folk etymology of the language: there such (Sparrow) night was called the night of September 1 (the day of Simeon the Stylite), when “the devil measures the sparrows.” They gather in large flocks in one place, and there the devils measure them out in fours, scoop them up and pour them into the inferno. Those who have not entered into the measure are let go. This is the punishment given to the sparrows because they offered nails when the Savior was crucified. For the same reason, their legs are “tied with a string” - sparrows do not walk, but jump. In Belarus Rowan Night It was considered both a time of rampant all kinds of evil spirits, and as a time when thunder and lightning kill evil “charms” and evil spirits.

Throughout the entire rowan night the sky is shaken by thunder, lightning flashes, torrential rain pours, a terrible wind blows, and a whirlwind takes off. Frightened sparrows begin to take off convulsively, hitting the trees and falling down.

According to popular beliefs, on this night all the evil forces came out of hell into the light, supposedly celebrating their main annual holiday. According to some opinions, on Rowan Night various evil spirits frightened baptized people, according to others, on the contrary, all the elements of nature united to destroy the evil spirits that multiplied after Kupala over the summer. Everyone killed or maimed by lightning that night was considered a black sorcerer. To prevent lightning from burning a house or other buildings, on Rowan Night they hung out a kind of amulet - a dirty Easter tablecloth, and in some places red threads were tied under the roof. In Polesie they believed that due to a strong storm that night, hazel grouse scattered throughout the forest and lived alone until mating. It was assumed that a thunderstorm on Rowan Night was needed for the ripening of berries on the rowan tree; if the berry did not ripen, they waited for the rainy end of summer and cold autumn.

Rowan Night in Literature and Art

The image of Ryabinova (Sparrow) night is reflected in the stories of Y. Barshchevsky “Nobleman Zavalnya”, I. Turgenev “First Love”, A. M. Remizov “Sparrow Night”, A. S. Serafimovich “Sparrow Night”, K. Paustovsky “Heroic southeast”, V. Kaverin’s “Sparrow Night”, V. Moryakov’s “Rowan Night” and others. Rowan (Sparrow) night is present in the plays of T. Mitsinsky “Rowan Night”, T. Gabbe “Avdotya Ryazanochka”, A. Dudarev “Sparrow Night”, V. Ilyukhov “Sparrow Night”.

Feature film "Rowan Nights" (1984), Sverdlovsk Film Studio. Directed by Viktor Kobzev.

Numerous poems and songs with titles Rowan Night, Sparrow Night - in Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian languages. The song “Gorobina nich” based on the verses of Lilia Zolotonosha, performed by Oksana Bilozir, is extremely popular in Ukraine: “It’s not that rich, it’s not that rich that the little goblin is crying for nothing...”.

Sergei Kuryokhin wrote “Sparrow Oratorio” in 1993.

On the topic Rowan night Paintings by artists N. Ermakov, G. Vashchenko, O. Gurenkov were painted.

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Notes

Literature

Demidovich P. From the area of beliefs and legends of Belarusians // Ethnographic Review. - M., 1896. No. 1. Book. 28. pp. 91-120.
Azimov E. G. Polesie beliefs about the whirlwind // Polesie and the ethnogenesis of the Slavs: Preliminary materials and abstracts of the conference. - M., 1983
Matveev L. T. Fundamentals of general meteorology. Atmospheric physics. - L., Gidrometeoizdat, 1965.
Aksamitau A. S. Belarusian folk mythology as the end of the creation of phraseological adzinak // Problemy frazeologii europejskiej. II: Frazeologia a religion /Pod redakcija A. M. Lewickiego i W. Chlebdy. ― Warszawa: Energeia, 1997. S. 75.
Koval U. I. Folk beliefs, beliefs and traditions: Davennik pa vuskh.-glory. mythologies. ― Gomel: Belarus. agency navukova-techn. i Zelavoy infarm., 1995. 177 p.
Sparrow Night / Toporkov A. L. // Slavic Antiquities: Ethnolinguistic Dictionary: in 5 volumes / Under the general editorship. N.I. Tolstoy; . - M. : International Relations, 1995. - T. 1: A (August) - G (Goose). - pp. 433-434. - ISBN 5-7133-0704-2.

An excerpt characterizing Rowan Night

- Well, where are you putting the rest? - said Dolokhov.
- How to where? “I’m sending you under guard!” Denisov suddenly blushed and cried out. “And I’ll boldly say that I don’t have a single person on my conscience. Are you happy to send someone away? than magic, I will tell you, the honor of a soldier.
“It’s decent for a young count of sixteen to say these pleasantries,” Dolokhov said with a cold grin, “but it’s time for you to leave it.”
“Well, I’m not saying anything, I’m just saying that I will definitely go with you,” Petya said timidly.
“And it’s time for you and me, brother, to give up these pleasantries,” Dolokhov continued, as if he found special pleasure in talking about this subject that irritated Denisov. - Well, why did you take this to you? - he said, shaking his head. - Then why do you feel sorry for him? After all, we know these receipts of yours. You send them a hundred people, and thirty will come. They will starve or be beaten. So is it all the same not to take them?
Esaul, narrowing his bright eyes, nodded his head approvingly.
- This is all shit, there’s nothing to argue about. I don’t want to take it on my soul. You talk - help. Well, hog "osho." Just not from me.
Dolokhov laughed.
“Who didn’t tell them to catch me twenty times?” But they will catch me and you, with your chivalry, anyway. – He paused. - However, we have to do something. Send my Cossack with a pack! I have two French uniforms. Well, are you coming with me? – he asked Petya.
- I? Yes, yes, absolutely,” Petya cried, blushing almost to tears, looking at Denisov.
Again, while Dolokhov was arguing with Denisov about what should be done with the prisoners, Petya felt awkward and hasty; but again I did not have time to fully understand what they were talking about. “If big, famous people think so, then it must be so, therefore it’s good,” he thought. “And most importantly, Denisov must not dare to think that I will obey him, that he can command me.” I will definitely go with Dolokhov to the French camp. He can do it and so can I.”
To all of Denisov’s urgings not to travel, Petya replied that he, too, was used to doing everything carefully, and not Lazar’s at random, and that he never thought about danger to himself.
“Because,” you yourself must agree, “if you don’t know correctly how many there are, the lives of maybe hundreds depend on it, but here we are alone, and then I really want this, and I will definitely, definitely go, you won’t stop me.” “, he said, “it will only get worse...

Dressed in French greatcoats and shakos, Petya and Dolokhov drove to the clearing from which Denisov looked at the camp, and, leaving the forest in complete darkness, descended into the ravine. Having driven down, Dolokhov ordered the Cossacks accompanying him to wait here and rode at a fast trot along the road to the bridge. Petya, transfixed with excitement, rode next to him.
“If we get caught, I won’t give up alive, I have a gun,” Petya whispered.
“Don’t speak Russian,” Dolokhov said in a quick whisper, and at that same moment a cry was heard in the darkness: “Qui vive?” [Who's coming?] and the ringing of a gun.
Blood rushed to Petya's face, and he grabbed the pistol.
“Lanciers du sixieme, [Lancers of the sixth regiment.],” said Dolokhov, without shortening or increasing the horse’s stride. The black figure of a sentry stood on the bridge.
– Mot d’ordre? [Review?] – Dolokhov held his horse and rode at a walk.
– Dites donc, le colonel Gerard est ici? [Tell me, is Colonel Gerard here?] - he said.
“Mot d'ordre!” said the sentry without answering, blocking the road.
“Quand un officier fait sa ronde, les sentinelles ne demandent pas le mot d"ordre...,” Dolokhov shouted, suddenly flushing, running his horse into the sentry. “Je vous demande si le colonel est ici?” [When an officer goes around the chain, the sentries do not ask review... I ask, is the colonel here?]
And, without waiting for an answer from the guard who stood aside, Dolokhov walked up the hill at a pace.
Noticing the black shadow of a man crossing the road, Dolokhov stopped this man and asked where the commander and officers were? This man, a soldier with a sack on his shoulder, stopped, came close to Dolokhov’s horse, touching it with his hand, and simply and friendlyly said that the commander and officers were higher on the mountain, on the right side, in the farm yard (that’s what he called the master’s estate).
Having driven along the road, on both sides of which French conversation could be heard from the fires, Dolokhov turned into the courtyard of the manor’s house. Having passed through the gate, he dismounted from his horse and approached a large blazing fire, around which several people were sitting, talking loudly. Something was boiling in a pot on the edge, and a soldier in a cap and blue overcoat, kneeling, brightly illuminated by the fire, stirred it with a ramrod.
“Oh, c"est un dur a cuire, [You can’t deal with this devil.],” said one of the officers sitting in the shadows on the opposite side of the fire.
“Il les fera marcher les lapins... [He will get through them...],” said another with a laugh. Both fell silent, peering into the darkness at the sound of the steps of Dolokhov and Petya, approaching the fire with their horses.
- Bonjour, messieurs! [Hello, gentlemen!] - Dolokhov said loudly and clearly.
The officers stirred in the shadow of the fire, and one, a tall officer with a long neck, walked around the fire and approached Dolokhov.
“C”est vous, Clement?” he said. “D”ou, diable... [Is that you, Clement? Where the hell...] - but he did not finish, having learned his mistake, and, frowning slightly, as if he were a stranger, he greeted Dolokhov, asking him how he could serve. Dolokhov said that he and a friend were catching up with their regiment, and asked, turning to everyone in general, if the officers knew anything about the sixth regiment. Nobody knew anything; and it seemed to Petya that the officers began to examine him and Dolokhov with hostility and suspicion. Everyone was silent for a few seconds.
“Si vous comptez sur la soupe du soir, vous venez trop tard, [If you are counting on dinner, then you are late.],” said a voice from behind the fire with a restrained laugh.
Dolokhov replied that they were full and that they needed to move on at night.
He gave the horses to the soldier who was stirring the pot, and squatted down by the fire next to the long-necked officer. This officer, without taking his eyes off, looked at Dolokhov and asked him again: what regiment was he in? Dolokhov did not answer, as if he had not heard the question, and, lighting a short French pipe, which he took out of his pocket, asked the officers how safe the road was from the Cossacks ahead of them.
“Les brigands sont partout, [These robbers are everywhere.],” answered the officer from behind the fire.
Dolokhov said that the Cossacks were terrible only for such backward people as he and his comrade, but that the Cossacks probably did not dare to attack large detachments, he added questioningly. Nobody answered.
“Well, now he’ll leave,” Petya thought every minute, standing in front of the fire and listening to his conversation.
But Dolokhov again began the conversation that had stopped and directly began asking how many people they had in the battalion, how many battalions, how many prisoners. Asking about the captured Russians who were with their detachment, Dolokhov said:
– La vilaine affaire de trainer ces cadavres apres soi. Vaudrait mieux fusiller cette canaille, [It’s a bad thing to carry these corpses around with you. It would be better to shoot this bastard.] - and laughed loudly with such a strange laugh that Petya thought the French would now recognize the deception, and he involuntarily took a step away from the fire. No one responded to Dolokhov’s words and laughter, and the French officer, who was not visible (he was lying wrapped in an overcoat), stood up and whispered something to his comrade. Dolokhov stood up and called to the soldier with the horses.
“Will they serve the horses or not?” - Petya thought, involuntarily approaching Dolokhov.
The horses were brought in.
“Bonjour, messieurs, [Here: farewell, gentlemen.],” said Dolokhov.
Petya wanted to say bonsoir [good evening] and could not finish the words. The officers were whispering something to each other. Dolokhov took a long time to mount the horse, which was not standing; then he walked out of the gate. Petya rode beside him, wanting and not daring to look back to see whether the French were running or not running after them.
Having reached the road, Dolokhov drove not back into the field, but along the village. At one point he stopped, listening.
- Do you hear? - he said.
Petya recognized the sounds of Russian voices and saw the dark figures of Russian prisoners near the fires. Going down to the bridge, Petya and Dolokhov passed the sentry, who, without saying a word, walked gloomily along the bridge, and drove out into the ravine where the Cossacks were waiting.
- Well, goodbye now. Tell Denisov that at dawn, at the first shot,” said Dolokhov and wanted to go, but Petya grabbed him with his hand.
- No! - he cried, - you are such a hero. Oh, how good! How great! How I love you.
“Okay, okay,” said Dolokhov, but Petya did not let him go, and in the darkness Dolokhov saw that Petya was bending down towards him. He wanted to kiss. Dolokhov kissed him, laughed and, turning his horse, disappeared into the darkness.

X
Returning to the guardhouse, Petya found Denisov in the entryway. Denisov, in excitement, anxiety and annoyance at himself for letting Petya go, was waiting for him.
- God bless! - he shouted. - Well, thank God! - he repeated, listening to Petya’s enthusiastic story. “What the hell, I couldn’t sleep because of you!” Denisov said. “Well, thank God, now go to bed.” Still sighing and eating until the end.
“Yes... No,” said Petya. – I don’t want to sleep yet. Yes, I know myself, if I fall asleep, it’s over. And then I got used to not sleeping before the battle.
Petya sat for some time in the hut, joyfully recalling the details of his trip and vividly imagining what would happen tomorrow. Then, noticing that Denisov had fallen asleep, he got up and went into the yard.
It was still completely dark outside. The rain had passed, but drops were still falling from the trees. Close to the guardhouse one could see black figures of Cossack huts and horses tied together. Behind the hut were two black wagons with horses standing, and in the ravine the dying fire was red. The Cossacks and hussars were not all asleep: in some places, along with the sound of falling drops and the nearby sound of horses chewing, soft, as if whispering voices were heard.
Petya came out of the entryway, looked around in the darkness and approached the wagons. Someone was snoring under the wagons, and saddled horses stood around them, chewing oats. In the darkness, Petya recognized his horse, which he called Karabakh, although it was a Little Russian horse, and approached it.
“Well, Karabakh, we’ll serve tomorrow,” he said, smelling her nostrils and kissing her.
- What, master, aren’t you sleeping? - said the Cossack sitting under the truck.

Rowan Nights

So, rowan (or passerine) are called short summer nights with thunderstorms and lightning. The expressions “rowan night” and “sparrow night” are found in Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian languages. According to one version, both of these expressions came from the same form “rowan night”, that is, “pockmarked, motley”, “night with lightning and thunderstorms”. Etymological degeneration was the reason for the emergence of “rowan” and “sparrow” nights: from the Ukrainian language the word “gorobina” is translated as “rowan” and “sparrow”. Hence the different names for the same phenomenon.

There is also another version. Mystical. According to legend, the sparrow, with its chirping, betrayed Christ to his pursuers, and then brought nails for the crucifixion and sarcastically tweeted “alive, alive,” urging him to continue torturing the crucified Christ. For this, the sparrows received two curses. First: they cannot walk, but only jump. Second: several times a year in every country there are sparrow nights, when many sparrows die. So, K. Paustovsky in his story “The Heroic Southeast” describes sparrow nights as follows: “Do you know what such nights with continuous lightning are called? “No,” Klava answered. — Passerines. Because sparrows wake up from bright flashes, begin to rush about in the air, and then, when the lightning goes out, they crash into trees and walls in the dark.”

So when do these rowan-sparrow nights happen? There is also no consensus on this matter. According to some sources, there are always one or three such nights a year. According to others, such a special night occurs once every six or seven years. Still others insist that any summer (mostly June) night with a strong thunderstorm and lightning, when it is not clear what time of day it is, can be called a rowan-sparrow night.

In Belarus, rowan night is called any night when a person, for whatever reason, spent a sleepless, restless night, which is what my colleague had.

I wish my readers fewer rowan nights!

Until we meet again, where many more interesting things await us.