The ground froze, the birds fell silent, the murmur of the stream ceased. Winds blew the relentlessly swollen forest, icy snow fell, and a harsh winter set in. So what if women speak to her! Not much has passed. It doesn't matter that she is a woman, and she can conquer the sun like her brothers, and she has the power to sow storms and she knows when to send solar grace. Martha heard these words and longed for her. If it doesn’t bloom, don't believe in it” “Well, father-in-law, what will Martha do to me? She is a woman and she cannot do harm to a woman” - said the bride and picked up the sheep and goats up the mountain. “The autumn crocuses are blooming now, daughter-in-law,” the old man reminded her warmly. “Don't take out the flock, bride, it's early to graze! Soon Sechko will be gone,” her father-in-law said. Once a young nimble bride drove her sheep to the mountains, the warm sun was shining, birds were singing, so that the grass would graze the goods. She warmed the space with her kind smile, the sun shone goldenly, the birds flew merrily. If Marta smiled, she gently stroked both bugs and weeds. From the high mountain they saw and heard everything that was happening on earth. But one was called small, and the other - big Sechko. Marta lived with her brothers far away in the mountains. More recently, it is another tale of Baba (Grandmother) Marta. There are several legends about Asparuh's Bulgarians and the martenitsa. And he kept the white and red thread, believing that they would bring him health and happiness. You will also find a red string - greetings from your sister and your relatives.” The khan took the stalk of the herb and presented it as a gift. Time passed and the bird returned: “Rejoice, great khan! Untie the white string and take the stalk of the herb. Tie a white string around my neck, I will fly to the Volga, to your sister, and I will send greetings from you and your party.” The khan tied a white string to the neck of the wonderful bird, it flew to the sky and soon disappeared from view. I flew with you all the way to help you in a difficult moment. But suddenly a colorful bird flew up to him and spoke in a human voice: “Don't be sad, great khan. That is why the mighty khan was saddened. He had to thank Tangra for this land, as was the custom of his ancestors. According to an old custom, he was to lay it next to the sacrificial offerings. He did not have the herb that grew in abundance in his native steppe. The flames of the fire rose higher and higher. The women prepared bread, and the men kept the fire burning and spit large pieces of meat on skewers. The bleating of the lambs and the howling of the animals spread around. They brought fruits and vegetables, animals. It was believed that around the fire the god Tangra (or Tengri) chose those who would be under his protection. They chose this place to light a pagan fire. When the proto-Bulgarians reached the Danube plain, they were enchanted by its beauty. According to the ancients, it symbolized the infinity of life and immortality of the human spirit in the combination of white and red thread.Ī more recent legend links the martenitsa to the arrival of Asparuh's Bulgarians on the Balkan Peninsula. Orpheus himself decorated his lyre with martenitsas. They always wore martenitsas during the spring, which symbolized the end of the cold and the awakening of nature to new life. How ancient this Bulgarian tradition is, hardly anyone can say.Īccording to an old legend, Thracians located on Bulgarian lands tied themselves martenitsas. For health, for joy and with a premonition of the end of winter and the onset of spring. Make your own martinitsa by braiding red and white yarn into a bracelet, or by wrapping red and white yarn (wool or cotton if you plan to put them outside later) around a piece of cardboard at least 20 times, sliding it off the cardboard, tying it about ¼ of the way down, and then cutting the loop at the bottom of the long end to make a tassel.Every year on March 1, Bulgarians are decorated with white and red martenitsas. If it’s an ant, you will have good luck but you’ll have to work hard for it! If it’s a spider, you may have bad luck. If the closest creature to the martenitsa is a larva or worm, you will have good luck. Once you see the first signs of spring, either hang it on a tree branch to give it good luck for spring or put it under a rock and come back the next day to read your fortune. The red and white means a fresh start for spring. A martenitsa is a small red and white tassel or braided wristband made of yarn.
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