Folk omens April 11: birch will help everyone

April 11 in the folk calendar – Bereshchenye. On this day in Rus’, the most beloved tree in Rus’, the birch, was honored. Many signs and beliefs have long been associated with it.

It is believed that birch sap today has special powers, helps to cure diseases, cleanses the blood, brings good luck and happiness to the house. Freshly harvested birch sap was drunk to improve health and get rid of ailments. Drugs, decoctions and infusions were made from the juice collected at Bereshchenye.

Lovers on Bereshchenye collected birch sap, drank it from one mug, and then buried it under a tree. It was believed that such a ritual would provide a strong connection between two loving hearts.

On this day, children were lightly whipped with birch twigs – to protect them from illness and trouble. And in order to protect the house from being hit by lightning, a birch twig was stuck into the roof or birch twigs were stacked in the attic. Or even planted a birch near their home.

They came to the birch at Bereshchenye to ask for help in solving complex problems. They believed that if you hug a tree and share your troubles and sorrows with it, ask for advice or help, and then leave without looking back, the problem will be solved as if by itself, and pretty soon. However, according to popular belief, if you ask too much from a birch, a birch can punish a person who wants everything at once with even more problems than he had before.

Work in the garden or in the garden is welcome on this day, for example, preparing beds or planting plants. You can do other things, if their implementation is dictated by the need.

It is impossible to cook food in reserve on this day – according to popular beliefs, such dishes will quickly deteriorate or not work out at all.

A visit to the hairdresser should be postponed – there may be problems with the hair.

It is better to stay away from any bodies of water – it is believed that at this time the inhabitants of the water world are especially angry and can harm anyone who falls into their field of vision.

Folk signs on April 11 are as follows:

– if the clouds float high and fast – to good weather;

– if there are a lot of clouds in the sky in the morning, it will rain in the evening;

– if thunder rumbles – to a cold snap;

– if the birch has pubescent faster than the alder, the summer will be dry, and if vice versa, it will be rainy.

Dreams that are dreamed on the night of April 12 may come true in a week. If the dream was bad, you should tell someone about it, then what you saw will not come true. Also, after waking up, you need to look out the window and say: “Where the night is, there is a dream.”

Alena Bodrienko.

Photo by Sergey Kiselyov / Moskva agency