November 3 – help your neighbor

November 3 in the folk calendar is Illarion’s day. Usually in Rus’ on this day the roads were impassable, and our ancestors had a sign that on November 3 one should not leave the house without special need. Modern residents of the metropolis may not follow this sign – everything is in order with the roads. That’s just hunting, following another popular belief, it is better not to go.

On Illarionov, the night was usually frosty, and the temperature was still above zero during the day. Therefore, if snow fell at night, during the day it melted and the roads became slushy. Well, it’s good that you don’t have to leave the house. On this day, men usually did household chores, which they put off for a long time, and women, having completed their daily chores, sat down to needlework. And most often they were engaged in knitting – it was believed that on Illarion’s day the thread would go smoothly and quickly develop into a magical pattern.

Strangers were not allowed into the house, while loved ones were surrounded with care and attention. Often on this day they gave relatives at least a small, but a present – they believed that together with the present a person would receive a particle of happiness and good luck. But they did not accept gifts from strangers – so as not to get other people’s troubles and problems with them.

There was also a belief that if you help another person on this day, then success will accompany the whole year. It was impossible to refuse help to relatives – otherwise you could soon become a victim of deception.

Another popular sign says that on Illarion’s day, witches scatter charmed objects on the ground that can send damage. Therefore, it is better not to pick up other people’s things from the floor or the ground.

You should not go hunting on this day – according to popular belief, on this day in the forest a trouble will happen to the hunter: he will either get lost, or get injured, or meet with serious danger.

Natural signs on November 3 are as follows:

– heavy snowfall – to warming;

– windless and clear evening – the next day will be the same;

– snow fell on frozen ground – next year there will be a good harvest of bread;

– to meet a black cat sitting at the crossroads – to trouble, it is better to go the other way;

– fall from a horse – to a change of plans;

– to see how the cats fought – to a family quarrel.

A dream that occurred on the night of November 3 can show what is really important to you.

Alena Bodrienko.

Photo from site dszn.ru