What was the name of the herbs collected on the Kupala night. Herbalist for Kupala (Kupala herbs)

What herbs are best to collect on Kupala Night? I would advise you to be sure to stock up on such herbs: loosestrife (plakun-grass), balsam (gap-grass), elecampane, St. John's wort, water lily (overcome-grass), etc. In principle, this is the "basic set", but it is believed that any grass collected on the night of Ivan Kupala has witchcraft power. In addition, be sure to remember that you need to pluck the herbs without a knife (!), That is, with "bare" hands

My dear Friends and all those who are reading this article now!

Very soon we will again celebrate a wonderful and ancient holiday - Ivan Kupala Day (variant names - Kupalo, Ivanov's Day, etc.), which according to the new style, we celebrate July 7(respectively, according to the old style - June 21-22). I have already told you in great detail, dear Friends, about the celebration of Ivan Kupala in his article "The Feast of Ivan Kupala - facts, mysticism and traditions" ( ) , but today I want to focus your attention on the Magic of Kupala Night, to tell you why this holiday is rightfully considered the main summer holiday not only in folk calendar, but also in the "calendar of magic", as well as to tell in more detail about the magic of herbs collected precisely in Kupala night !

As I have repeatedly told you, the holiday of Ivan Kupala since the time of the Slavic pagans has been closely associated with the veneration of Fire and Water, as natural Forces, on which fertility, wealth and prosperity directly depend.

Let me remind you briefly that our pagan ancestors represented Kupalo in the form of most often a woman, a few days before the holiday they already began to make a ritual scarecrow (most often from straw, they braided ribbons into it, decorated it with flowers), which was installed on the highest place near the village , village. Sweets and treats were brought to this effigy, they danced around it and danced, Kupala night the effigy of Kupala was set on fire and still burning was drowned in the river, which symbolized the union of two elements - Water and Fire, therefore, the holiday of Ivan Kupala was often called (especially by the Old Believers) "the wedding of Water and Fire" . Now I would like to talk to you about why Ivan Kupala holiday is considered so sacred and powerful that they are waiting for it for a whole year with great impatience, one might say, this main holiday for a practicing Magician, without exaggeration. As you might have guessed, the holiday Ivan Kupala is closely connected with the solar-lunar cycle, not for nothing that our pagan ancestors identified Kupala with the Sun, and if you delve into the study of ancient books, Kupala is one of the names of the Sun God among the ancient Slavs, on a level with Yaril.

It is on this day (if we take the celebration "according to the old style") that the day of the summer solstice occurs (June 21), or as the Slavic pagans also called this day - "solstice" On this day, the shortest night of the year is observed, and, accordingly, the longest day of the year. The sun, one might say, "comes into full force", on this day it has a very strong power over the world around us and over us.

It is believed that on this day it is worth starting those things and doing those things that should change not only your fate, but also the fate of those around you, since on this day a point of force of time is born, then there is a person may have special power over time , over the future, because in fact, this holiday is so important for all practicing magicians or just people who are interested in Magic.

By the way, dear Friends, here is a vivid example for you, which proves the veracity of my words:

On June 22, 1941, Adolf Hitler attacked the Soviet Union. I hope you understand that Hitler, as an ardent admirer of the occult, did not just attack the most powerful enemy on this powerful day!

Well, as always, I got carried away with historical aspects and nuances, for which I ask you to excuse me, because History is my weakness, what can I do! :) But now let's move on to the magic of Kupala Night! The reason why this night is considered the most sacred, I have named above, therefore now I will develop our conversation in the vector of deepening into the "magic" aspect of Kupala night!

On the Kupala night, a fire is necessarily lit, over which you need to jump over in order to “recharge” with health and well-being for the whole year, in addition, you must definitely swim in the water, or better, combine these “procedures” in turn, since in this way you will combine the elements of Fire and Water, which will give you good health and longevity, as well as relieve the negativity that has accumulated over the whole year.

On this night, you have the opportunity to conduct numerous and not very complex rituals for yourself or for your loved ones, which will be very effective. In my article "The Feast of Ivan Kupala - Facts, Mysticism and Traditions" I said that in my Family of Kyiv Witches it has always been such a "ancestral" ritual " weaving a witch's ladder which is very versatile. before the onset of the Kupala night, you must collect dry grass (any grass will do, ideally, this is elecampane grass, St. John's wort), it would be better if you do this in your place of Power or on Bald Mountain, but any open area where herbs grow) , further - You must retire and approach very responsibly to the very process of the ritual - In We must weave little dolls from this grass(skill does not count, the main thing is to weave at least a "likeness" of a person), while saying in a whisper - "this is my indecision", "these are my illnesses", "this is my loneliness", etc. You must weave as many dolls as you have accumulated problems and troubles, that is, in other words, each doll should symbolize what you want to get rid of once and for all! For greater efficiency, you can take thin sheets of paper and write all your troubles and troubles on them, and weave these strips of paper into dolls. On the Kupala Night, you must burn all these dolls at the stake, watching them burn, you must clearly feel how you are getting rid of everything that these dolls symbolized!

If I already remembered the rituals associated with herbs, I can’t help but advise you on such an interesting ritual, which, of course, applies more to girls: on Kupala night you must definitely weave a wreath with at least three types of herbs (ideally, with 13), when weaving, you should think about what you would most like to achieve this year, about your dream, roughly speaking. When you weave a wreath, you must put your right hand, mentally take your dream "in your hand", squeeze it into a fist, while saying: "I took my dream into my hands, the river helped me fulfill my dream!", after which, let the wreath float on the water, and your dream should come true within of the year!

Now I want to talk with you specifically about "Kupala herbs", since it is impossible to imagine the holiday of Ivan Kupala without collecting herbs and without the "fern flower"!

Let's start with the fact that this holiday is a kind of peak, the middle of summer, because by this time all the flowers, herbs, trees are at their peak, which automatically gives them a special magic power. I can tell you frankly that Kupala night is the night of the maximum power of herbs , because this night is so awaited by all herbalists, healers, etc., since the herbs collected on the Kupala night really always have medicinal, healing properties. Herbs were also collected by witches for divination, love spells and other witchcraft, since Kupala night automatically makes herbs an excellent tool for witchcraft!

You can also profitably spend this night if you dare to collect Kupala herbs "in accordance with all the rules" - usually it was girls / women who collected herbs, but always naked, or in one shirt, with loose hair. Herbs can be collected at dawn, but still I would advise you to do it at night, especially if you plan to use the herbs for witchcraft, and not for healing. What herbs are best to collect on Kupala Night? I would advise you to definitely stock up on such herbs: loosestrife (plakun-grass), balsam (gap-grass), elecampane, St. In principle, this is the "basic set", but it is believed that any grass collected on the night of Ivan Kupala has witchcraft power. In addition, be sure to remember that you need to pluck the herbs without a knife (!), That is, with “bare” hands, when collecting herbs, you need to constantly say: “I tear (my name) flowers from grass, roots from the ground, what are they useful for That's why I'm tearing them up!" By the way, I would like to tell you an entertaining legend about the legendary (almost as legendary as the "fern flower"!) Gap-grass!

The legend says that its fiery flowers have the ability to make a person invisible, but its main purpose is to destroy all barriers, even metal ones, to open any locks and constipation. To get this plant, you need to go to a remote wasteland at midnight on Ivan Kupala and mow the grass there until the metal part of the scythe breaks - this is a sure sign that the gap-grass has been mowed. All mowed grass from the place where the scythe was broken is thrown into the river and its behavior is carefully observed. Unlike other herbs, gap-grass does not sink and swims against the current. According to legend, thieves who have taken possession of the gap-grass hide it in the finger of the hand, having previously made a cut on it. Touching any lock with such a finger, the thief will easily open it; touching a person entails the death of the latter. By the way, it was believed that a water lily (grass-overcome) allows a person to become invisible, St. evil spirits"and the evil eye, and of course- What is Kupala Night without the legend of the fern flower? Everyone has heard about the fern flower, which promised its owner happiness, luck, magical power. With its help it was possible to take possession of other magical plants, each of which usually possessed one of the properties attributed to the fern. The presence of ararat-grass in a person (the ancient Slavic name for a fern) also gave him access to magical herbs. It was distinguished by its characteristic yellow and blue flowers. You can find Ararat grass only at midnight on Ivan Kupala. When extracting grass, a number of rules had to be observed, otherwise its magical power would be lost. The tradition prescribed to draw a circle around the plant with a knife against the sun and pull on its stem. If the grass is pulled out with a circle of earth, then it can be used to search for magical herbs, if not, then it is useless. The person who finds this flower will be endowed with the gift of knowing the language of animals and birds, understanding the power of plants, such a person will be able to find all the treasures and even turn into the invisible. That's it! So go ahead - and, perhaps, you will become the owner of a magical fern flower!:)

I also want to advise you to do the following if you need career or spiritual growth: You should lie down in the tall grass on the Kupala night and say exactly 7 times in a row the following words: "The grass is higher than the ground, and I (your name) are higher than the grass!". When you pronounce these words for the last, seventh time, you need to get up abruptly and leave without looking back. During the year, you will see that you have really achieved the successes that you expected in terms of career or spiritual development!

And finally, I can’t help but remember the magical power of the Kupala dew, which you must use for your own benefit! It is rightly believed that Kupala dew helps to rejuvenate, be healthy all year round, etc. Dew is usually collected by sorcerers and witches in glass vessels, also naked, and e if you swim (in the literal sense) in this dew- you will be healthy and vigorous for a whole year, that's a fact! I would advise girls to wash themselves with this dew, while saying: "As dew is on my face, so is beauty on my face. Exactly!". And yet, if you can moisten an ordinary towel in the dew from seven different herbs in the Kupala morning (as an option, an undershirt), and then dry it all in the sun, you will get a reliable remedy for any pain! Keep this towel (shirt) in a dark place, and when you feel any kind of pain in your body, put this towel (shirt) on the sore spot, it really helps!

In my family of Kyiv Witches, there is a custom "witch's shirt":

all the witches in my family had such a shirt, in which they “bathed” in the Kupala dew and put it on only when they felt that their strength was leaving them or that they were under an “energy attack” of special power with the help of witchcraft! And if you are lucky, and the night on Ivan Kupala turns out to be windy, you can very easily get rid of damage, To do this, you need to go out into the open.(ideally, everything is done on Bald Mountain) and say out loud 6 times in a row: "Wind, blow, blow off me, (your name), blow off the damage, take it away, take it away. So be it!".

I could tell you a lot more interesting things, dear Friends, about the Magic of the Kupala Night and the Magic of the Kupala Herbs, but I will leave these interesting things for our next conversations! I sincerely hope that my article was interesting for you and you learned a lot of new and interesting things for yourself!

Sincerely yours, Yulianna Koldovko.

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The days of June 21-22, according to the old style (July 6 and 7, according to the new one), were considered in ancient times the most magical time, when the veil of secrets was lifted by the dominant forces of nature, and they shared with people higher powers. Our ancestors tried to use them for the benefit of themselves and their families. It is believed that on this day it is worth starting those things and doing those things that should change not only your fate, but also the fate of those around you, since on this day a point of time power is born, that is, a person can have special power over time over the future. On the Kupala night, a fire is lit, over which you need to jump over in order to recharge your health and well-being for the whole year, in addition, you must definitely swim in the water, or better, alternately combine these procedures, since in this way you will combine the elements of Fire and Water , which will give you good health and longevity, as well as get rid of the negativity that has accumulated over the whole year.

June 21-22 is a kind of peak, the middle of summer, because by this time all flowers, herbs, trees are at their peak, which automatically endows them with special magical powers. Kupala night is the night of the maximum power of herbs, therefore all herbalists, healers, etc. are waiting for this night, since the herbs collected on Kupala night really always have medicinal, healing properties.

What herbs are best to collect on Kupala night?

Duckweed (plakun-grass), balsam (gap-grass), elecampane, St. without a knife (!), That is, with bare hands, when collecting herbs, you need to constantly say: I tear (my name) flowers from grass, roots from the ground, for which they are useful, for that I tear them!

properties of herbs.

They used it as a talisman (to search in damp places along the reservoirs to collect flowers and roots at dawn), capable of expelling evil spirits from everywhere, treating skin diseases and relieving hangovers and, in general, an indispensable herb for food poisoning. Odolen-grass (water lily is a well-known plant), helps to overcome all obstacles. With him, you can go to various judicial institutions in order to win the lawsuit, and dry the girl's heart, and save the cattle. And if you are going on the road on business or to visit relatives, be sure to stock up on grass.

The legend about gap-grass says that its fiery flowers have the ability to make a person invisible, but its main purpose is to destroy all barriers, even metal ones, to open any locks and constipation. To get this plant, you need to go to a remote wasteland at midnight on Ivan Kupala and mow the grass there until the metal part of the scythe breaks - this is a sure sign that the gap-grass has been mowed. All mowed grass from the place where the scythe was broken is thrown into the river and its behavior is carefully observed. Unlike other herbs, gap-grass does not sink and swims against the current.

St. John's wort will protect your home from theft and loss, wild rose or nettle will protect from the machinations of evil spirits and the evil eye, and of course - what is Kupala Night without the legend of the fern flower? Everyone has heard about the fern flower, which promised its owner happiness, good luck, magical power.

What else needs to be done on a Kupala night?

• If you need career or spiritual growth: You should lie down in the tall grass on Kupala night and say exactly 7 times in a row the following words: "The grass is higher than the ground, and I (your name) are higher than the grass!". When you pronounce these words for the last, seventh time, you need to get up abruptly and leave without looking back. During the year, you will see that you have really achieved the successes that you expected in terms of career or spiritual development!
• You know the magical power of Kupala dew, which you must use for your own benefit! It is rightly believed that Kupala dew helps to rejuvenate, be healthy all year round, etc. If you swim (in the literal sense) in this dew, you will be healthy and vigorous for a whole year, that's a fact! At dawn on June 22 (July 7), collect early dew and wash yourself saying: “Royal power, earthly power! Give me endless beauty. Eternal youth. Amen".
• To get married this year, you need to collect a bouquet of 12 different herbs before going to bed (thistle and fern are a must) and put it under your pillow.
• Cleansing bonfires belong to magical Kupala attributes. You need to dance well around them, it’s even better to jump over them: whoever jumps more successfully and higher will attract happiness.
• Be sure to take a dip in a body of water. This will add to you for the whole year vitality, freshness and good health.

Previously, girls used to weave wreaths of flowers and herbs for themselves (as a sign of their beauty and charm), and guys - from oak leaves (as a sign of their strength). The wreath was floated on the water, let it go with the flow, and the fate was determined by how it floats. Sometimes a candle was attached to the wreath and lit. If the wreath sinks, this is a bad sign, portending deceit on the part of a loved one. If the wreath unwinds or becomes motionless on the water, there is little chance of a wedding in the coming year. When the wreath floats forward, downstream - the wedding will take place, and family life will be prosperous. The direction in which the wreath floats could tell in which direction the future husband lives.

• The traditional Kupala action is jumping over the fire in pairs. If in the jump the hands of young people are separated and after a couple no small sparks fly out of the fire at all, there will be no wedding. If the hands did not separate and sparks flew from the fire - for an imminent wedding. If the hands did not separate, but there were no sparks, most likely the wedding will be scheduled, but for some reason it will not take place. If the hands are separated, but many sparks fly after the lovers, the couple will probably live happily together, but the wedding itself will not happen soon or not at all.
• To every person who yearns happy life, health and, of course, mutual love, we strongly recommend stocking up on a magical bouquet collected from Kupala herbs at the end of the scorching sun on June 22 (July 6). It is required to compose it from the leaves of a fern, Ivan da Marya, thistle and plantain. In ancient times, they were sure that the fern - the lord of the festival - makes absolutely any dreams come true. Ivan da Marya - rewards with love. Plantain with thistle - protect against loneliness. On the eve of sleep, put the Kupala bouquet under the pillow and say: “Trip-traveller, you live near the path, you see the young and ancient, bring my betrothed for me.” Chernobyl grass (wormwood) should be hung over the sleeping place of those young ladies who assume that they have been damaged or conjured a crown of celibacy. After all evil forces: witches, demons - tremble in panic before the wormwood as before a fire.

Many peoples divided the year into two halves - light and dark, warm and cold, summer and winter. The days of the summer and winter solstices were calendar reference points among the Slavs as well. Winter festivities, when the resurgent sun was honored, eventually transformed into, and. Summer pagan holiday after the establishment Orthodox calendar became Ivanov's day or the day of Ivan Kupala. It was celebrated on June 24 according to the old style, and according to the new style it falls on July 7 - on the Nativity of John the Baptist.

The meaning of the word "Kupala" is not known for certain. According to one version, it goes back to the Indo-European root "-kur-", denoting "boil, boil, longingly desire." So, this word can have several meanings: a fire, a pond, and even a place where they gather for a celebration. Interpretations of the concept of Kupala are associated with fire, a symbol of the hot summer sun, and water, moisture that gives life. Fire and water remain the main attributes of the Ivan Kupala holiday to this day.

On the night from Agrafena Kupalnitsa to Ivan Kupala, that is, from July 6 to 7, people everywhere collected dew, which was attributed magical properties. People believed: whoever washes himself with dew that night will become prettier and be healthy all next year. In some regions, night bathing was arranged, in others they were afraid to go into the rivers, because on that night the water man himself was the birthday man. They kindled high bonfires, over which they jumped to cleanse themselves with the Kupala fire.

Many Kupala ones have survived. For example, it was believed: whoever jumps over the fire above everyone else will have the most happy year. The girls floated wreaths and watched who was sinking and who was swimming away. In some villages, a wreath that sailed far away meant a quick marriage, in others - a long life.

Ancient songs tell the story of the "wreath" ceremony - the Slavic version of the story of Romeo and Juliet. Kupala and Kostroma were brother and sister separated in childhood. Once an adult Kostroma was walking along the river bank. The wind tore the wreath from her head. A young man passing by on a boat picked up a wreath and returned it to Kostroma. Only after the wedding, the bride's parents realized that the visiting groom was their lost son Kupala. In desperation, the young rushed into the river. Kostroma turned into (Mavka), and Kupala died. In response to the mermaid's prayers, the gods wove the bodies of the lovers into a Kupala-da-Mavka flower. The Christians called him Ivan da Marya.

It is customary to collect Ivan da Marya just on the Kupala night, when all plants are gaining unprecedented strength. Beliefs say that if the plucked flowers of Ivan da Marya are laid out in the corners of the hut, thieves will not be able to get inside: the brother and sister will talk among themselves, and it will seem to the thieves that it is the owners who are making noise. According to legend, it is on this night that the ferns bloom once a year. Our ancestors harvested brooms for the bath, thorny plants (nettle, wild rose, thistle) in the days closest to the holiday to protect the house from the evil eye, and all medicinal herbs. When collecting plants, they said, for example, like this: “Mother Earth, bless me, take grass, and mother grass to me!”.

In some regions of Central Russia, Ivanov's day was not known, but Yarilin's day was celebrated at the same time. Yarila was called a festive character like. It could be a scarecrow that was "buried", or a mummer who entertained the people with obscene jokes.

Ethnographers believe that the East Slavic Kupala rites are best preserved among Belarusians and Ukrainians, while among Russians - to a lesser extent. But if you want to feel the atmosphere of the ancient holiday of youth, love and flowering, go to nature on this night. You will wash yourself in the dew, pick up healing herbs and berries, compete in jumping over the fire and meet the dawn: they say that on the Kupala morning “the sun plays”.

Ivanovo herbs (Ivan herbs, Kupala herbs) - fresh vegetation - herbs, flowers, tree branches, roots, the collection and use of which are included in the ritual complex of the celebration of Ivan Kupala. According to folk beliefs, various plants during the summer solstice, when nature reached its peak, were filled with extraordinary magical power, which the peasants sought to use. This is also evidenced by bylichki telling about the miraculous phenomena that happened to the plant world at that moment. A belief was widespread among the Russians, according to which on a magical Kupala night in the fields, forests, gardens, all plants whisper to each other and move from place to place, and "every grass, even fern, blooms." Herbaceous plants, on which only once a year, on the night of Ivan Kupala, buds appeared, "bloom for three minutes, giving three flowers each." These flowers and herbs, according to the people, are magical, they can completely change the life of the person who picked them, but it is very difficult to get the cherished plants, because they are guarded by evil spirits. The most popular are the stories about the fern flower, which promised its owner happiness, luck, magical power.

With its help it was possible to take possession of other magical plants, each of which usually possessed one of the properties attributed to the fern. The presence of ararat-grass in a person also gave him access to magical herbs. It was distinguished by its characteristic yellow and blue flowers. You can find ararat-grass only at midnight on Ivan Kupala or on the day of Ivan Kupala between morning and lunch. When extracting grass, a number of rules had to be observed, otherwise its magical power would be lost. The tradition prescribed to draw a circle around the plant with a knife against the sun and pull on its stem. If the herb is pulled out with a circle of earth, then it can be used to search for magical herbs, if not, then it is useless. The difficulty also lay in the fact that "ararat" grass, according to the Vyatka peasants, grew only in one place, where the waters of two rivers - the Oka and the Moscow - merge. The magic herbs also included gap-grass, also known under the names "lomotsvet" (Vologda), "spryk" (Vyatsk). Like a fern, it blooms at midnight and blooms for as long as it takes to read the Lord's and Mother of God prayers. Its fiery flowers have the ability to make a person invisible, but its main purpose is to destroy all barriers, even metal ones, to open any locks and constipation. To get this plant, you need to go to a remote wasteland at midnight on Ivan Kupala and mow the grass there until the metal part of the scythe breaks - this is a sure sign that the gap-grass has been mowed. All mowed grass from the place where the scythe was broken is thrown into the river and its behavior is carefully observed. Unlike other herbs, gap-grass does not sink and swims against the current. According to legend, thieves who have taken possession of the gap-grass hide it in the finger of the hand, having previously made a cut on it. Touching any lock with such a finger, the thief will easily open it; touching a person entails the death of the latter. The gap-grass can only lose its magical power if it is thrown into a latrine. On the Kupala night, they also searched for magical invisible grass - it was used to become invisible - flight-grass, overcoming-grass. Not only individual herbs were considered magical, but also a whole shock of grass mowed on the Kupala night. According to the Russian settlers of Siberia, with its help you can find happiness and wealth. For this, the Ivanovo shock was left untouched until the "terrible evenings" (see Christmas time). According to belief, devils must definitely settle in it. In order to force the devils to obey oneself, it was necessary on one of the holy nights to go around the mop with a prayer and draw a circle around it with a “cinder end” from the first torch lit in autumn. The devils living in it will offer to fulfill all wishes in exchange for a promise to leave them alone. There was an idea among the people that any plant plucked or dug up on the day of Agrafena Kupalnitsa, Ivan Kupala had miraculous power; according to the Siberian peasants, at this time, "any herb is useful." The best, but also the most dangerous, time for collecting Ivanovo grass was considered the night of Ivan Kupala, or rather, midnight. As a rule, at this time, plants were mined that had healing properties, and were also used in divination and witchcraft. Only "knowledgeable" people could do this, which included those who magical practice, i.e. sorcerers, sorcerers, witches. In a number of places, medicinal herbs were collected by elderly women, usually widows, who, according to popular beliefs, were considered "clean", because they they could no longer bear children and did not live sexually. In tradition, there were certain rules for the collection of healing and witchcraft herbs, ensuring the preservation and increase of their magical power. So, women who were engaged in the preparation of medicinal plants fasted before the holiday for several days, and during the collection they took off their pectoral crosses. Sorcerers, witches, sorceresses, going to forests and fields at night, tried to get out of the house unnoticed. Getting down to business, they often undressed, throwing off even their shirts. In the Vyatka province. it was forbidden to pluck some plants with the bare hand, otherwise they would lose their healing power. An indispensable part of the ritual of harvesting herbs were conspiracies. Plucking plants, sorcerers and sorcerers usually said: "I tear, a slave (the name of the rivers) or a slave, flowers from grass, roots from the earth; for what they are useful, I tear them for that." In Siberia, "knowing" peasants specially placed plants collected at night under "Ivan's dew", believing that in this case their magical properties would increase. For the same purpose, herbs, mostly medicinal, were brought to church for consecration. Ivanovo herbs brought home were distributed on the same day to fellow villagers or dried and stored in a place that was conceptualized in the traditional worldview as a border space: in a chimney, under a stove, under a threshold. Subsequently, they, as well as fresh ones, were offered to peasants for the treatment of diseases, exorcism and as a talisman, for use in love magic. Each type of herb was used for a specific purpose. So, the herb "finch" helped against children's screams and insomnia, and the shepherd's purse was used as a hemostatic agent. Chernobyl was universally known as the best remedy for promoting health. In addition, according to legend, he guarded the household on the Kupala night. The plantain was tied into bundles and hung in the yard to protect it from all sorts of reptiles. The herbs of divius forces and Mary Magdalene were advised to use for melancholy, calving cows were fumigated with the Mother of God herb. The properties of some Ivanovo herbs used for medicinal purposes and divination were also known to the people. The peasants themselves could harvest them, but unlike "knowledgeable" people, they preferred to collect these herbs during the day or, better, at sunrise, "under the dew", trying to keep droplets of night moisture on the leaves. Wishing to increase the healing power of plants, they, like sorcerers, plucked them with a sentence: "Earth, mother, bless me with brother herbs, and mother grass for me." There were also known other techniques aimed at preserving the magical properties of Ivanovo plants. So, Chernobyl grass was plaited into whips and placed under the "Ivan's" dew, saying: "Mother Earth, Father Heaven, give your slaves health from this grass." The owner of the grass, known as "plakun", which was considered the best amulet against evil spirits, had to come to the temple, stand at the altar, less often in the altar, facing the east, or so that the root of the grass, which he held in his hands, was facing east, and say a conspiracy: "Cryer, cryer! You cried for a long time ...". As a result of these actions, the "tearful" power of the magical plant was directed against various harmful manifestations, in order to protect its owner. A cross was also made from the consecrated plakun, which was tied to a cross on a gaitan (beaded decoration) or to a silk belt. It was believed that in this case, he drives away demons and evil spirits from the owner. In Siberia, the owner of every house in the evening, on the eve of the day of Ivan Kupala (Kupala night), went around his yard three times with a prayer and threw nettles crosswise at the gate so that "the sorceress would burn herself and not enter the house." In love magic, the herb "terlich" was used. To attract guys, girls were advised to put it in their bosoms and say: "Terlich, terlich, call the lads!"

Plants among which the most common were Ivan da Marya and kupalenka (yellowhead) were brought to the village in armfuls. In temples, dwellings and courtyards, and in a number of places and around them, herbs were scattered on the floor or on the ground, put to windows and icons. In the Novgorod province. there was a custom to make a bouquet during ritual bathing from tar flowers taken with them. Some plants brought into the house were given special importance. So, the Tver peasants, in order to acquire happiness and wealth, plugged Ivanovo rich grass behind the mother - the main, carrying the log of the ceiling. In the Vologda province. 46 herbs were tucked under the prince's log, which served as a connection between the roof slopes, so that the house "would not be opened by bad weather and struck by lightning." In general, the decoration of a consecrated, and sometimes not consecrated, Ivanovo grass hut and yard was understood in many local traditions as a guardian of the house and its owners on the Kupala night from evil spirits.
Ritual Ivanovo greenery, as well as bouquets, wreaths and brooms made from it, used for decoration, were usually dried and stored after the holiday, using the magical power attributed to them later. Infusions and powders for fumigation were prepared on their basis, which were used during people's illness and animals. The preserved grass was thrown into the oven during a thunderstorm to protect the house from lightning strikes. The Ivan da Marya plant was recommended to be placed in the corners of the hut; in this case, "the thief will not enter the house: the brother and sister will speak; the thief will be a weirdo that the owner speaks with the mistress." Bouquets, wreaths, brooms were used in fortune-telling, like Trinity wreaths. They were launched into the water and wondered about marriage, about life or death, or about the future. On the night of Ivan Kupala, girls and young women specially collected grass for divination. To find out about your fiance, it was necessary to pick 12 or 24 types of herbs at midnight. Among them, the most common were plantain, wormwood, thistle, fern, nettle, companion, sedge, couch grass, wood lice, turtledove, quinoa

The Christian Church, struggling with pagan Kupala rites, timed the holiday to coincide with the day of John the Baptist - “The Nativity of the Honorable Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord John” (tomorrow, July 7 (June 24, old style). That is why the double name “Ivan (Jan) Kupala". "Today Kupala, tomorrow Ivan ..." - the song says.

The Gospel of Luke tells of a wonderful boy with an elderly childless couple - the priest Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth: "And they will rejoice a lot about his birth, for the prophet and Forerunner of the coming of Christ appeared." It is he who will lay his hand on the Jordan on the one whom the prophets foretold. According to church tradition, John the Baptist was born six months earlier than Jesus Christ.

The Nativity of Christ is the winter solstice, and the Nativity of John is the summer solstice. Under the sign of Jesus Christ, the sun begins to "grow", and under the sign of John the Baptist - "to decrease", as the latter said: "He must increase, but I must decrease."

The Christian holiday merged with the ancient folk holiday in honor of the solstice. Disputes about the introduction of Christianity into the canvas of the bathing holiday gradually included certain elements of Christian worship: prayers, religious processions along the banks of rivers and reservoirs, and everything else inherent in Kupala went on as usual.

In the Pyrenees, it has long been the custom to bring cut ones in huge quantities to the church every year on Midsummer Day and put them in large elegant vases for consecration. Here they remain throughout the mass and are sprinkled with holy water, and then bouquets are made from the lilies consecrated in this way and, having arranged them crosswise, they are nailed over the door of each house, which from that moment is considered to be under the protection of John the Baptist.

Here the bouquets remain until the next Midsummer Day. In Catholic countries, the lily is especially revered. In wreaths of lilies, girls go here for the first time to Holy Communion - in memory of the fact that in such wreaths in the early days of Christianity, all girls took Holy Communion.

Midsummer's Day was celebrated on the night of July 6-7 - the most short night in a year. Girls in the meadow collected Kupala herbs, which were considered medicinal and had various miraculous properties: they removed lightning from the house, contributed to drying and drying.

The girls also collected twelve herbs, which necessarily included ferns and thistles, and put them under the pillow, saying: “Betrothed, mummers, come to my garden for a walk!” At midnight they went out and, without looking, tore the flowers, put them under the pillow, and counted them in the morning: if there were twelve types, then get married this year.

Wreaths were also woven from the collected flowers. Today, many are working to bring back the secrets of green magic. Time thoroughly hid them in its layers, but even now you can learn a lot! Most of the herbs on Ivan Kupala need to be torn between morning and mass, completely naked, what kind of person will be born; and not to be afraid of anything that can be seen at the same time: “Devil doesn’t hurt anyhow, as herbs are torn.”

Before tearing, you need to ask mother damp earth, so that she blesses to pick grass from herself for any need: you need to fall face down on mother damp earth and say such words:

That earth ecu is damp,
Mother earth.
This mother is dear to us,
All this gave birth to us
And endowed with land;
For us, our children,
Potions ecu gave birth
And drink any cereal
Use the demon to drive away
And drive away in diseases.
They took it from themselves
Various needs, lands
For the benefit of the stomach!

It is necessary to tear the grass alone and so that there is no one close.

Let us give as an example the magical properties of some plants collected on the night of Ivan Kupala, in which our ancestors believed, and, perhaps, many believe now.

Elecampane. On the eve of Midsummer's Day, before sunrise, you need to pick this plant, put it in a thin canvas and wear it near your heart for nine days, then rub it into powder along with ambergris or dewy incense and sprinkle it on a bouquet brought to your beloved person, or sew it into .

St. John's wort. If the day of Ivan Kupala falls on the eve of the new moon, then collect St. John's wort - June 25th. In this case, it has the following property: if bunches of it are hung on oak pegs in a field, then this field becomes barren; in extreme cases, you can collect St. John's wort on any Friday before sunrise. As an incense, it is useful against spoilage, infertility. This plant is considered hostile to sorcerers, provided it is collected on the night of Ivan Kupala.

In the morning you need to weave a wreath out of it, put it on your head during the usual dance around the fire, and then take care of it as protection from damage. Neither devils nor sorcerers have any power over a person wearing St. John's wort. A branch of St. John's wort, hung over a door or hidden under the threshold, does not allow the sorcerer to pass through this door. St. John's wort, scattered over the field during sowing, protects it from hail. Incense is prepared from it against the spirits - the guardians of treasures, and against the demons-enslavers.

The stalk of St. John's wort, being placed in shoes, protects from bad spirits. In the hand or on the belt, as well as when washing the feet, relieves fatigue. As an incense, it frees women from dead fetuses. When brewed in wine and often taken in small doses, it prevents unsuccessful births. From uterine bleeding, a decoction of St. John's wort is used, collected in quiet places where the rooster is not heard. Drink a cup 2-4 times a day.

Plakun is grass. There is a rite to give this herb strength. Healers and sorcerers dig up its root - each for their own purposes - at the dawn of Ivan's day, without having any iron things with them. According to legend, this plant has an extraordinary magical power: it helps to command the spirits and thus contributes to the extraction of treasures guarded by the spirits chained to them, which makes them cry, from where it got its name.

If you have this herb with you, then all hostile spirits will submit to you. She alone is able to expel the grandfathers of brownies, kikimors and others and open an attack on the cursed treasure, which is guarded by unclean spirits.

Fern. Worn on the naked body, it protects against witchcraft and evil spirits. It protects houses from lightning, fields from hail. This is a talisman of the highest happiness: it has the ability to find “crystals” and “gold”, prepare magic mirrors and become invisible; good luck in all undertakings, play and love. The devil has the deepest aversion to the fern, so he does not appear where it grows. Fern blooms under Midsummer night.

Its bud opens with a crack and bursts into a golden or red bloody flame, intolerable to the eye. That is why it is also called fire-color, light-color, Perunov color. At the time when it blooms, the treasures come out of the ground, burning with blue lights. The fern blooms only for a moment: unclean spirits pluck it and take it to their dens. Before you blink your eyes, it will flash and disappear.

Whoever wants to get a fern flower should go to the forest on the eve of the Kupala holiday, taking a tablecloth and a knife with him, then find a fern bush, draw a circle around it with a knife, spread out a tablecloth and, sitting in a closed circular line, do not take your eyes off the plant. As soon as the flower lights up, he must immediately pick it and rush home, covering himself with a tablecloth, and at home cut his finger or palm with the same knife and put the flower in the wound. Then everything secret and hidden will be known and accessible. The fire color is like a key to any treasure, which is rarely given to anyone without it.

The belief that the fern blooms once a year apparently comes from the fact that the peasants, who constantly observe nature, noticed that all plants bloom, except for one, which does not “let bloom”. But they also knew that any plant for reproduction should bloom, and this happens, according to their understanding, since no one sees at night when everything is blooming - on the eve of Ivan Kupala.

And for an ominously luminous flower, they probably took a firefly, which gives a phosphorescent light, especially since it even bears the name Ivanovo. But this is too prosaic an explanation, and everything connected with the Kupala night seems to be extremely romantic.

And above all - the ceremony of letting wreaths with lit candles and a torch into the river waters. Wreaths were curled from Ivan da Marya, a pure bathing flower, burdock, Mother of God grass and bear ears. If the wreath sinks immediately, the betrothed will fall out of love. Whoever has the farthest sail will be the happiest of all, and whoever has a torch or a candle burns the longest will live the longest life.

At night they went with Kupala songs. The songs were accompanied by rituals at the festival, round dances, games, the ringleaders of which were Kupalinka and Kupalish. A doll is also made by the participants of the holiday - a female scarecrow that is worn, around which they dance, light it, and then drown it in water ...

The main one was the Kupala bonfire, laid out on the edge of the forest, a clearing, a river bank, a meadow. When kindling a fire, a ritual of obtaining a “living fire” was carried out - boys and girls rubbed aspen sticks. “Today we have Kupala, God himself spread the fire,” the youth thought.

To kindle a fire, the Belarusians also served firewood from oak - the symbolic tree of Perun, as can be seen from the Kupala songs: “The oak burned with fire ...”, “The dubrova burned, burned ...” A ritual dinner was prepared on the fire: kulaga, dumplings, machanka, and on the spot everyone who wanted to eat was served. Sometimes, instead of a fire, or next to it, there is a barrel, if there is a tar barrel, where the terrain allows - on a hill or a steep mountain. They fill the fire with barrels and buckets, less often they “let fire” at the fence.

The youth led round dances, jumped over the fire (the fire was considered cleansing from evil spirits). Those who were going to get married, while jumping, tightly held hands, because, according to the sign, if the hands do not open, there will be a wedding. We tried to jump higher - whoever jumps the highest will be the happiest in the coming year.

Burning tarred wheels for happiness or lowering them, flaming, from the mountain are echoes of the worship of the luminary: “And the wheel is on the mountain, it burns well ...” The youth rolled in the dew, the girls wondered about their fate on the wreaths thrown into the water. An oiled lighted wheel was raised on a high pole. All this ritualism symbolized the sun and its life force.

According to popular beliefs, you can’t sleep on the night of Kupala, since this night was considered a time of revelry. dark forces nature, from which they made various amulets. To protect against evil spirits, stinging nettles are placed on the windowsills (linden in Ukraine, myrtle in Romania), uprooted aspen trees are placed at the doors of barns or a dead magpie is nailed. On Midsummer Night, it was believed that horses should be locked up so that the witches would not steal them and ride them to Bald Mountain: the horse would not return alive from there!

If on this night you pick the flower of Ivan da Marya and put it in the corners of the hut, the thief will not come to the house: brother and sister (yellow and purple flowers plants) will talk to each other, and it will seem to the thief that the owner is talking to the hostess. On this night, crosses are placed in huts, above windows, above gates above doors, in various other places: near roads, at entrances along the edges of streets, at intersections, on harvest fields, on high banks, over graves, etc.

Witches, sorcerers, werewolves and mermaids were believed to harm with all the might of their harmful power: they take milk from cows, spoil bread. Goblin "naughty" in the forest - scares and leads into the thicket. Watermen, whose name day falls on this particular day, seek to drag a person into the water, since, it turns out, they interfere with his name day - they muddy the water.

The blind, evil copperhead gets sight for the whole day, and therefore becomes very dangerous, throwing an arrow at a person, and maybe even pierce him through. It is on July 7 that the witches hold their annual gathering. They choose Bald Mountain near Kyiv, Lize Gora near Sandomierz in Poland, and on the Brocken in Germany as a gathering place (although German witches gather on Walpurgis Night - May 1).

In Britain, on midsummer night, fairies and elves frolic on the green slopes of the hills, and numerous spirits roam everywhere. In countries Western Europe there is a belief that on this night the souls of all people leave the body and roam the earth. They believed that if you approach the porch at midnight, you can see the souls of those who die in the parish next year.

On the enchanted Kupala night, animals acquire speech, trees talk to each other in the rustle of leaves, water turns into wine, and sunken bells ring.

The most widely preserved Kupala fortune-telling in Belarus - everywhere until the beginning of the 20th century, and in some places to this day.

Sometimes young people would go for a swim in the morning, and during the day they would douse everything and everyone, and not only with water, but also with mud - and then a real dump, laughter, screams, and then everyone ran to swim. In some areas, a bath was used to prepare for the holiday or cleansing after Kupala. Morning dew was considered the best "cosmetic" remedy.

They went out to the meadow to collect it - "to draw dew." They took a clean tablecloth, which was led through the dew, then squeezed the tablecloth into a vessel. They washed themselves with this dew. Pimples and blackheads disappear from Ivan dew, and the skin becomes softer than a petal. However, dew was also used for more prosaic purposes - they were sprayed with blood and from bedbugs. Sometimes they rode in the dew. In Germany, there was a somewhat risky ritual: on this night, the girls went outside the city and rode naked around the field to improve the flax harvest. After bathing, everyone went to watch the sunrise.

In general, Kupala is a holiday of youth and love. One of the features of Ivan's Day was the relative freedom of intimate relationships, and the girls' parents had to keep busy. In the past, this holiday was called “demonic game” or “games between villages”, as evidenced by the chronicle: “I look like a game, and that wives (stole) their wives for themselves, but who conferred with her; the name of the same two and three wives.

But in the morning - a turning point: Ivan is already coming.

The song ends the night on the eve of John the Baptist. It is sung before dawn. Guys and girls stand in a circle and, holding hands, quietly walk and sing. With the last words of the song, the girls scatter in different directions, shouting: “Whoa! Wow! ”, the guys catch them, hug them and kiss them. They return home in pairs and not together, but as they have to.

The girls are screaming, “Whoa! Wow!” so that every guy can recognize his chosen one by his voice. Bitter for the girl who does not have a couple. She returns home alone if she does not find a friend in misfortune. In some regions of Russia, on June 23 (according to the old style), on the feast of Ivan Kupala, housewives prepared the obligatory kulaga, barley kutya, in Belarus - kulaga and babki (unleavened shortbread), in Serbia they baked "cross kalach" - round wheat bread with a large cross on top , the edges of which were divided into three branches.

In Lithuania, girls steamed dumplings stuffed with cheese and baked pies. In Ukraine, this day was celebrated with treats, but special ritual dishes, without which the holding of the Kupala holiday would have been impossible, have not been recorded. If the Kupala holiday coincided with zazhinki or a braid, then it was accompanied by generous joint dinners. Especially for reapers, corned beef (fat and meat) was preserved from winter, so that busy working days would not go hungry. The most popular these days were dumplings with cheese in Ukraine.

On that day and for the next three days, nothing from the house was given on credit. There were many signs associated with the day of Ivan Kupala. Strong dew on Ivan - to the harvest of cucumbers. It will be starry on Midsummer Night - there will be many lips (according to V. Dahl, the lip is a mushroom). If millet is lying on Ivan, it will be in a spoon, “Feed me until Ivan, I will make a pan out of you,” says the bee. After Ivan, there is no need for a zhupan. They believed: Ivanovo rains are better than the golden mountain. They asked: “Beg, priests, for rain before Ivan, and after that we, sinners, will beg.” Before Ivan's Day - rain in the notch (bread will be added), and after Ivan's day - rain from the notch. When it rains, hay is bad, grain is good.

What to cook for Ivanov's day?

After the youth, the old and the young, ran in, jumped over the fire and bathed, the festive tables were laid. After being cleansed by fire, the youth went for a swim, while couples and the elderly set the table, sat down on the shore and began to eat. What was not there at such feasts - cabbage rolls, dumplings, whistler bagels, etc. festive table all the numerous dishes were lenten, since before the end of Peter's Lent, meat and dairy products were strictly prohibited. It was believed that on the night of Ivan Kupala, food was endowed with magical properties.

For happiness, they cooked chicken at night for Ivan Kupala, tied in a new headscarf. When they lowered the chicken into boiling water, they said: “Whoever eats it will give me happiness, greatness, strength. Amen". After that, they did not come up until the chicken was cooked. The boiled chicken was left in the bowl in which it was cooked. In the morning they took it out of the scarf, carried it to the church and gave it to the beggars or nuns. Until the chicken was sold from the hands, it was impossible to eat and drink at all.

Pancakes prepared for Ivan Kupala were considered witchcraft: if a girl shares one of the pancakes with her chosen one, this will strengthen their relationship and protect them from adversity.

Boiled peas, barley porridge and delicious lenten pies and loaves were also cooked for Ivan Kupala. In addition to these traditional dishes, on the holiday they ate honey satu, kuluga, lean juices, dumplings, dumplings with homemade cheese, drank herbal infusions in large quantities.

At the end of the festive dinner, they chose the largest loaf and walked with it along all those gathered. Everyone touched the loaf with his hand and made a wish. It was believed that it would definitely come true.

Kulaga

An ancient flour dish, sweet and sour flour porridge. Kulagu was cooked from rye or buckwheat flour, from their mixture and rye malt. Flour was first stirred with cold or lukewarm water, then poured with boiling water and boiled. The dish acquired a sweet taste, then it was put in a warm place or poured into a bowl to sour. Sometimes kulagu was steamed, fermented, then boiled. Kulagu was not seasoned with anything, they ate it with potatoes and bread. Sometimes kulagu was cooked with viburnum, blueberries. In different regions it was brewed from different types flour.

Kulaga sweet

• 80 g buckwheat flour
• 10 g dried apples or 50 g soaked lingonberries

Buckwheat flour is diluted with warm water to the consistency of dough for pancakes, the dough is poured with boiling water, thoroughly kneaded with a spoon, slices of dried apples or soaked lingonberries are added. The dough prepared in this way is put in a warm place for fermentation until the next day. The fermented dough is poured into a saucepan and boiled for 2 hours with slow stirring and a slight boil. After cooking, it is poured into plates and glasses and served cold.

Potato dumplings

• 12 potatoes
• 1 cup barley groats
• 3 art. l. vegetable oil
• 3 onions
• dill greens

Peel raw potatoes, grate, squeeze juice. Add the settled starch to the squeezed potatoes. Cook porridge from 1 cup of barley groats. Attach the porridge to the squeezed potatoes, add salt, mix, make round dumplings and boil them in salted water. Serve the dumplings hot, sprinkled with fried onions.

flour dumplings

• 250 g flour
• 1 egg
• salt, water or milk

Sift flour, pour into a bowl, add an egg, salt, water or milk in such an amount that the dough can be taken with a spoon. Mix all components until a homogeneous mass is formed. Take the dough with a spoon dipped in cold water and put in boiling salted water. Cook over low heat closed lid. Ready dumplings to choose with a slotted spoon and decant well. Serve with butter or sauce.

Yeast dumplings

• 100 g flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 st. l. fat
• 4 g yeast
• breadcrumbs

Pour warm milk into a bowl, add the egg, crumbled yeast. Knead the dough and put in a warm place to rise. Then take with a spoon and put in salted boiling water. Cook until dumplings float. Serve hot, drizzle with fat and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, finely chopped hard-boiled egg, grated cheese or cottage cheese.

Dumplings with meat

• 12 potatoes
• 2 st. l. flour
• 1 st. l. oils
• 0.5 cup sour cream

for stuffing:

• 400 g beef
• 1 bulb
• 1 st. l. oils

Grate raw potatoes, put on a sieve, let the liquid drain. Add flour, salt and mix. From the resulting mass, prepare dumplings with raw minced meat and fry in oil. Then transfer to a roaster, pour sour cream and put in the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Vareniki with cherries

For filling:

• 1 kg cherries
• 200 g sugar

Free the cherries from the pits, put them in an enameled, porcelain or glass dish, sprinkle with sugar, let stand in the sun for 2-3 hours or even more so that the sugar is well absorbed into the pulp of the cherries, then drain the juice into a separate bowl and stuff dumplings with dry cherries. Pour 0.75 cups of water over the bones and boil in an enamel bowl, crushing 5-7 seeds coarsely. Then strain the broth, add sugar, bring to a boil again, cool, mix with cherry juice. Serve this syrup with ready-made dumplings.

Vareniki with jam

• 400 g flour
• 1 egg
• 100 g butter
• 0.5 cups of water
• a pinch of salt
• plum or apple jam
• grated bun
• 50 g butter
• sugar

From flour, eggs, 1 tbsp. tablespoons of oil, salt, knead the dough and let it come up. Then roll it out, cut it into quadrangles and put jam on each (1 teaspoon per 1 dumpling). Blind the corners so that triangles are obtained. Boil the dumplings in lightly salted water for 5 minutes, remove from the water with a slotted spoon, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sugar.

Swabian dumplings

for the test:

• 300 g flour
• 3 eggs
• 0.5 st. butter spoons
• 3 art. spoons of water

filling:

• 500 g spinach
• 250 g raw minced meat
• 1 bun
• 50 g bacon
• 50 g smoked meat
• 4 eggs
• 1 st. a spoonful of margarine
• 1 bulb
• 2 tbsp. spoons of parsley
• salt, pepper, nutmeg

From flour, butter, salt and water, knead the dough for noodles, put for half an hour. Melt the butter, fry the bacon cubes in it, add chopped parsley. Soak the bun and knead it. Sort spinach, wash, pour water, boil it. Pass spinach, roll, smoked meat through a meat grinder. Mix with raw minced meat, eggs (leave 1 yolk for lubrication), fried onions. Season with salt, pepper.

Roll out the dough into a thin layer and evenly distribute heaps of filling on one half of the layer. Cover this half of the second half of the layer free from the filling, cut the dumplings with a knife and pinch the edges well. Dip in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain in a colander and let the water drain. Serve with meat broth.

Vareniki with cottage cheese

• 500 g cottage cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 tbsp. spoons of sugar and butter
• 3/4 cup sour cream

In cold water or milk (0.5 cups), beat a raw egg, adding an incomplete teaspoon of salt. Add 2 cups of sifted flour and knead a stiff dough. Pass the cottage cheese through a meat grinder, add sugar, yolk, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of melted butter, 0.5 teaspoon of salt and mix it all well.

Roll out the dough very thinly, cut out circles with a metal notch or a glass, grease them with whipped protein, put a teaspoon of curd mass on each, connect and pinch the edges. 10 minutes before serving, dip the dumplings in salted boiling water and cook until they float. Then take them out with a slotted spoon, put them on a dish or in a salad bowl, pour over with melted butter and serve with sour cream or fruit syrup.

Vareniki with potatoes

for the test:

• 200 g wheat flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 things. potatoes
• 1.5 bulbs
• 1 st. a spoonful of vegetable oil

for watering:

• 2 tbsp. l. butter or 0.5 cup sour cream

From the sifted flour, eggs and warm water, knead a stiff dough and leave it for 30-40 minutes. Then prepare minced meat: boil peeled potatoes, rub hot, salt, mix with fried onions. Roll out the finished dough into a layer 2 mm thick. Lubricate the edge of the rolled layer (5-6 cm) with an egg diluted with a small amount of water.

Lay the balls of minced meat in rows at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. Then lift the edge of the greased dough strip, cover the minced meat with it, and then cut the dumplings with a special mold. Dip cooked dumplings into boiling salted water. Ready dumplings float to the surface of the water. When serving, drizzle dumplings with butter or sour cream.

Vareniki with potatoes and cottage cheese

• 10 potatoes
• 250 g cottage cheese
• 1 bulb
• 1 st. tablespoon oil for frying onions
• pepper

for the test:

• 2 cups of flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. spoons of semolina
• 0.5 cups of water

for watering:

• 2 tbsp. butter spoons
• 1 cup sour cream

Crush the boiled potatoes and mix with cottage cheese and onions fried in butter, adding salt and pepper to taste. Soak semolina in cold water to swell. Add eggs, salt, flour, mix thoroughly and prepare the dough.

Roll it into a thin layer and cut into squares. Put minced meat on each square, connect opposite ends to make triangles and pinch. Dip dumplings in salted boiling water, boil for 5-7 minutes, transfer to a colander, pour hot water over and let it drain. Put dumplings on a dish and pour melted butter. Serve sour cream separately.