Kupala- Slavic SpiritSpirit"Spirit of Midsummer"
Also known as: Kupalo, Kupajla, Купала, and Купало
Description
On midsummer's eve, bonfires blaze on hilltops, lovers leap the flames hand in hand, and girls float candlelit wreaths on rivers to learn their fates. Kupala presides over this night of fire and water, when ferns bloom at midnight and herbs hold their greatest power.
Mythology & Lore
The Night
On the eve of midsummer, young people build bonfires on hilltops and stay awake until dawn. Couples leap the flames holding hands. If they land without letting go, they will marry. Girls braid wreaths, set candles in them, and float them on the river. A wreath that drifts toward a young man's bank tells the girl her future. A wreath that sinks tells her nothing she wants to hear.
At dawn, everyone wades into the water. The river on Kupala morning purifies whatever the year has soiled. Women gather herbs before the dew dries, singing as they cut. Herbs harvested on this one night hold their potency all year: medicine, protection against evil spirits, charms for fertility.
The Fern Flower
At midnight, deep in the forest, ferns bloom. They do this only once, only on Kupala Night. Whoever finds the flower can understand animal speech, locate buried treasure, and see what is hidden from ordinary sight. But the forest on midsummer's eve belongs to spirits who guard the bloom, and the path through the dark is dangerous.
By morning, Kupala's straw effigy has presided over the celebration long enough. It is burned in the bonfire or carried to the river and drowned. The festival ends with the figure's destruction, and midsummer turns toward autumn.