“Once on Epiphany evening, the girls wondered ...” - fortune-telling for Christmas time. Podblyuchnaya song "There is a blacksmith from the forge." Divination on the fence

I think everyone knows the poem "Svetlana" by V.A. Zhukovsky. These lines are familiar to everyone since childhood. First, because it school program. And secondly, because there is hardly a girl who, at least once in her life, has not succumbed to such a temptation as fortune-telling. My friends, Christmas week is coming. What does it mean? And this means that these days you can look into your future. Christmas time among Christians is the name of the twelve festive days from the Nativity of Christ to Epiphany, or "from the star to the water."

• Once a Epiphany Eve
• The girls guessed:
• Shoe behind the gate
• Taking it off their feet, they threw it;
• Weed the snow; under the window
• Listened; fed
• Counted chicken grains;
• Burning wax was drowned;
• In a bowl with clean water
• They put a golden ring,
• Earrings are emerald;
• Spread out white boards
• And they sang in tune over the bowl
• The songs are submissive.

There are two traditions to celebrate Holy Week. One is religious, the other is pagan. Every day Christmas means something specific. The first week is considered holy, the second - terrible.

January 9 - Stefan's day. From that day, youth parties began, mummers walked around the yards.

January 12 - Anisya - stomach. Cut. On this day pigs were slaughtered for food. And then, according to the tripe (pork stomachs), they wondered about the winter. If the liver is swollen, it means to be warm in winter.
January 13 - the day of St. Malania or Vasily's carol. According to the old calendar, this day fell on December 31st. So, everyone was busy preparing for the new year. January 14 is the day of the heavenly patron, who was born around the year 330 - Basil the Great. This saint was greatly revered in Rus'.

January 15 religious holiday Sylvester day. Pope Sylvester first lived in the 4th century. According to legend, he caught Leviathan - a sea serpent, which prevented the end of the world. This day is also known as the Chicken Feast. On January 15, it was customary to clean the chicken coops and hang a black stone with a hole in them, the so-called “chicken god”.

January 16 is the day of the Prophet Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets and martyr Gordey. It was believed that on this day the whole devilry, which attacks not only humans, but also cows. The cows of the witches, who arrived hungry from the festivities, were beaten to death, taking the form of a hostess. Therefore, people tapped all the corners in the house with the oldest broom, and aspen branches were placed at the barn doors. January 17, according to folk omens, women were not recommended to do needlework, otherwise the child who was born to a woman would be blind.

January 18 - Epiphany evening, the eve of the Epiphany, the main day of Christmas divination. Interestingly, in different provinces, mostly peasants performed various rituals. For example, in one of the provinces, an old man in an old fur coat sat on the porch of his house and clucked like a chicken. This is to ensure that the chickens have a good offspring. Pancakes were eaten in the Tambov region. It was believed that this was for a plentiful harvest of bread.

January 19 - Orthodox Church celebrates a great holiday - Epiphany or Epiphany, established in the time of the apostles. “On the Epiphany night, the sky opens.” Baptism is carried out in memory of the time when Christ blessed the water. On the night of January 19, holy water flows from all sources. People perceive the rite of baptism as a symbol of purification, because along with washing the body, the soul is cleansed.

This is what holy week is like. Now, as for the divination itself. Our ancestors often guessed, and in the morning, on January 19, they washed themselves, doused themselves with water to wash away this sin from themselves. After all, cheating is a sin. And fortune-telling, which is mainly carried out from January 7 to 19, has nothing to do with true Christianity. The Church has always opposed any fortune-telling. So - do not be afraid of God's punishment - guess. It's up to each individual. Several ways of divination. By the way, the most accurate divination it is considered what is held from 13 to 14 and from 18 to 19 January. The easiest way to divination is a dream. Yes, yes, sound, healthy sleep. Sons these days are considered prophetic. So take a close look at your dream, try to decipher it correctly. And, perhaps, then you will not need any other fortune-telling methods.

As we know, they guess at everything. Mirrors, candles, coffee, cards, nutshells, eggs, combs, in a word, you can’t remember everything. The most common fortune-telling that has come to us since ancient times is fortune-telling with the help of a mirror and a candle. The fortuneteller must be alone. Two identical mirrors are taken and set one against the other. The mirrors are lit only by candles so that a long corridor forms in the mirrors. It is important that the mirrors are clean. You need to say the words: “Betrothed, mummers, come to me for dinner” and carefully observe. They say that in the mirror you can really see the features of the future spouse. I don’t know about you, but for me this fortune-telling is creepy. they were young girls in the entrance halls called spirits and fortune-telling on the mirrors.Personally, my grandmother never saw anything there.

The image of the groom can also be seen in a clean glass of water and a ring. You must have a truly rich imagination! And they also guess at the betrothed at night, putting someone under the pillow. And a twig and a fork and father's pants, thinking in the mind of the betrothed. Allegedly future spouse must appear in a dream.

But this is all fortune-telling for unmarried girls. At Christmas time, everyone can guess and learn not only about the groom, but also about the future in general, about how the year will turn out. For example, my sister and I guess every year like this: This is a very simple fortune-telling and, it seems to me, very truthful. We take four identical mugs, it doesn't matter. Under one we put a piece of soap (small), under the other - a ring (any), under the third - a cross, under the fourth - money, a coin. One person must put all these items under the mugs, and the other person chooses. Whatever he chooses, so the year will pass. If she chooses a ring, it means she will get married, if she is already married, then there will be just love. A cross will fall out - this is bad. Either death loved one or illness. Soap means the year will be crazy, all in business and work. Well, money - the year will be generous.

There is an opinion that fortune telling is only on coffee grounds, nothing like that. You can also guess on tea. And fortune-telling was invented by the British. But in China, in the homeland of tea, this divination was not known. Tea bags are not suitable for this. Just a normal brew. Fortune telling both on coffee and on tea is called "tasseography", which means - a cup. In this divination, we will be interested in the pattern from tea, as well as from coffee grounds. Tea for divination can be brewed in a cup and in a teapot, there is not much difference. With or without sugar, it doesn't matter. Tea is not drunk completely, we must try to make sure that there is a little water and grounds left, approximately the same amount. If you don't succeed the first time, try the second. A cup with tea leaves should be taken with your left hand and made three rotational movements, distributing the tea leaves along the walls. Then flip the mug over and place on a saucer. At this time, it is advisable to think about the question and repeat it to yourself several times. The cup is turned away from you. For about five or ten minutes the cup sits untouched, then you turn it over and the fun begins. We start reading the drawing. If we draw an imaginary perpendicular from the handle to the opposite edge of the cup, then left-hand side will correspond to the past, the right - to the future. How to read drawings when divining on tea? What do all these patterns, sticks, dots mean .... The less in a cup different figures the fewer problems a person has. There are figures and patterns that are extremely clear and simple. The dot is the simplest figure. If it is separately visible somewhere, then a letter or parcel, news awaits you. If they are a bunch, then the dots are money.

Sticks are your business. It is necessary to carefully look and determine where the wand is deployed. If to the bottom - the case will fail, if to the edge - success. If it is parallel to the bottom and edges, then this means that your business is running smoothly. If you see a figurine that looks like an animal, that's always good. Figures that look like flowers or stars can promise good luck. This is if in general. And now more specifically, suddenly you will see clearer figures. Butterfly, for example, a sign - a warning.

Drum - rumors and gossip about you. Serrated objects such as rakes, combs mean that it's time to put things in order in your life. It is very dangerous to see a mushroom - this is a nuisance.

Of course, the Internet is just full of different ways fortune-telling, our television is not far behind. Yesterday, while switching channels, I came across one and could not switch further. The program was called practical magic. They talked about spells. My heart sank, because people literally explain on their fingers what and how! Of course, science denies this, but, nevertheless, it has been practiced for centuries. It just needs to be what people do. After all, what is a spell? This is essentially an impact on the will of a person, this is a forced blocking of his energy. And the love spell refers to damage, and this is black magic. Fear! Well, we don't do that crap, do we? Therefore, only innocent fortune-telling. Happy holidays to you!

HOLIDAY SCENARIO

"ONCE IN THE EPIMINATION EVENING..."

or "CLEET FORTUNE"

(compiled by: teacher DOD)

DECORATION: smartly cleaned room.

LEADING: The most striking, solemn and, perhaps, the most ancient of all the annual holidays in Rus' were winter Christmas time. It was believed that in the period from the Nativity of Christ (from January 7) to Epiphany (January 19), a little God walks the earth, so at this time people tried to do as many good deeds as possible than more to the world the good you give, the more you will receive in return. At Christmas time, the world seemed to lose its stable structure, the almighty God became a helpless baby these days, the sky merged with the earth, the dead came to visit the living, their future could be revealed to many, and miracles became a reality. In protection from evil forces and evil thoughts, they painted crosses with resin on doors, lintels, windows and other “border” places of the yard and home world, smeared their foreheads with cattle, burned crosses in the hut with fire, sprinkled them with holy water, went around their cattle in a “magic” circle and chickens with special charms and spells.

LEADING: Yuletide was celebrated by everyone, especially by young people: their games, songs, carols, gatherings, fortune-telling created a unique atmosphere of Christmas fun. Three times during Christmas time: on Christmas Eve, under New Year and on the eve of Epiphany, each family expected carolers, prepared refreshments for them and listened to carols with genuine pleasure.

CAROLERS:

God bless whoever is in this house!

The rye is thick for him, the rye is supper!

From an ear of octopus to him, from the grain of his rug,

From half-grain - a pie, the Lord would give you

And life, and life, and wealth!

Carol, carol! The carol has been born!

Whoever serves a pie - to that yard of the stomach,

You don’t know the number of small cattle!

And who will not give a penny - fill up the loopholes,

Who does not give cakes - fill up the windows,

Whoever does not give a pie - we will bring the cow by the horns,

Who will not give bread - we will take away the grandfather,

HOST: The festive mood and the desire to have a good life in the coming year made people generous, tolerant and hospitable.

(The carolers go around the audience, they throw prepared treats into the bag)

The youth, after a noisy, cheerful round of houses, gathered in a gathering hut, where they arranged a common feast - they ate everything that their fellow villagers presented them with.

LEADING: Until now, our idea of ​​Christmas time is associated with gatherings. Gatherings, evening parties, conversations were arranged from St. Nicholas Day or Intercession, but they acquired a festive character from Christmas.

LEADING: Riddles were often made at such gatherings.

Royal coin-grosz. What will you call her? ( language).

What is the difference between a priest and a Volga? ( He is a father, and Volga is a mother).

In what year is the more common one eaten? ( In the high sleep).

Where is the end of the world? ( In a dark room).

LEADING: In the Pskov province, on the second day of Christmas time, it was customary to sing refrains to the talyanka.

CHORUS:

If there was no weather -

It wouldn't snow.

If it were not for the darling -

I would never go here.

A pebble fell from the mountain

I got into a fast river.

My darling got married

No richer took me.

My dear little one is a prospector,

On the mowing of the mine beats.

And how will the gold wash,

He won't marry me.

Many swallows fly

In heavenly heights.

A lot of girls suffer

On someone else's side.

HOST: Figures made of dough were an obligatory accessory of the Christmas table: “In every house, for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, figures depicting shepherds, as well as small cows, bulls, sheep and other animals were prepared from wheat dough. Such figures were placed on windows and tables, showered as a gift to relatives.

LEADING: Christmas time does not happen without fortune-telling. For girls, this is the main meaning and purpose of Christmas evenings. They guessed at night, in a dark room, alone. This is how Svetlana talks about it in the ballad ... ".

- “Once on Epiphany evening, the girls wondered:

They took the slipper off the gate and threw it…”

Zhukovsky accurately conveys the details folk divination. The girl took off her slipper or felt boot and threw it through the gate into the street, and then went out to look in which direction he lay down with his nose there and go to marry. If a shoe or felt boot was lying with its nose to the gate, the girl would still be at home.

"Weed the snow"- Zhukovsky writes about another divination. Do you know how it happened? The girls went out into the yard, taking a tablecloth from the house. They took it by the edges and poured snow on it, then swayed it from side to side with a sentence:

Field, field white snow in the middle of the field,

Howl, howl, little dog;
Find out, find out, betrothed!

Betrothed- this is the one who is destined by fate for the bride to be grooms. In the imagination, the tablecloth replaced the snowy field. From the barking they heard, they wondered about the future. A hoarse bark meant a betrothed - an old man, a thick bark - a widower, and a sonorous, pleasant - a young man.

LEADING: In some regions, they collected snow in an apron, put a ring there and said:

Field, field white snow

With gold, with silver,

Get up, get up, doggy

At the father-in-law on the stove,

At the father-in-law on the stove,

At the mother-in-law under the sixth,

At the patty under the bed.

Shestok- a platform in front of the furnace near the furnace. Ladushka - dear, beloved. A simple girl's ring was called gold-silver. They looked for him in the snow, “weeded the snow” - they mentally threw away the unnecessary, and left only the good.

"Fiery wax was drowned", says the ballad. Fortune-telling consisted in the fact that melted wax was dripped into a dish of water and the future was judged by the frozen bizarre figures. If the wax figure looks like a crown, it means to get married. It is very clearly noted that only ardent wax was suitable for divination: white, obtained from bees of a new swarm.

The simplest divination- wait until midnight and ask a passerby for a name. Whatever he calls, that will be the name of the bride or groom.

You can guess the prophecy from the book. Call the page number, line number, open the book and read a line about your future.

Fortune telling on beans. They put beans in a bag, and then, without looking, they pulled out a handful of beans. If there were more dark ones, then the groom would be dark-skinned, if there were more light ones, the groom should be fair-haired.

In addition, you can conduct fortune-telling on crumpled paper: the fortuneteller takes a blank sheet of paper, crumples it in her hands, then puts it on an iron surface and sets it on fire. While the leaf is burning, the future is predicted by the shadow on the wall.

Divination in the field. In the dark in the shed they take a log and then look at the houses in the light. A smooth log - the husband will be good, a knotty - bad, with cracks - angry.

Divination on the steps. They count the steps, saying: widower, well done, etc., and, having reached the last one, they look at which word they stopped at.

Divination on an onion. They cut the onion into 12 slices, sprinkled them with salt, each was designated by certain months of the coming year; in the morning they looked which slice was dry and which was wet; the corresponding months were expected to be dry or rainy.

Divination for a dream. They put a comb under the pillow, saying: "Narrowed, mummers, comb my head." The betrothed appears in a dream and scratches his head.

They put 4 card kings under the pillow and say: “Who is my betrothed, who is my mummers - that dream in a dream.” The betrothed dreams in a dream in the form of some kind of king.

You can also do a little quiz.

QUIZ

1. What are the days before Christmas and Epiphany called? (Christmas Eve)

2. What are the holidays of Christmas and Epiphany dedicated to?

3. What are the days after Christmas to Epiphany called? (Christmas time)

4. What is a vertep? (a two-tier box in which, with the help of wooden figures, scenes from the life of the Savior were played).

5. Who are carolers and mummers?

6. Name the Christmas traditions.

7. How was Christmas time celebrated in Rus'?

8. In what literary works of Russian poets and writers are these holidays described: Christmas and Christmas time. (- "Eugene Onegin", - "Svetlana", - "War and Peace", etc.).

HOST: Do you know that on Epiphany (Epiphany) night, before the morning service in the church, the sky opens. Whatever you pray to the open sky, it will come true. That's what the people say.

I wish you that all your wishes come true. Happy holidays, health, success in all good deeds.

(Gatherings can be completed with tea and a small concert.)

FORTUNE on peas, nuts or coffee beans.

The fortuneteller takes a handful of peas (how many will fit) and lays them out on the table, saying:

A sailor, a racketeer, a general's uniform, a student, a businessman, an amateur cook, a dullard, a bore - wait for a miracle.

Svetlana, Natalia, narrow waist, dark skin, terrible face, Glutton, singer, skinny girl, blond braid, wonderful beauty.

Cupronickel, brass and gold, silver, cast iron and cotton wool, a mansion, a palace, a hut, a barn, the fifteenth floor ... Ford, Toyota for rent, Mercedes and scooter, Volvo, Skoda. Zaporozhets - what is most dear to you.

0 Once a Epiphany evening...

Russia, GP Poikovsky, Nefteyugansky district, Tyumen region, KhMAO-Ugra
Municipal general education state-financed organization"School №4"
Teacher of Russian language and literature
Panfilova Tatyana Ivanovna

Once upon a baptismal evening...

Target: recall the works of Russian poets that mention fortune-telling and beliefs, reveal the influence of these rituals on the character of a Russian person, and also get acquainted with some types of fortune-telling

Equipment: epigraph: “Once on an Epiphany evening, the girls were wondering ...”, a bowl of water, candles, nutshells, a white scarf, wax, logs.

Teacher: Today we will talk about the unusual connection of Russian literature with Russian divination and beliefs. And the purpose of our event:

- recall the works of Russian poets that mention divination and beliefs,

- reveal the influence of these rituals on the character of a Russian person,

- get acquainted with some types of divination.

Oral folk art at all times excited the souls of artists, composers, directors. This topic has not bypassed the writers either. More than once they paid attention to Russian rituals. Divination, beliefs, folk games became the main themes of many works. Let's recall some of them.

(students read excerpts from the works).

Teacher: A. Pushkin. Fairy tale "Groom".

"I dreamed," she says,

I went into the dense forest,

And it was late; little moon

Luminaries from behind the clouds;

I lost my way: in the wilderness

Not a soul was heard

And the pines only ate

Noisy at the top.

And suddenly, as if in reality,

The hut is in front of me.

I knock on her, they are silent. I call -

No answer, Please

I opened the door. I enter -

A candle burns in the hut, I look -

Silver and gold everywhere

Everything is bright and rich."

And what is worse, tell me, your dream?

Know that you live richly.

Uch. A. Pushkin. The novel "Eugene Onegin".

Tatyana believed the legends

common folk antiquity,

And dreams, and card fortune-telling,

And the predictions of the moon.

She was troubled by omens;

Mysteriously to her all objects

proclaimed something.

Premonitions pressed against my chest.

A cutesy cat, sitting on the stove,

Murlycha, paw washed the stigma:

That was a sure sign to her,

What guests are coming. Suddenly seeing

Young two-horned face of the moon

In the sky on the left side

She trembled and turned pale.

When is the shooting star

Flew across the dark sky

And crumbled - then

Tanya was in a hurry in confusion,

While the star was still rolling

Whisper her heart's desire.

When something happened

She should meet the black monk

Or a quick hare between the fields

Crossed her path

Not knowing what to start with fear

full of sad forebodings,

She expected misfortune.

Uch."The Tale of Igor's Campaign". Translation by N. Zabolotsky.

In far Kyiv, on the mountains,

Svyatoslav had a vague dream,

And a great fear seized him,

And he gathered the boyars according to the charter.

"From evening to this day, -

The prince said, bowing his head,

On the bed of yew me

Covered with a black veil.

They scooped me blue wine,

Bitter poisoned potion

Poured pearls on the canvas

From the quivers of an enemy product

My golden-domed tower stood

Without a skate, and foreshadowing grief,

The enemy raven in Plesensk screamed

And flew, noisily, on the blue sea.

Teacher Fortune-telling and beliefs that we want to introduce you to are a mysterious and fun ritual of any holiday. So we ask you to treat everything with a smile.

Uch. Numerous types of divination existed in ancient egypt, Greece, Rome and other countries. Fortune-telling was also common among the Slavs. On long winter evenings, under the crackle of a torch or a candle, the girls tried to predict fate. In paganism, it was the main rite of worship. When Christianity came, fortune-telling began to be persecuted, but remained as a folk pastime.

Uch. were especially popular Christmas divination. Everyone wanted to know what awaits him in the new year. The peasants were interested in what the weather would be like, young people tried to find out their betrothed or betrothed. A girl will come out at midnight at a crossroads, draw a circle and listen. On the one hand, an ancient pagan game, and on the other hand, hope - suddenly come true.

Teacher Let's remember another work that is directly related to our topic. This is an excerpt from V. Zhukovsky's ballad "Svetlana".

Once a Epiphany Eve

The girls guessed:

Shoe behind the gate

Taking off their feet, throwing

Snow weeded, under the window

listened to, fed

Counted chicken grain,

Burnt wax was heated.

In a bowl of clean water

Put on a gold ring.

Earrings are emerald.

Spread out white boards

And they sang in tune over the bowl

The songs are submissive.

Let's try together to figure out what the girls of Zhukovsky's time were doing!

caller:

Starts simply, briefly

Attract all callers

Our beautiful girls

And soul and heart clear.

Daryushki, Natalyushki,

Please look at me

Good evening sit.

Harmonist, play suffering

Be kind, be warm.

Come out for a divination.

I invite all guests to the table!

(Girls in Russian folk costumes come out and sit around the table).

Teacher So, let's remember the whole sequence of actions of the girls from Zhukovsky's ballad.

Teacher. “... They threw a slipper over the gate, taking it off their feet ...”

The girl takes off her shoe from her left foot and throws it over the gate, while observing where the shoe will lie with her toe. Where the sock points - in that direction and get married. If the shoe falls with its toe to its own gate, do not get married this year.

Teacher. "... Weed the snow ..."

Old people remember: on a bright night they gathered in a group and went out the gate. They picked up handfuls of snow and threw it in the direction where the wind was blowing. If a "snowball" falls on a dish where a heart is drawn, love will meet in the new year. If snow fell on a dish with a devil's face, empty chores awaited.

Teacher. "... listened under the window..."

They went to listen or eavesdrop both under other people's windows and under their own. The first word heard was the key to fate. In addition, it was possible to eavesdrop at the doors of the locked church. According to legend, girls can hear wedding singing or a funeral song - whoever is destined for this year.

Teacher. "... they fed the counting chicken with grain ..."

Chickens and roosters often acted as a soothsayer. The chicken was allowed to peck at the grain scattered on the floor. She pecked everything - there will be a rich husband, something remains - the poor. They also scattered ashes, buried rings. Whose ring is dug up by a chicken or a rooster, that one will be married.

A chicken was rummaging on a mound,

She dug out a silver ring.

To whom we sing, we honor.

Teacher. "... Fiery wax was drowned ..."

Ardent means white, pure. Divination is ancient. "Rise", they say, came from the Greeks. Not only wax, but also tin, lead were suitable for the matter, and in ancient times it was as if the rich poured silver and gold.

There are no fatal meanings in fortune-telling,

Although some people want to.

Divination on wax

Requires handicraft.

Sit down, girls, to the table again,

I invite you to join.

You have to sculpt from wax,

Or maybe forge your own happiness.

Melted wax was poured into a dish of water and fortune-telling was made from the cast images. The ruins of the house were always interpreted in a bad way, the ring - for marriage, the bed - for illness, the train - for the road. Fantasy plays a big role in this.

teacher

"… IN bowl of clean water

Put on a gold ring.

Earrings are emerald.

They spread out a white board.

And they sang in tune over the bowl

The songs are submissive."

Some small objects were placed in a large bowl: a ring, earrings. They covered it with a white handkerchief, shook it and sang songs over the bowl.

(girls sing in unison)

The girl is sitting in a cage

A scythe on a string.

Who will get

The truth will come true.

That's good.

Teacher:(pulling out a ring from the bowl) Whose ring, happiness.

(girls sing in unison)

There is a blacksmith from the blacksmith,

The blacksmith carries three hammers.

Blacksmith, blacksmith, forge a crown.

I'll get married in that crown.

To whom it will come out, the truth will come true.

teacher(pulling out a ring from the bowl) Whose ring, that groom will meet this year.

It is a pity that apart from folklore collectors, no one knows these beautiful songs. And I so want to tell fortunes on the groom!

(all girls sit down at the table)

caller:

(the girls take a log each, and the matchmaker reports fortune-telling signs)

Matchmaker: A smooth log means an even character of a betrothed, a knotty log with cracks means an angry grumbler, a crooked log indicates the betrothed's addiction to alcohol, a crooked and thick log means a tendency to laziness and gluttony.

caller:

And now - fortune-telling as a game and fun,

Clash of desires and even concessions.

I start divination on walnuts,

On shell boats.

(every shell girl walnut makes a "boat" in which he lights a candle and lowers it into a bowl of water)

Matchmaker: The girl whose candle burns out faster will be the first to start a family. The light of the last candle will mean that her mistress will live in girls for a long time.

Teacher: Suitable parting

Suitable parting

And even the stars in the sky

They become paler.

last divination,

last divination,

For our red girls

And married guys.

Teacher There was no such divination in Rus'. We are hosting it for the first time. Under the chairs on which you sit, pieces of paper are glued, where it is written what awaits you in the new year. Stand up, look, your fate is in your hands.

(on the leaflets, which must be glued in advance to the chair under the seat, the words “happiness”, “health”, “success”, “prosperity”, etc.)

Uch-to:

Guessing and guessing people

Always under "Ah", under "Oh", under "Uh"

On a strangely moving platter

The dead calling the spirit.

People are guessing on a camomile

And the freckles on my face

Burnt crumpled paper

On wax, tin, lead.

On shoes, shafts, grains,

On hens and roosters

On the signs of the zodiac controversial,

Empty shells, mirrors.

On boards - slabs in the fence,

On bent and straight nails,

On pebbles in the sand by the sea,

Cuckoos, cards, horses.

Again on the coffee grounds

And on the balusters of the porch,

On the messages of the current

And without beginning, without end

Guess the divination

At the end of the journey?

Guess! But don't guess

May God grant you happiness!

Once on Epiphany evening the girls wondered

Out of the gate the slipper, having taken off from the foot, was thrown;

Weed the snow, listened under the window, fed

A counted chicken grain was heated with ardent wax;

A golden ring was placed in a bowl of pure water,

Earrings are emerald; Spread out white boards

And over the bowl they sang in tune the songs of the underservers.

V. Zhukovsky

Every Russian knows the first lines of the ballad "Svetlana". They colorfully describe the pastime of Russian girls on Christmas Eve and Christmas time * in the old days. The old days have passed, but the New Year and Christmas holidays have remained, and people all over the world, as before, are worried about the future. The New Year is like a gate to a new time. We all want to believe that beyond this threshold we are waiting for changes for the better, love, prosperity, fulfillment of dreams.

Back in the 5th century BC. e. shamans of various eastern and western tribes claimed that "on the Day of the rebirth of the annual cycle, thoughts - good and bad - become karma for all the days to come." Scientists of our time have confirmed this ancient hypothesis and gave it a scientific explanation: thought is material. Many New Year and Christmas divination, superstitions, omens and customs are based on this theory. Every country, every nationality has its own types of traditional divination. Many of them go back to ancient times and are the legacy of shamanism, witchcraft and prophetic practices around the world. However, we still use these methods, adapting them to modern times.

Today we want to tell you about national fortune-telling different countries, which supposedly can answer many questions. Of course, this is only a small fraction of the world mystical experience accumulated over the centuries, and not all fortune-telling mentioned in this article is timed to winter holidays. But maybe you will like something - and on long Christmas evenings you decide to look into the future and ... tell fortunes.

Opens the list of Christmas attempts to find out about their future happiness, of course, England. Young unmarried English women go to the woodpile after dark and bring home an armful of firewood. In the morning they are counted: an even number of firewood - in the coming year, the miss is waiting for a wedding, an odd number - she will still sit in the girls. But what about those who do not have a yard with a woodpile?

In the Czech Republic, they tell fortunes on apples. After Christmas dinner, the apples are cut across, and if the correct pitted star is inside, coming year will be happy.
And to find out if heartfelt feelings are mutual, an old Czech custom prescribes choosing the most appetizing apple and treating them to the object of your passion. If a lover or beloved eats this apple to the core - you can count on reciprocal feelings, eat it with the middle - be young together. Well, if he refuses, does not eat enough, or, even worse, gives the apple to someone else, he does not love and will not fall in love. Shouldn't we come up with Russian fortune-telling on tangerines? There can be many options for fortune telling and answers to any questions.

On the first day of the New Year, unmarried Italian women go out to ask the first man they meet for his name. They believe that this is the name their betrothed will bear! Such fortune-telling from time immemorial has been in Rus'.

Back in Italy, young girls in new year's eve a thimble, ashes, a ring and water are placed in the corners of the room. The one that first catches your eye on the morning of the New Year will portend their fate. The ring means marriage, water - a series of bad luck, a thimble - good luck, ashes - death.

You can walk through the forest snowdrifts and try the Celtic tar divination. This divination came to us from the druids, famous connoisseurs nature. For this method, the season does not matter, the main thing is that you have the desire to walk to the nearest forest or park. Formulate a problem that worries you, or ask an important question for you and go in search of an old spruce or pine tree. Collect some resin from the trunk and return home. Carefully examine the brought resin, putting it on White list paper.

• If the resin is almost transparent and liquid, then a great future awaits you, your problem will be resolved in the most favorable way. If you asked a specific question, then the answer is yes.
• If the resin is transparent, but at the same time viscous, then your problem, or rather, its occurrence, was influenced by the envy of one of the people around you, this person deliberately created this problem, and until you deal with this person, do not solve the problems that arose between you and them disagree, the problem will remain unresolved. If you asked a specific question, then the answer to it has not yet been determined.
• If the resin is cloudy and very dense, and its color is dark, then this portends the onset of difficult times, and all this will happen precisely because of the problem that you formulated at the beginning of divination. If you asked a specific question, then the answer is "no".

The most beautiful, but not New Year's fortune-telling that you want to use, is Japanese fortune-telling by sakura flowers. It was born during the cherry blossom festival. However, it is not at all necessary to go to Japan in order to visit somewhere in the Kyoto park. "Read the pattern of crumbled petals." Just wait until the cherry blossoms, apple trees or most commonly lilacs bloom. To begin with, you have to find “your” tree, that is, the one next to which you will feel the desire to stop, the one to which you will be drawn. Once the tree has been chosen, state clearly what you are interested in and carefully look at how the fallen petals lie around the tree.

• If the petals lie in one place, as if they were swept there, then everything will work out for you, your life will very soon become prosperous and happy, and what worries you will leave you forever.
• If the petals are scattered like a fan, you need to focus on the main thing. Only persistent movement towards the goal will give a result. If you are faced with a choice, then consider all possible options, it is possible that the one that you for some reason do not take into account will be true.
• If the petals evenly surround the tree, everything is fine with you, even if for some reason you think otherwise. Do not worry: your problems are just the result of self-doubt.
• If the petals are clearly divided into two zones on both sides of a tree or shrub, events will soon await you that will radically change your life. And as a result, you will either get what you ask for, or it will turn out to be unnecessary for you, since you will already have new desires, attachments and addictions.
• If the petals were blown away from the tree by the wind, your wish will not come true, and the problem will remain unresolved. Take it philosophically.

The undisputed leader in all sorts of signs and divination for grooms, children, wealth, love, happiness or death in Christmas time are Orthodox Christians. Since ancient times, during Christmas time, they have been openly engaged in what Orthodoxy considers a sin - fortune telling. The Russian people are painfully fond of relying on very mystical predictions when choosing their future, and no church prohibitions can stop this for centuries. The main thing is to cross yourself in time during fortune-telling.

The amount and variability of Russian Christmas divination is enough for a full report. Therefore I will mention here are just a few.

For those who want to know if the year will be rich, you need to prepare forty clean, identical leaves. On twenty of them you should draw banknotes of any denomination. All pieces of paper are folded into tubes and lowered into a deep hat or bag. Having conceived what money is required for, with eyes closed the fortuneteller shuffles the papers and tries to hook them into a handful, as much as possible. Then he opens his eyes and counts: what is more - empty pieces of paper or with bank notes. The ratio will indicate what the coming fiscal year will be like.

Both village grandmothers and famous psychics claim that wax is one of the most “honest” tools for divination, since it feels the energy of a person very subtly. Guessing with it is very easy: melt on fire and pour into cold water What outlines you see - such is your fate. Main signs:

• frozen cross - some kind of illness awaits you in the new year;
• flower - get married, get married or find a loved one;
• beast - be careful: some kind of enemy will appear;
• wax will flow in strips - roads, crossings are coming;
• lay down with stars - expect good luck in the service, in your studies;
• human figure - find a friend;
• house - soon acquiring a new household; for a girl, this is primarily due to her marriage;
• shapeless ruins - misfortune in the near future;
• a pit, a small cave or a grotto is the most undesirable figure, since it symbolizes the burial place and predicts serious illness or imminent death;
• trees - they can be interpreted in different ways: the upward-pointing branches of a tree promise quick joy, drooping ones - sadness, longing and boredom;
• a ring or a candle unambiguously predicts a quick wedding;
• a pancake that has settled to the bottom, on the contrary, prophesies a long girlhood;
• a horseshoe brings happiness;
• mill - there is a gossip in your environment;
• swan - good news;
• the crown promises success.

Fortune telling with mirrors, well known from literature, is still popular with brave girls. Mirrors in the old days were attributed magical properties. Divination is carried out in an empty and quiet room or bath. There should be no one and no sound. The fortune-telling girl should let her hair down and fully concentrate. She should sit in the dark near two opposite mirrors. The picture of Novikov shows this position of the girl. At midnight, the girl lights two candles placed on the sides of the mirrors, says: “My betrothed, mummers, show yourself to me” and begins to peer into the gallery of reflections, hoping to see her fiancé. You can sit in front of mirrors for a long time, or you can see your betrothed right away.

Mirror to mirror, with a quivering babble,

I pointed by candlelight;

Two rows of light - and a mysterious thrill

The mirrors are amazing...

A. Fet

For girls who want to tell fortunes in a non-trivial way, “erotic” is suitable Christmas divination. In ancient times, our great-grandmothers, having lifted their skirts, put their bare bottoms out of the barn window and spoke. "Narrowed-mummer, stroke me." If it seemed that a shaggy paw grabbed it - to become a rich man's wife or mistress to a girl. If stroked bare hand- then in bed everything will be smooth and out of love. Well, if someone slaps, pinches or scratches - they interpreted it, fantasy suggested.

Women, no doubt, are the main hunters in their desire to find out fate. But there are fortune-telling for men. For example, give a girl you like a kitchen towel, a pie, a salt shaker with salt and a knife. Let her somehow stack one on top of the other and pass through the threshold. If the salt does not spill out, the knife does not stagger, and the towel does not loosen, grab it: in front of you is an extremely valuable specimen that must be taken. Your wife will be lucky!

According to an old Russian tradition, on the night of Epiphany from January 18 to 19, young girls tell fortunes about their betrothed. From ancient times, several types of fortune-telling have come down to our days, but all of them are mainly designed to find out the name, position in society of your future spouse, or the approximate date of the wedding.

One of the most common fortune-telling is fortune-telling by the mirror. Before going to bed, the girl sits down at the table in front of the mirror and lights a candle. Looking at your reflection, you must say three times the phrase: "My narrowed, mummers - appear before me like a leaf before grass!".

According to legend, the image of the future spouse will appear in a mirror image behind the girl's back in the form of a shadow. According to the outlines, it will be possible to determine the height and physique of the future spouse.

Sometimes the image has specific features, for example, shoulder straps mean that the beloved most likely belongs to the military category.

In the villages unmarried girls threw their left footed boot over the gate. It was believed that in which direction the nose of the boot was looking, from that side, and wait for the groom. Such fortune-telling was described by the famous classic A.S. Pushkin in the novel "Eugene Onegin". When Tatiana Epiphany night I went out the gate and asked the first man I met for the name. It was believed that the future spouse would be called the same as the passerby.

A very interesting action was fortune-telling on wax from a candle. To begin with, consecrated water or water from melted snow was poured into a saucer. Pondering an exciting question, the girl dripped melted wax from a candle in a saucer and tried to find the answer to her question in the form of frozen drops of wax.

Unusual fortune-telling was carried out by eavesdropping on other people's conversations. The girls got together and walked around the yards, eavesdropping at doors or windows. It was considered a good omen to hear beautiful female singing. Quarrels or rude conversations promised trouble for the whole year. If cheerful conversations and jokes were heard behind the doors, then it was assumed that the chosen one of a young girl would be just as cheerful and interesting.

One of the most simple divination, divination by comb. Before going to bed, the girl untwisted her braid and, combing it with a comb, said: "Betrothed, come to me and comb my hair." A comb or comb should have been placed under the pillow. The future husband was supposed to dream that night of a young girl.

There were also fortune-tellings that now seem completely irrelevant, but they were still very popular at one time.

On Epiphany evening, unmarried girls baked buns in the oven, then lined them up on the floor and let the hungry dog ​​in. Whose bun the dog eats first, that girl will be the first to marry.

In small villages, girls used to tell fortunes on a wicker fence. I had to go up to the wicker fence with my eyes closed and grab onto the picket fence. If the stick is even, without knots and notches, then the husband will be flexible and life with him will be calm. Well, if the picket is crooked or broken, then future husband be a drunkard or a bully.

To find out whether a girl will marry this year or not, they even resorted to the help of pets. If the cat entered the room from the left paw, this meant that there would be a wedding, but if from the right, then she would walk in girls for another year.

Modern girls are ironic about the old baptismal divination. But considering that during for long years young girls believed in such predictions, and for many they came true. Be that as it may, fortune telling is a great occasion to meet close friends. You can organize a bachelorette party, interesting and fun to spend time with them.