Time to Celebrate Czas Świętowania

1. Time to CelebrateCzas Świętowania St. John’s Night – 23-24/06 Noc Świętojańska – 23-24 VI Prepared by 6d and Ms Renata Parchańska STUDENTS: K. Bartkowska, A. Gindera, M. Mazur, W. Łączna, M. Kasprzyczak, S. Pałasz, D. Turowski

2. Najkrótsza noc w roku nazywana jest w Polsce: SOBÓTKĄ – od nazwy ogni obrzędowych, zapalanych w tę jedną noc KUPALNOCKĄ – od imienia pogańskiego bożka Kupały, patrona miłości i urodzaju NOCĄ ŚWIĘTOJAŃSKĄ – od jej patrona – Jana Chrzciciela. The shortest night of the year has in Poland three names: SOBÓTKA – from the name of ceremonial fires that used to be lit on that night KUPALNOCKA – from the name of the pagan god Kupala, patron of love and good crops SAINT JOHN’S NIGHT – from John the Baptist, saint patron of that night. Nazwa - Name

3. Starzy ludzie powiadają, że..... • po tej najkrótszej w roku nocy słońce dwa razy wschodzi i w niezwykły sposób ogrzewa ziemię, • dopiero po 24 czerwca można bezpiecznie kąpać się w rzekach i potokach, • w Noc Świętojańską wszystkie wody zakwitają i nabierają cudownej, życiodajnej mocy, • w tę jedyną w roku noc zakwita paproć, a jej przepiękny kwiat lśni niezwykłym blaskiem. Temu, kto go odnajdzie, wskaże drogę do ukrytych w ziemi skarbów, • Niektóre zioła takie jak bylica i piołun, w tę jedną noc mają magiczną moc.

4. Old people say that.... • after this shortest night the sun rises twice and warms the Earth in an unusual way, • only after June 24 can one safely swim in rivers and brooks, • on St.John’s Night all waters „bloom” and get a special, magical power, • on that only night the fern blooms. Its flower is unique and shines in the forest’s darkness. It will show its finder the way to treasures hidden underground, • some herbs, such as wormwood or sagebrush, have magical powers on that night.

5. Na polanach i wierzchołkach wzgórz rozpalano ognie sobótkowe. Młodzież gromadziła się wokół nich. Dziewczęta ubrane na biało, przepasane bylicą (co miało zapewnić zdrowe i liczne potomstwo) tańczyły wokół ognia wyśpiewując modły o szczęśliwą miłość. Chłopcy skakali przez ogień. Czasami skakano parami – udany skok ze złączonymi dłońmi wróżył rychły ślub i szczęśliwe małżeństwo. Do ognia wrzucano zioła, z których dym chronić miał przed czarownicami, zaklęciami i wszelkim złem. On meadows and hilltops „sobótka” fires were lit, and young people gathered around them. Unmarried girls dressed in white, with their robes decorated with sagebrush (to give birth to healthy and numerous children) danced round the fire singing their prayers for love and happiness. The boys used to jump over the fire. Sometimes couples jumped too – a successful jump with hands together meant a coming wedding and happy marriage. Herbs were thrown on the fire and the smoke was supposed to protect from witches, spells and all evil Tradycje - Traditions

7. Ważną tradycją było puszczanie na rzekach wianków. Dziewczęta zbierały polne kwiaty i zioła i plotły z nich wianki. Wianki te następnie przymocowywano do małych deseczek, na których ustawiano zapaloną świeczkę. Potem tak przygotowany wianek puszczano na wodę i wszyscy z uwagą śledzili jego dalszy los. Jeśli płynął gładko, a świeczka paliła się równym płomieniem, była to dobra wróżba na przyszłość. Najlepiej wróżyło jeśli miły sercu chłopak zdołał wianek złapać i wyłowić z wody. Jeśli natomiast wianek wirował, zatonął, lub gdy świeca zgasła, należało spodziewać się nieszczęśliwej przyszłości i końca nawet największego uczucia..... An important tradition was throwing garlands into the rivers. Girls used to take flowers and herbs and plait garlands. These were then fixed to a small board, in the middle of which a lit candle was placed. Then such a garland was put on the water and everyone watched it carefully. If the garland was floating smoothly and the candle was burning evenly, the future looked bright. The best thing was if the much-liked boy managed to catch the garland and take it out of the water. When the garland got into a whirl, however, or sank, or the candle got blown out, the future looked gloomy and even the biggest love could end in tears.....

9. FERN BLOOMING After midnight boys and girls together looked for the fern flower and it was a great opportunity to reveal one’s feelings or even propose. It is said that only the brave and the righteous could find the magical flower. HERE IS A FAMOUS MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT ‘S LEGEND Po północy chłopcy i dziewczęta wspólnie szukali kwiatu paproci, co było okazją do wyjawienia swoich uczuć lub nawet oświadczyn. Podobno jedynie dzielni i prawi mogli mieć szansę na odnalezienie tego magicznego kwiatu. OTO SŁYNNA LEGENDA NOCY ŚWIĘTOJAŃSKIEJ

10. Once upon a time there lived in a small, poor village a boy called Jacuś.He once heard from an old woman a story of a blooming fern, whose flower brought riches and happiness. He decided to look for the blooming fern every year on St.John’s Night. He couldn’t think about anything else. So when the special Night finally came, he set off to the forest at dusk. He was walking and walking, until he reached the marshes. Here he saw the flower, shining like a diamond in the darkness. He grabbed it quickly and hid it under his shirt. Suddenly the flower spoke to him, saying that he must never ever share his riches with anyone. If he did, the whole wealth would disappear. Jacuś was so obsessed with the idea of becoming rich that he didn’t really care. He made his first wish – he wanted a huge palace and many servants. The wish came true the moment he’d thought it. Soon he was living in a magnificent castle, riding in a gold chariot, wearing splendid clothes, eating the best food and his chambers were filled with jewels of unknown beauty. After a while, however, he started feeling a bit bored. Once in a while he would think of his poor family. He even had a weak desire to help them, but he never forgot the flower’s warning.

11. Some years passed. One day Jacuś jumped on his horse and rode to see his family in a poor village. He saw the cottage and his mother in an old, ragged dress. He waved at her but she didn’t recognise him. She said her son had been a kind and loving boy who would have shared all he had with his family. Jacuś wanted to give his mother a handful of gold coins, but he got scared that the flower’s curse would fulfil. He watched in shame skinny, poorly dressed figures of his father and siblings, but fear of losing all he had was stronger than shame and pity. He left the village and went back to his castle. However, he was not happy in his chambers of gold. After a year he went back to the village. The youngest brother told him about his father’s death and his mother’s illness. She didn’t recognise Jacuś again. He ran away one more time, but the remorses were torturing him. He couldn’t eat or sleep. All the time he was thinking about his poor family. Finally he made up his mind to rescue them regardless of the consequences. When he came to the village, he found the cottage deserted. A beggar sitting under the church told him that both his parents, brothers and sisters all had died of starvation and diseases. In a fit of despair, Jacuś wished a sudden death for himself and for the flower. At that very moment the crack in the ground opened and they both disappeared into the abyss.