The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, October 1883Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Philosophy
The Chautauquan, Vol. 04, October 1883
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
Stribog was the wind-god. According to Russian ideas the four winds
are the sons of one mother, and in the Old-Russian Igor song the wind
is addressed as Sir. These winds are called Stribog’s grandsons. So
in India, the winds are regarded as sentient beings; thus in the
Nalopákhyánam:
“Thus adjured, a solemn witness, spake the winds from out the air.
* * * * *
Even as thus the wind was speaking, flowers fell showering all around,
And the gods’ sweet music sounded on the zephyr light.”
Byelbog and Chernobog, the representatives of light and darkness, are
of antagonistic nature—the warring principles of good and evil. Byelbog
is the white, shining god, the bringer of the day, the benignant
Phœbus, while Chernobog, a black god, belongs to the diabolical order.
The goddess of spring and love was Lada—corresponding closely to Freya
in the Scandinavian traditions. Lovers and the newly married addressed
their prayers to her, praising her name in songs. Lado, the Slavonic
counterpart of Norse Freyr, has many of the same attributes as the
goddess Lada, to whom the same adoration and praise were offered. Mr.
Ralston says that “one Lithuanian song distinctly couples the name Lado
with that of the sun. A shepherd sings, ‘I fear thee not O wolf! The
god with the sunny curls will not let thee approach. Lado, O Sun-Lado!’
In one of the old chronicles Lado is mentioned as the god of marriage,
of mirth, of pleasure, and of general happiness, to whom those about to
marry offered sacrifices in order to secure a fortunate union.”
Kupàlo was the god of harvests, and before the harvest—on the 23d of
June—sacrifices were offered to him. Young people lighted fires and
danced around them in the evening, adorned with garlands of flowers,
singing harvest ditties to the god. This custom still survives in the
fires kindled on St. John’s eve, through which sometimes the people
jump and drive their cattle. The Poles and other Slavonians, especially
in remote districts, keep up many of their ancient heathen rites.
The 24th of December was sacred to the goddess Kolyada, a solar deity,
to whom songs were sung in celebration of the renewed life of the sun
after the winter solstice “when the gloom of the long winter nights
begins to give way to the lengthening day.” This festival became
blended with the Christmas celebration upon the advent of Christianity,
and songs are still to be heard at that time containing the name of the
goddess, as
Kolyada! Kolyada!
Kolyada has arrived
On the eve of the Nativity.
These ditties are called Kolyadki.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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