Day of treating brownies with milk

People have long revered the guardians of the hearth - representatives of the subtle plane who live side by side with them in the house Culturologists, ethnographers and literary scholars have collected a large amount of information about beliefs in the infernal entity, which in different regions of Rus' is called grandfather, susek, lizun and posten But most often, a shaggy little man, a cunning man and a lover of mischief, is called a brownie It plays an important role in maintaining order and comfort in the home, protecting the owners from evil spirits, slander and unkind people who come to visit November 24 is celebrated annually as the Day of Treating Brownies with Milk According to tradition, this inhabitant, invisible to the human eye, should be treated as a sign of respect, recognition and love It is believed that the brownie prefers porridge, cookies, sugar, candy and other sweets Similar dishes are offered to the bannik - the spirit of the bathhouse, the closest relative of the brownie The shaggy little man, who often lives underground or in the kitchen, is also treated to milk with the addition of honey In honor of this tradition, a funny holiday was invented, which falls on November 24th According to popular beliefs, brownies can predict the future To do fortune telling with its help, the owner of the home should pour milk into three wooden spoons in the evening Based on their contents, upside-down appearance, and other signs that the brownie has tasted the treat, in the morning the answer to the question asked is obtained To summon the spirit, a spell is used: “Grandfather-seed, all-knowing, walking to Veles, try some milk and honey Tell me how to eat and show me” Sweets and porridge are also offered if someone is noisy and disorderly in the house at night, strangling the owner in his sleep, and things often get lost It is believed that the treat will appease the spirit and it will stop playing pranks When changing their place of residence, our ancestors took with them not only their utensils and belongings, but also their brownie If contact was established with him, then the sucker was offered to jump into a chest or box, inside of which lay a sweet treat, a piece of fabric or fur Before leaving the room, one of the family members would pronounce a spell: “Grandfather Brownie, move with me We’ll live and get along and make good in the new place When you set off, don’t forget anything Get ready calmly, don’t be shy about your new home” " Sometimes the brownie was asked to jump on a broom placed with the broom down in an empty bag The keeper of the family hearth loves to live where it is clean and tidy, no one scolds or quarrels Therefore, the owners not only fed this delicacy with sweets, but also kept order in the residential and utility rooms In a house where a well-fed brownie lives, the dishes shine especially brightly, and dirt and dust do not accumulate in the corners Respect for the keeper of the hearth was an important part of the culture and beliefs of the Eastern Slavs He was responsible for the friendly atmosphere of his place of residence and helped maintain peace and harmony in the family As a sign of respect for the traditions of our ancestors, an unusual holiday was established - the Day of Treating Brownies with Milk