Holidays of the Slavs - Velesichi, Kudesy - day of treating the brownie

One of the ancient Slavic holidays has survived to this day - the Day of Treating the Brownie, or Velesichi It is customary to celebrate this holiday on February 10 (according to the old style - January 28) The day of treating the brownie is also called Kudes (tambourines) Judging by the name of the holiday, it can be assumed that our ancestors used to communicate on this day with the brownie or simply have fun to the sounds of music Another name - Velesichi - reminds that on February 10 it is customary to honor the god Veles, as well as his children and warriors - Velesichi Among them there are those who moved to earth from heaven and now live with people Velesichs caught in the field are called field; into water - water; into the forest - goblin And those who settled in the house are called brownies A brownie is a kind spirit that protects a home He helps a close-knit, friendly, hardworking family, but scares those who sow discord and do not take care of their home and household If the brownie loves the inhabitants of the home, then he warns of impending troubles and troubles If he doesn’t like something, then the spirit begins to break dishes, scream, stomp and otherwise show his displeasure Also, the spirit of the house can help in finding the missing item To do this, you need to ask him for help or stand in the corner of the room and say: “Brownie, you played, now give it back!” On February 10th, it is customary to appease the brownie They do it as follows A new, pure white tablecloth without any patterns is laid out on the dining table If you don’t have one, then instead of a tablecloth you can use a white scarf or a piece of material A white dish (preferably also without pictures) with a treat for the brownie is placed on the tablecloth or its replacement Freshly baked bread or pie can serve as a treat Along with the dish with the treat, you need to put a glass of water or wine on the tablecloth and put some kind of sweet (for example, candy, an unwrapped lollipop) You can also put coins on the plate (preferably coins), as well as a doll and a new deck of cards Coins are needed for the brownie to provide wealth for the family In the morning they need to be collected in a tight opaque bag and put on the top shelf or mezzanine until next year Using a doll and cards, you can determine the gender of the spirit of the house If the next morning the deck of cards is moved or disappeared, you have a male brownie; if the doll disappears or changes position, a female spirit lives in the house