After killing the Snake, Ivan Propyalof
and his brothers set off on their way home.
But he had forgotten to take away
his gloves, so he went back to fetch them,
telling his brothers to wait for him meanwhile.
Now when he had reached the hut
and was going to take away his gloves,
he heard the voices of the Snake’s wife
and daughters, who were talking with each other.
So he turned himself into a cat, and began
to mew outside the door. They let him in,
and he listened to everything they said.
Then he got his gloves and hastened away.
As soon as he came to where his brothers were,
he mounted his horse, and thy all started afresh.
They rode and rode; presently they saw before
them a green meadow, and on that meadow lay
silken cushions. Then the elder brothers said,
“Let’s turn out our horses to graze here,
while we rest ourselves a little.”
But Ivan said, “Wait a minute, brothers!”
And he seized his mace, and struck the cushions
with it. And out of those cushions there streamed blood.
and his brothers set off on their way home.
But he had forgotten to take away
his gloves, so he went back to fetch them,
telling his brothers to wait for him meanwhile.
Now when he had reached the hut
and was going to take away his gloves,
he heard the voices of the Snake’s wife
and daughters, who were talking with each other.
So he turned himself into a cat, and began
to mew outside the door. They let him in,
and he listened to everything they said.
Then he got his gloves and hastened away.
As soon as he came to where his brothers were,
he mounted his horse, and thy all started afresh.
They rode and rode; presently they saw before
them a green meadow, and on that meadow lay
silken cushions. Then the elder brothers said,
“Let’s turn out our horses to graze here,
while we rest ourselves a little.”
But Ivan said, “Wait a minute, brothers!”
And he seized his mace, and struck the cushions
with it. And out of those cushions there streamed blood.
So they all went on further.
They rode and rode; presently there stood
before them an apple-tree, and upon it were
gold and silver apples.
Then the elder brothers said,
“Let’s eat an apple apiece.”
But Ivan said, “Wait a minute, brothers;
I’ll try them first,” and he took his mace,
and struck the apple-tree with it.
And out of the tree streamed blood.
So they went on further. They rode and rode,
and by and by they saw a spring in front of them.
And the elder brothers cried, “Let’s have a
drink of water.” But Ivan Popyalof cried;
“Stop, brothers!” And he raised his mace
and struck the spring, and its waters became blood.
For the meadow, the silken cushions,
the apple-tree, and the spring, were all
of them daughters of the Snake.
After killing the Snake’s daughters,
Ivan and his brothers went on homewards.
Presently came the Snake’s Wife flying
after them, and she opened her jaws
from the sky to the earth,
They rode and rode; presently there stood
before them an apple-tree, and upon it were
gold and silver apples.
Then the elder brothers said,
“Let’s eat an apple apiece.”
But Ivan said, “Wait a minute, brothers;
I’ll try them first,” and he took his mace,
and struck the apple-tree with it.
And out of the tree streamed blood.
So they went on further. They rode and rode,
and by and by they saw a spring in front of them.
And the elder brothers cried, “Let’s have a
drink of water.” But Ivan Popyalof cried;
“Stop, brothers!” And he raised his mace
and struck the spring, and its waters became blood.
For the meadow, the silken cushions,
the apple-tree, and the spring, were all
of them daughters of the Snake.
After killing the Snake’s daughters,
Ivan and his brothers went on homewards.
Presently came the Snake’s Wife flying
after them, and she opened her jaws
from the sky to the earth,
and tried to swallow up Ivan.
But Ivan and his brothers threw
three pounds of salt into her mouth.
She swallowed the salt, thinking it
was Ivan Popyalof, but afterwards—when
she had tasted the salt, and found out
it was not Ivan—she flew after him again.
Then he perceived that danger was at hand,
and so he let his horse go free, and
hid himself behind twelve doors in
the forge of Kuzma and Demian.
The Snake’s Wife came flying up, and
said to Kuzma and Demian,
“Give me up Ivan Popyalof.”
But they replied:
“Send your tongue through the
twelve doors and take him.”
So the Snake’s Wife began licking
the doors.
But Ivan and his brothers threw
three pounds of salt into her mouth.
She swallowed the salt, thinking it
was Ivan Popyalof, but afterwards—when
she had tasted the salt, and found out
it was not Ivan—she flew after him again.
Then he perceived that danger was at hand,
and so he let his horse go free, and
hid himself behind twelve doors in
the forge of Kuzma and Demian.
The Snake’s Wife came flying up, and
said to Kuzma and Demian,
“Give me up Ivan Popyalof.”
But they replied:
“Send your tongue through the
twelve doors and take him.”
So the Snake’s Wife began licking
the doors.
But meanwhile they all heated iron pincers,
and as soon as she had sent her tongue
through into the smithy, they caught tight
hold of her by the tongue, and began
thumping her with hammers.
And when the Snake’s Wife was dead
they consumed her with fire, and scattered
her ashes to the winds.
And then they went home, and there they
lived and enjoyed themselves, feasting and
revealing, and drinking mead and wine.
I was there too, and had liquor to drink;
it didn’t go into my mouth, but only ran down my beard.
and as soon as she had sent her tongue
through into the smithy, they caught tight
hold of her by the tongue, and began
thumping her with hammers.
And when the Snake’s Wife was dead
they consumed her with fire, and scattered
her ashes to the winds.
And then they went home, and there they
lived and enjoyed themselves, feasting and
revealing, and drinking mead and wine.
I was there too, and had liquor to drink;
it didn’t go into my mouth, but only ran down my beard.
The Baba Yaga
Once upon a time there was an old couple.
The husband lost his wife and married again. But he had a daughter by the first marriage, a young girl, and she found no favor in the eyes of her evil step-mother, who used to beat her, and consider how she could get her killed outright. One day the father went away somewhere or other, so the stepmother said to the girl, “Go to your aunt, my sister, and ask her for a needle and thread to make you a shift.”
Now that aunt was a Baba Yaga. Well, the girl was no fool, so she went to a real aunt of hers first, and says she:
“Good morning, auntie!”
“Good morning, my dear! What have you come for?”
“Mother has sent me to her sister, to ask for a needle and thread to make me a shift.”
Once upon a time there was an old couple.
The husband lost his wife and married again. But he had a daughter by the first marriage, a young girl, and she found no favor in the eyes of her evil step-mother, who used to beat her, and consider how she could get her killed outright. One day the father went away somewhere or other, so the stepmother said to the girl, “Go to your aunt, my sister, and ask her for a needle and thread to make you a shift.”
Now that aunt was a Baba Yaga. Well, the girl was no fool, so she went to a real aunt of hers first, and says she:
“Good morning, auntie!”
“Good morning, my dear! What have you come for?”
“Mother has sent me to her sister, to ask for a needle and thread to make me a shift.”
Then her aunt instructed her what to do. “There is a birch-tree there, niece, which would hit you in the eye—you must tie a ribbon round it; there are doors which would creak and bang—you must pour oil on their hinges; there are dogs which would tear you in pieces—you must throw them these rolls; there is a cat which would scratch your eyes out—you must give it a piece of bacon.”
So the girl went away, and walked and walked, till she came to the place. There stood a hut, and in it sat weaving the Baba Yaga, the Bony-Shanks.
“Good morning, auntie,” says the girl.
“Good morning, my dear,” replies the Baba Yaga.
“Mother has sent me to ask you for a needle and thread to make me a shift.”
“Very well; sit down and weave a little in the meantime.”
So the girl sat down behind the loom, and the Baba Yaga went outside, and said to her servant-maid:
“Go and heat the bath, and get my niece washed; and mind you look sharp after her. I want to breakfast off her.”
So the girl went away, and walked and walked, till she came to the place. There stood a hut, and in it sat weaving the Baba Yaga, the Bony-Shanks.
“Good morning, auntie,” says the girl.
“Good morning, my dear,” replies the Baba Yaga.
“Mother has sent me to ask you for a needle and thread to make me a shift.”
“Very well; sit down and weave a little in the meantime.”
So the girl sat down behind the loom, and the Baba Yaga went outside, and said to her servant-maid:
“Go and heat the bath, and get my niece washed; and mind you look sharp after her. I want to breakfast off her.”
Well the girl sat there in such a fright that she was as much dead as alive. Presently she spoke imploringly to the servant-maid, saying:
“Kinswoman dear, do please wet the firewood instead of making it burn; and fetch the water for the bath in a sieve.”
And she made her a present of a handkerchief.
The Baba Yaga waited awhile; then she came to the window and asked;
‘Are you weaving, niece? Are you weaving, my dear?”
“Oh yes, dear aunt, I’m weaving.”
So the Baba Yaga went away again, and the girl gave the cat a piece of bacon, and asked:
“Is there no way of escaping from here?”
“Here’s a comb for you, and a towel,” said the cat; “Take them, and be off. The Baba Yaga will pursue you, but you must lay your ear on the ground, and when you hear that she is close at hand, first of all throw down the towel. It will become a wide, wide river."
“Kinswoman dear, do please wet the firewood instead of making it burn; and fetch the water for the bath in a sieve.”
And she made her a present of a handkerchief.
The Baba Yaga waited awhile; then she came to the window and asked;
‘Are you weaving, niece? Are you weaving, my dear?”
“Oh yes, dear aunt, I’m weaving.”
So the Baba Yaga went away again, and the girl gave the cat a piece of bacon, and asked:
“Is there no way of escaping from here?”
“Here’s a comb for you, and a towel,” said the cat; “Take them, and be off. The Baba Yaga will pursue you, but you must lay your ear on the ground, and when you hear that she is close at hand, first of all throw down the towel. It will become a wide, wide river."
And if the Baba Yaga gets across the river, and tries to catch you, then you must lay your ear on the ground again, and when you hear that she is close at hand, throw down the comb. It will become a dense, dense forest; through that she won’t be able to force her way anyhow.”
The girl took the towel and the comb and fled. The dogs would have rent her, but she threw them the rolls, and they let her go by; the doors would have begun to band, but she poured oil on their hinges, and they let her pass through; the birch-tree would have poked her eyes out, but she tied the ribbon around it, and it let her pass on. And the cat sat down to the loom, and worked away; muddled everything about, if it didn’t do much weaving.
Up came the Baba Yaga to the window, and asked: “Are you weaving, my dear?”
“I’m weaving, dear aunt, I’m weaving,” gruffly replied the cat.
The girl took the towel and the comb and fled. The dogs would have rent her, but she threw them the rolls, and they let her go by; the doors would have begun to band, but she poured oil on their hinges, and they let her pass through; the birch-tree would have poked her eyes out, but she tied the ribbon around it, and it let her pass on. And the cat sat down to the loom, and worked away; muddled everything about, if it didn’t do much weaving.
Up came the Baba Yaga to the window, and asked: “Are you weaving, my dear?”
“I’m weaving, dear aunt, I’m weaving,” gruffly replied the cat.
The Baba Yaga rushed into the hut, saw that the girl was gone, and took to beating the cat, and abusing it for not having scratched the girl’s eyes out. “Long as I’ve served you,” said the cat, “you’ve never given me so much as a bone; but she gave me bacon.”
Then the Baba Yaga pounced upon the dogs, on the doors, on the birch-tree, and on the servant-maid, and set to work to abuse them all, and to knock them about. Then the doors said to her, “Long as we’ve served you, you’ve never poured even a drop of water on our hinges; but she poured oil on us.”
The birch-tree said,”Long as I’ve served you, you’ve never tied a single thread round me; but she fastened a ribbon around me.”
And the servant-maid said, “Long as I’ve served you, you’ve never given me so much as a rag; but she gave me a handkerchief.”
Then the Baba Yaga pounced upon the dogs, on the doors, on the birch-tree, and on the servant-maid, and set to work to abuse them all, and to knock them about. Then the doors said to her, “Long as we’ve served you, you’ve never poured even a drop of water on our hinges; but she poured oil on us.”
The birch-tree said,”Long as I’ve served you, you’ve never tied a single thread round me; but she fastened a ribbon around me.”
And the servant-maid said, “Long as I’ve served you, you’ve never given me so much as a rag; but she gave me a handkerchief.”
The Baba Yaga, bony of limb, quickly jumped into her mortar, sent it flying along with the pestle, sweeping away the while all traces of its flight with a broom, and set off in pursuit of the girl. Then the girl put her ear to the ground, and when she heard that the Baba Yaga was chasing her, and was now close at hand, she flung down the towel. And it became a wide, such a wide river!
Up came the Baba Yaga to the river, and gnashed her teeth with spite; then she went home for her oxen, and drove them to the river. The oxen drank up every drop of the river, and then the Baba Yaga began the pursuit anew. But the girl put her ear to the ground again, and when she heard that the Baba Yaga was near, she flung down the comb, and instantly a forest sprang up, such an awfully thick one!
The Baba Yaga began gnawing away at it, but however hard she worked, she couldn't gnaw her way through it, so she had to go back again.
Up came the Baba Yaga to the river, and gnashed her teeth with spite; then she went home for her oxen, and drove them to the river. The oxen drank up every drop of the river, and then the Baba Yaga began the pursuit anew. But the girl put her ear to the ground again, and when she heard that the Baba Yaga was near, she flung down the comb, and instantly a forest sprang up, such an awfully thick one!
The Baba Yaga began gnawing away at it, but however hard she worked, she couldn't gnaw her way through it, so she had to go back again.
But by this time the girl's father had returned home, and he asked :
“Where's my daughter?”
“She's gone to her aunt’s,” replied her stepmother.
Soon afterwards the girl herself came running home.
“Where have you been?” asked her father.
“Ah, father !” she said, “mother sent me to aunt's to ask for a needle and thread to make me a shift. But aunt's a Baba Yaga, and she wanted to eat me!”
“And how did you get away, daughter?”
“Why like this,” said the girl, and explained the whole matter.
As soon as her father had heard all about it, he became wroth with his wife, and shot her.
But he and his daughter lived on and flourished, and everything went well with them.
“Where's my daughter?”
“She's gone to her aunt’s,” replied her stepmother.
Soon afterwards the girl herself came running home.
“Where have you been?” asked her father.
“Ah, father !” she said, “mother sent me to aunt's to ask for a needle and thread to make me a shift. But aunt's a Baba Yaga, and she wanted to eat me!”
“And how did you get away, daughter?”
“Why like this,” said the girl, and explained the whole matter.
As soon as her father had heard all about it, he became wroth with his wife, and shot her.
But he and his daughter lived on and flourished, and everything went well with them.
Forwarded from Hilltop Homestead
Sometime even when you are pagan, a witch, a homesteader, a parent, and a spouse, you go through dark days. Times when you are sad and full of anxiety and definitely NOT yourself. BUT...even in the darkest times, the sun will still shine, the Gods and Ancestors are still there, and love and support are all around you. Stay strong, believe in yourself, don't lose yourself, and never give up hope! 💚🌿 - Myo B.
O life that ebbs like the sea!
I am weary and old, I am weary and old,
Oh ! how can I happy be
All alone in the dark and the cold.
I'm the old Beira again,
My mantle no longer is green,
I think of my beauty with pain
And the days when another was queen.
My arms are withered and thin,
My hair once golden is grey;
T’is winter my reign doth begin
Youth's summer has faded away.
Youth's summer and autumn have fled
I am weary and old, I am weary and old.
Every flower must fade and fall dead
When the winds blow cold, when the winds blow cold.
I am weary and old, I am weary and old,
Oh ! how can I happy be
All alone in the dark and the cold.
I'm the old Beira again,
My mantle no longer is green,
I think of my beauty with pain
And the days when another was queen.
My arms are withered and thin,
My hair once golden is grey;
T’is winter my reign doth begin
Youth's summer has faded away.
Youth's summer and autumn have fled
I am weary and old, I am weary and old.
Every flower must fade and fall dead
When the winds blow cold, when the winds blow cold.
Falling in love with your folk
There are so many ways to approach this concept but simply put.. Having pride in your people is not enough.
We need to fall in love with our race, folk, kinsman and biospirit.
This is not a cringe sentiment, neither is it an emotional feeling akin to experiencing your first crush.
When I say “fall in love” I mean totally, undoubtedly, hopelessly in love as a father is when he sees his newborn child for the first time, or a bride marching toward the altar in anticipation of her new life to come.
This healthy, all-encompassing love for our Hyperborean family is also dangerous.
By this, I mean that when you love yourself and your people without abandon, dedicate your life to our betterment (as we should strive to), and aspire to make the world a better place for those that come after us… Other races do not like this. Not. One. Bit.
There are so many ways to approach this concept but simply put.. Having pride in your people is not enough.
We need to fall in love with our race, folk, kinsman and biospirit.
This is not a cringe sentiment, neither is it an emotional feeling akin to experiencing your first crush.
When I say “fall in love” I mean totally, undoubtedly, hopelessly in love as a father is when he sees his newborn child for the first time, or a bride marching toward the altar in anticipation of her new life to come.
This healthy, all-encompassing love for our Hyperborean family is also dangerous.
By this, I mean that when you love yourself and your people without abandon, dedicate your life to our betterment (as we should strive to), and aspire to make the world a better place for those that come after us… Other races do not like this. Not. One. Bit.
Nothing boils the blood of of non-whites like seeing a happy family, or community of Hyperboreans living their lives without bending the knee of “white guilt”.
I was once on a dangerous path, disliking (to put it lightly) other people’s culture for the animosity and hatred projected towards us. I was on a road that was not healthy for me mentally, physically, and spiritually.
The thought that gave my life a moment of clarity was simply… love.
It’s not illegal to love your own more than others, and I wholeheartedly encourage it. We deserve to live free, unaffected by the outside worldly influence that tells us we are not great, and desires our downfall.
To those not in our tribes, I offer an effective weapon that doesn’t take much effort and if used effectively doesn’t require any effort at all. This is what we call Apathy.
In being apathetic, we are not being cruel towards other races, we are merely concentrating on our own.
I was once on a dangerous path, disliking (to put it lightly) other people’s culture for the animosity and hatred projected towards us. I was on a road that was not healthy for me mentally, physically, and spiritually.
The thought that gave my life a moment of clarity was simply… love.
It’s not illegal to love your own more than others, and I wholeheartedly encourage it. We deserve to live free, unaffected by the outside worldly influence that tells us we are not great, and desires our downfall.
To those not in our tribes, I offer an effective weapon that doesn’t take much effort and if used effectively doesn’t require any effort at all. This is what we call Apathy.
In being apathetic, we are not being cruel towards other races, we are merely concentrating on our own.
If we are truly as evil as the world says, then maybe it is past time for us to concentrate only on ourselves and our people. It’s the least we can do.
We have contributed much to the wonder of the world and as I mentioned to a friend yesterday, we are quite literally the spice of the earth.
I Love the skin I’m in, and I encourage all Hyperboreans to as well, because we give life to a bland, tasteless earth that would be an awful, desolate place if we were not here to bring it to life!
The first step is to love yourself. From there you can begin to understand yourself. Only then can you start to see what a wonderfully complex, beautiful, passionate, insightful, benevolent people we are.
We have much to be proud of, but that is not enough. We need to fall in love with our kin and ourselves.
We have contributed much to the wonder of the world and as I mentioned to a friend yesterday, we are quite literally the spice of the earth.
I Love the skin I’m in, and I encourage all Hyperboreans to as well, because we give life to a bland, tasteless earth that would be an awful, desolate place if we were not here to bring it to life!
The first step is to love yourself. From there you can begin to understand yourself. Only then can you start to see what a wonderfully complex, beautiful, passionate, insightful, benevolent people we are.
We have much to be proud of, but that is not enough. We need to fall in love with our kin and ourselves.
Illustration of Abaris, the Hyperborean.
“Neither by ship nor on foot would you find the marvellous road to the assembly of the Hyperboreans.
Never the Muse is absent from their ways:
lyres clash and flutes cry and everywhere maiden choruses whirling.
Neither disease nor bitter old age is mixed in their sacred blood;
far from labor and battle they live.”
– Pindar, Tenth Pythian Ode.
“Neither by ship nor on foot would you find the marvellous road to the assembly of the Hyperboreans.
Never the Muse is absent from their ways:
lyres clash and flutes cry and everywhere maiden choruses whirling.
Neither disease nor bitter old age is mixed in their sacred blood;
far from labor and battle they live.”
– Pindar, Tenth Pythian Ode.
Forwarded from Wäinölä 🇫🇮
Lake Katumajärvi ("remorse lake") in Hämeenlinna, Finland.
The name of the lake purportedly comes from an incident in the time of the Crusades, when a number of Tavastians were forcibly baptized. After the Swedish soldiers left, the people forced a priest they had captured to wash the baptism away.
It has become something of a tradition to undo Christian baptisms with water from the lake.
The name of the lake purportedly comes from an incident in the time of the Crusades, when a number of Tavastians were forcibly baptized. After the Swedish soldiers left, the people forced a priest they had captured to wash the baptism away.
It has become something of a tradition to undo Christian baptisms with water from the lake.