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Vesna (
Macedonian Folklore.
Vesna (Cyrillic
The Cyrillic script ( ), Slavonic script or the Slavic script, is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking co ...
: Весна) was a mythological female character associated with youth and springtime in early Slavic mythology
Slavic mythology or Slavic religion is the religious beliefs, myths, and ritual practices of the Slavs before Christianisation, which occurred at various stages between the 8th and the 13th century. The South Slavs, who likely settled in the Bal ...
, particularly within Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capi ...
, Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hu ...
, North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
and Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...
. Along with her male companion Vesnik, she was associated with rituals conducted in rural areas during springtime. In the nineteenth century, Russian peasants celebrated the return of spring on March 1 by going out to the fields, carrying a clay figure of a lark
Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. Larks have a cosmopolitan distribution with the largest number of species occurring in Africa. Only a single species, the horned lark, occurs in North America, and only Horsfield's bush lark oc ...
on a pivot which had been decorated with flowers. They sang songs naming the spring season Vesna.
The word "vesna" is still the poetic word for "spring" in Slovene, as well as Czech and Slovak. In Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian, ''vesna/wiosna'' is the actual word for 'spring'. The month February is sometimes named in Slovene. In Serbian, the word is used to denote someone who heralds or brings about springtime.
It is likely that Vesna was originally a goddess representing the earth during the spring, making her an alternate form of Mokosh
Mokosh ( orv, Мóкошь) is a Slavic goddess mentioned in the Primary Chronicle, protector of women's work and women's destiny. She watches over spinning and weaving, shearing of sheep, and protects women in childbirth. Mokosh is the Mother G ...
.
In mythology
InSlavic mythology
Slavic mythology or Slavic religion is the religious beliefs, myths, and ritual practices of the Slavs before Christianisation, which occurred at various stages between the 8th and the 13th century. The South Slavs, who likely settled in the Bal ...
, beautiful women called "" lived in palaces atop mountains where they discussed the fate of crops and of human inhabitants. A magical circle around their palaces kept them from leaving the mountain top except during February, when they would travel in wooden carts down to the valley below. Only certain people were capable of hearing them singing. People who snuck up to their mountain palaces might learn their fates, but risked an unpleasant end if they were caught by the .
In popular culture
The story of Vesna and the Sun Prince gave inspiration to the 1983 Czechoslovak short film ''A Ballad About Green Wood
''A Ballad About Green Wood'' ( cs, Balada o zeleném dřevu) is a 1983 Czechoslovak short film written and directed by Jiří Barta. It is also known as ''The Ballad of Green Wood''. It tells a story about spring and renewal, portrayed with anim ...
'', directed by Jiří Barta
Jiří Barta (born 26 November 1948) is a Czech stop-motion animation director. Many of his films use wood as a medium for animation. Among his notable films are the 1986 film ''The Pied Piper''.
In 2007 he released his first computer-animated ...
. Vesna was featured on a Slovenian postage stamp in 2005. ead link?/ref>
See also
*Vesna (name)
Vesna () is a Slavic female name derived from the name of Vesna, an ancient Slavic goddess of spring. It means " spring" in some Slavic languages. It is in use in Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Slovenia. ...
Notes
References
*Abbott, George Frederick (1903)Macedonian Folklore.
External links
* {{Slavic mythology Slavic pseudo-deities Slavic mythology Slovene mythology Female legendary creatures