Slavic mythology (outfit post)/ Slavenska mitologija (odjevna kombinacija)

I've come to the conclusion that you can dress down pretty much anything with a denim vest! For example this metallic gold(ish) dress...with a little denim it is easily transformed into a casual outfit...pair it with comfy leather shoes...and you're all set. I've bought this denim vest few years ago and did a little DIY (flowers embroidery) on it and I must say, I have found it to be very practical.

 

According to original Slavic religion, the soul of a dead person would find its resting place in a tree. Perhaps that explains why I like trees. However, if the soul was cursed or wicked, the tree would refuse to take it in...and the god of the underground (not a nice guy) would claim it. There was another way out...if you were a brave warrior, the fighting fairies (vile bojovnice) would take you to live with the Gods...and if that sounds similar to the Scandinavian mythology, it is because it is - very similar. In fact I'm often amazed at how similar the  mythologies really are.

Yesterday it was rainy and cloudy, while today the weather is pretty much perfect. I even sunbathed (perhaps I'll show you photos tomorrow) and gosh it felt good! Anyway, bad weather sometimes makes for interesting photos. I love how the cloudy weather made this place look kind of magical. Perhaps, that is why the old tales came to my mind...There are many tales of magical creatures in the Slavic lore, but the one that interest me the most is---guess---a fairy.

In the oral tradition of our people, fairy looks like a beautiful women, but her beauty is so great that it can be bewitching. Man may fall in love with them, but such love rarely has a happy end. Fairies are not material but spiritual beings, but usually they appear in the form of a young women clad in white. There are many kinds of them, living in a different elements (like wind or water) or living in different locations like a forest or a mountain. There is famous fairy in the Croatian mythology that is supposed to live in the mountain Velebit. Vila Velebita (as she is called) is supposed to be kind and help people. In the Serbian oral tradition one of the best known fairies is the one connected to the prince Marko and her name is Ravijola.

Fairies exists in all Slavic oral traditions. The myth of the fairy is especially strong among South Slavs. We have so many stories about them. They get mixed up in everything, in political and historical events, sometimes even helping heroes in the battles. However, fairies are kind of hard to describe. Perhaps because they're magical?  Sometimes they help people, but if you make them mad they will take revenge on you.  They are wild, powerful and cannot be tamed.

One of creatures that also can be considered fairies are Rusalke. Russian tradition (as well as our own) describes them as women with green hair that live in the water. Rusalke are female spiritis or ghost...Many of them were tragically murdered and now they seek revenge. Supposedly some of them can predict the future. One of well known fantasy writers today used them in his novel Tigana. Some references to this kind of creature were made in the Harry Potter series as well. In Poland, the name for these spirits are Rusalje. According to their traditions, they reside in water and are the queen of fairies, the most powerful of them.  Legends says that only witches are the brave enough to swim with them.

Water fairies are also considered the most powerful fairies in the Croatian oral literature. Why is that? Perhaps because the water is the element of life, the place where life itself was created. I have once read one very sad  story where the water fairy drown the man she was in love with because she couldn't have him. The difference between good and bad fairies is hard to pin down...perhaps it doesn't really exist. From what I've gathered from the stories, fairies are a lot like people. If you're kind to them, they'll probably be kind to you...and if they bewitch you...well, what can you do?

The first fairy that bewitched me came from a children's book. Her name is Kosjenka (like a shadow) and she is the fastest and the wildest fairy of all the air fairies. Ivana Brlić Mažuranić, an excellent writer,  created her in the her fairytale  Rogoč. Those two...and odd couple indeed...a little hyperactive fairy and a giant (for Rogoč is a giant) will forever be stuck in my head. I recently even told this story to my little nephew and he found it to be very amusing, especially the part where Rogoč makes an earring of sort to carry Kosjenka in. Now, was that the first metro-sexual?  No, I think in his case that was a sign of love and friendship and that earring was not a fashion statement.....Thank you for reading. xoxo