Erofeyev Day October 17: why you can not go to the forest and get married
October 17 in the national calendar celebrates Erofeev day, or, as it was called by ancestors, “Leshen”.
From this date, the cold begins to intensify rapidly, and nature prepares for a long sleep. The people said, “The winter is the winter of the season.”.
The main feature of the day lies in its mystical subtext. According to ancient legends, it is October 17 that the forest owner (leshi) for the last time goes for a walk before hibernation. From annoyance and anger, he begins to riot: breaks trees, howls, whistles and frightens forest animals. It was believed that, falling into the ground, the lion takes with him animals, birds and mushrooms with berries, leaving the forest empty until spring.
Because of the rampant evil spirits there was a strict ban on going to the thicket. Ancestors believed: “Forest is not a brother, will break bones no worse than a bear” or drag a person underground, so as not to get bored in winter alone. If the meeting could not be avoided, the smoldering birch head was considered a salvation - its forest spirit was most feared.
october 17 did not play weddings, believing that the marriage is doomed to collapse.
In order to warm up and drive away the blues, in Russia on this day prepared a special tincture - "Erofeich". The name is consonant with the name of the saint, but also refers to the word "eroshit" (to make noise, to squabble), which was associated with the violent temper of the deer. It was a strong tincture on herbs: mint, St. John's wort, wormwood, thyme and currant leaf, flooded with moonshine. It was kept for two weeks in a dark place and drunk as an aperitif with hearty snacks to "warm the soul.".
