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Stork Day (March 25th)

This holiday's main figure, the stork, was central to many Lithuanian agrarian beliefs. It was thought to bring luck to homes and horses. Stork Day's rituals revolved around grain. On this day, farmers stirred their planting seeds to increase their germinating power. It was said that snakes came out of their burrows on this day. In order to avoid bringing a snake home, no one cut wood or even so much as broke off a branch in the forest that day.


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Next: First Ploughing Previous: Gavenia (Lent)

"LITHUANIAN ROOTS", Edited by Rytis Ambrazevicius

Copyright ©, 1996 Lithuanian Folk Culture Centre.