Dragobete, Romanian Celebration of Love

While Valentine’s Day is mostly related to people (a saint and those he helped) and their actions in the name of love, the Romanian holiday dedicated to love, Dragobete, is strongly connected to nature. Celebrated on February 24th, it is linked to that special time of year when birds build their nests and mate. As the first signs of spring show, nature and man restart the cycle of life and love. What better reason to celebrate? What better reason to sing, dance and kiss girls?

Dragobete, also named Dragomir, is the local counterpart of Roman god Cupid and Greek god Eros. He isn’t however mentioned as a divine creature. He is a positive character, a symbol of pure love, completely opposite to his mother, Dochia. Dochia is said to have been a very cruel mother in law, making a habit of mistreating her daughter in law. She sent her to pick up berries in the month of February, an impossible time of year to find such fruit. God helps the girl in her task fact that leads to a tragedy.

Dochia, believing it was spring already, takes her sheep and her son, Dragobete, up the mountain. Although she carries 12 lambskins in the beginning of her journey, she looses them. The story has two versions here: they either get wet because of the rain or she throws them as it was very warm. Both Dochia and her son freeze to death on the mountain.

However, I like happier myths about who the mother of Dragobete was. One version of the story is of a proud woman, teasing the month of March who then gets even by taking a few days from February. Other stories are of Dochia, sister of Dacian ruler Decebal, who runs away in the mountains to seek refuge from the Roman Emperor Trajan. She disguises herself as a shepherd, but looses her lambskin and freezes. She is then metamorphosed into a stream and her sheep are turned into flowers.

Regardless of its origin, the myth of Dragobete speaks of pristine love, of nature’s rituals translated into people’s life, of new life cycles and of being reborn. It is also said that couples are watching out for which one of them is stepping over the others foot. It is believed that he or she will then take the lead in the couple. 

In the past, on the Dragobete day, the villages  began to play: every boy chasing a girl , she get caught by one she love and even engaged to him. Thus, "Dragobete kissing girls" became the well-known saying.

 

http://www.rounite.com/2008/02/24/dragobete/

Miorița - Romanian Folk Ballad

Nicolae Grigorescu's paintings

Miorița is a Romanian folk poem, spread over 1500 variants in all regions of Romania. Is a specific Romanian folk creation, not known to other nations . The song was conceived in Transylvania, based on a rite of initiation and interpreted in the form of carols during the holiday season. Turned into a ballad (in southern and eastern regions of the country) in this version is considered a consummate literary text in terms of layout and style. It was examined and commented on the most famous people of Romanian culture.

Mioritic reason was the inspiration for writers, composers and Romanian and foreign artists. It has been translated into over 20 languages. It is considered one of the four fundamental myths of Romanian literature  and is now a national cultural brand.

 MIORIȚA

Near a low foothill

At Heaven’s doorsill,

Where the trail’s descending

To the plain and ending,

Here three shepherds keep

Their three flocks of sheep,

One, Moldavian,

One, Transylvanian

And one, Vrancean.

Now, the Vrancean

And the Transylvanian

In their thoughts, conniving,

Have laid plans, contriving

At the close of day

To ambush and slay

The Moldavian;

He, the wealthier one,

Had more flocks to keep,

Handsome, long-horned sheep,

Horses, trained and sound,

And the fiercest hounds.

One small ewe-lamb, though,

Dappled gray as tow,

While three full days passed

Bleated loud and fast;

Would not touch the grass.

”Ewe-lamb, dapple-gray,

Muzzled black and gray,

While three full days passed

You bleat loud and fast;

Don’t you like this grass?

Are you too sick to eat,

Little lamb so sweet?”

”Oh my master dear,

Drive the flock out near

That field, dark to view,

Where the grass grows new,

Where there’s shade for you.

”Master, master dear,

Call a large hound near,

A fierce one and fearless,

Strong, loyal and peerless.

The Transylvanian

And the Vrancean

When the daylight’s through

Mean to murder you.”

”Lamb, my little ewe,

If this omen’s true,

If I’m doomed to death

On this tract of heath,

Tell the Vrancean

And Transylvanian

To let my bones lie

Somewhere here close by,

By the sheepfold here

So my flocks are near,

Back of my hut’s grounds

So I’ll hear my hounds.

Tell them what I say:

There, beside me lay

One small pipe of beech

With its soft, sweet speech,

One small pipe of bone

Whit its loving tone,

One of elder wood,

Fiery-tongued and good.

Then the winds that blow

Would play on them so

All my listening sheep

Would draw near and weep

Tears, no blood so deep.

How I met my death,

Tell them not a breath;

Say I could not tarry,

I have gone to marry

A princess – my bride

Is the whole world’s pride.

At my wedding, tell

How a bright star fell,

Sun and moon came down

To hold my bridal crown,

Firs and maple trees

Were my guests; my priests

Were the mountains high;

Fiddlers, birds that fly,

All birds of the sky;

Torchlights, stars on high.

But if you see there,

Should you meet somewhere,

My old mother, little,

With her white wool girdle,

Eyes with their tears flowing,

Over the plains going,

Asking one and all,

Saying to them all,

“Who has ever known,

Who has seen my own

Shepherd fine to see,

Slim as a willow tree,

With his dear face, bright

As the milk-foam, white,

His small moustache, right

As the young wheat’s ear,

With his hair so dear,

Like plumes of the crow

Little eyes that glow

Like the ripe black sloe?’

Ewe-lamb, small and pretty,

For her sake have pity,

Let it just be said

I have gone to wed

A princess most noble

There on Heaven’s doorsill.

To that mother, old,

Let it not be told

That a star fell, bright,

For my bridal night;

Firs and maple trees

Were my guests, priests

Were the mountains high;

Fiddlers, birds that fly,

All birds of the sky;

Torchlights, stars on high.”

 

The legend of Violet - the flower

Few flowers have symbolized the renewal of spring, and the triumphs and tribulations of love, as much as the violet. Blooming in the shade, these beautiful innocent bystanders of nature’s woodland paths hold a history of their own for their uses in medicine and popular culture.

Scientific name: Viola odorata
Family: Violaceae
Common Names: Hearts Ease~ ~Bird's Eye~ ~Bullweed~ ~Pink-eyed John~ ~Pink-of-my-Joan~ ~Godfathers~ ~Godmothers~ ~Wild Pansy~ ~Love-lies-bleeding~ ~Love-in idleness~ ~Love Idol~ ~Cuddle Me~ ~Call-me-to-you~ ~Meet-me-in-the-entry~ ~Kit-run-in-the-fields~ ~Three-faces-under-a-hood~ ~Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me~ ~Kiss-me-at-the-garden-gate~ ~Kiss-her-in-the-buttery~

Violas have over 200 common names, a large number of them relating to sex and love. The name Violet is said to be from "Vias"  meaning wayside.

Violets

According to one legend it was Venus who made the violet blue. She had been disputing with her son Cupid as to which was more beautiful... herself or a bevy of girls, and Cupid, with no fear of his mother, declared for the girls. This sent Venus into such a rage that she beat her rivals till they turned blue and turned into violets.

Called the "Flower of Modesty" because it hides its flowers in the heart-shaped leaves. Also called "Our Lady's Modesty" because it was said to have blossomed when Mary said to the Angel Gabriel, who had come to tell her she was to bear the Son of God, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord." The monks of the Middle Ages called "Viola tricolor," common in Europe, the "Herb of the Trinity" ("herba trinitatis" )  because they saw the symbol of the trinity in their three colors. The name "Heartsease" stemmed from its old use as a medicine to treat heart disease. People believed God gave the plant heart-shaped leaves for that use. The name may also come from its ancient use as an aphrodisiac and a love potion. The deep purple"Viola odorata" native of the Mediterranean region, is so sweet that an oil from it is used in the perfume industry.

The Role of Violets in the Ancient World

In ancient Greece, the playwright Aristophanes referred to Athens as the “Violet-Crowned City,” because Ion, the legendary founder of Athens who was crowned there, was an exact match of “ion,” the Greek word for violet. According to legend, Ion was leading his people to Attica and was welcomed by water nymphs, who gave him violets as signs of their good wishes. Thus violets became the city's emblem, and no Athenian home, altar or wedding was complete without them. Persephone, the daughter of the Earth Mother Demeter, was picking violets when Pluto kidnapped her to live with him in the underworld. Violets grew where Orpheus slept, and it was Venus who made violets blue. Disputing with her son Cupid over who was more beautiful, herself or a group of young maidens, Cupid favored the maidens. Venus flew into such a rage that she beat her competitors till they turned blue and became violets. Their connection to Venus made violets a popular love potion and aphrodisiac.

Both Greeks and Romans associated violets with funerals and death. Violets were routinely scattered around tombs, and, as symbols of innocence and modesty, children’s graves were routinely so blanketed with violets that the grave was completely covered.

White Violet

The Ancients' name for violets was “Iona”; they believed that Zeus, the king of the gods, originated violets in the meadows where Io used to wander. Zeus had fallen in love with the lovely nymph, Io, and changed her into a white heifer to protect her from his wife’s wrath. When Lo wept over the taste of the coarse grass she was forced to eat, Zeus changed her tears into sweet-smelling violets that only she was permitted to eat. The Athenians revered the violet, decorated their houses with it, and wore crowns of violets at their feasts and on festive occasions.

Persians and Greeks used the plants to help induce sleep, to calm anger, and to heal the heart and the head. Violet flowers steeped in hot water helped to ease a broken heart.

Romans made wine from violet blossoms, and decorated banquet tables with them believing that the flowers could prevent drunkenness. On the mornings after their festivities, Romans wore violet wreaths to relieve hangovers. Pliny documented the medicinal properties of violets, prescribing them for gout and spleen disorders.

Sentiment & Symbolism

Greek legend tells of a nymph named Io, who was beloved by Zeus. To hide her from Hera, his wife, Zeus changed Io into a white cow. When Io wept over the taste and texture of the coarse grass, Zeus changed her tears into dainty, sweet-smelling violets only she was permitted to eat. Roman myth tells a different story, one of lovely maids of antiquity who became the victims of Venus' wrath when Cupid judged them more beautiful than her. In her jealous fury, Venus beat the maidens until they became blue, and thus turned into violets.

In Christian art, the violet symbolizes the Virgin Mary’s humility. One ancient tale states that violets were in fact white until Mary was filled with anguish from watching her son, Christ, suffer upon the Cross. At this moment all the white violets turned purple to echo her mourning. Perhaps this is a reason why purple remains a color associated with mourning. In Renaissance paintings, Mary, while holding the baby Jesus, is often depicted with violets to symbolize her humility or perhaps as a premonition of Jesus’ death, as in this early painting "Madonna Benois", or "Madonna and Child with Flowers" (c. 1475-1478) by Leonardo da Vinci. And the viewer can make out tiny violets in the foreground of this painting by Sienese artist Giovanni Paolo aptly named "Madonna of Humility"(1435).




To dream of violets is a promise of advancement in life. It is said that a garland of violets worn about the head prevents dizziness. They are considered a good luck gift to any woman in any season, but where violets bloom in autumn, epidemics will follow within the year.

The Middle Ages

Violets were awarded as prizes to French troubadours in poetry contests. In Germany, folk dancers celebrated the first violets of Spring. A 10th Century English herbal claimed that violet blossoms could repel evil spirits and Britons and Celts used the flowers in salves and beauty lotions. Monks called violets the Herb of the Trinity because they saw the symbol of the holy trinity in its three leaves. Medieval Christians believed violets were once strong, upright flowers until the day of the crucifixion, when the shadow of the cross fell upon them, causing them to bow their heads in shame for Christ’s persecution.

From the 16th Century, the violet's use as a pain reliever was extensive, since it is among the few plants to contain salicylic acid, the chief ingredient in aspirin.

Color Messages

Violets are a symbol of faithfulness, a symbol of purity and charm against evil. Blue violets says "I'll always be true" and signify constancy; white violets depict modesty, or the desire to "take a chance on happiness"; and yellow violets convey modest worth, and the White violets - depict modesty and the desire to "take a chance on happiness" 

Corporal Violet

Legend has it that while Napoleon was in exile on the island of Elba, he confided to his partisans that he would return to France with the appearance of the violets in the spring, earning him the code name Corporal Violet. To determine a loyal supporter, a stranger was asked, “Do you like violets?” If the reply was “Yes” (Oui) or “No” (Non), it revealed one who did not know of the plot. If the answer was “Eh bien,” it confirmed the person’s loyalty.

Viorica - Romanian Violet

Once upon of time there was a girl called Violet. Her step mother didn’t like her, so one day she decided to get rid of the little girl. She took her over the forest and left her  there in the cold winter.  Not knowing how to get out of the forest in short time she fell  asleep and froze to death.

But she didn’t die. She mannaged to transform herself into a little violet flower which we call Viorica (Violet). And from that moment on, Violets blossum in spring before the snow melts.

The story of the Momac Fountain

Momac Fountain

In the town of Pecica, Romania, there is an important fountain. This fountain was built by the notary Momac, in 1897, that's why, all people from Pecica are calling the fountain "The Momac Fountain".

They said the water of this fountain has a special power:  the one who will drink from this fountain will someday come back into the  town.

The legend of Retezat Mountain

Romanian National Park of Retezat is also known as “the charming land of the blue eyes”. In this natural national reservation, there are over 80 lakes, lakes which could be compared with the eyes of the mountain. So, Retezat Mountain can be considered fascinating massif. Since 1935 it houses a National Park, with a scientific reservation. The Park has recently been listed under the biosphere Reserves, a world patrimony therefore, that calls for adequate protection.

The Retezat Mountains (Romanian: Munţii Retezat) are one of the highest massifs in Romania, being part of the Southern Carpathians.  The massif rises up between two major depressions - Petroşani and Haţeg, and two large rivers - Râul Mare and Jiul de Vest. It is skirted by the Ţarcu, Godeanu and Vâlcan Mountains.

Retezat Mountains

Retezat is probably the most prominent mountain area of the Southern Carpathians (also called sometimes "Transylvanian Alps"), covering almost 500 square km. Its average elevation is over 1500 m, with a quarter of its territory rising above 1800 m (and still rising in our days, by about 3.5 mm/year). The region, made up of mostly granite/grandiorite massifs, was formed by glaciers of the Pleistocene era. These glaciers streched over several kilometers (the longest one, in the Bucura Valley, could have surpassed 15 km). As a result of - in geological terms - recent glacial activity, Retezat is rich in beautiful tarns and waterfalls.

View of the Bucura glacial cirque from Bucura saddle

The main part of the massif, Retezatul Mare, consists mostly of crystalline rocks; the southern part, Retezatul Mic, contains important masses of limestone. The highest peak (2, 509 m) is Peleaga. A huge carp overlooks the Haţeg Depression.

There are two main ridges, approximately SW-NE oriented, joined in their central part. The northern ridge starts from the Gura Apelor Lake and has the Peaks Zlata (2, 142 m), Şesele (2, 278), Judele (2, 334), Bucura (2, 433), Peleaga (2, 509), Păpuşa (2, 508), Mare (2, 463), Lănciţa (2, 066), Brădet (1, 861). The southern ridge, Iorgovanu (2, 014 m) - Piule (2, 080) - Drăcşanu (2, 081) is lower and has the Peaks Custura (2, 457), Gruniu (2, 294), Lazăru (2, 282), Tulişa (1, 792). The most characteristic peak in area, named Retezat like the massif itself, reaches 2, 482 m. The two main ridges extend northwards into some elongated, parallel and fairly long ridges, and shorter extensions southwards.

Due to erosion by frost-cracking, the terrain is almost exclusively rocky in the higher regions.

The widely varied and spectacular landforms are the outcome of the glacial and periglacial modeling cycles: huge cirques, simple or complex; valleys indicating the presence of fairly long glaciers; lakes sheltered in the bosom of rocks; big masses of scree; sharp-edged or residual rocks. The largest and also the deepest glacial lakes in Romania are to be found here: Bucura (~10 ha) and Zănoaga (29 m), respectively. Some of the magnificent waterfalls are Lolaia, Ciumfu, Rovine.

A huge rock dummy on the way - others are much smaller.

On the left (just by the rock doll): Vf. Peleaga (2509 m), on the right Vf. Mare (2463 m). In the middle: lakes of Valea Rea.

Especially the abundant blue and turcoise tarns (situated mostly, but not exclusively, between 1900 m and 2200 m above sea level) give this place a special charm. There are 82 lakes in total, including Romania's largest (in terms of surface area) and deepest glacial lakes: Lacul Bucura /Bucura Lake and Lacul Zănoaga /Zanoaga Lake, respectively.

Lakes and tarns in Retezat Mountains

The lowest and highest lakes of Retezat are "Tăul dintre Brazi"  (1740 m) and Tăul Porţii  (2230 m). Tăul Ţapului  is remarkable because of its small island. In wintertime, all lakes get ice and snow cover, blending totally with the surroundings.

Bucura Lake (area: 8.8 ha, depth 15.7 m, elevation 2041 m)

Zănoaga Lake (1997 m) is the deepest lake of Retezat Mountains.(area 6.5 ha, depth 29m, elevation 1997 m )

The creeks of Retezat have several waterfalls, the two most notable ones being Cascada Ciomfu/  Ciomfu Waterfall in the very upper part of Râu Bărbat (more than 150 m in multiple cascades) and Cascada Lăpuşnicu Mare /Great Lapusnicu Waterfall (about 20 m high, but with ample water flow).

Lolaia waterfall

The Wildlife of National Reservation of Retezat

The flora and fauna of Retezat is very rich. Thankfully, protection of this area is strong, it is a National Park and also a UNESCO MAB reserve. Retezat is home to more than 1100 plant species (including Edelweiss, several species of Gentians, Rhododendron kotschyi, Doronicum carpaticum, Dianthus glacialis, etc.), at least 62 of them being endemic (Rubus retezaticus, Trifolium retezaticum, Festuca pacyphylla, Hieracium borzae and nigrilacus, just to name a few).

The forest covered slopes hide a wealth of fossil screes, while the juniper carpet unfolds on the highest ridges. Several plant species are protected: the yellow poppy, the crosswort, the yellow lily etc.

The flora from Retezat Mountain

Higher crests and sharp ridges are usually barren. The chamois, the mountain cock, the bear and the mountain rat represent the animal world. These mountains are also inhabited by wolves, lynx, bears, otters and marmots (re-introduced in the seventies), several species of birds of prey, reptiles like salamanders and vipers (Vipera berus and Cerastes cornutus  - take care on sun-warmed rocks, especially in Little Retezat). Trouts are common in lakes and creeks. Cows are brought up from the villages to graze in the summer.

Frog

Chamois

Horses

The legend  of Retezat Mountain

Once upon of time  there was a family of giants. When the father died, his two children inherited each a mountain. But the girl was not happy with her mountain and she craved for her brother’s part. He didn’t want to give his sister his inheritance and thus she threw a big rock towards him. He ducked and the rock crushed the top of his mountain. From then the people call this mountain “Retezat”, the mountain without the top. 

Vf. Retezat (2482 m)

Bucura II (in the middle) and Bucura I (right from it) peaks from Pietrele valley.

The legend of Iorgovan 

Iovan Iorgovan is a character in Romanian mythology, similar in some ways with Hercules (some writers consider him to be the same person).

"It happened in those old times, when multiple-headed, fire-breathing dragons were the lords above the rocks, that Iorgovan, a strong young man was in love with a beautiful sheperd girl. One day, the girl didn't come back from the mountains. Iorgovan went to look for her, but his long and desperate search was in vain. Being saddened by the big loss, he decided not to return to his home in Wallachia, but to live in reclusion at the rock which is named after him today.

Iorgovan had been living like that for a while, when one day a beautiful female voice echoed from the distance. He immediately reckognised the voice of his lost love, who was kidnapped by a dragon. Iorgovan knew that he was thought to be dead at home, so he headed down to the other side of the mountains, to Transylvania, where he acquired a huge, 40-centner maul. Next time when the dragon was enjoying the sun on a nearby rock, Iorgovan took a horse to hop over the other rock and battled him, but the dragon was stronger.

Iorgovan survived, but was very upset about the defeat. So, he went down to Transylvania again, and this time he got an even bigger, 99-centner maul. With this he battled the dragon once again, and won after a long fight. The dragon breathed fire in his anger, turning all the trees and bushes in his way into ash. Iorgovan chased him all the way until the border. Here the dragon turned to him and said: "Well, Iorgovan, until now I was the lord of the mountains and all the animals who live there... from now on, you will be, but I'll send deadly flies to take a revenge on you and your herd".

The dragon left towards the mountains of Mehadia, and bled to death in one of its caves. His fire heated up the springs so much that flies still keep on coming and continuously pestering poor cattle in the mountains since then. And the horseshoe imprint of Iorgovan's horse can still be seen on the top of Iorgovan's rock..." (https://www.summitpost.org/retezat-mountains/265121)