A Willow tree in Slavic folklore 🌿
Spring is here. You can feel the warmth in the air. Our hero of today’s article is an early bird who wakes up from hibernation before the rest of the forest does. Its beautiful branches, so cozy yet melancholy, always shelter humans, their thoughts, dreams, and even spirits. From mythological origins to their role in healing practices and protective rituals, the symbolism of willow trees in Slavic folklore is as diverse as it is profound. This article will delve into Slavic culture’s myths, traditions, and beliefs about these graceful trees.
On one hand, the tree’s ability to grow fast and in almost all climatic conditions made it a symbol of resilience and fertility to ancient Slavs. It was considered a sacred plant of the spring sun god Yarila. Like many other trees, the willow tree symbolizes the World Tree in Slavic folklore, holding the power of creation. The Slavs often stuck willow branches into the field to attract vitality for the harvest and to keep crops safe from hail, mice, and moles. Peasant women prayed to the willow tree for children.
Also, there is an Eastern Slavic custom of gently whipping the cattle and children with blessed willow branches so they can grow fast and healthy. It was believed that cows chased with a willow branch produced more milk. Furthermore, willow branches were used in rain-casting rituals by a girl priestess called Dodola. She walked around the village holding a branch, touching every house to attract rain.
Amulets made from young willow tree branches can protect you from the evil eye and spirits. Placing willow twigs in a house could dispel evil and alleviate the suffering of its inhabitants. Under the serene willow branches, you can find solace from stress and anxiety, dandelions.
On the other hand, an old willow tree symbolizes infertility. It is believed that hollow willow trees rotting from the inside out are cursed, which is why they can’t reproduce. From that comes an interesting linguistic phenomenon: phrases and idioms in many Slavic languages where a willow tree bears fruit such as apples, grapes, or pears mean it is a lie or unfulfilled promise, something unrealistic. An old willow tree growing next to a body of water is considered the abode of Vodyanoy, a spirit of water.
A weeping willow got its name for its drooping branches resembling tears, symbolizing in folklore sadness, unhappiness, grief. It commonly depicts in songs a woman waiting by the water for her fiance who never returned from war or may have deceived her, representing unrequited love. There is a belief in Belarus that willow trees that lean over the water are mothers who have lost their children. The tree does give the vibes, even aesthetically. In addition, the willow tree would be where many Slavs would come with their broken hearts.
In Slavic mythology, the willow tree is also linked to the spirits of the ancestors, who are known to reside within its branches. It is said that these spirits offer guidance and protection to those who seek solace beneath the tree’s gentle embrace. The willow tree often grows near a body of water, on the border of two worlds, so the Slavs often considered it the portal to the underworld. At midnight, it wasn’t safe for mortals to be around the willow tree because mischievous spirits like to hang out there when it is dark out. Because of that, according to Slavic belief, water scooped under a willow tree from Palm Sunday to Easter should not be consumed.
Yet, despite its association with sadness, the willow also represents resilience and perseverance. Willow branches are a must-have symbol for Palm Sunday, a significant Christian holiday. Eastern European festive services dedicated to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem do not use palm branches, which are hard to come by in the local climate. Instead, they use branches from the willow tree to symbolize God’s glory and power. There is also the tradition of consuming the buds of the blessed willow tree, often in church or upon returning home. In my opinion, willow buds are cute, smol, and fluffy. They are much better than palm branches; you can not tell me otherwise.
Another holiday that is interconnected with the willow tree is Yuri’s Day, or Юрьев день in Cyrillic. It is also the memory day of St. George the Great Martyr, the patron saint of farmers, celebrated in the Orthodox church. It is the main cattle festival of the year for southern and eastern Slavs. Interesting fact: until the XVI century, peasants could change their lord and find someone better once per year on this holiday in Russia. Then, they were stuck with one and no way to escape. You will probably ask what it has to do with a willow tree. Girls used to wear a willow branch as a belt on St. George’s Day to increase their chances of getting pregnant within a year. I bet it looks pretty, but I can’t guarantee it will work.
Due to its healing properties, the Willow tree is widely used in medicine. Willow bark decoction relieves rheumatic pain, fever, and colds. And your favorite passing on the disease ritual was practiced with a willow tree, too, especially with young ones! After the ceremony, if the willow tree withers, it indicates that the fever has been transferred to the tree. Willow twigs are used to create wicker furniture, baskets, and other household items.
As we remember, in many Slavic tales and poems, the willow is portrayed as a symbol of unrequited love, with its weeping branches embodying the sorrow of lost or forbidden love. The tree’s connection with romance means it is an unnamed hero of many, and I mean many artworks about drama and broken hearts. The poem “Moroz, Krasnyi nos” by Nikolay Nekrasov explores misfortune, grief, and willow’s tree symbolism, as well as poetry by Vasily Zhukovsky and Sergei Yesenin.
There is also a Lithuanian story about a woman named Blinda, the most fertile of mothers and one who is envied by others. One day, while walking through a meadow, Blinda’s feet suddenly sank into a swampy marsh. The earth gripped her feet so tightly that she couldn’t move, and she immediately turned into a willow tree.
And with that, we come to the end of our journey into the symbolism of the Willow tree in Slavic folklore. Its contradictory nature represents fertility, growth, resilience, and human grief. These graceful trees share many beliefs and customs with the Slavic people, ranging from the spiritual to the romantic. Consider this the next time you encounter a willow tree in the park. Which one did you like the most? Which one surprised you the most?
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