Many centuries ago, when people had vague ideas about why there is a change of day and night, why the sun shines in the summer, and in the winter it snows, why the birds fly away in the winter, and come back in the spring, signs and superstitions played an important life in their lives. Modern man is used to being guided by his intuition and transmitting weather forecasts for tomorrow. He does not believe in signs. Indeed, it is very difficult to believe that it cannot be explained logically.
Most of the signs came to us from pagan times. Ancient people, not distinguished by knowledge in different areas of life, tried to explain all the changes around them with the help of signs and most often from the point of view of nature. For each time of the year they had at least a dozen signs that were passed from one generation to another until, finally, they reached our days.
Let's look at the signs of autumn.
Autumn is a transitional period between summer and winter. From many of its signs, one can judge what should be expected from the approaching winter.
Signs of autumn. September:
- the dogrose has ripened - autumn has come to the threshold;
- cirrus clouds floating in the sky - so soon the birds will fly;
- thunder in September - autumn will be warm;
- The owl, searing on a September night, portends good weather the next day;
- thick warm fog spreads - the mushroom season begins;
- frogs croak loudly in the evening - tomorrow's rain;
- dry September without rain is a harbinger of a warm mild winter;
- cold dry September - to a quick descent of spring snow.
Signs of autumn. October:
- on the first day of October cranes fly away - wait for frost on Pokrov day;
- on Sergius day (October 8) it snowed - winter will fall in 40 days;
- the birds flew south in the early days of October - to a cold frosty winter;
- morning frost in October - the day will be dry, clear;
- all leaves from the trees flew around - the autumn will be sunny and the winter warm;
- a bullfinch appeared in the courtyard - soon the weather will be bad;
- thunder in October - winter without snow;
- the crows sat on the lower branches of the trees - the weather would soon break out;
- You will not find mushrooms in the forest - the winter will come warm.
On October 14, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate an important holiday - the Day of the Protection of the Virgin, with which many signs are also associated. The ancient Slavs associated the cover of the day with the appearance of the Virgin Mary to the parishioners of the church of Constantinople during the siege of the city by the troops of the invaders. In the Middle Ages, unmarried girls organized gatherings and wondered at the bridegroom on a holiday. For peasants, Pokrov Day signified the completion of autumn work, the beginning of preparations for winter. It was from this day that they began to heat stoves in huts, spin wool and weave cloth.
Signs on the Veil:
- from where the wind blows that day, from there the first frosts will come;
- if a guy comes to Pokrov to a girl, he will soon become her fiancé;
- snow fell on Pokrov day - in the snowy early winter;
- the squirrel has changed a fur coat to Pokrov - the winter will be soft, warm;
- strong wind on Pokrov - to a large number of weddings.
Signs of autumn. November:
- mosquito flies in November - the winter will be snowy, not frosty;
- it started snowing on Dmitriev’s day (November 8) - winter will drag on for a long time;
- hoarfrost covered the earth on Mikhailov’s day - to heavy heavy snowfalls, fog - to the coming thaw;
- dark ice on the rivers is worth waiting for a good harvest in a year;
- a good harvest has been taken - the winter will come harsh, frosty, long;
- the sun on Dmitriev’s day — to good clear weather for Easter;
- on the first November day the weather is warm - the winter will be warm and snowy;
- strong wind in November will bring fast wet snow.
Signs are the experience of the people transmitted from one generation to another. It is known that the culture of every nation has its own superstitions and signs. Their appearance was of great importance to the place of residence of the people and their faith. So, the autumn signs of the Slavs, Jews and Muslims, for example, could vary significantly, although they narrate about the same time.
