Field - the owner of the fields, one of the characters of Slavic mythology. It is associated with many customs and beliefs that accompanied the sowing, cultivation and harvesting. They tried to appease the field or field worker, the diseases of grazing cattle and ripening ears were explained by his disfavor.
Appearance
How did Slavic mythology portray the spirit ? Field most often seemed to be a man in white robes. Depending on the terrain, he acquired new features. Perhaps the most interesting image of the field has developed in the Oryol region. Here the owner of the fields appears as a naked man with a black body and multi-colored eyes. Sometimes in legends he was drawn as an old man with ears of grass and herbs instead of hair and beard.
Like some other characters of Slavic mythology, the field was often endowed with animal features. These were horns, bulging eyes or a whisk tail, with which he raised a cloud of dust to hide from the curious.
Sometimes a fieldman was described as covered with wool the color of fire. When he appeared on the field, a person might have thought that a spark had flashed. And on a moonlit night or midday heat, he appeared in the form of a tall young man.
Habits
As mythology describes, the field runs very fast. He belongs to the lower spirits, mostly hostile to man. If it is not coaxed, the field will torture cattle in the pasture or dry the ears.
The owner of the fields in the minds of our ancestors was similar to goblin and other characters hostile to man, with whom Slavic mythology is full. The field may lead the wanderer astray, causing him to get lost. Sometimes he scares with whistles and claps. And sometimes, it lures children into flowers, and then they search for a long way back. Maybe he can send a sunstroke or a fever, especially if you fall asleep on the field on a hot afternoon.
The personification of wind and fire
Field (the mythology of our ancestors is full of indications for this) was the power of wind and fire. Attributed to the spirit ability to flicker a spark, send a sunstroke and dry out crops directly indicate the relationship between him and the daylight. Like the midday heat, the owner of the fields could warm and fill the ears with power or destroy them.
In some areas, it was believed that before the fire you can see a fieldman racing through the village on three horses. He was considered not only a harbinger of disaster, but also his cause.
It was very quick field. The mythology of all peoples associates speed with the wind. Polevik runs very fast, and also loves to whistle. Often, in legends that have reached us, the owner of the crops blows with all his might, making the ears bend to the ground.
How to appease the field?
If the spirit is located to the owner of the field, the ears on it grow well, bring a rich harvest, the cattle is healthy. To appease the fieldman, they brought him treats and money. Pieces of bread and coins with special sentences were thrown over his shoulder. Necessarily the field offerings were brought to the Spirits day (51st day after Easter). Often eggs and a voiceless rooster were left on the field for him. Our ancestors believed that such a sacrifice was liked by the field. After that, he protected the crops from disease and drought, did not torment cattle.
Also, after harvesting, a sheaf of ears was left on the field. It was believed that in it the field can winter. Grain from a sheaf was then sown into the ground, thereby helping the spirit to be reborn with the advent of spring. Sometimes the remaining ears were tied up, decorated, and carried away to the village with cheerful singing.
In some areas there are mentions of characters related to the spirit of the fields. According to mythology, the field had a wife, he also had children - land surveys and meadow trees. They were responsible for the lands according to their name. Often, land meadows and grasslands were considered independent spirits. Close to the field and the image of the midday. She made sure no one worked during the hottest hour of the day. At noon nature rests, and do not disturb her. A naughty person the midday could punish by sending a sunstroke.
In some regions of our country, beliefs associated with the field are still alive. Today, when interest in Slavic myths revives with renewed vigor, such traditions are becoming a valuable source of knowledge. In addition, the surviving myths of our ancestors help to understand their life, especially thinking and worldview, which is important both from the point of view of preserving history and understanding the mentality of modern Russian residents.