Babini Dni
(Granny Marta’s Days)

March 28 -31

      Long, long ago, when the days of Granny Marta were 28 in number, in a little village tucked away in the mountain there lived a quarrelsome old woman with her two white goats. On the last day of the month the sun shone and the old woman took the goats to the hill to get some sun and graze young sprouts. But being a shrew, she didn’t miss making fun of Granny Marta for her going away and cried at the forest: “Marta – parta, go away, I took out my goats, be-e-e-…” Granny Marta grew angry but her time was running out. She flew to her brother February and asked him to borrow three of his days.

   Like a good little brother, February gave them to her. Then Granny Marta started raging, piercing whirlwinds blew and the ground was frozen with ice. The old woman and her two goats were frozen too. From that day Marta grew with three days and the people respect these days. They don’t work in the fields lest they should make the granny angry. In some villages these days are called "borrowed" and people sow beans by their houses for they grow to be sweeter. If the weather is clear and nice, people know that silkworms in the spring will be healthy and there will be much silk. If the days are cloudy and rainy, the silkworms will be weak and the fruit will not grow well.
 

Click on thumbnail to return to Festival Calendar