Fern flower true story or legend. Is the fern blooming? Magic fern flower - a beautiful legend or true? Why is it even needed?


Ferns have always attracted interest and even caused some fear in people. They were considered special, mysterious and hidden plants, unlike all the others. They were always hiding something, grew up in dim, damp, scary places and, apparently, kept some kind of secret knowledge within themselves.

People have always been attracted by the mystery of these plants, the mystery of their reproduction in the absence of flowers. All plants bloom, but this one does not - that means it is special, marked by mystery. So legends about ferns, tales, and fairy tales begin to arise around. In them - a modest inhabitant of forests and endows with those properties that a person has not observed in reality - the fern blooms, but not simply, but magically.



The legend about the fern is well known, in which a magical flower blooms once a year on the night of Ivan Kupala (summer solstice). In the ancient Slavic tradition, the fern became known as magical plant. According to legend, it was at Kupala midnight that the fern bloomed briefly and the earth opened up, making visible the treasures and treasures hidden in it. After midnight, those who were lucky enough to find a fern flower ran in their mother's clothes through the dewy grass and bathed in the river to receive fertility from the earth.


According to the legend of the fern, at midnight before Midsummer, the fern blooms for a few moments as a bright fiery flower with magical properties. Around midnight, a bud suddenly appears from the leaves of the fern, which, rising higher and higher, then sways, then stops - and suddenly staggers, turns over and jumps. Exactly at midnight, a ripened bud bursts with a bang, and a bright fiery flower is presented to the eyes, so bright that it is impossible to look at it; invisible hand rips it off, and a person almost never manages to do it. Whoever finds a blossoming fern and manages to take possession of it acquires the power to command everyone.

In the story “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” N.V. Gogol talked about an old folk legend, according to which once a year a fern flower blooms, and whoever picks it will get a treasure and get rich. N.V. Gogol in “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” describes the flowering of a fern this way: “Look, a small flower bud turns red and, as if alive, moves. It’s really wonderful! It moves and becomes bigger, bigger and redder, like a hot coal "A star flashed, something quietly crackled, and the flower unfolded before his eyes like a flame, illuminating others around it." "Now it's time!" - Petro thought and extended his hand... Closing his eyes, he pulled the stem, and the flower remained in his hands. Everything has calmed down...” Having picked a fern flower, our hero threw it up, adding special incantations. The flower floated in the air and landed just above the place where the fabulous treasure was kept.


In Rus', fern was called gap-grass. It was believed that one touch of a fern flower was enough to open any lock. According to legend, picking a fern flower is very difficult and dangerous. It was believed that a fern flower, immediately after blooming, is plucked by the hand of an invisible spirit. And if someone dares to go pick a fern flower, the spirits will bring horrors and fears upon him, and may take him away with them.


In Russia there was such a legend about the fern. "The shepherd was grazing the bulls not far from the forest and fell asleep. Waking up at night and seeing that there were no bulls near him, he ran into the forest to look for them. Running through the forest, he accidentally ran into some growth that had just blossomed. The shepherd, not noticing this grass, ran straight across through it. At that time, he accidentally knocked down a flower with his foot, which fell into his shoe. Then he became happy and immediately found the bulls. Not knowing what was in his shoe and without taking off his shoes for several days, the shepherd a short time saved money and learned about the future. Meanwhile, earth was poured into the shoe during this time. The shepherd, taking off his shoes, began to shake the earth out of his shoe and, along with the earth, shook out the flower of the fern. From that time on, he lost his happiness, lost his money and did not recognize the future."


It is not surprising that beautiful legends are associated with this plant. According to one legend, in the place where a beautiful girl fell from a cliff, arose pure source, and her hair turned into a fern. Other legends about the fern connect its origin with the goddess of love and beauty Venus: a wonderful plant grew from a hair she dropped. One of its types is called adiantum - Venus hair.

The widespread legend about the fiery fern flower, which had to be found on the night of Ivan Kupala, is associated with the male shield fern, but the female shield fern also received its share in this ancient ritual. Since tribal primitive times, female nomad was considered a “reliable” and powerful “witch’s root”.


They say that the peasants of the Vologda region have long had a belief that if on the night of Ivan Kupala you find a large female fern, sit patiently near it, without moving and covered with a thick cloth, you can learn all the secrets of forest herbs and medicinal plants. Allegedly, after some time one will be able to see in the twilight of a not very dark northern night how all the medicinal herbs will run past the female fern one after another, each one will identify itself and say what disease it helps against.

Ferns – the most ancient representatives earth flora. By human standards, they have “always” existed, since they appeared more than 400 million years ago. Almost all the land was covered with fern forests. Huge trees, some up to 50 meters, towered above the surface of the earth. Modern plants, of course, are not such impressive sizes, but otherwise they have not changed since then, which means they are an absolutely perfect creation of nature in their own way. They have a superbly developed branch system, but no leaves. Contrary to popular belief, ferns do not bloom, they reproduce by spores.

Ideal places for ferns to grow are damp, often dim and impenetrable forests and swampy areas. And they, in turn, are associated with riddles, secrets, mysticism, causing both fear and interest in people. Magical properties were attributed to these plants and, naturally, they were overgrown with many traditions, legends, etc.

Legends about fern

According to one of the legends about the origin of the fern, its appearance is associated with the goddess of beauty and love, Venus. One day, while bathing in her favorite grotto, the goddess touched with her delightful head a boulder entwined with ivy, and thought that it would be nice if the leaves covering the stone were softer and more graceful. Where her hair touched the ivy, it became a fern. One of its species, adiantum, is called “Venus hair.” Indeed, this is one of the beautiful views ornamental plants. A scattering of thin stems, and on them an openwork blanket of small “leaves” of the most delicate color.

Another legend is rather sad, but no less romantic. They say that a beautiful girl fell from a steep cliff. A pure spring formed in that place, and the hair of the unfortunate beauty turned into a fern.

This grass reproduces by spores, and those who remember school course biology, accordingly, know that ferns do not bloom, but mythology different countries they talk about the flower of this plant, which was endowed with supernatural magical properties.

The most famous Slavic legend about unusual flower, which blooms only once a year and blooms only for a moment. This happens on the night of Ivan Kupala, the ancient holiday of the summer solstice. The holiday is considered pagan, but is widely celebrated by Slavic peoples to this day. According to legend, at exactly midnight a bud rises on the stem above the plant. Literally before our eyes it swells and bursts with a bang. And appears bright red flower. It’s impossible for a person to even look at it, it’s so bright, like a flash. It is at this moment that it needs to be torn off, because at the next moment it disappears, as if someone’s invisible hand is tearing off this miracle. But if you manage to find, see and pluck this magic flower, then truly unlimited abilities are revealed to the lucky one. All treasures buried in the ground become visible, it becomes possible to see the future, understand the language of birds and animals, and the essence of things is revealed. The ability to transform appears, and all wishes come true. In addition, the power appears to resist all evil spells. This may seem quite tempting. Of course, “but” again. Despite all the countless difficulties, all the evil spirits from this world and the other world stand guard and in every possible way hinder the one who dares to take such a daring step. The closer a person is to his goal, the more confusing his path becomes, and new obstacles appear on his way. Well, no doubt, the whole team will attack the one who picked the flower. And here there is only one piece of advice: run and don’t look back. And the one who looks back risks losing his mind from what he saw or dreamed about. All these horror stories do not stop desperate heads; there are daredevils who are eager for omnipotence, even illusory ones.

A lesser known, but no less beautiful belief is that the fern flower is, in fact, a sacred fire, which was given to people by the Sun God Yarilo. It flares up on a certain night, bringing hope, warmth, and prosperity.

In Latvian fairy tales, the fern flower was associated with love, hot like fire, and magical, like a fern flower, and happy family ties. They believed that lovers should find him on Jan's night.

And in Rus' there was a legend about the gap-grass. Witch's herb, which was used to open any locks, including metaphorical ones. This herb helped to overcome all obstacles and break all fetters. And it's a fern again. This magical herb did not hide, and it was not difficult to find it. All you have to do is line the turtle’s nest with stones, and she herself will bring you ferns to free her future offspring. It was difficult to find the turtle's nest.

There was such a belief. On the night of Ivan Kupala, find a female fern. Hidden under the sheet, you need to quietly wait for the hour when, paying respects, all the medicinal herbs will pass by. One by one they will identify themselves and tell you what ailment they can help with. Practical and no risk.

Another legend said that even a flower that came into one’s possession completely by accident would bring unprecedented luck and foresight of the future. But these abilities will be lost if the flower is lost.

The Slavs had a sign that cutting and burning ferns would certainly cause rain. This was a surefire remedy in a drought. Or, conversely, disperse all the clouds so that the rain does not spoil the wonderful sunny weather for relaxation.

In Great Britain, there are signs associated with ferns, often warning against any adversity.

  • Touching a fern means going astray and bringing all the vipers along with you.
  • If you bring a fern into the house, the grass will spell trouble.
  • Cutting the root of a fern and seeing a clear image of an oak tree is good luck.
  • Climb a mountain holding fern seeds (from where?) in your hands - find a treasure, a treasure.
  • Obtained in a secret, special way, the gap-grass made its owner invulnerable and invisible.

Fern symbolism

The mythical fern flower is Fire, purification, renewal. And the real purpose of Perunov’s flower was to reveal the spiritual capabilities of man. It was not worth even thinking about it for someone whose thoughts were unclean, and whose thoughts and desires were vicious. Ferns were firmly associated in people's minds with thunder and lightning.

The serpentine dual theme in the symbolism of the fern occurs repeatedly. On the one hand, there was a belief that it was able to drive away snakes, and on the other, according to Welsh superstition, the fern, on the contrary, attracted snakes.

The Irish claim that the fern does not bloom because of St. Patrick's curse, and in some counties in England this plant is called the "devil's brush."

It has been noted that the male fern has the ability to protect, heal and arouse love. An amulet made from it, called “Ivan’s Hand,” could protect against bad luck and the evil eye.

Oak fern and talismans made from it could serve as protection against witches and evil ones.

Lotions and poultices made from various fern species were used to treat a wide variety of illnesses, including cuts, coughs, snake bites and various inflammations.

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    Magic grass fern

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    Ferns are the oldest representatives of the earth's flora. By human standards, they have “always” existed, since they appeared more than 400 million years ago. Almost all the land was covered with fern forests. Huge trees, some up to 50 meters, towered above the surface of the earth. Modern plants, of course, are not of such impressive size, but otherwise they have not changed since then, which means...

The fern has always attracted interest and even caused some fear in people. It was considered a special, mysterious plant, unlike all the others. He was always hiding something, grew up in dim, damp places and, apparently, kept some kind of secret Knowledge within himself. According to the legend of the fern, at midnight before Midsummer, the fern blooms for a few moments with a flower with magical properties. Around midnight, a bud suddenly appears from the leaves of the fern, which, rising higher and higher, then sways, then stops - and suddenly staggers, turns over and jumps. Exactly at midnight, a ripened bud bursts with a bang, and a bright fiery flower is presented to the eyes, so bright that it is impossible to look at it; an invisible hand tears it off, and a person almost never manages to do this. Whoever finds a blossoming fern and manages to take possession of it acquires the power to command everyone. In the story “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” N.V. Gogol talked about an old folk legend, according to which once a year a fern flower blooms, and whoever picks it will get a treasure and get rich. N.V. Gogol in “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” describes the flowering of a fern this way: “Look, a small flower bud turns red and, as if alive, moves. It’s truly wonderful! It moves and becomes bigger, bigger and redder, like a hot coal "A star flashed, something quietly crackled, and the flower unfolded before his eyes like a flame, illuminating others around it." "Now it's time!" - Petro thought and extended his hand... Closing his eyes, he pulled the stem, and the flower remained in his hands. Everything has calmed down..." According to legends, picking a fern flower is very difficult and dangerous. It was believed that a fern flower, immediately after blooming, is plucked by the hand of an invisible Spirit. And if someone dares to go pick a fern flower, then the Spirits will bring horrors and fears upon him , and they can take him away with them. In Russia there was such a legend about the fern: “A shepherd was grazing bulls not far from the forest and fell asleep. Waking up at night and seeing that there were no bulls near him, he ran into the forest to look for them. While running through the forest, I accidentally ran into some growth that had just blossomed. The shepherd, not noticing this grass, ran straight across it. At this time, he accidentally knocked down a flower with his foot, which fell into his shoe. Then he became happy and immediately found the bulls. Not knowing what was in his shoe and without taking off his shoes for several days, the shepherd in this short time saved money and learned about the Future. Meanwhile, Earth was poured into the shoe during this time. The shepherd, taking off his shoes, began to shake the Earth out of his shoe and, along with the Earth, shook out the color of the fern. From that time on, he lost his happiness, lost his money and did not know the Future." Beautiful legends are associated with this plant. According to one of them, in the place where a beautiful girl fell from a cliff, a clean spring arose, and her hair turned into a fern . Other legends about the fern connect its origin with the Goddess of love and beauty Venus: a wonderful plant grew from a hair dropped by her. One of its species is called adiantum - Venus hair. A widespread legend about a fiery fern flower that had to be found on the night of Ivan Kupala, is associated with the male shield fern, but the female kochedyzhnik also received its share in this ancient ritual. Since tribal primitive times, the female kochedyzhnik was considered a “reliable” and powerful “witch root”. Peasants of the Vologda region have long had such a belief that if on the night of Ivan Kupala you find a large female fern, sit patiently near it, without moving and covered with a thick cloth, then you can learn all the secrets of forest herbs and medicinal plants. Allegedly, after some time one will be able to see in the twilight of a not very dark northern night how all the medicinal herbs will run past the female fern one after another, each one will identify itself and say what disease it helps against. How to find a fern flower The legend about this flower is quite ancient, it is believed that it blooms only on the night of Ivan Kupala, so on this day after 12 at night the people went into the forest and looked for this flower with all their might. Once upon a time, on the day of the solstice, the Slavs glorified Dazhd-God. Much later Orthodox Church turned a pagan holiday into a Christian one, dedicating it to John the Baptist - Ivan Kupala. Traditionally, Ivan Kupala is celebrated in Nature. On this night, you need to make a fire and jump over the fire, weave a wreath of flowers and float it on the water, telling fortunes about your loved one, sing songs, find a blooming fern. If everyone has done this, then the holiday is considered a success. It is believed that an evil spirit rages in the forest on this night, guarding the magical fern flower. It blooms for a minute, blazing with bright red fire and as if endowing its owner with magical powers. If you manage to pick it, then the treasures themselves will go into your hands. In addition, you will learn to understand the language of animals and birds, you will be able to bewitch anyone, you will gain the gift of invisibility and you will learn all the secrets. But the fern flower must be obtained very carefully. Having taken possession of a flower, it’s time to go in search of your loved one. It is believed that this night begins real love at first sight. Well, if you jump over the fire with your chosen one, then for the rest of your life you will be connected with him by bonds as hot as fire and beautiful as a magical fern flower. It is not surprising that beautiful legends, fairy tales and beliefs are associated with this plant. The amazing features of these plants are one of the main reasons for the emergence of legends. The fern plant surprised with its appearance and in an unusual way reproduction. People have always been attracted by the mystery of these plants, the mystery of their reproduction in the absence of flowers. All sorts of legends began to arise around the fern. Magical properties were attributed to him. “This unprecedented flower of the fern is revered as the key of witchcraft and magical power, especially for finding treasures: where the fern blooms at midnight with red fire, there lies a treasure; and whoever plucks the flower of a fern has obtained the key for lifting any treasure, which is rare without this to whom it is given." But no one on Earth has actually seen a fern flower and no one will be able to see it. The fern, as we usually understand it, does not bloom. Trickster fireflies Fern has so many Folk names, that it’s impossible to count them all: fern (or fern), snack, cupid, devil’s beard, flea beetle, shield bug and many others... As many names as ferns have, there are as many legends, and probably even more. Some legends have very real roots. For example, it was believed that the male shield (one of the widespread varieties of ferns) could, with its magical properties, serve as a real “shield” for a person - make him rich and invisible to others. In many Russian provinces, the fern was called light flower or Perunov fire flower (in honor of the God of thunder and lightning Perun), since it was believed that once a year (on the night before Midsummer's Day) the fern begins to bloom with a beautiful flower that glows brightly in the night. One can guess where this belief came from: closer to mid-summer, all kinds of fireflies appear in the forest (including in the thickets of ferns). And since there are more than enough ferns in the forests, people who find themselves in the thicket at night might well think that the flowers of the plant are burning with this bright but cold light. This is how(?) the legend about the fern blooming once a year was born, which then grew into many other beliefs. Ferns of all kinds were associated in the popular consciousness with thunder and lightning, and therefore protected the house from thunderstorms. If you have a fern growing near your house, you are not afraid of any damage from lightning and thunderstorms. Lotions and poultices from different types Fern was used to treat a wide variety of ailments, including cuts and wounds, snake bites, bile spills, coughs, inflammation, and conjunctivitis. A well-known remedy for toothache in Western regions is a bitten off piece of the first fern found in the spring. If you manage to do this, then you will be free from this disease for the whole year. Answering the question of whether fern is a magical plant, we can already conclude that fern is indeed a very powerful plant, as it eliminates many diseases and promotes health. But there is an ancient belief that the fern blooms on the night of Kupala (not to be confused with the Christian version - Ivan Kupala). The night of Kupalo, June 23–24, is one of the ancient pagan holidays dedicated to the beginning of fertility under the auspices of one of pagan gods Kupalo. It is on this night that the fern blooms. According to legend, around midnight, a bud suddenly appears from the center of the fern and begins to grow quickly. But knowledgeable people say that this flower is very small size, and its color is such that you might not even notice it, especially at night. This flower can be called inconspicuous in appearance, consisting of 5-6 small pinkish petals with large whitish veins, as if covered with tiny hairs. That is why this flower is soft and fluffy to the touch. In the center of the flower there are three flexible stamens ending in red, rounded cones, each slightly larger than a poppy seed. In fact, without any means at hand, this flower is almost impossible to pick, since its stem resembles rubber or something like silicone, and the flower itself, without a stem, can be easily crushed, turning it into an absurd mass. Therefore, it is best to cut a fern flower with a knife. The lucky person who gets a fern flower must immediately bring it home, since the existence of the flower is very limited in time. There it must be placed in a vessel - a glass container with a lid, and then kept in the refrigerator(?), where it can be preserved, as if drying out. In Nature, a blossoming fern flower lasts from 16 to 33 minutes, then it fades just as quickly as it blossomed, but this happens somewhat unusually. The flower, together with the stem, decreases in size before our eyes, releasing moisture, as if melting. And in the end it completely melts down to the very base, leaving behind a tiny, slightly cloudy puddle in the center of the fern bush. Although there are no “black hands”, devils dancing, voices evil spirits, - there is nothing of this (?) and there is no trace of it around blooming fern. But all sources mention this! I think this is why none of the ordinary people have seen a flowering fern or even been able to find any evidence of its flowering. Firstly, not everyone dares to go into the forest at night, and even completely alone! And secondly, only knowledgeable people are aware of the real date of its flowering, since everyone remembers a certain day of Ivan Kupala, but no one remembers the real holiday of Kupala. Anyone who nevertheless masters this flower acquires the most valuable Knowledge. He understands the language of birds and animals. He becomes a man capable of commanding everything. Rulers and people in power are powerless before him. There is a belief that all treasures will be at his disposal. (The only question is whether he needs them...) It is believed that a man who takes possession of a fern flower is able to win the heart of any beauty. But this does not apply to women. In European Countries they believed that witches and sorceresses, without exception, had this treasured flower in their secret treasuries. There is an old sign - if a dried piece of fern (can be a root, or a twig) is threaded through a gold or silver chain and carried with you, then no person will have bad thoughts against the owner of such an amulet. Dried fern can relieve melancholy and nightmares, protect against the evil eye and damage. To make a fern amulet, you need to pick a couple of stems of the plant and dry them in a bright place. The dried fern is tied with woolen thread and laid out in the corners of the rooms on a hill. If a fern is placed under a pillow, it will relieve a person from nightmares. A fern planted in a dark corner of the garden, placed in a vase, thrown on hot coals, that is, in any form, the plant will protect and protect. It is best to wear a fern amulet on a naked body so that it is in as close contact with the owner as possible and protects against damage and the evil eye.

Ferns have always attracted interest and even caused some fear among people. It was considered a special, mysterious and hidden plant, unlike all the others. He was always hiding something, grew up in dim, damp, scary places and, apparently, kept some kind of secret knowledge within himself.

People were attracted by the mystery of the fern and the absence of flowers. All plants bloom, but this one does not - that means it is special, marked by mystery. So legends about ferns, tales, and fairy tales begin to arise around. In them - a modest inhabitant of forests and endows with those properties that a person has not observed in reality - the fern blooms, but not simply, but magically.

There is a well-known legend about a fern, in which a magical flower blooms once a year on the night of Ivan Kupala. In the ancient Slavic tradition, fern became known as a magical plant. According to legend, it was at Kupala midnight that the fern bloomed for a short time, and the earth opened up, making visible the treasures and treasures hidden in it.

After midnight, those who were lucky enough to find a fern flower ran in their mother's clothes through the dewy grass and bathed in the river to receive fertility from the earth.

According to the legend of the fern, at midnight before Midsummer, the fern blooms for a few moments as a bright fiery flower with magical properties. Around midnight, a bud suddenly appears from the leaves of the fern, which, rising higher and higher, then sways, then stops - and suddenly staggers, turns over and jumps. Exactly at midnight, a ripened bud bursts with a bang, and a bright fiery flower is presented to the eyes, so bright that it is impossible to look at it; an invisible hand tears it off, and a person almost never manages to do this. Whoever finds a blossoming fern and manages to take possession of it acquires the power to command everyone.

In the story “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” N.V. Gogol talked about an old folk legend, according to which once a year a fern flower blooms, and whoever picks it will get a treasure and get rich. N.V. Gogol in “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” describes the flowering of fern as follows: “Look, a small flower bud turns red and, as if alive, moves. It’s truly wonderful! It moves and becomes bigger, bigger and redder, like a hot coal. A star flashed, something quietly crackled, and the flower unfolded before his eyes, like a flame, illuminating others around you." "Now it's time!" - Petro thought and extended his hand... Closing his eyes, he pulled the stem, and the flower remained in his hands. Everything has calmed down...Having picked a fern flower, he threw it up, adding special incantations. The flower floated in the air and landed just above the place where the fabulous treasure was kept.”

In Rus', fern was called gap-grass. It was believed that one touch of a fern flower was enough to open any lock. According to legend, picking a fern flower is very difficult and dangerous. It was believed that a fern flower, immediately after blooming, is plucked by the hand of an invisible spirit. And if someone dares to go pick a fern flower, the spirits will bring horrors and fears upon him, and may take him away with them.

In Russia there was such a legend about fern: "The shepherd was grazing the bulls not far from the forest and fell asleep. Waking up at night and seeing that there were no bulls near him, he ran into the forest to look for them. Running through the forest, he accidentally ran into some growth that had just blossomed. The shepherd, not noticing this grass, ran straight across through it. At that time, he accidentally knocked down a flower with his foot, which fell into his shoe. Then he became happy and immediately found the bulls. Not knowing what was in his shoe and without taking off his shoes for several days, the shepherd in that short time saved money and found out "the future. Meanwhile, during this time, earth was poured into the shoe. The shepherd, having taken off his shoes, began to shake the earth out of the shoe and, along with the earth, shook out the color of the fern. From that time on, he lost his happiness, lost his money and did not recognize the future.".

Beautiful legends are associated with this plant. According to one of them, in the place where a beautiful girl fell from a cliff, a clean spring arose, and her hair turned into fern. Other legends about the fern connect its origin with the goddess of love and beauty Venus: a wonderful plant grew from a hair she dropped. One of its types is called adiantum - Venus hair.

The widespread legend about the fiery fern flower, which had to be found on the night of Ivan Kupala, is associated with the male shield fern, but the female shield fern also received its share in this ancient ritual. Since tribal primitive times, female nomad was considered a “reliable” and powerful “witch’s root”.

The peasants of the Vologda region have long had a belief that if on the night of Ivan Kupala you find a large female fern, sit patiently near it, without moving and covered with a thick cloth, you can learn all the secrets of forest herbs and medicinal plants. Allegedly, after some time one will be able to see in the twilight of a not very dark northern night how all the medicinal herbs will run past the female fern one after another, each one will identify itself and say what disease it helps against.

Ferns have always attracted interest and even caused some fear in people. They were considered special, mysterious and hidden plants, unlike all the others. They were always hiding something, grew up in dim, damp, scary places and, apparently, kept some kind of secret knowledge within themselves.

People have always been attracted by the mystery of these plants, the mystery of their reproduction in the absence of flowers. All plants bloom, but this one does not - that means it is special, marked by mystery. So legends about ferns, tales, and fairy tales begin to arise around. In them - a modest inhabitant of forests and endows with those properties that a person has not observed in reality - the fern blooms, but not simply, but magically.

The legend of the fern is well known, in which a magical flower blooms once a year on the night of the summer solstice. In the ancient Slavic tradition, fern became known as a magical plant. According to legend, it was at Kupala midnight that the fern bloomed briefly and the earth opened up, making visible the treasures and treasures hidden in it. After midnight, those who were lucky enough to find a fern flower ran in their mother's clothes through the dewy grass and bathed in the river to receive fertility from the earth.

According to the legend of the fern, at midnight before Midsummer, the fern blooms for a few moments as a bright fiery flower with magical properties. Around midnight, a bud suddenly appears from the leaves of the fern, which, rising higher and higher, then sways, then stops - and suddenly staggers, turns over and jumps. Exactly at midnight, a ripened bud bursts with a bang, and a bright fiery flower is presented to the eyes, so bright that it is impossible to look at it; an invisible hand tears it off, and a person almost never manages to do this. Whoever finds a blossoming fern and manages to take possession of it acquires the power to command everyone.

In the story “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” N.V. Gogol talked about an old folk legend, according to which once a year a fern flower blooms, and whoever picks it will get a treasure and get rich. N.V. Gogol in “Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” describes the flowering of a fern this way: “Look, a small flower bud turns red and, as if alive, moves. It’s really wonderful! It moves and becomes bigger, bigger and redder, like a hot coal "A star flashed, something quietly crackled, and the flower unfolded before his eyes like a flame, illuminating others around it." "Now it's time!" - Petro thought and extended his hand... Closing his eyes, he pulled the stem, and the flower remained in his hands. Everything has calmed down...” Having picked a fern flower, our hero threw it up, adding special incantations. The flower floated in the air and landed just above the place where the fabulous treasure was kept.

In Russia there was such a legend about the fern. "The shepherd was grazing the bulls not far from the forest and fell asleep. Waking up at night and seeing that there were no bulls near him, he ran into the forest to look for them. Running through the forest, he accidentally ran into some growth that had just blossomed. The shepherd, not noticing this grass, ran straight across through it. At that time, he accidentally knocked down a flower with his foot, which fell into his shoe. Then he became happy and immediately found the bulls. Not knowing what was in his shoe and without taking off his shoes for several days, the shepherd in that short time saved money and found out "the future. Meanwhile, during this time, earth was poured into the shoe. The shepherd, having taken off his shoes, began to shake the earth out of the shoe and, along with the earth, shook out the color of the fern. From that time on, he lost his happiness, lost his money and did not recognize the future."

The widespread legend about the fiery fern flower, which had to be found on the night of Ivan Kupala, is associated with the male shield fern, but the female shield fern also received its share in this ancient ritual. Since tribal primitive times, female nomad was considered a “reliable” and powerful “witch’s root”.

They say that the peasants of the Vologda region have long had a belief that if on the night of Ivan Kupala you find a large female fern, sit patiently near it, without moving and covered with a thick cloth, you can learn all the secrets of forest herbs and medicinal plants. Allegedly, after some time one will be able to see in the twilight of a not very dark northern night how all the medicinal herbs will run past the female fern one after another, each one will identify itself and say what disease it helps against.