Initiation elements of the folklore plot “procurement of a girl”

Abstract

The topicality of the research is determined by the need for a deeper understanding of the Ukrainian people’s worldview based on the analysis of the folklore and traditions. The current state of folklore and traditions has absorbed information from different historical times, but their comparison allows us to identify the foundations of the Ukrainians’ worldview.
 The purpose of this research is to find the ritual motives that formed the basis of the “procurement of a girl” plot based on the Slavs’ traditions and to find the place for this plot in the calendar-ritual cycle.
 The methodology. The article analyzes spring and wedding motifs within the folklore plot “procurement of a girl” and searches for the place of the corresponding ritual in the calendar-ritual cycle. The paper focuses on the typical formulas used in the respective songs, and focuses on initiation and solar bases of the plot.
 The results. Solar symbols of the plot “procurement of a girl” were identified: the Zori bathing in the form of a sun reflection, the meeting of the dawn by a girl under a pine tree with an allegorical ignition of a tree, the swimming in the Danube is a sunset allegory, the Cossacks movement coincides with the sun movement, the horse is a solar sign. The initiation character of the plot “procurement of a girl” was clarified: a journey through a disordered world, a comparison of the pine tree burning with the image of a bride, the ritual use of the magical time (dawn) and the ritual use of the magical bathing water. Among the ceremonial events of the spring period, Ivan Kupala holiday was chosen as the basis for comparison with plot peculiarities. It is shown that only this holiday combines spring and wedding ceremonies and traditions. It is concluded that an important element of the initiation rite is the horse used as the Sun image and a carrier through the afterlife, so the movement of Cossacks on horseback from the Don to home was a solar symbol. It is shown that within the specified plot at the initiation time the girl is alone and needs help at dawn from the Sun and from the groom-Cossack, who is waiting for the ceremony end. 
 The scientific novelty of this research is to clarify the place in the calendar-ritual cycle of events that took place within the “procurement of a girl” plot. It is established that the archaic solar marriage ceremony took place during the summer solstice, and later had divided into Ivan Kupala holiday and wedding ceremonies.
 The practical results of this research are the separation of archaic Easter plots (for the spring equinox) such as “Podolianochky” from Kupala plots such as “procurement of a girl”. A more detailed comparison of the last plot with Kupala traditions allowed to restore the ritual actions dramaturgy of the archaic solar marriage.