Probably, no other people treated nature as carefully as the Slavs. Our ancestors loved and revered it, because they believed: all life has its own soul, which means it requires respect for itself. And how could it be otherwise, because Mother Earth fed them, and she is also part of the world around her.
That is why our ancestors devoted so much time to study the habits of nature. So to speak, absorb all the wisdom of the world. And so that over the years this knowledge did not disappear, the Russian people began to introduce them into proverbs about nature, thus perpetuating them.
Where did the word nature come from?
According to the beliefs of the Slavs, all living things came from the god Rod, who became the father of the world. He was one of the most revered gods in the pantheon of our ancestors. Therefore, it is not surprising that the name of this god was used to denote all life on earth. And so the word nature appeared, denoting "everything with Rod"
Over the years, Christianity has supplanted the usual gods from Russian lands. But each time recalling nature, people unconsciously recall the great father of all living things.
Proverbs about nature: their significance for the Slavs
As mentioned earlier, proverbs carry knowledge from the past. But what exactly is hidden in them? What did the ancestors want to give us?
First of all, many proverbs and sayings about nature are aimed at praising the world around us. Their goal is to make the listener understand how important nature is to man. It is not in vain that they say: “In the garden without flowers, nightingales do not sing” or “The forest is not a school, but it can teach a lot.”
Also, proverbs about nature are needed in order to show the beauty of the world. And although these sayings often consist of one sentence, nevertheless they are able to fully reveal the essence of mother nature and its phenomena. For example: "Spring is red with flowers, and autumn with wheat sheaves."
Proverbs as a way of knowing the world
Often writing proverbs on the theme of "Nature", our ancestors were guided by one rule. They tried to put life wisdom in them, so that their descendants could comprehend it. That is why many proverbs and sayings about nature are instructive.
So, some are aimed at enabling children to heed simple, but so important truths. For example: "In the fall, summer will not return." This little proverb reminds us of how important it is to prepare for winter in advance. Indeed, if in the summer you do not cultivate the land and do not prepare supplies, then in the autumn it will be impossible to do so. Another proverb, not this topic, sounds like this: "Autumn will come, ask for all things."
Many proverbs about nature were composed on the principle of cause - effect. For example: “There will be rain, there will be mushrooms” or “Spring rain grows, and autumn fester”.
Winter, spring, summer and autumn
Many proverbs about nature are dedicated to the seasons. This is due to the fact that each season has its own characteristics, the knowledge of which is vital. At least, it was in those days when a person was completely dependent on the tricks of nature.
We give examples of proverbs for each period of the year.
Winter:
- Sowing good snow will save.
- In winter, the stomach is large.
- Frost and iron are bending, and will fly a bird on the fly.
Spring:
- Spring is red but hungry. Autumn, though rainy, is full.
- Water flows from the mountain, carries spring with it.
- And winter doesn’t chill like spring weather.
Summer:
- One summer day can feed a year.
- Summer week is more expensive than winter.
- In the summer you will not save, in the winter you will not bring.
Autumn:
- In the autumn, thinness becomes fat, and a man becomes good.
- Autumn will come and ask for everything.
- In autumn, the small bird is rich.
The legacy of ancestors
Many proverbs about nature are more than one hundred years old. This means that many generations grew up on them, absorbing their wisdom. It is very important that in the future this tradition remains revered.
Therefore, from an early age, children should be introduced to the works of folklore. After all, the only way to save proverbs from oblivion.