Rusalka Week, or the Week of Love Sickness

Rusalka Week

A rusalka is a fish-woman from slavic mythology, with the dark ghostly-sexual undertones like a succubus. Rusalka are women or children who have died violently before their time. These woman or children have been jilted by their lovers, or have been born out of wedlock and have been murdered by those most dear to them, or have committed suicide. They are dangerous mostly to men, and like to seduce men by singing to them, then wrapping their arms around them to then pull them under the water to drown them.

While rusalka are dangerous, they do serve some good. They have some control over the fertility of the living things near them and some control over the regular passing of the seasons. As we all want the lands around us to be fertile, (and maybe because even we want to be fertile) and maybe because of the freaky global warming seasonal issues we should want to have a few rusalka around.

Rusalka Week, the first full week of June, is the most active time for the rusalka. Rusalka will be more active than usual, and we all should take caution. Because the rusalka are in their situation because of false love, they will lure others to the same state. Be careful of any feelings of love that begin during Rusalka Week. These feelings are not true love but a "love sickness" spell cast by a nearby rusalka. During Rusalka Week:

• You should not should go swimming; you could be dragged to a watery grave by a rusalka.
• Women who wish to be protected from love sickness should not spin, weave, wash their hair, or sleep during the day.
• Men who wish to be protected from love sickness should wear a garland of walnuts and garlic.

I am sorry to say, I have washed my hair today. I guess I washed all my protection away. Sigh.