ritual of "catching a saint"

91 (b) kogà nèkoj se ubìe nèšto kogà

When someone gets hurt, when something –

94 (a) àbe i na dène i a i drùgu a

Well, about the day. And the other, and –

101 (c) trikràko stolè

[It’s done with] a three-legged stool.

102 (a) vɤž a a lovìli sme ngi dèn elì na gèrg’ovden

You see, we “caught” a saint’s day for them – either St. George’s day,

103 (a) elì na ə spàsovden elì na svetì ilìja elì na drùgi dène

or the Savior’s day, or St. Elias’s day, or some other days,

104 (a) kòlko pràznici ìma mòo go narečèš nàj màlko na trì pràznici

however many there are. You have to pick at least three holidays [for candidates].

105 (a) i l’ùdete i zə i tekà ngi lòvime ə ìma st stolèta

And people – [the way] we “catch” for them is – there are these stools

106 (a) s trì kràka ako ste stàri

with three legs; if you’re old …

108 (a) ako ste vidèle na tìja st obṛ̀neme stolèto i krakàta

… if you’ve seen them – we turn the stool over [so that] the legs –

109 (a) trìte kràka sa nagòre i tùrame tùrat sveštìci

all three legs are pointed upwards, and we put – they put little candles [on each leg]

110 (a) i gi zapàlime i detèto kojò fàne tavà na tòo

and light them. And whichever candle the child grabs for, that’s the one

111 (a) i go narečème dnèska gèrg’ovden zaràn

that we name as his saint’s day. Today St. George’s day, tomorrow –

112 (b) velìgden

Easter.

113 (a) spàsovden velìgden

Ascension, Easter,

114 (b) dimìtrovden

St. Dimitri’s day.

116 (a) ì takà i na tòo dèn mu pràvime pìtka nèšto i

And on that day we make him a round bread, or something, and –

117 (VZh) a kogà se ə lòvi takà svetèc kogà detèto

When do you do this “catching of the saint”, when a child

118 (VZh) nèšto e bilò bòlno li ə

has been sick or something?

119 (a) ako mu nè e dobrè detèto

If things aren’t going well for the child,

120 (a) ili sè takà e slàbičko nèšto

or if it’s doing poorly, if something is [not right]

121 (a) ne tè i trèbva tovà takà pràat

and you can’t [do] what’s needed, that’s what they do.

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