In ancient
Latvia,
Zalu Diena ("day of grasses") was a festival held on
June 20. The women and girls gathered
grasses and
flowers to weave into wreathes. Farmers cut
birch boughs and putting them in their barns; this prevented mice and other rodents from eating the harvest.
John's Grass[?] was given to the cows and sand was sifted onto their heads; this caused the cows to have sweet milk. Young girls gave crowns of flowers to their potential suitors; both children then wore their wreathes to bed and, if they dreamed of each other, they were a match.
Zalu
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