Girls' beer
Nowdays this national rite almost died out. it is nothing than feasts, dances, merriment, held by country girls, to which they invite fellows and also youth from neighbouring villages. They celebrate the feast at different times, depending on a village. Sometimes they celebrate it before Christmas, sometimes after it. It is occured that it is celebrated even during Carnival. Everything needed for the feast (beer, food ) is gatherd by girls in different houses. But as a rule they get beer and food in houses, where bride-girls live. When everything is gathered they get it to one house to have fun. They brew the beer and bake cookies. By the time when everything is ready young people come and they begin to have fun, to drink beer, to sing songs and to dance under accompaniment of violins. The feast continues till the dawn. Also they have special songs, dedicated to the feast - "Girls' Beer" songs, full of young merriment and youthful energy:
Apples ripen on the snow,
Berries ripen on the sun.
But girls, left by us,
Have swelled eyes because of tears.
Berries ripen on the sun.
But girls, left by us,
Have swelled eyes because of tears.
There are twelve versts till Verhniye Tarhany
All people drove against wind,
That's why all people became ruddy-faced
We all grew under tents,
That's why we are full of youthful energy.
Parents of young people also come to this house to have a look how their children dance and have fun. Girls treat guests with a cup of beer, but in exchange of two copecks to give to musicians. They treat guests saying the following words:
Drink your beer as you should,
Pay the price we ask,
If you don't pay us money
Let mice gnaw your purse.
Pay the price we ask,
If you don't pay us money
Let mice gnaw your purse.
Or the following words:
Taken on fur coat,
Don't take a walk on the street.
Being notable on the feast,
Don't excite us with money.
Don't spare a ten-copeck coin,
Twenty-copeck coin is one coin,
If we take it without checking,
Let mice gnaw your purse.
Don't take a walk on the street.
Being notable on the feast,
Don't excite us with money.
Don't spare a ten-copeck coin,
Twenty-copeck coin is one coin,
If we take it without checking,
Let mice gnaw your purse.
When the feast of Girls' Beer comes to an end in one village, it begins in the other one. And now they invite former hosts of the feast. Today this feast is celebrated enough rare, because of poverty, increasing from year to year. (Tayapa ).
