ASTRONOMY IN ROMANIAN LEGENDS AND POETRY

Up to the star that's just appeared

The journey's long, and soFor thousand years its light careeredTo reach us here, below.

(Mihai Eminescu - To The Star)

Mihai Eminescu, the national poet of all Romanians, Mihai Eminescu, the national poet of all Romanians, represents the genius of our poetry, the crownless king represents the genius of our poetry, the crownless king of the pen writing and the morning star of the Romanian of the pen writing and the morning star of the Romanian poetry. poetry.

He was called so because the morning star is present in He was called so because the morning star is present in all his literary creation, the stars and the moon all his literary creation, the stars and the moon dominating his natural and romantic poetic background.dominating his natural and romantic poetic background.

Mihai Eminescu wrote poems like "At the star", "The Mihai Eminescu wrote poems like "At the star", "The morning star" or "Cmorning star" or "Căălin - story pages". In these poems, lin - story pages". In these poems, the planets with their silver light have a great, the planets with their silver light have a great, supernatural influence on people. "The morning star" is supernatural influence on people. "The morning star" is the drama of the genius who fell in love with an earthly the drama of the genius who fell in love with an earthly girl for whom he is ready to give up his immortal life.girl for whom he is ready to give up his immortal life.

In "CIn "Căălin - story pages" the Moon and the Sun are the lin - story pages" the Moon and the Sun are the bride's and the groom's godparents. As a symbol of the bride's and the groom's godparents. As a symbol of the universal perfection and harmony the bride wears a star universal perfection and harmony the bride wears a star on her forehead.on her forehead.

Sky Sky 

In the Romanian tradition, the sky is inhabited by God, In the Romanian tradition, the sky is inhabited by God, angels and saints, there is also the heaven. The sky is a angels and saints, there is also the heaven. The sky is a canopy resting on the water surrounding the Earth, canopy resting on the water surrounding the Earth, having doors through which the angels bring news from having doors through which the angels bring news from the people. Every night, the angels minister in heaven. the people. Every night, the angels minister in heaven. 

On the New Year Night, on the Epiphany and On the New Year Night, on the Epiphany and Resurrection Day, the sky opens. Only good and faithful Resurrection Day, the sky opens. Only good and faithful people can see it and may ask God to fulfill their people can see it and may ask God to fulfill their wishes. It is then that the cattle talk, and they can be wishes. It is then that the cattle talk, and they can be heard by the same people. heard by the same people. 

The Milky Way The Milky Way 

The Milky Way, totally visible only on clear, The Milky Way, totally visible only on clear, moonless nights, is called by the peasants moonless nights, is called by the peasants Heaven's Trojan" or "The Way of TraHeaven's Trojan" or "The Way of Traiian" or "The an" or "The Slaves' Road". Slaves' Road". 

They say that it shows in the sky TraThey say that it shows in the sky Traiian's travel an's travel to Dacia and that the slaves were led to Rome to Dacia and that the slaves were led to Rome on this very road, putting them in the Ursa Major on this very road, putting them in the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. In other beliefs, this road leads and Ursa Minor. In other beliefs, this road leads the dead's souls to God.the dead's souls to God.

Stars 

Every night the stars are lit by angels to give light to the Earth until morning. Every person has their star, which falls when that person dies. Therefore, when in the sky there appears a falling star, they say that someone died.

Other stars, larger and round, go into people's houses, they fall on the ground or on people. These stars are dragons and werewolves, who walk at night to harm the people. These stars are also called wandering or travelling stars. 

The SunThe Sun

The cult of the Sun has existed since the Neolithic Age. The image of the Sun The cult of the Sun has existed since the Neolithic Age. The image of the Sun appears in popular beliefs as anthropomorphized, having human features and appears in popular beliefs as anthropomorphized, having human features and qualities. It is believed that the sun is born on the winter solstice, when it is as qualities. It is believed that the sun is born on the winter solstice, when it is as small as the daylight, it grows and becomes stronger on the spring equinox small as the daylight, it grows and becomes stronger on the spring equinox (the day equals the night), it reaches its climax on the summer solstice (the (the day equals the night), it reaches its climax on the summer solstice (the longest day in the year), then it gets to the autumn equinox, gets older and dies longest day in the year), then it gets to the autumn equinox, gets older and dies on the winter solstice (the shortest day in the year). on the winter solstice (the shortest day in the year).

The sun is often seen as being made of hot bright beams which, through God’s The sun is often seen as being made of hot bright beams which, through God’s power, shine and warm up the Earth. In popular beliefs, the Sun is personified power, shine and warm up the Earth. In popular beliefs, the Sun is personified as a handsome young man whose face is so bright that he lights up the Earth. as a handsome young man whose face is so bright that he lights up the Earth. Every day, he rides a buffalo till noon, because he is climbing up the sky, a Every day, he rides a buffalo till noon, because he is climbing up the sky, a horse till afternoon and a lion till evening. In the evening, when he gets off, the horse till afternoon and a lion till evening. In the evening, when he gets off, the Sun eats a piece of communion bread and drinks a glass of wine and then he Sun eats a piece of communion bread and drinks a glass of wine and then he goes on with his journey in the underworld until he reaches the rising place goes on with his journey in the underworld until he reaches the rising place again. again.

Other beliefs show that the Sun always rides a lion and they go to sleep Other beliefs show that the Sun always rides a lion and they go to sleep together; during their sleep, they are taken to the east by big monsters. If the together; during their sleep, they are taken to the east by big monsters. If the Sun had a good rest, then he rises brightly. If the monsters didn’t let him rest, Sun had a good rest, then he rises brightly. If the monsters didn’t let him rest, the Sun rises cloudy and doesn’t show from behind the clouds. The seasons the Sun rises cloudy and doesn’t show from behind the clouds. The seasons are explained according to popular beliefs through the fact that the lion gets are explained according to popular beliefs through the fact that the lion gets bored of staying all the time with us and therefore he goes to some other bored of staying all the time with us and therefore he goes to some other places, even if farmers ask him to stay. Very frequently, in folklore, we can find places, even if farmers ask him to stay. Very frequently, in folklore, we can find the phrase “The Saint Sun”. the phrase “The Saint Sun”.

The MoonThe Moon

At night, the Moon takes the Sun’s place and she rests during the At night, the Moon takes the Sun’s place and she rests during the daytime. She is usually seen as a beautiful girl, the Sun’s sister. daytime. She is usually seen as a beautiful girl, the Sun’s sister. Legends say that the Sun wanted to marry his sister, but, since it Legends say that the Sun wanted to marry his sister, but, since it is a sin, the wedding was stopped and since then the Moon has is a sin, the wedding was stopped and since then the Moon has been running away from the Sun and they never meet. been running away from the Sun and they never meet.

As she is the Sun’s sister, the Moon was once as bright as he is, As she is the Sun’s sister, the Moon was once as bright as he is, but God took away some of her brightness and hid it in the but God took away some of her brightness and hid it in the seawater so that the Sun couldn’t notice her. In order to explain seawater so that the Sun couldn’t notice her. In order to explain the Moon phases, the farmers say that “Every month, God, the Moon phases, the farmers say that “Every month, God, through his power, renews the Moon in order to show that he can through his power, renews the Moon in order to show that he can make something big from something small and something small make something big from something small and something small from something big”. The spots on the Moon make people say that from something big”. The spots on the Moon make people say that the Moon looks like a human face who might be Abel, the first the Moon looks like a human face who might be Abel, the first shepherd who, according to the Bible, was killed by his brother shepherd who, according to the Bible, was killed by his brother Cain. Cain.

When there is New Moon, farmers jingle their money in the bags, When there is New Moon, farmers jingle their money in the bags, believing that they will thus have money the whole month. believing that they will thus have money the whole month. However, the Moon has evil connotations. In Bucovina it is However, the Moon has evil connotations. In Bucovina it is believed that New Moon means the beginning of all evils and if a believed that New Moon means the beginning of all evils and if a pregnant woman drinks from the water the Moon has reflected pregnant woman drinks from the water the Moon has reflected upon, she is going to give birth to a sleep walker child. upon, she is going to give birth to a sleep walker child.

The eclipses

People are used to calling the eclipses darkness of the Sun or of the Moon. Werewolves are those who eat the Moon, causing the eclipses. Werewolves come from children who haven’t been baptized or they are the children of parents who haven’t undergone baptism. It is also said that werewolves appear if litter is swept away towards the Sun, at twilight, or if the one who mixes the polenta touches the fire with the rolling pin.

Other beliefs state that when women spin at night with no candlelight, werewolves are sitting on the spun threads, thus they reach the Moon or the Sun and they tear them with their teeth. If the threads break, werewolves lose their power. The Moon doesn’t completely disappear during the eclipse because she is stronger then werewolves and if they ate it entirely, the world would come to an end. Thant is why farmers make noise, shoot with their guns, play musical instruments, pull the bells – in order to scare away the werewolves. Moreover, the Moon is too big and werewolves get tired of biting the Moon or the Moon runs away and they can’t catch her.

Sun eclipses are explained the same way as the Moon eclipses, but it is said that, during the eclipse, the Moon passes quickly by the Sun, that God throws darkness upon in order not to see her. Other beliefs say that the Sun gets dark and turns his face from people because of their sins. It is generally considered that eclipses foretell casualties, wars, etc.

Comets Comets 

Comets, "tailed stars", foretell various troubles Comets, "tailed stars", foretell various troubles that will happen there where the comet is seen. that will happen there where the comet is seen.  It is said that during the war of independence in It is said that during the war of independence in the years 1877-1878, a comet appeared in the the years 1877-1878, a comet appeared in the sky, at first small, then increasingly larger, sky, at first small, then increasingly larger, disappearing only towards the end of the war. disappearing only towards the end of the war. 

• Legends collected and translated in English by Oana Streşină and Octavian Păsărel

• Pictures painted by Paul Pascu

• PowerPoint created by: Comenius Team from Şcoala Gimnazială Nr. 2 Galaţi, România.