Magic Halloween socks
Ghost socks, socks with an enchanted castle, or maybe skeleton socks? The choice of Halloween designs is really quite large. We are entering a time of the year that has a hard-to-grasp magic about it. During this time we often spin mysterious tales about ghosts and dreams, but today we decided to focus on... plants and Slavic beliefs. Our ancestors attributed special significance to plants. Among other things, particular species were supposed to exhibit protective properties, attract love or ensure good fortune. It was not uncommon for one plant to become a source of happiness, as well as suffering and even death. It all depended on whether a person could use it properly. One such plant was black loosestrife. It is not without reason that it is also sometimes called venomous lulk and black shawl, as it is nowadays considered a poisonous plant. Centuries ago, only witches were believed to be able to handle the lulk and extract its magical properties. The very appearance of the plant aroused extreme emotions. On the one hand, the lulc is an extremely charming plant with flowers in the form of cups, and on the other hand, their yellow-black coloration and the hairs on the leaves caused anxiety in people. Among others, Marzanna, i.e. the Slavic goddess of death and rebirth, was depicted with the image of the lulcus.
Love or hallucination?
The loosestrife is classified as a ruderal plant, which means that it has a special predilection for areas altered by humans. This does not at all mean that it can often be found in parks and gardens. Nothing of the sort. For the lulk, the most attractive things are those that repel others, which include landfills, garbage dumps and railroad tracks. The plant's peculiar predilections made it even more strongly associated with magic and borderland worlds. What properties were attributed to lulk? It was believed to have a sleep-inducing effect, and in larger doses lead to hallucinations, insanity and even death, among other things. It is believed that the properties of the plant were used not only by witches, but also by... soldiers. One theory is that in ancient times, when soldiers left the encampment, they poured a decoction of lulav into the leftover wine. In this way, they set a trap for enemies following them, who, unaware of the danger, drank the drink. Over time, lulek began to be seen as a devilish plant, and all contact with it was strictly forbidden. At the same time, there were still daredevils who, oblivious to the prohibitions, sought in the magical plant an ally in the struggle for love. Messages on this subject are many. One of them says that just carrying a dried flower with you was supposed to attract the heart of the chosen one. According to another version, a man had to pick the flower at dawn, but it was necessary that he be naked for this and stand on one leg. Only then was he supposed to attract the love of his dream woman.
