I vaguely remember the ritual of drowning Marzanna (Morana) around springtime. The teacher told us the date ahead of the outing. We dressed up and went out in a weird procession, carrying the weird effigy (that was provided to us, I have no idea who made it) to the river to chuck it in and rejoice. I come from the Polish countryside. You drowned Marzanna in March and went for a kulig (sleigh rides pulled by horses) in November. As I remembered the chilly bite of fresh air on my cheeks as we made our way to the river, I realised I never questioned why and what. Morana (in Polish, known as Marzanna) is a pagan Slavic goddess associated with seasonal rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of nature. The custom included collective preparation of the effigy. There was always some “core” usually made of straw or twigs, and then dressed in colourful pieces of cloth, greenery, and whatever was at hand. In some photos, there was a weak attempt at giving Morana some sort of expression - most commonly, of her grinning, probably because she was looking forward to her death. Enjoy this pagan pattern! [ 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 ] This is a digital PDF that you can download after joining my Ko-Fi 🩸Membership Tier I - Pomme de Sang This chart has been tested and verified to work with Pattern Keeper by the designer. Cross-Stitch Vienna is not affiliated with Pattern Keeper. Please note that Pattern Keeper does not currently support backstitch reading! You will need to follow the PDF for the backstitch guide. [ 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞 ] 14 ct 58x66 Stitches (10,5 x 12,0 cm) (4,1 x 4,7 in.) 16 ct 58x66 Stitches (9,2 x 10,5 cm) (3,6 x 4,1 in.) 18 ct 58x66 Stitches (8,2 x 9,3 cm) (3,2 x 3,7 in.) ----------- Please note that as this is a digital item, no refunds will be made after purchase. Terms and Conditions & copyright info: crossstitchvienna.at/terms-conditions