The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

PAPARTIS BLOOM (FERN BLOOM)

THE LEGEND OF THE FERN BLOOM IS A VERY POPULAR AND FAVORITE AMONG
THE PEOPLE OF THE LITHUANIAN FARMS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT IF A
PERSON FINDS THIS BLOOM, HE FINDS OUT WHERE EVERYTHING IS HIDDEN,
HE CAN LOOK INTO THE FUTURE AND BECOMES VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. BUT
A PERSON CAN HOPE FOR ANY LUCK AT ALL, ONLY ON ST. JOHN'S EVE--
THAT IS, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST'S EVE, JUNE 23RD. JUNE 23RD IS
SUPPOSED TO BE (THE) SHORTEST NIGHT AND THE LONGEST DAY. WHEN
NIGHT COMES, ABOUT AN HOUR LATER THE SKY IN THE EAST IS ALREADY
TURNING LIGHT--BY 3:00 A.M., IT IS LIGHT AS DAY. THERE ARE MANY
STORIES AND TALES ABOUT THE FERN BLOOM AND TWO OF THEM FOLLOW.
THEY SAY THAT ON ONE ST. JOHN'S EVE, THE HORSES OF A FARMER
DISAPPEARED. THE FARMER SENT HIS STABLE BOY TO LOOK FOR THEM.
WHILE HE WAS WALKING THROUGH THE FOREST, SUDDENLY EVERYTHING
TURNED VERY VERY BRIGHT . . . AND HE FOUND HIMSELF BEING ABLE TO
SEE EVERYTHING CLEARLY. (TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: A FERN BLOOM BLOOMS
VERY BRIGHTLY. WHEN YOU SEE ONE, YOU GET POWERS THAT ENABLE YOU
TO SEE IN THE FUTURE, WHERE EVERYTHING IS AND IS HIDDEN.) HE ALSO
KNEW WHERE THE HORSES WERE AND WHEN HE FETCHED THEM, HE FOUND OUT
THAT HIS FARMER'S NEIGHBOR HAD SOME GOLD BURIED UNDER AN APPLE
TREE AT THE END OF HIS ORCHARD. HE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT HIS LIFE
WILL BE VERY HARD AND HE WILL REMAIN POOR. HE THEN THOUGHT WHY
SHOULD HE REMAIN POOR IF HE KNEW WHERE THE GOLD WAS BURIED. SO
HE STARTED TOWARD THE NEIGHBOR'S ORCHARD, BUT THEN NOTICED THAT
IT WAS GETTING LIGHT OUT, SO HE DECIDED TO WAIT TILL THE FOLLOWING
NIGHT. INSTEAD, HE DECIDED HE'LL GET SOME SLEEP. SO HE TOOK OFF
HIS MOCCASINS AND STRETCHED OUT BY A WELL. BUT AS HE WAS TAKING
THE MOCCASINS OFF, THERE WAS A SUDDEN FLASH LIKE THAT OF A
DIAMOND. THE STABLE-BOY DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING ABOUT IT, SO HE
FELL ASLEEP.
IN THE MORNING, HOWEVER, WHEN HE AWOKE, HE COULDN'T REMEMBER
ANYTHING FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE . . . HE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE
THERE WAS ANY GOLD BURIED.

Submitter comment: TRANSLATED FROM LITHUANIAN BY RAMUNI STONYS.

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Date learned: 01-17-1972