Рождественский сноп

[kavery]

Рождественский обычай, о котором я расскажу сегодня, в том или ином виде существовал в Европе во многих странах. Речь идет о так называемом Рождественском снопе. Особенно популярным он стал в Скандинавии, во всяком случае именно там изображение рождественского снопа прочно вошло в популярную рождественскую символику, и его часто можно увидеть на картинах, рождественских открытках, сувенирах.
По-шведски он называется Julkarve, по-норвежски - Julenek.  Обычай заключался в том, что во время сбора урожая оставляли один сноп нетронутым, бережно хранили, а в рождественское  утро его выставляли на улицу в качестве подарка птицам. Считалось, что это сделает год более урожайным, кроме того в этом была прекрасная идея о том, что надо делиться тем, что имеешь.  Иногда сноп привязывали к шесту и ставили во двор, а иногда прикрепляли к крыше дома.  Сноп принято было украшать, часто красными лентами. Сейчас такие снопы иногда просто делают как декоративное украшение.

Jenny Nyström

Финские открытки

Современная эстонская открытка

Датская вышивка

Блюдо ( Копенгаген)

Молодежь развешивает снопы под крышей дома (Норвегия)

From the Norwegian magazinee 'Illustrert Nyhedsblad' 1866
http://www.flickr.com/photos/national_archives_of_norway/6476958217/

THE CHRISTMAS SHEAF

Far over in Norway's distant realm,
That land of ice and snow,
Where the winter nights are long and drear,
And the north winds fiercely blow,
From many a low-thatched cottage roof,
On Christmas eve, 'tis said,
A sheaf of grain is hung on high,
To feed the birds o'erhead.
In years gone by, on Christmas eve,
When the day was nearly o'er,
Two desolate, starving birds flew past
A humble peasant's door.

"Look! Look!" cried one, with joyful voice
And a piping tone of glee:
"In that sheaf there is plenteous food and cheer,
And the peasant had but three.
One he hath given to us for food,
And he hath but two for bread,
But he gave it with smiles and blessings,
'For the Christ-child's sake,' he said."
"Come, come," cried the shivering little mate,
"For the light is growing dim;
'Tis time, ere we rest in that cosy nest,
To sing our evening hymn."
And this was the anthem they sweetly sang,
Over and over again:
"The Christ-child came on earth to bless
The birds as well as men."
Then safe in the safe, snug, warm sheaf they dwelt,
Till the long, cold night was gone,
And softly and clear the sweet church bells
Rang out on the Christmas dawn,
When down from their covert, with fluttering wings,
They flew to a resting-place,
As the humble peasant passed slowly by,
With a sorrowful, downcast face.
"Homeless and friendless, alas! am I,"
They heard him sadly say,[101]
"For the sheriff," (he wept and wrung his hands)
"Will come on New Year's day."
The birdlings listened with mute surprise.
"'Tis hard," they gently said;
"He gave us a sheaf of grain for food,
When he had but three for bread.
We will pray to God, He will surely help
This good man in distress;"
And they lifted their voices on high, to crave
His mercy and tenderness.
Then again to the Christmas sheaf they flew,
In the sunlight, clear and cold:
"Joy! joy! each grain of wheat," they sang,
"Is a shining coin of gold."
"A thousand ducats of yellow gold,
A thousand, if there be one;
O master! the wonderful sight behold
In the radiant light of the sun."
The peasant lifted his tear-dimmed eyes
To the shining sheaf o'erhead;
"'Tis a gift from the loving hand of God,
And a miracle wrought," he said.
"For the Father of all, who reigneth o'er,
His children will ne'er forsake,
When they feed the birds from their scanty store,
For the blessed Christ-child's sake."
[102]
"The fields of kindness bear golden grain,"
Is a proverb true and tried;
Then scatter thine alms, with lavish hand,
To the waiting poor outside;
And remember the birds, and the song they sang,
When the year rolls round again:
"The Christ-child came on earth to bless
The birds as well as men."
—Mrs. A. M. Tomlinson.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18570/18570-h/18570-h.htm#CHAPTER_IV

Обычай оставлять последний сноп был и у славян. Это была так называемая Николина бородка.  Но пока я не нашла упоминаний о том, что этот сноп имел отношение к рождественским праздникам. Что, впрочем, не отрицает данного факта.
А вот стихотворение американской поэтессы. В нем так же идет речь об этом обычае, что говорит о том, что он был довольно широко известен и за пределами Европы.

The Christmas Sheaf
by: Edith Matilda Thomas (1854-1925)
It was a gleaner in the fields--
The fields gleaned long ago:
The evening wind swept down from heights
Already brushed with snow.
The gleaner turned to right, to left,
With searching steps forlorn;

The stubble-blade beneath her feet
Was sharp as any thorn.
But as she stooped, and as she searched,
Half blind with gathering tears,
Beside her in the field stood One
Whose voice beguiled her fears:
"What seek ye here, this bitter eve,
The harvest long gone by?"
She lifted up her weary face,
She answered with a sigh:
"I seek but some few heads of wheat
To nail against the wall,
To feed at morn the blessed birds,
When with loud chirps they call.
"Poor ever have I been, God knows!
Yet ne'er so poor before,
But they might taste their glad Noël
Beside my cottage door."
Then answer made that Presence sweet,
"Go home, and trust right well
The birds besdie your cottage door
Shall find their glad Noël."
And so it was--from soundest sleep
The gleaner woke at morn,
To see, nailed up beside her door,
A sheaf of golden corn!
And thereupon the birds did feast--
The birds from far and wide:
All know it was Our Lord Himself
That goodly sheaf supplied!

Read more at http://www.blackcatpoems.com/t/the_christmas_sheaf.html#wMMRtKiIiIjb8BzZ.99
Фотографии со снопами:http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/julenek/Interesting

Uchermann Karl 1855-1940