On this day, boys all over Slovakia take buckets of water and go to the houses of single girls to splash them. The girls may even end up in a stream if they live near one. In certain areas, girls are symbolically whipped with canes made of willow branches, in a custom known as "šibačka" (whipping), while in others, they are bathed in water in a custom known as "oblievačka" (bathing). The origins of these traditions can be traced back to ancient pagan spring festivals, which aimed to ward off evil and assure the well-being of young women. The vitality of the branches was believed to flow into a woman's body, thus guaranteeing her fertility and beauty. But explain this to the poor girl who seeks the protection of a macintosh!
Coded by Adka