Polish for Expats

Lexicon of cultural connotation: S – Stork (bocian)

2013/05/08 16:21:00 Written by 

Is a symbol of a spring, good luck and prosperity for the cottage the bird make their nest on. That is why it was considered a serious singe to spoil the nest or make a harm to a stork.

fot. Magdalena Modlibowska

The birds are leaving Poland for the winter period and come back with the spring to the same place. If it happened that the stork is sick and cannot join the flock to take the journey over the ocean, the “hosts” take care of it during the winter.

Each year they are expected by the villagers and mostly welcome. People often install a wheel on the roof of the barn to encourage the stork to build a nest.  In some regions, there is a tradition to bake special cookies  (like a stork’s foot) to bring them back, in case of delay of their arrival. It is also magical practise to bring the spring.

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