You and your friends went to Romania in search of adventure. We stopped in an abandoned hut near Transylvania. As it turned out, this place is not the safest for tourists. Many stayed in it forever... Can you get out of the clutches of the old woman?
About the quest
Romania is perceived inseparably from the history of the famous Count Dracula and is still surrounded by secrets and mysteries. Perhaps that is why you have always wanted to visit this country, and especially Transylvania ...
There you find an abandoned hut, not at all dangerous in appearance, and not even mysterious. But this is only at first glance ... Once inside, you will learn with horror that the hut is enchanted, and you are now a prisoner of the old witch. And not one daredevil disappeared in these places, never finding a way to get out ...
You and your companions are given only 60 minutes to complete the quest. But can you defeat the old witch?
Quest "Romanian Witch" is suitable for connoisseurs of mysticism, riddles and intellectual entertainment. After all, this quest is not easy and is not suitable for beginners.
Slovak photographer Lucia Sekerkova traveled to Romania to meet Maria Campina, the self-proclaimed queen of fortune-tellers, known locally as simply "witches". These women (usually Romanian gypsies) supposedly can see the future and read it from the palm of their hand, from grains of wheat or from the stars. Lucia met Maria and spent some time with her, photographing witches, their homes, life and craft, passed down from generation to generation from time immemorial.
“When I found these women, they didn't really want me to photograph them. Some asked for money for this. Prices ranged from 20 to 50 euros for a photo session. I told them that I was photographing them for a Slovak newspaper.” In the photo: gold is an integral part of Romanian culture, especially for the witch queen Maria Campina.
“After several days of searching and bargaining, I finally met Maria Campina - the self-proclaimed witch queen - and made a deal with her. In order to be able to photograph her and her acquaintances, I had to promise that the newspaper I worked for would publish the full story about her and also give her the front page. Maria's photo eventually appeared on the cover of the Slovak weekly newspaper SME. In the photo: Maria Campina on her luxurious gold sofa.
“I tested their abilities. All predictions were different - some were positive, some were negative. They were all short and too general. I was predicted that I would get married and give birth to the first of three children within a year, but this did not happen. Fortunately, the prediction that a person close to me would soon die also did not come true. In the photo: these white and gold chairs belong to a witch named Sultana.
“In this community it is usually the men who support the families. Whether they earn honest labor or not is another question. Fortune-telling and fortune telling is an ancient craft and the only one that women are allowed to practice here. It is also the only way for women here to achieve respect and success. Girls go to school until the age of 18, but their mothers, aunts and grandmothers teach them witchcraft. Each girl decides for herself whether this is the right thing to do or not, because often they have to deceive customers. In the photo: they try to furnish the houses here as magnificently as possible, decorating the interiors with golden chairs or huge TVs. This is the home of a witch named Amalia, who at the time of the photo shoot was teaching her niece witchcraft.
“I photographed some of the richest and most respected witches. These women have achieved the incredible: they have created a modern business with the help of ancient rituals that originate in their ethnic past. Their customs are the same as they were a century ago. Only the perception of their profession by others has changed.” In the photo: Selena is in the process of learning magic, she is preparing to become a witch. Now she is in high school, and her aunt Amalia teaches her magic.
Witches sometimes light candles to "open their inner eye" before casting a spell or seeing into the future.
Lowenta told the photographer that she saw grief behind her smile. She also predicted that this grief would become even stronger after someone close to her died.
Atena realized that the photographer did not believe in her strength and in God. She said that Lucia would not be happy until she believed in the Lord.
This staircase is in the home of a witch named Athena, who believes her life is guided by dreams about her late grandmother.
If you believe in sorcerers, vampires and witches, then Romania is the country you need! And indeed, getting into this small but attractive country for tourists, you understand that mysticism and reality go side by side. The witches of Romania are not characters from ancient fairy tales, they are the most living and real witches, who even have their own association. It turns out that in Romania sorcerers and witches exist on completely legal grounds. Here they are treated with respect and a certain awe, recognizing their right to exist. Locals are sensitive to ancient knowledge, even if they have not found a scientific explanation.
Mysticism and the unknown in Romania
The National Association "Witches of Romania" enjoys great popularity among the inhabitants of the country, which a few years ago had its own program on local television. Unfortunately, its existence ran counter to the government's plans to join the European Union, and this colorful program was closed. At the same time, there was a ban on showing any near-mystical stories with the participation of local magicians. Many locals sincerely regret this.
And again about Dracula: myths and legends
This mountainous country, washed by the warm Black Sea, not only attracts tourists with its beaches and ski resorts, it is famous for its rich historical heritage and many secrets and mystical legends. The secrets of Romania are not only witches, it is also the world-famous castle of Count Dracula, to which pilgrims from all over the world aspire. Do you know that several castles at once claimed the honorary title of "Dracula's castle" in Romania? But, nevertheless, most believe that the legendary vampire lived in Bran Castle, which is located thirty kilometers from the town of Brasov. The fanciful Gothic architecture of a well-preserved medieval castle with high walls, many intricate labyrinths, loopholes and the harsh beauty of the entire building speak for themselves. Getting here, one immediately believes in the real existence of a bloodthirsty vampire, the legend of which has been alive for several centuries. Unfortunately, this is one of the myths of Romania, and the vampire has nothing to do with this castle. But modern tour operators enjoy the extraordinary popularity of this mystical character and organize tours to Romania: "Dracula's Castle", castles and palaces of Carpathia. A visit to Bran Castle in Transylvania is a must for any tour to Romania. Tourists love stories about Dracula and are ready to visit Bran Castle more than once.
However, to be completely accurate, Dracula in Romania is a household name that belongs to two completely different heroes. The first of these was a vampire, a fictional character by the Irish writer Bram Stoker. And the second lived well earthly life, but no less bloodthirsty than its fictional namesake. More precisely, the cruel prince from Romania, Vlad Tepes, who went down in history with his bloodthirsty deeds, could become the prototype of the literary Dracula. He was nicknamed during his lifetime - Dracula. This villain and sadist reigned in the 15th century in Wallachia, one of the regions of Romania, but he had absolutely nothing to do with vampirism. But on the way of his life, the aforementioned gloomy Bran Castle could meet, in which the ruler of Wallachia could stop during his many campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. We are not allowed to look into the depths of centuries, and we can only guess - the myths of Romania or the historical truth gave the castle the name of the most famous vampire.
In Romania, there are several more places bearing the name of Dracula, which are shown to tourists. In the town of Targovishte, located 80 km from Bucharest, there are the ruins of the castle, where in 1456-1462 the residence of Prince Vlad Tepes (Dracula) was located. Most of the terrible atrocities were committed by him here. From the tower of the castle, one can enjoy the idyllic landscape of modern Romania and imagine that in the 15th century this beautiful picture was disfigured by a large number of stakes with Dracula's enemies impaled on them. From the first day of the count's arrival in the town of Targovishte, numerous executions began, so he took revenge on the killers of his older brother.
About three dozen kilometers from the city of Bucharest is Lake Snagov (Snagov), in the middle of which there is an island. There, according to legend, Count Dracula is buried. Those who suffer to visit the last point of his earthly life will be forced to get to him either by taxi or by shuttle bus. The last meters before meeting with the grave of the legend will have to sail on a boat. After all, the grave of Dracula is located in the monastery, which stands on the island. According to the historical chronicle, the body of the count, decapitated by the Turks during the battle, was interred in front of the altar itself. Today, the existence of the grave is indicated by a small portrait and a vase with fresh flowers. But this mystery of Romania was not destined to be confirmed. Archaeological excavations in 1931 did not yield any results. Only a few bones of domestic animals were found at the site of the alleged burial. Neither the remains of the coffin nor the human skeleton was found. This did not cool the ardor of lovers of everything mystical. On the contrary, they began to talk about the mysterious disappearance of the body of Count Dracula, which only fueled interest in this story and gave rise to new myths in Romania.
Romania is still full of unexplored mysteries and unsolved stories for those who like to plunge into the mysteries of the past. It's time to open the heavy curtain with the secrets of centuries.
You will need: 1 white candle, 1 blue and 1 yellow. Put them in front of a mirror and say:
"Mai usoara, mai subtire, asa cum spun: Fa-mi marimea potrivita chiar in achasta zi!"
(make it lighter, make it thinner, according to my word: give me the right to choose my size on this day!)
After reading the spell, the candles should go out on their own, then melt what remains of them into a new candle. Next time, repeat the spell on her, do this every day until there is nothing left of her.
2. The power of fire for protection.
Draw a circle, put a white candle in front of you. Sit in a circle as you like, look into the fire, imagine that you are in it, but it does not burn you, but protects you from everything and hum, entering a trance, repeating as much as necessary to realize the power:
"
Aruncavrajainfoc.
Arunc-o bine. Tese-o sus, tese-o acum.
Din flacara sclipitoare nimeni nu va veni sa faca rau sau sa mutileze.
Nimeni nu va trece de acest zid de foc. Nimeni nu va treat.
Nu,
absolutenimeni!"
(I throw words into the fire. I have, I create now. Through the fire of a brilliant flame, harm and injury will not reach me. No one will pass through the wall of fire. No one will pass. Absolutely no one will pass.)
3. Attract the good disposition of people.
In the spring on Friday, or on the day of the winter solstice, sew a bag of green silk. Take 4 feathers and 7 cat hair, mix with a handful of earth and put it in a bag. Sew the pouch into the clothing that you always wear around the heart.
4.Mirror for the night.
Take a mirror, clean it in salt water, then you will need a red apple and an image of a loved one (to catch a reflection of a living person or from a photograph imperceptibly). In the mirror, you first need to catch the reflection of an apple, then it, then put it under the pillow and do whatever you want with it in a dream.
5. Return love.
Get 3 roses on Midsummer Eve. In the morning, bury one under the Yew tree, in the afternoon, the 2nd in the cemetery, put the 3rd under the pillow. Think about it with a rose under your pillow for 3 days, and then burn it. Your image will haunt the departed lover until he returns to you.
6. See the deceased in a dream
Draw a pentagram, put a photo of the deceased, light a white candle, concentrate on the flame, then look at the deceased, and say:
"Ai plecat pentru totdeauna, dar prin acesta vraja, tu vei veni in visele mele!"
(“You are gone forever, but with the help of this spell, you will come into my dreams”) Put the photo under the pillow, when the candle remains, put it under the pillow as well. Not getting them out of there, on the 3rd night. You will see the deceased in a dream.
7. From enemies
To neutralize those who intend to harm you, destroy your reputation or harm you in any way. Mix 4 teaspoons of sea salt, 4 tablespoons of frankincense and myrrh, 4 tablespoons of orris root (or oakmoss) and 4 teaspoons of iron shavings. Take a piece of parchment and write in black ink:
"Neutralizez puterea lui ....(numele adversarului) de a-mi face rau.
Cer ca acest lucru sa fie correct si pentru binele tuturor. Asa sa fi!"
(Destroy his power (name of the enemy), who wishes me harm. In the name of justice, for the good of all. So be it!)
Roll up the parchment and tie it with black thread. Take the bottle, push the scroll and mixture into it. Light a white candle, walk counterclockwise around the bottle and seal the neck with wax. Then bury the bottle where no one goes.
8
.Love spell for sweets:
Tu, sare mare, eu, miere mare, Eu te incinz, eu aprinz,
Tu sa te incinzi, sa te aprinzi, Cum te incinzi, cum te aprinzi,
Asa sa se-ncinga, asa sa se-aprinda N. de chipul meu, de trupul meu.
Sa nu-i dai stare a sta, Sa-l incinzi, sa-l aprinzi,
Cum se incinge vatra de foc,
Focul de vatra, asa sa se-ncinga Inima-n N.
De chipul meu, de trupul meu,
Cum plesneste sarea, cum se-ncinge mierea,
Asa sa se-ncinga, asa sa se aprinza
Asa sa plesneasca, sa nu se staveasca Inima-n N.
De chipul meu, de trupul meu,
Nici in lung, nici in lat, nici la noi in sat, sa nu-i stare a sta,
Nici mancare a manca, nici hodin-a hodini, nici somn a durmi,
Pana la mine a veni.
Witch signs
1. Vindecare- healing.
This sign is drawn in blue ink on prescriptions, tablets, etc., and appears on all medicinal products. Can be made as a talisman to wear on the chest.
2. Ordine- Stability.
To maintain the orderliness of life and order in thoughts. Can be used for inspiration.
3. Protectie- Protection.
This sign can be applied to a house, car or any other value. Embroidered on a dress or robe, as it also provides personal protection. Can be made as an amulet and passed down through generations.
4. Richie- Wealth.
The sign is depicted in a bag, purse or pocket.
5. Iubire- Love.
Drawn in green for friendship and pink for love to meditate on it. To maintain love, such signs are made on pastries.
About wickedness
This problem has been around since antiquity - witches stick to children and take their lives. Legends are connected with this about strigs, drinking the blood of children and moroyuls - children who died from this and became wicked.
For example, a mother is walking in the city with a child, and a woman pesters:" Oh, ce dragut e! E pur si simplu adorabil!"("how sweet, charming!")
It is believed that if the mother does not immediately begin to spit on the child, denying before God that he is attractive, and that woman touches him, the damage will begin to act. When the mother and child return home, the child begins to scream and quickly becomes ill, dehydrated and even dead.
Therefore, Romanians are afraid of those who praise children, blue-eyed, childless women, cripples and any envious people, and take a bunch of measures against them:
- Do not give praise to children, up to a fight.
They spit on children.
They soil them with earth so that they do not seem beautiful.
-They put on them the still popular Egyptian amulet Wadjet (eye of Horus) and the “drop of Isis” - Tet.
Amulet made of stone "cat's eye" or pendants in the shape of a crescent.
Children are tied with bracelets made of blue beads.
Mirrors are sewn into clothes with the reverse side.
They tie a red braid or cord on the children's hands.
Spells used:
1. Deochi-Fromevil eye
Vine ciuta de la munte lingandu-si puii pe frunte.
Îi linge pe pistricei si pe cei frumusei.
Si eu pe N. il ling - de deochi, dintre ochi.
Cat o sta vantu-n gard atat sa stea deochiu-n cap,
Si sa fuga prin sat ca un cane turbat
Cu coada indoita,
2.
DESTRIGOI- From Strig
Strigoi mort- have a wide range of possibilities. You could say it's the ghost of a dead witch turned vampire.
Luatu-s-au strigele si scorpiile, sambata dimineata, 
Iniutate si-nfocate, cu cutite Ascutite,
Sa ia de la vaci hrana si mana.
Nime-n lume nu le vede, nime-n lume nu le-aude,
Numai Maica Domnului ce sta-n turnul cerului,
Numai ea ca le-a vazut, numai ea le-a auzit.
Cerga alba a intins, calea lor ca le-a aprins,
Si din gura ca le-a zis: Unde mergeti, si-ncotro va duceti?
Voi strigelor, voi scorpiilor, iniutate
Si-nfocate, cu cutite ascutite?
- Noi mergem sa luam,
De-a vaci hrana si mana,
Si sa le lasam numai zerul sa nu le piara vitelul.
- Voi strigelor si scorpiilor, Onapoi va intoarceti
Si-n mare sa va duceti. Duceti-va voi in mare
C-acolo-i un peste mare, de acela sa va apucati
Si aceluia sa-i luati hrana si mana.
Sambata des-dimineata, s-au luat vacile,
Pe carare rourata, pe carare necalcata,
Suparate si scarbite c-au fost de strigi pangarite.
Nime-n lume nu le vede, nime-n lume nu le aude,
Numai Maica Domnului sade-n turnul cerului,
Si ea cum mi le-a vazut, din gura ca le-a vorbit:
- Unde mergeti vacilor, suparate si scarbite?
- Mergem dupa hrana si dupa mana, ca strigile si scorpiile
Ne-au luat hrana si mana cea-ndulcita si zaharita,
Ce ne-a fost de la Dumnezeu daruita,
Si ne-au lasat numai zerul, sa nu ne piara vitelul.
Eu din toate partile voi lua, si voua voi da, si voi pune-o-n coarne,
Din coarne-n piele, din piele-n vine, din vine-n tate
Si din tate-n donita.
Samca- evil spirit, a subspecies of strig - a naked woman, with very long, flowing hair, pendulous breasts that touch the ground, small eyes, a sharp snake tongue, long nails, sharp as sickles. Appears on a full moon and scares children under 4 years old and pregnant women for miscarriage.
She can take the form of a very large pig, a dog, a cat with big eyes, a crow, or a large black spider.
Other names common in the Balkans: Navadaria, Valnomia, Sina, Nikozda, Avezuha, Skorkoila, Tikha, Slalo, Nekauza, Khatavu, Huva, Giana, Gluviana.
2.De MOROI
- from the undead.
Moroyul in Romanian mythology, ghost, evil spirit, strangler demon, often a dead child, even more often unbaptized. Also considered a type of vampire, it used to be customary for them to sacrifice livestock or pour blood into a feeder.
Tu moroiule, tu strigoiule, tu sa-ti mananci inima ta,
Matele tale, ficatii tai, carnea ta, oasele tale,
Pielea ta, ca cu cutitul te-oi taia, cu vin te-oi uda,
Cu busuioc te-oi afuma, cu tamaie te-oi tamaia,
Ca inima ti-oi lua, si cu cutitul oi taia-o,
Si-oi face-o noua bucatele,
Si-oi arunca-o peste noua valcele,
La noua catele.
In addition to them, there are also forest demons:
MumaPadurii-
Forest mother, she scares people who get lost in the forest. Like our Baba Yaga, only worse.
Paduroiul- Muma's husband, a dangerous guard of the Balkan forests.
fataPadurii(forest maiden) - Muma's daughter, lures young people into the forest and kills them. When she lures, she appears as a beauty with big black eyes and long black hair, when a guy leads on her, she turns into a monster and eats his heart. She took spells from her mother toseem beautiful, and her father has a magical Ivy, in which she catches her victims. But, she only appears at night and never leaves the forest.
Zburatorul(flyer) - also a forest demon, but a male who lures women. He is less aggressive.
Therefore, you can neither sing nor whistle in the forest at night, do not kindle fires.
Conspiracy from them:
U,
MumaPadurii,
u,
TatalPadurii,
Cearta-
ticaniitai,
cateleletale,
Caiitai,
telegariitai,
Armasariitai,
Zmeiitai,
Zmeoaiceletai,
SanuvielaN.
Sa-
lzdrobeasca,
sa-
lzdruncineasca,
Dinsomnsami-
ldestepteze,
Caeucufocuste-
oiarde,
Cumaturate-
oi
attractiondarkness:
S-o pornit omu negru la padurea neagra,
Sa taie padurea neagra, cu toporu negru,
S-o care la casa neagra, cu boii negri,
Cu caruta neagra. Si-o luat plugu negru
Si boii negri, si grau negru, sa samene grau negru,
Sa-l care la casa neagra, cu boii negri,
Cu caruta neagra si sa harmaneasca cu boii negri,
Sa puna-n saci negri, sa duca la moara neagra,
Sa-l faca faina neagra, sa-l duca la casa neagra,
Sa-l faca malaie negre, sa faca braha neagra,
Sa cheme toate bobnelele, sa cheme toate sgancunelele,
Da "pe-a mea a uitat-o, n-a chemat-o.
Da "ea s-o-nfocat, s-o-mbujorat si radacina i-o secat.
Witchcraft has long been regarded in most countries as a grandmother's tale and a relic of the past. But in some parts of the world, witches and sorceresses still cause respect and fear among others. Romania is one such country. How is the life of modern Romanian witches arranged?
Going to a witch is not considered in Romania a sign of backwardness and superstition. On the contrary, most of the inhabitants of the country prefer to turn to a witch when a resident Western Europe go to a doctor or a lawyer. According to statistics, every tenth resident of Romania regularly turns to the services of witches.
Those who are well acquainted with fairy tales about witches and sorceresses, during a visit to the Romanian witch, are unlikely to be surprised by anything. Local witches act exactly like the heroines of fairy tales: they surround themselves with mysterious and sinister artifacts, love animals like black cats and owls, mutter spells, brew potions, dry mysterious herbs ... And they even look like
Slovak photographer Lucia Sekerkova, who made a photo essay about Romanian witches, once decided to test their ability to predict the future, and invited several witches to tell what awaits her, Lucia, in the future. As a result, the girl was, to put it mildly, disappointed. According to her, most witches were very vague in their predictions, and those who decided on the specifics did not even come close to the truth. “One of them told me that in less than a year I would get married,” says Lucia. “The other said that soon one of the people close to me would die. A lot of time has passed, but none of the predictions have come true.”
Not all witches deny the church and the Christian religion. Witches who call themselves white make it their task to fight black witchcraft, use the Orthodox cross in their rituals and sincerely consider themselves believers. One of Romania's most famous witches, Rodica, daughter of the Mother Caterpillar, the personal soothsayer of the former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, calls herself a white witch and a Christian, and does not start work without a cross. "The cross is a symbol of our faith in God," says Rodica. "Everything I do, I do with faith in God."
Romanian witches are clearly divided into white and black. Black witches do evil - they send damage, conjure to death. White witches fight evil - heal diseases, remove spells. Their rituals are also different. White witches work during the day using honey, flowers, herbs and other symbols of life. Black witches get down to business at night, using symbols of death, dead animals, blood. Black witches, however, have one advantage - they are the only ones capable of talking to the dead.
Almost all Romanian witches are gypsies. In the gypsy community, witchcraft and predicting the future is the only work allowed for a woman and capable of bringing her honor and fearful respect in society. Therefore, almost without exception, girls in gypsy families go to school only until the age of 13-15, after which they devote themselves entirely to the study of witchcraft rituals and fortune-telling under the guidance of mothers and aunts. This photo shows young 15-year-old sorceresses studying the first rituals in their lives.
Witchcraft in Romania has existed since ancient times. However, only in 2011, many years after the advent of capitalism, did they decide to tax the services of witches and fortune tellers. They say that before that, government officials were afraid to impose a tax burden on witches, fearing their curses. Indeed, after the introduction of the tax, the Romanian community of witches collectively cast a curse on all politicians indiscriminately. The sorceresses even staged a cross between magic ritual and a demonstration, gathering to protest against the ngalogues and pouring a poisoned potion into the Danube. However, apart from a couple of fish, no one was harmed by the curse.
Romanian sorceresses keep up with the times and have been providing their ancient services via the Internet for ten years now. One of the first to launch her website with a form for ordering online services was the white sorceress Rodika. “I cast traditional spells and brew potions according to ancient recipes,” she writes on her page. “But the blog helps me get closer to potential clients and prove to skeptics that witchcraft is a reality.”
Witches Melissa (left) and Vanessa (right) were charged with blackmail and extortion in 2011. Promising help to the rich and famous citizens of Romania in business and love, they took more and more money from clients, threatening them with a curse if they stopped paying for their support. One of the victims, the well-known TV presenter Oana Zavoranu, took several hundred thousand euros to the blackmailers. She asked for help in relations with her mother-in-law, but Melissa and Vanessa could not smooth out the conflict in the host family. But they managed to intimidate the client so much that she continued to carry money to them, only to avoid the gypsy curse.
After 2011, when witches began to pay taxes, the public increasingly began to perceive them as ordinary representatives of the service industry and even tried to sue them for poor quality work - that is, as a rule, for incorrect predictions of the future. But to do this, as it turned out, is not so easy. Witches accuse the clients themselves of misreporting information about themselves, misrepresenting the date, place and exact time of birth. Since few people remember the moment of their own birth to a minute or its place to hundredths of a degree, it turns out to be difficult to prove the wrong of the crafty witch.
As already mentioned, almost all gypsy girls from a young age learn divination in the palm of their hand, on cards, using a crystal ball, as well as other witchcraft tricks. Having received basic knowledge from mothers, grandmothers and aunts, girls must decide for themselves whether they will become witches or prefer the fate of a housewife. At the same time, as stated, the teachers of witchcraft themselves indicate to the ward that, when making a decision, she must also remember about some moral ambiguity of this profession: after all, one way or another, she will have to exploit the naivety of clients. However, for some young witches, this is an extra plus in the profession.
In Romania, there is a place where any spell or curse comes true, even if it is uttered by the most inexperienced witch. This is the so-called Witch's bath half an hour from Bucharest. This pond is truly mysterious: animals do not drink from it, and although its measured depth does not exceed a couple of meters, anything can drown in it without a trace. According to rumors, on folk holidays, witches gather here to perform witchcraft rites, since spells cast exactly here always come true without fail. And here ordinary people they try not to approach the Witch's bath.
