Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1940)

290 Rain-magic in modern Greece

of maidens moving through the village is in like manner what it
definitely claims to be—a cloud-charm1.

Similar in character, but more obviously suggestive of a wedding,
is the May-day ceremonial of the Kledona. Miss M. Hamilton2
(Mrs G. Dickins) says of it:

'In Thessaly in the district of Karankunia3 the day is dedicated to the
blessing of the wells and springs, and the festival is called the Kledorm*, which
means omens. Little girls go round singing in bands of five during" the early
morning, the smallest being dressed as a bride. Two carry a water-vessel, and
the other two are bridesmaids. From the vineyards they take twigs, and drop
these into the vessel along with tokens from the youths and maidens of the place.
Then they visit all the wells and pour in half of the water, afterwards refilling
the vessel, while they sing a petition for blessing on the waters and crops.'

I am indebted to Professor A. J. B. Wace for the following descrip-
tion of the rite as performed by the Vlachs at Midsummer:

'In the summer of 1910, while travelling in South-west Macedonia, I had the
opportunity of seeing how the girls of the Vlach (Macedo-Roumanian) village of
Samarina celebrated the festival of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on
24th June (O.S.) with the custom of the klidhone& (sing, klidhona) and other

1 Supra p. 288. W. R. S. Ralston op. tit* p. 228 : 'The people believe that by this
means there will be extorted from the "heavenly women"—the clouds—the rain for
which thirsts the earth, as represented by the green-clad maiden Dodola.' Frazei
Go/den Bough*: The Magic Art i. 275: 'The words of the Servian song...taken in con-
nexion with the constant movement which the chief actress in the performance seems
expected to keep up, points [sic] to some comparison of the girl or her companions to
clouds moving through the sky. This again reminds us of the odd quivering movement
kept up by the Australian rain-maker, who, in his disguise of white down, may perhap
represent a cloud1 (JSee above, pp. 260 sq. This perpetual turning or whirling movemen
is required of the actors in other European ceremonies of a superstitious character. See
below, vol. ii. pp. 74, 80, 81, 87. I am far from feeling sure that the explanation of rt
suggested in the text is the true one. But I do not remember to have met with any other)-
Whatever the explanation of the flutter, the flutter accounts for the confusion of veP1'
iropda, irepirepela, irepirepia, 'procession' (supra p. 287 n. 8), with irepvtpia, irepvtpl>"iiu
'butterflies' (supra p. 287 n. 4).

2 M. Hamilton GreekSaints and Their Festivals Edinburgh and London 1910 p-

3 'Etrr/a 1890 p. 268.

J M. Hamilton op. cit. p. 158 on St John's Eve: 'The consultation of oracles belongs
to the magic of the Eve. The usual ceremony in Greece is called kledonas, vrl',icb^
worked by the vept> ap-lX-qro—speechless water. A water-vessel is filled at the spring a
carried to the house by some maiden without speaking. Into it are thrown tokens 01
kinds, which are drawn out next morning, and from them each forms his conclusions a
future fortunes. Usually it is merely a case of marriage-questionings on the part ot
village girls.' Etc. ^

5 Prof. Wace appends a brief bibliography including L. M. J. Garnett—J- S. ° ' 0
Glennie The Women of Turkey and their Folk-lore The Christian Women London^^
p. 20 ('The procession of the Perpcruda...\% also an institution among the

women...The third Thursday after Easter is the day chosen for this propitiation
Water Deities.' 'The ceremony of the Klithona, observed by the Greeks on St. J .
Eve, is also performed by the Vlach youths and maidens under the same name,