World of modern peasants (by the Dictionaryof Phytonyms of the Middle Priobie)

The main aim of this article is to identify some peculiarities of the material and spiritualculture of modern peasants from the Middle Priobie Basin, which are reflected in the threevolumeDictionary of Phytonyms of the Middle Priobie.Though the collection of dialectal vocabulary of the Middle Priobie, as well asphytonyms, started in the 1950s, The Dictionary includes illustrated data, recorded duringthe last two or three decades; and it allows assuming that the information in it reflects theworld-view of modern rural inhabitants.Despite the forced truncation of the text due to the principle of economy in compilingthe dictionary, as well as its thematic focus, its data provides an opportunity to learn somefragments of the material and spiritual culture of peasants with their world-view, ethical,aesthetic, moral beliefs, attitudes and values. The texts reflect peculiarities of customs,beliefs, economic activities and traditions of folk medicine.The world of humans is inextricably linked with the world of nature, which satisfiesboth the material and spiritual needs of people. It is very difficult to find peasant activities,which are not connected with the use of plants. They include agriculture, cattle-breeding,various handicrafts, folk medicine, household - in all these spheres a person encounterswith flora, which is so familiar to him.The role of plants as food and healing products is highly valued by the villagers. TheDictionary presents information about harvesting and preparation of various dishes,beverages and medical ointments. The usage of plants in the household, as it has alreadybeen mentioned, is broad.Sometimes one plant was used for different purposes. For example, peasants usedwillow to weave baskets, make brooms and fences, its bark helped to tan leather and dyefabric. Flower heads of the goat willow was a delicacy; its branches were cut, consecrated in thechurch and placed behind the icon to protect the house from evil spirit. There was a belief that ifthe branch had many blossoms the household would grow; the cattle and people were beatenwith the consecrated branches of all types of willow for them not to fall ill.Dictionary material reflects complex and well-organized folk taxonomy of plants andcontains information about the history of cultivated plants development.Villagers treat nature with awe, worry about its destruction both under the influence ofadverse environmental effects and its pillaging by dishonest people. Farmers' stories arefull of sacred nature echoes of ancient people's attitude to nature. Flora is poeticized bypeople and the image of plants is reflected in almost all genres of folklore.In the conclusion, we point out that a high level of spiritual culture of modernvillagers is reflected in their attitude to nature, in their imaginative, emotional stories aboutplants.

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