Page 37 - Растения Сахалинской области в легендах и мифах

Padus ssiori P

(Padus ssiori (Fr. Schmidt)

C. K. Schneid.)

Deciduous, upright tree up to 7 m high with
dark gray bark and dark brown, shiny young
stems. The leaves are petiolar, with a large,
elliptical, 15 cm long and 8 cm wide blade.
The flowers are actinomorphic, white, slightly
fragrant, 1.5 cm in diameter, collected in dense
clusters up to 20 cm long and 2 cm wide.
In the Sakhalin Region, it grows on the
northern border of the area, in the southern
half of Sakhalin Island (Uglegorsky,
Tomarinsky, Makarovsky, Dolinsky, Kholmsky,
Korsakovsky, Anivsky, Nevelsky Districts
and environs of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), island
Moneron and the southern Kuril Islands: Iturup,
Kunashir, Shikotan.

In Russia, it also spreads in the south of the Primorsky Region. Outside of the Russian
Federation it is found in Japan (Hokkaido and Honshu Islands).

In ancient times,a shaman lived in the Nivkh village. Everyone came
to her for advice and help, she treated and protected everyone. But

the time came, and her long life came to an end. Before her death,
she called the whole tribe to her and told them that after she left, a
berry tree unfamiliar to them would grow, which would have white
flowers in spring and berries ripen in autumn. But she ordered them
never to add them to ritual treats to the gods, because that tree is
the shaman. The people fulfilled the command of the wise shamaness,
whether they took care of the plant. But one day, in a very fruitful year,
women went to the forest for this berry. One of them chose the richest

tree and began to chop off branches with an ax to make it easier to
pick berries. And then the villagers saw blood dripping down the fresh
felling. Then everyone remembered the legend of the shamaness and
looked reproachfully at the woman. Since then, no one has ever used
an ax, so as not to hurt the tree.

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