Peperuda in folk tradition is called the ritual, being performed for calling forth rain during a long period of drought. The ritual group of young girls is lead by "Peperuda", which is a girl, who compulsory has to be an orphan or first-born child. On the fixed day the group of girls meet in her house or along the river and cover her all over with elder leaves. All girls are barefoot with their hair loosened on their shoulders. They take peperuda (the butterfly) around the village, as they enter in each house and perform special ritual songs. The hostesses welcome them with a pot full of water and while the girls sing ritual song they pour this water over the peperuda, she shakes hands like shaking wings. After these visits the girls go again to the river, where they put off the green apparel of peperuda and throw it downstream. They sprinkle each other with water and most of all pour with water the peperuda. During recent years of drought this ritual is being performed in its authentic way in all parts of Burgas region: the villages of Lulakovo, Podvis, Momina Tsurkva, Malko Tarnovo, etc.
[url=/uploads/old/PEPERUDA.pdf]Traditionelle bulgarische Bräuche - Peperuda / Schmetterling (Deutsche Version herunterladen)[/url]