Zazhinki

an ancient ritual marking the beginning of the harvest. Zazhinki were widespread among the Slavs and other agricultural peoples. They involved the reaping of the first sheaf of grain by a priest, a sorceress, or some other such person. Sometimes, the sheaf was threshed separately, and the grain was mixed with the seeds chosen for the next sowing. The zazhinki were accompanied by special songs, complaining of the work’s difficulty, and supplications to god for aid.