Sleep is a curious thing.
On the one hand, it is "a-kin" to Death.
In terms of mythology, this is literal: Morpheus is the nephew of Thanatos.
On the other, it is possible to obtain clarity regarding certain personal situations; last year, I've even been able to formulate some of the best arguments in my dissertation, as my brain continued to mull over all those disorganized thoughts swarming in my head during waking hours.
And then there are meaningful dreams and welcome illusions.
Lately, I've been waking up with Russian (Slavic) childhood rhymes that popped into my head seemingly out of nowhere. I remember exactly what some of them are. Others--not so much--for instance, one that begins with "burn, burn bright." (Imperfect grammar--deliberate.) I suspect that this was something we said in the context of lighting camp fires.
At the golden hour, even the most common mountain weeds resemble torch lights.
I translated it into English:
Burn, burn bright,
Keep it alight.
Stand aside,
Look outside,
Trumpeters pass by
Eating braided pie.
Face the sky:
Stars are glowing,
Cranes are calling:
—Hey, hey, I'll run away.
One, two, don't miss the game,
And run like a flame!
The original Russian:
Гори, гори ясно,
Чтобы не погасло.
Стой подоле,
Гляди на поле,
Едут там трубачи
Да едят калачи.
Погляди на небо:
Звёзды горят,
Журавли кричат:
— Гу, гу, убегу.
Раз, два, не воронь,
А беги, как огонь!
The source of these lines, however, was quite different from what I assumed. Gorelki, "burners," was an ancient Slavic game, not unlike tag, for young single men and women, related to various pagan rites such as the coming of Spring and the Summer solstice.
Nowadays, this game is exclusively for children.
Midday Sun.
Perhaps, the appearance of this rhyme is a cryptic reminder to tend to one's inner fires.