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  What it means

  “On Saint Francis’s day, the fields turn green and storks return from their winter quarters.” An early spring proverb tied to October 4th (St. Francis) — though in older folk calendars this sometimes referred to a spring Francis feast. It marks the return of storks as a sign of seasonal renewal.

  Vocabulary

  • zielenić się — to turn green, to become green
  • łany — fields, expanses of crops
  • zimowisko — winter quarters, wintering ground
  • bociany — storks

  Grammar note

  'Zielenią się' is a reflexive verb in the third person plural. 'Ze swego zimowiska' uses the genitive after 'ze' (from).

  Cultural context

  Storks are a beloved symbol of spring and good luck in Polish culture. Their return was eagerly awaited by villagers.

  Intermediate

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