On St. George's Day (the 6th of May) the Bulgarians celebrate the day of the Christian saint George who in the popular concepts is the patron-protector of the shepherds and herds.
      In the folk festal calendar the cult to the saint is associated with rich and complex rites, concerning all sides of the life of the Bulgarian - his permanent worries and dreams of abundance, wealthy and happy life. The characteristic rites and customs of cattle-breeding are intertwined with some agricultural ones and ritual practices for ensuring health and prosperity to people. During the spring night before the holiday girls and unmarried women gather flowers and herbs in the field to feed ritually with them the sheep and the cattle. Three wreaths are woven from the picked herbs: one-for the sheep that will be milked first; one for the lamb that will be sacrificed to the saint and one for the vessel with milk. With green branches people decorate the houses, the sheeppens, the farm buildings and the milk vessels. Before the dawn the shepherds, after having weaned the offspring, take the herd out to graze for a short time. When they return home and after the sunrise a ritual milking of the sheep follows. On St. George's Day everywhere a lamb is slaughtered as a sacrifice to the saint-patron. A common table of all the village is laid in the open "on green" -in the church yard, around the village (near a consecrated ground, a cross, a monastery, etc.), by the sheeppens. Except roast lamb people bring and other ritual meals - as specific place is given to the George's ritual bread on the table.
      Lead by the best shepherd or a pregnant woman with green branch in hand, special round dances "hora" are danced by the table the whole day. Everybody weighs on scales and cradles for health. For the same purpose healthy and sick people roll in the dewy grass or meadow in the early morning. For the future fertility of the fields every farmer goes to his field, makes a round of it and digs a red Easter egg in its center.
      According to the folk belief St. George's Day is one of the holidays when the fruits of the fields and the milk of the cattle can be stolen by magic for stealing. For protection the farmers put a pinch of salt and a woman's belt inside the gate to let the cattle goes through them on its way back from the pasture. On the next day the salt is added to the fodder. People don't lend salt and ferment for milk that day to avoid making charms with them.
      On the next day after St. George's Day the old agreements are renewed or new ones are concluded between journeymen, apprentices, shepherds, cowherds, servants and their landlords.