On July 7 night is the festival called Ivan Kupala. Nature is considered to be at the height of its power this day, so people try to collect some herbs that are said to be magical: they can make a young man fall in love with a girl, or, vice versa turn away from her. It is also believed that the night before the holiday the fern blossoms flare up like flames, and anyone who can pick the flower will acquire magical properties. Though looking for a fern is quite a challenging affair as the flower is thought to be guarded by devils. The day has got its name after a god from pre-Christian mythology that had to do with water. The customs of washing one's face with dew and dunking or splashing each other with a pail of water on this day have survived till nowadays. Maids and young men meet by a lake, light up Kupala bonfires, leap over the flames, cleaning themselves of ill and bad luck. The festivities are accompanied by ring-dances, games, and fun; it ends in a feast.