The grave in the forest: interaction of spatial and vegetation codes in epos

In traditional culture of the Balkan Slavs gora (woods, forest, mountain) is the place with many negative connotations: such place is always wild and alien, dangerous, with distinctive chthonic characteristics. In consequence, in epics gora/woods/forest becomes a spatial image of the peak of all active plot-lines of the poem, from which the action can go only towards a tragic end. What is more, whoever dies in the woods — stays in the woods too, because in traditional culture it is forbidden to bury the impure dead in the holy land. As those dead are usually ones without any personal blame, their graves are equipped with running water, benches and flowers or fruits to mark the spot of their departure and to figure as an offering to their souls.