Customs
Ether (Kropka)
In addition to drink vodka (horilka), Lemkos also drank “Kropka” ether. It was consumed straight, mixed with milk or with sugar. Ether was used as medicine (to cure stomach problems) and also for getting light high. It was consumed by women as well as men. One theory why drinking ether become so popular in the region is that it happened during World War I, when front lines crossed many times through the region. Ether was widely available from military field hospitals where locals both it at prices lower than alcohol.
Children poems passed to me by my grand father Jan Ganc from Wysowa:
Smert
Did zviasku droł izvił, az pidneju prisił
Każe sobi: łutsze buło w temnym hrobi
Jak ve svitu biduvaty
Aż tu z lisa sztos szelestyt
Czoho hoczesz neboże?
Smert vsim rado pomoże!
Did nysko pokłonyłsa.
Zrobte meni łasku,
I zadajte tiu droł zviasku