is also known as mono-dreadlock (or mono-dread for short), alluding to how its structure is comparable to a single, massive strand of a dreadlock hairstyle, as well as beaver tail as the mass of hair may resemble the tail of a beaver. The hairstyle can vary in size, from large beaver tails to small plaits. History The Polish plait was quite common in Europe during past centuries when hair grooming was largely neglected. It affected mostly the peasantry, but was not unusual among higher social classes. Due to superstitious beliefs, the Polish plait used to be particularly common in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, hence its English and Latin name. Similarly, in German it is called Weichselzopf, or Vistula braid, zopf meaning a braid, and the Vistula is a river in Poland. Initially, the plait was considered an amulet to keep illness away from the body, as it was believed that when disease resolved it left the body to live in the hair, resulting in lessened suffering. For this reason, people not only allowed it to develop, but even encouraged it. According to M. Marczewska, who researched the subject from the perspective of folklore studies, animistic beliefs and long-held pagan beliefs relating to illness viewed illness as caused by an invading evil spirit, which by convalescence left the body and was less problematic when living in the hair formation, which was then shed naturally or cut and ritualistically disposed of by persons specializing in folk medicine or practitioners of folk magic. As people believed that the formation of plica was a sign of resolving of disease, plica, as a hairstyle, was also formed artificially by washing with mixtures of herbs, sweetened wine, waxing, etc. In the early 17th century, people began to believe plaits were an external symptom of an internal illness. A growing plait was supposed to take the illness "out" of the body, and therefore it was rarely cut off; in addition, the belief that a cut-off plait could avenge itself and bring an even greater illness discouraged some from attacking it. It was also believed that casting a magic spell on someone could cause that person to develop a Polish plait, hence also the name "elflock" was used in English, also Hexenzopf (witches' plait) in German. These convictions were so widespread and strong that some people lived their whole lives with a Polish plait. A plait could sometimes grow