{"id":11986,"date":"2019-10-31T07:53:00","date_gmt":"2019-10-31T07:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=11986"},"modified":"2019-10-29T17:51:30","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T17:51:30","slug":"russian-spooky-folk-characters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-spooky-folk-characters\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian Spooky Folk Characters"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s Halloween again! This holiday is not as ingrained<\/a> in Russian culture as it is in some Anglophone cultures\u2014children don’t usually go trick-or-treating, and you won’t see many eerie decorations in people’s front yards (especially since most people live in high-rises<\/a>). However, children usually learn about it in their English classes, and there may be theme or costume parties. Even though Halloween is not very visible in Russian culture, there are plenty of creepy folklore characters that I’d like to talk about. Perhaps they can be an inspiration for your costume this year?<\/p>\n

\"Painting

\u0414\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0435\u0435\u0432 \u0418\u0432\u0430\u043d \u0410\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0435\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0447 [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

\u0420\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0301\u043b\u043a\u0430<\/h2>\n

\u0420\u0443\u0441\u0430\u043b\u043a\u0430<\/strong> is a Slavic folklore creature somewhat similar to a mermaid. Originally, this was just a folk deity associated with nature. It gradually evolved to be a young woman who either killed herself or was killed by drowning and now tried to lure young men into the water. Russian \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0430\u043b\u043a\u0438 are not usually depicted with a fish tail (\u0440\u044b\u0301\u0431\u0438\u0439 \u0445\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442<\/strong>)\u2014they are normally either naked or wearing torn clothes.<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0438\u043a\u0438\u0301\u043c\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/h2>\n

\u041a\u0438\u043a\u0438\u043c\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/strong> is another female creature associated with \u043d\u0435\u0447\u0438\u0301\u0441\u0442\u0430\u044f \u0441\u0438\u0301\u043b\u0430<\/strong> (evil spirits). She is a house spirit that hides during the day but comes out at night to do mischief or do some chores around the house, such as spinning thread. It was believed that kikimora <\/em>meant trouble for the household once she moved in and was hard to get rid of. She was also blamed for making various noises around the house, such as banging on walls or groaning.<\/p>\n

\"Vodyanoy\"

Vladimirov_VV [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

\u0412\u043e\u0434\u044f\u043d\u043e\u0301\u0439<\/h2>\n

\u0412\u043e\u0434\u044f\u043d\u043e\u0439<\/strong> is a water spirit that lives in swamps, near whirlpools, or in water mills. This word is related to water, \u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0301<\/strong>. He is usually depicted as an old man with a long beard. Just like rusalkas<\/em>, he is responsible for people drowning.<\/p>\n

\u041e\u0301\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/h2>\n

\u041e\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong> is the Slavic take on a shapeshifter or werewolf. However, \u043e\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong> is a person who can turn not only into a wolf but also into other animals and even inanimate objects. This word is related to \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> or, more commonly, \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong><\/a> \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e-\u0442\u043e, to turn into someone.<\/p>\n

\"Frog

Frog Princess by Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons<\/a><\/p><\/div>Now that we’ve seen some popular characters, let’s take a look at this excerpt from “\u041f\u043e \u0441\u043b\u0435\u0434\u0430\u043c \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u0438\u0434\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432” (“Following the Smitten Idols”) by Vladimir Epifantsev (\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440 \u0415\u043f\u0438\u0444\u0430\u043d\u0446\u0435\u0432). Because the creatures were discussed don’t always have an exact equivalent in English, I will be using their Russian names in the translation.<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0435\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438\u0301\u0435, \u043e\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0301\u0433\u043b\u044b\u0435 \u043f\u043e \u0444\u043e\u0301\u0440\u043c\u0435 \u043e\u0437\u0451\u0440\u0430 \u0441\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0301\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c \u043c\u0435\u0301\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043c \u043e\u0431\u0438\u0442\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0434\u044f\u043d\u044b\u0301\u0445<\/strong> \u0438 \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0301\u043b\u043e\u043a<\/strong>. \u0412\u043e\u0434\u044f\u043d\u044b\u0301\u0435<\/strong> \u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0301\u043d\u044c\u043a\u043e \u0443\u0442\u0430\u0301\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u043d\u043e \u0441\u043a\u043e\u0442\u0438\u0301\u043d\u0443 \u0438 \u0431\u0440\u0430\u0301\u043b\u0438 \u0432 \u0436\u0451\u043d \u0443\u0442\u043e\u0301\u043f\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0438\u0446. \u041f\u043e \u044d\u0301\u0442\u043e\u0439 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0447\u0438\u0301\u043d\u0435 \u0432\u043e\u0434\u044f\u043d\u044b\u0301\u0435 \u043c\u0435\u0301\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u0446\u044b \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0301\u043b\u0438 \u043e\u0441\u043e\u0301\u0431\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0445 \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0438 \u043f\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0435\u0434 \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0439\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0432 \u0437\u0435\u0301\u043c\u043b\u044e \u0437\u0430\u0301\u0436\u0438\u0432\u043e \u0437\u0430\u043a\u0430\u0301\u043f\u044b\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0447\u0451\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0435\u0442\u0443\u0301\u0445. \u041e\u043f\u0430\u0301\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043f\u0443\u0301\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0301\u043b\u0438 \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0301\u043b\u043a\u0438<\/strong>, \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0301\u0440\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0438\u0301\u043c \u043f\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0438\u0435\u043c \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0301\u043b\u0438 \u0441\u0431\u0438\u0301\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0441 \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0433\u0438. \u0423 \u043f\u043e\u0301\u0439\u043c\u0430\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0430\u0301\u043b\u043a\u0430\u043c\u0438 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0301\u043a\u0430 \u0431\u044b\u043b\u0430\u0301 \u043d\u0435\u0437\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0301\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0441\u0443\u0434\u044c\u0431\u0430\u0301 \u2015 \u043b\u0438\u0301\u0431\u043e \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c \u0443\u0442\u043e\u0301\u043f\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u043c, \u043b\u0438\u0301\u0431\u043e \u0443\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0301\u0442\u044c \u043e\u0442 \u0449\u0435\u043a\u043e\u0301\u0442\u043a\u0438. \u041c\u0435\u0301\u043b\u043a\u0438\u043c \u00ab\u0445\u0443\u043b\u0438\u0433\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c\u00bb \u0437\u0430\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0301\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c \u043a\u0438\u043a\u0438\u0301\u043c\u043e\u0440\u044b<\/strong>, \u043f\u0443\u0301\u0442\u0430\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u044f\u0301\u0436\u0443 \u0438 \u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0301\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0435 \u0448\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0441 \u043e\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0446. \u041a\u0438\u043a\u0438\u0301\u043c\u043e\u0440\u044b<\/strong> \u043c\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0438\u0301 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0438\u0301\u043a\u043d\u0443\u0442\u044c \u0438 \u0432 \u043a\u0443\u0440\u044f\u0301\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a, \u0438 \u0442\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430\u0301 \u043f\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0446\u044b \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0301\u043b\u0438 \u043d\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0301 \u044f\u0301\u0439\u0446\u0430.<\/p>\n

Small, round lakes were thought to be vodyanoy <\/em>and rusalka <\/em>habitats. Vodyanoys <\/em>often pulled livestock to the bottom and married drowned women. That’s why water mills were particularly feared, and before one was built, a black rooster had to be buried alive. Rusalkas <\/em>also were dangerous for travelers because their singing led the travelers astray. A pitiful fate awaited any person caught by the rusalkas\u2014<\/em>they either drowned or died from being tickled. Kikimoras <\/em>also caused mischief by tangling yarn and stealing sheep’s wool. Kikimoras <\/em>could get into the chicken coop, and then the hens would stop laying eggs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are other mythical creatures like \u0434\u043e\u043c\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0301\u0439<\/strong> (similar to a house elf), \u043b\u0301\u0435\u0448\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (wood spirit, from \u043b\u0435\u0441, forest), or \u0443\u043f\u044b\u0301\u0440\u044c<\/strong> (similar to a vampire). Are you familiar with any of these? Are there similar characters in your culture?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Frog

It’s Halloween again! This holiday is not as ingrained in Russian culture as it is in some Anglophone cultures\u2014children don’t usually go trick-or-treating, and you won’t see many eerie decorations in people’s front yards (especially since most people live in high-rises). However, children usually learn about it in their English classes, and there may be…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":12026,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[529248,3213,298421,6179,529244,252998,529246,529247],"class_list":["post-11986","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","tag-deities","tag-halloween","tag-mermaid","tag-mythology","tag-pagan","tag-russian-folklore","tag-shapeshifter","tag-werewolf"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/113"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11986"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11986\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12029,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11986\/revisions\/12029"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}