Good and evil spirits of the ancient Slavs. Slavic god of water and contradictions of mythology. Slavic water goddess Dana

The Slavs are the largest group of peoples in Europe, united by a common origin and kinship of languages. This group includes eastern Slavs (Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians), western (Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Lusatians, Kashubians), southern (Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Macedonians, Bosnians).

Slavic mythology is a set of mythological ideas of the ancient Slavs (Proto-Slavs) of the time of their unity (until the end of the 1st millennium AD).

Developing, Slavic mythology went through three stages - spirits, deities of nature and gods-idols (idols). The Slavs revered the gods of life and death (Zhiva and Moran), fertility and the plant kingdom, heavenly bodies and fire, sky and war; personified not only the sun or water, but also numerous house and forest spirits;

Baba Yaga

Baba - Yaga - the oldest character in Slavic mythology, a kind of witch, an evil spirit, under the guise of an ugly old woman. Initially, it was the deity of death: a woman with a snake tail, who guarded the entrance to the underworld and escorted the souls of the deceased to the kingdom of the dead. In this way, she was a bit like the ancient Greek snake maiden Echidna. According to ancient myths, Echidna gave birth to the Scythians from her marriage with Hercules, and the Scythians are considered the most ancient ancestors of the Slavs.

Death betrays the dead to Baba - Yaga, with whom she travels around the wide world. At the same time, Baba Yaga and the witches subject to her feed on the souls of the dead and therefore become light, like the souls themselves.

But still, Baba Yaga is a more dangerous creature, possessing much more power than some kind of witch. Most often, she lives in a dense forest, which has long inspired fear in people, since it was perceived as the border between the world of the dead and the living. It is not for nothing that her hut is surrounded by a palisade of human bones and skulls, and in many fairy tales Baba Yaga eats human flesh, and she herself is called “bone leg”.

even when the Baba Yaga appears in the most unattractive form and is distinguished by the fierceness of her nature, she knows the future, has countless treasures, secret knowledge.

This old sorceress does not walk, but travels around the world in an iron mortar (that is, a scooter chariot), and when she walks, she forces the mortar to run faster, striking with an iron club or pestle. And so that, for reasons known to her, no traces could be seen, they are swept up after her by special ones, attached to the mortar with a broom and a broom. She is served by frogs, black cats, including Cat Bayun, crows and snakes: All creatures in which both threat and wisdom coexist.

V fairy tales it operates in 3 incarnations. Yaga-hero has a treasure sword and fights on equal terms with heroes. Yaga the kidnapper steals children, sometimes throwing them on the roofs of her native house already dead, but most often taking them to her hut on chicken legs, or into an open field, or underground. And, in the end, the yaga-giver greets the hero or heroine affably, treats him deliciously, soars in the bathhouse, gives helpful tips, gives a heroic horse or generous gifts, for example, a magic ball leading to a wonderful goal, etc.

Lesovik-goblin-spirit and guardian of the forest in Slavic mythology, who lives in a forest thicket. He knows how to turn around, appear in the form of a decrepit old man, or a tree, a bear. Sometimes he screams in the forest and scares people. Goblin is a wolf and bear shepherd, all the animals in the forest obey him. He guards the forest and forest animals, because lumberjacks and hunters are afraid of him. Having learned that a goblin lives in some more often, people bypass it. It is considered a protected, sacred grove.

The goblin is the head of all the trees and animals, without his permission you should not enter the forest. The goblin is either as tall as grass or as tall as a pine tree, and usually a simple peasant, only his caftan is wrapped around right side and the shoe is shod on the contrary; his eyes burn with green fire, Leshy's hair is long gray-green, his face has neither eyelashes nor eyebrows.

It is similar in appearance to a person, but only covered from head to toe with hair. He tries to pretend to be a man to the one he meets, but it is easy to expose him when you look through the right ear of the horse.

Goblin loves to fool travelers and knock them off the path, confusing paths and starting to drive in circles. He can also act in absentia, uttering wild, terrifying cries, which is why a person goes astray and then wanders for a long time. Satisfied that the joke was a success, the goblin laughs heart-rendingly and claps his hands, which, no doubt, does not add joy to those who have lost their way. The only remedy against these evil machinations among the people was considered the following method: having discovered that the paths-roads are lost, you should turn out and put on absolutely all the clothes inside out - and then the spell is dispelled, and the unfortunate traveler manages to leave the terrible forest

The goblin can go around a careless person, and he will rush about inside the magic circle for a long time, unable to cross the closed line. But Goblin, like all living things, nature knows how to repay good for good. And he needs only one thing: that a person, entering the forest, respects the forest laws, does not harm the forest. And Goblin will be very happy if you leave him delicacies somewhere on a stump that do not grow in the forest, a pie, a gingerbread, and say thanks aloud for the mushrooms, for the berries.

A funny belief is connected among the people with the day of October 17th. “On Yerofey,” the peasants believed, “the goblin parted with the forest.” It is on this day that they break trees, drive animals through the forest until they fall into the ground. It was not supposed to even look into the forest at this time - it’s scary there: “the goblin is furious.”

Leshy was the rightful master of the forests. But at the same time, he did not hesitate to leave his territory and annoy people in their homes. They say that goblin lived in the forest in a hut, married lost girls, and led the most ordinary household. The goblins got the necessary food in the village: they looked at which of the housewives did not bless the food, who was too lazy to repaint household utensils and clothes, who did not read the prayer before milking or sowing, and then they stole all this unblessed good. However, lonely Leshi lived in dense reeds or forest slums, and mostly had fun by bothering people. Submits to God Yarila and his father - Veles.

Water

Water - in Slavic mythology, the spirit that lives in the water, the owner of the waters.

When in the high water from the spring melting of snows or from long torrential rains the river comes out of its banks and breaks bridges, dams and mills with the swift pressure of the waves, the peasants think that these are water drinks at the wedding, indulged in violent fun and dancing and in their revelry destroyed all the people they met. barriers. Well, when the merman's wife is about to give birth, he takes on the appearance of an ordinary person, appears in a city or village, invites a midwife to him, leads him to his underwater possessions, and then generously rewards for his work with silver and gold. They say that once the fishermen pulled out a child in the nets, who frolicked and played when he was lowered into the water in the nets, but languished, sad and cried when they brought him to the hut. The child turned out to be the brainchild of a merman; the fishermen let him go to his father on the condition that he catch up with them in the net as much as possible more fish, and this condition was met. However, if a merman goes among people, even if he takes on a human form, it is easy to recognize him, because water constantly drips from his left floor: wherever he sits, the place is constantly wet, and when he starts combing his hair, water flows from his hair.

The appearance of the merman was represented in the form of a naked, flabby old man, bug-eyed, with a fish tail. He is entangled in mud, has a large broad beard (according to some sources, to the waist), and a green mustache. Could turn into a large fish, a log, a drowned man, a child or a horse. In addition, he appears in the form of a man with individual features of an animal (paws instead of hands, horns on his head), or an ugly old man, entangled in mud, with a large beard and green mustache.

Rarely comes out of the water; his favorite place is the river whirlpools, and besides, near the water mills. He likes to spend the night under the mill wheel, where a jet of water washes away deep pools. The waterman also demands respect. His revenge lies in the damage to the mills, in the dispersal of the fish, and sometimes, they say, he encroaches on the life of a person. Catfish is attributed to him as a favorite fish, on which he rides and which delivers drowned men to him. For this, the catfish is popularly called the "devil's horse." Especially likes the water one to climb for the night under the water mill, near the wheel itself, which is why in the old days all millers were certainly considered sorcerers. However, the mermen also have their own houses: in the thickets of reeds and sedges they have built rich chambers of shells and semi-precious river

Watermen dragged people to their bottom, frightened and drowned the bathers. These beliefs about watermen are comparable to the legend about the sea (water, bottom) king, reflected in Russian epics about Sadko. In fairy tales, the merman seizes his victim when she drinks from a stream or well, demands a son from the captured king or merchant as a pledge, etc. In Slavic beliefs about the water and sea king, one can see a reflection at a lower level of the mythological system once related to a special god of the sea and waters.

So, water - like other natural essences - was a primordially kind, friendly element for the Slavic pagans. But, like all elements, it demanded that it be treated as "you". After all, she could drown, destroy for nothing. Could require sacrifice. She could wash away the village, set up "without asking" from Vodyanoy - we would say now, without knowledge of local hydrology. That is why the Waterman often appears in legends as a creature hostile to man. Apparently the Slavs, as experienced inhabitants of the forest, were still less afraid of getting lost than drowning, which is why the Waterman in the legends looks more dangerous than Leshy.

The same meaning is attributed to the waterman as to the brownie, which is evidenced by the proverb: "grandfather of the water, the head of the water." He is also credited with power over mermaids, undines and other water inhabitants, who therefore do not constitute an original deity. Mermen graze at the bottom of rivers and lakes herds of their cows - catfish, carp, bream and other fish. Commands mermaids, undines and other aquatic inhabitants. In general, he is kind, but sometimes he likes to indulge in water and drag some gaping person to the bottom so that he entertains him. By the way, drowned people also go in the service of the waterman. The water springs were endowed with special power, because the springs, according to legend, arose from the lightning strike of Perun, the most powerful deity. Such keys were called "rattling", and this is preserved in the name of many sources.

In his native element, the water is irresistible, but on earth his strength is weakening. But already on the rivers all the fish are subject to him, all the storms, storms and hurricanes: he protects the swimmer - or drowns him; gives the fisherman a happy catch - or breaks his net. It happens that fishermen, raising the net, pull out along with the fish the “water miracle”, which immediately breaks the net, dives - and takes all the prey with it. One fisherman, seeing that the river was carrying a dead body, took the drowned man into the boat, but, to his horror, the dead man suddenly came to life: he jumped up, laughed and threw himself into the abyss. So the merman played a joke on him.

You can see that with a young moon, his hair is fresh and green, like algae, and at the end of the month - gray hair. The age of the merman also changes: at the birth of the month he is young, at the loss he is old. In the summer he is awake, and in the winter he sleeps, because the winter cold locks up the rains and covers the waters with ice. With the beginning of spring, in April, the merman awakens from hibernation, hungry and angry, like a bear: out of vexation, he breaks the ice, raises the waves, disperses the fish into different sides, but small and completely torments. At this time, the angry lord of the river is appeased with sacrifices: water is poured with oil, geese are bestowed - the favorite bird of the water.

The power of Koshchei

Koschei is associated with the element of water: Water gives Koschei supernatural strength. After drinking three buckets of water brought to him by Ivan Tsarevich, Koschey breaks 12 chains and is freed from Marya Morevna's dungeon.

Koschey is a very powerful sorcerer, which is also confirmed in the fairy tale "Ivan Sosnovich", where Koschey turns the whole kingdom into stone.

1) In the fairy tale "Elena the Beautiful" turns Ivan Tsarevich into a nut. 2) In the fairy tale "Princess Frog" punishes the princess by putting a frog skin on her with a powerful spell. 3) In the fairy tale "Princess-Snake" turns the princess into a snake. 4) Also Koschey. lover of turning into a crow

There is also a version according to which Koschey takes death from his magic horse. IN folk tale about Marya Morevna Koschei takes death from a horse: Ivan fattened a foal in green meadows and a glorious horse grew out of him. He rode on a horse for Marya and again took her away from Koshchei. Koschei tried to keep up with them, but now Ivan's horse was even better than Koshcheev's horse. How long, how short, Koshchei overtook the fugitives and wanted to cut Ivan with a saber, but Ivanov's horse hit Koshchei and smashed his head. Ivan lit a fire and burned Koshchei at the stake, and let his ashes fly into the wind. Although, perhaps, death by a horse represents an earlier version. 5 slide. There is also a version of the fairy tale about Marya Morevna, where Ivan does not burn the corpse of Koshchei, but finishes him off with a club after he was kicked by a heroic horse.

Also, in many fairy tales it is mentioned that Koschey is a prisoner who spent three hundred years in prison either in a tower or in a dungeon, chained

The origin of the word "koschey"

1 version. The word "koshchei" in the XII century meant a slave, a captive; in the Tale of Igor's Campaign, the term is mentioned twice: Igor, having been captured by Konchak, sits "in the saddle of Koshcheevo"; the author of the Lay says that if Vsevolod Yuryevich Big Nest had come to the aid of the Polovtsy, the slave would have been beaten, and the koshchei cut.

Koshchei appears in the same meaning in the Ipatiev Chronicle. In birch-bark letters of the 12th century from Novgorod and Torzhok, Koshchei (also Koshkey, with the Novgorod dialect reading -sh- as -shk-) is found as a personal name.

This word, according to the most common etymology, is from the Turkic košči "slave", which, in turn, is formed from koš "camp, camp". However, A. I. Sobolevsky proposed a Slavic etymology - from bone "scold".

Koschey, as the name of the hero of a fairy tale and as a designation of a skinny person, Max Vasmer in his dictionary considers not Turkism, but a primordially Slavic word and associates with the word bone, that is, it is an adjective form koštіi, inclined like "God".

Enemies of Koshchei

In a number of fairy tales, the enemy of Koshchei is Baba Yaga, who tells the main character information on how to kill him, but sometimes they are at the same time.

Also, the enemies of Koshchei are the heroes Dubynya, Gorynya, Usynya from the fairy tale Ivan Sosnovich, Koschey kills two of them, and mortally wounds Dubynya. In this tale, Koschey dies at the hands of Ivan Sosnovich.

Koshchei has many enemies, but few of them survived the meeting with him.

Mythological archetype of Koshchei

1) Koschei is the son of Mother Earth in ancient Slavic mythology. The duck, as the keeper of the egg with the death of Koshchei, was revered by the Viy bird. The prototypes of Viy and Koshchei most likely merged into a single whole under the weight of time. In Orthodoxy, it is replaced by the evil Saint Kasyan, whose day is celebrated on February 29. 2) Undoubtedly, it is associated with seasonal necrosis, is the enemy of Mokosh-Yaga, who leads the hero into his world - Koshche's kingdom. It is interesting that the name of the heroine kidnapped by Koshchei is Marya Morevna, that is, Koshchei is death without rebirth. Refers to the new gods. It was believed that Viy had a deadly look, so his eyes were closed with heavy eyelids, eyelashes or eyebrows. He had the image of an old man.

Tales About Koshchei

Mermaids, Kupalki, Vodyanitsy.

Whom only our land was not inhabited in antiquity! What extraordinary secrets were not revealed to our distant ancestors. One of them is connected with mysterious creatures that became the heroines of numerous legends and scary stories, - mermaids. Mermaids, swimmers, waterwomen, in Slavic mythology, beings, as a rule, harmful, in which dead girls turn, mostly drowned women, people who bathe at inopportune times, those who were deliberately dragged by the water man into his service, unbaptized children.

The name “mermaid” (in the Slavic myth) comes from the word “fair-haired”, which means “light”, “clean” in ancient Slavic. The habitat of mermaids is associated with the proximity of reservoirs, rivers, lakes, which were considered the way to the underworld. Along this waterway, the mermaids went to land and lived there already. Also, according to Slavic beliefs, these mermaids did not have a tail. More often they were confused with sirens from ancient myths and they could live not only in water but also on trees and in mountains. obey God Yarila and his father - Veles.

Mermaids are represented as beautiful girls with long flowing green hair, less often - in the form of shaggy ugly women. Mermaids were often depicted as a stuffed animal (sometimes a dressed rye sheaf), they carried it into the field and left it there on the boundary or tore it apart and scattered it across the field.

The female spirits of the waters are waterwomen, mermaids swim to the surface only in the evening, and sleep during the day. They lure travelers with beautiful songs, and then drag them into the pool. Mermaids live not only in the water. From Trinity Day, they come out and, scattering, until autumn, through fields, copses and groves, they choose for themselves a spreading willow or weeping birch, bent over the water, where they live.

A big holiday at the mermaids - Kupala. On the night of Kupala, the mermaid week (following the trinity), mermaids come out of the water, swing on the branches, call each other, have fun, run through the fields, can tickle those they meet to death or drag them into the water. they dance together with Kupala and Kostroma, who drowned in the river.

At night, under the moon, which shines brighter than usual for them, they lead cheerful round dances with songs, games and dances. Where they ran and frolic, there the grass grows thicker and greener, and there the bread will be born more abundantly.

Especially dangerous on Thursday - Rusalichin is a great day. Therefore, this week it was impossible to swim, and leaving the village, you need to take wormwood with you, which the mermaids are supposedly afraid of. It was believed that until that time, mermaids lived quietly in the water and did not leave their homes without special need. But they do a lot of harm. They can, for example, confuse the nets of fishermen or spoil them, and spoil the millstones and dams of millers. They can send crushing storms, heavy rains, destructive hail to the fields; they steal from women who have fallen asleep without prayer threads, canvases and canvases spread on the grass for linen; the stolen yarn, swinging on tree branches, unwinds and sings boastful songs under their breath. Mermaids can also steal unbaptized girls or drown a woman who went swimming without wearing a cross. They will also become mermaids.

And mermaids seduce men. There is a legend about how one young man fell in love with a mermaid and not a single healer could make him stop loving her. And when he saw the object of his love in the fire of the furnace (of course, it was an obsession), he thought that she was on fire and rushed into the fire to save her, and died.

Usually women, although there are stories of male mermaids.

So, do mermaids really exist or not? No one can give an exact answer to this question. IN official science they are, of course, considered mythical characters. And true Christians try not to bathe without a cross, or at least be baptized before entering the water.

How to see them?

There is such a legend. One young man really wanted to see a mermaid. To avoid danger, he first turned to the healer. He advised him: “When the night comes and everyone goes to bed, and you lie down on your bed and do not sleep until everyone falls asleep. When everyone is snoring, you get up, strip naked and put on two crosses: one on the chest, the other on the back. Mermaids attack from behind, and not from the front, because they are afraid of the cross on their chest; but if you have a cross hanging on your back, and besides, you will be naked, then they will play with you, but they will not touch you. The guy strictly followed the instructions of the healer. He lay down first and pretended to be asleep; when the whole family died and fell asleep, he took off his shirt and went into the forest. There he saw many mermaids. Some swing along the branches, others lead round dances, others sing and laugh. They were all naked. Their bodies were white as snow; their faces shone like the full moon; hair of light fiery curls fell over her shoulders. The boy was stunned with fear and delight. For a long time he admired the beauty of the mermaids, graceful movements, pleasant and sonorous voices and their genuine delight and fun. Suddenly the mermaids calmed down and became motionless. They sensed the spirit of a man and, looking in the direction where the guy was standing, suddenly rushed to him with laughter and applause and surrounded him. Each wanted to hug and kiss the guy, but the hands and lips did not touch him. Each one ran back and tried to grab him under the armpits in order to tickle him to laughter and fun; but again their hands did not touch the boy. Then the lad cheered up; he himself began to play with them, tried to grab one, but his hands would not touch it. He sang and danced with the mermaids all night long. By morning, they lured the guy into the bushes - on thick and tall grass, and began to swing along the grass. The guy followed. But suddenly the cross hanging on his back fell off him. The mermaids grabbed him from behind under the armpits and began to tickle him. He laughed until he collapsed. Then it seemed to him that the mermaids laid him on the branches and carried him silently. And in the morning his father woke him up.

Vodyanoy, also known as Vodyanoy grandfather or Vodovik, is the main spirit of Water in the mythology of the ancient Slavs. He takes the form of an old man with green beard and hair. Often, instead of legs, the Water grandfather had a fish tail (a symbol of the water element and everything connected with it), and mud was entangled in his body. The powers of the Vodyanoy are highly dependent on the phase of the Moon - with the rising Moon, the Vodyanoy has the greatest power, and with the waning one, it becomes much weaker.

Who helps Vodyanoy

It was believed that Vodyanoy knew about the secrets of the past and the future, because water stores all the information about what was and what will only be. The rite at Christmas time was widespread, when young girls guessed near the ice hole for a betrothed, asking the Water grandfather to show them their future husband. Also among the fishermen, Vodyanoy personified a good spirit, which helps with the catch, if it is properly appeased. Of course, many brought gifts to the Waterman so that he would not harm people. This was done mainly by those whose trade was connected with water.

Retinue Vodyany

The retinue of the Water Grandfather is made up of Vodyanitsy - beautiful long-haired young girls with pale skin. Drowned women and women who were killed by the evil will of ill-wishers became, according to belief, Vodyanitsy.

The behavior of Vodyanits (sometimes called mermaids) is not so unambiguous. It is believed that they mainly harmed people, committed minor dirty tricks. However, Vodyanitsy also brought benefits - if they run across the field, then this land will have an excellent harvest. There were cases when Vodyanitsy from the retinue of Vodyanoy married ordinary mortal people, but a person could not see happiness in such a marriage.

Kikimora - a dangerous spirit of marshy swamps

Another spirit of Water among the ancient Slavs was. She assumed the guise of a woman of short stature, less often a young girl with swamp flowers in her hair and fluffy moss attire. This is very dangerous creature which only brings misfortune to people. You should never forget this.

Kikimora lives in the swamp, it is extremely rare to meet her. Basically, the spirit emits terrible cries from the quagmire, but sometimes it can also drag a person into its lair. And the fate of the one who is captured by Kikimore will be terrible, for he will not return alive.

Wanderers - good spirits of Water

The ancient Slavs also had good spirits of Water, helping people in every possible way. Brodnitsy were considered the main ones. The beautiful maidens who watched the fords pointed them out to the lost travelers. They usually lived near beaver dams. The spirits helped people get from one side of the river to the other, laying neat crossings from the branches through the water.

People have long known that jokes with the spirits of Water do not end in anything good, and therefore they have always sought to appease these creatures. And it doesn’t matter whether the spirit is good or evil, because if you don’t express the deepest respect, don’t bring gifts, don’t take care of the elements, then you can cause the terrible wrath of water creatures. You should not forget about this even now, and then the spirits of the water element will only help you in any life situations.

Water is one of the elements that plays an important role in human life. The most famous gods of water among the ancient Slavs are Pereplut and Dana. People revered them, asked for help, especially for a good harvest. Water is given to man in order to illuminate and purify both the body and the soul.

Facts about the god of water Pereplut among the Slavs

They represented him as a kind fat man who constantly ate something. He also had a beard. It was believed that Pereplut patronizes the earth, abundance and seedlings. They believed that the watermen were subordinate to him. In general, the existing data on this god is not enough, therefore it is impossible to define its functions more widely and completely.

Slavic water goddess Dana

She represented a girl-river. She helped the travelers get drunk and watered the ground so that the seeds would sprout. She was revered as a bright goddess, giving life to all life on earth. Dana can be considered a holiday, since it was at this time that she was most revered. This goddess is glorified near the rivers, which were previously cleaned and decorated with ribbons around the perimeter. The Slavs believed that such water becomes healing. This pagan goddess of water was also called upon by young girls to find their soul mate. It supports health and beauty, since water plays such a role in the life of the Slavic people.

Dana is the wife of Dazhdbog, who helps to free her when winter hinders her movements. The union of the opposites of Water and the Sun is blessed by the gods. In order to cause rain and ask Dana for help, the Slavs sacrificed bread to her, since it was he who was considered the most valuable and best gift from a person. The sacred tree of this goddess is the linden, and the best day for conversion is Friday. Was with the Slavs

Lobasty- mermaids living in the reeds. According to legend, these are children who died unbaptized or drowned girls. Mobile, frisky, graceful, they spend all the time in games and pranks. For the Russian week, they can take a girl with them, captivate in a round dance and make her their friend with a lobasta.

Swampland- the spirit of the swamp, lives in a large stone house with his wife and children. The wife is a swamp, a drowned maiden. It is related to the water and the goblin. Usually has the appearance of a gray-haired old man with a broad yellowish face. Turning into a monk, he lures the traveler into the quagmire. He likes to walk along the shore and scare passers-by with sharp sounds, blowing air with bubbles and smacking his lips.

Water- the spirit of rivers and lakes. Always naked, in black scales, wrapped and girded with mud, with long green hair and a beard. Instead of hands, he has paws with webbed feet, like a frog, a fish tail, his eyes burn like hot coals. It usually sits on a snag and slams on the water with a ringing sound. When he gets angry, he tears up dams, washes away mills, and drags animals and people into the water.

Vodyanitsa- the wife of the waterman. The drowned woman is one of the baptized, and therefore does not belong to the evil spirit. She prefers forest and mill whirlpools, but most of all she loves the fall under the mills, where the rapids muddy the water and wash out the pits. Sometimes waterwomen frolic and then they can tear the nets and spoil the millstones. Vodyanits are often called crackers or jokers.

Anchutka- an evil spirit, a demon that lives in a swamp and has wings. Assistant water and marsh. In fairy tales, he is five-footed, because the wolf bit off his heel.

Mavki - evil spirits, often fatal. The very name of these forest mermaids is derived from the word "nav" - the deceased. They are incorporeal and are not reflected in the water, have no shadow, they have no back, so their internal organs are visible.

Ichetic- an evil spirit from the genus of water. It does not have the powerful properties of its older relative, and it is smaller in stature, but it is just as green, covered in leeches and algae. Emerges accompanied by frogs and water snakes. He likes to play cards with passers-by, willingly drinks brew with them, and if he messes up, then little by little - he floods the crops, washes away bridges and steep banks. Although he does not miss the opportunity to drag a child or a drunk adult under water. In the cold season, he sleeps at the bottom, wakes up on Nikita of the spring (April 16), and goes to rest on Nikita of the autumn (September 18).

Brodnitsy- spirits, guardians of the fords, pretty girls with long hair. According to legend, wanderers live with beavers in quiet backwaters. When enemies approach, the girls imperceptibly destroy brushwood fords, direct the enemy into a swamp or pool.

Dana- Slavic goddess of water. A fair-faced river girl humming her murmuring cheerful song. He will give a tired traveler a drink, wash the wound of a warrior, and having risen into the sky, he will fall with blessed rain on the fields. Her name means “Water Mother” (“Yes” - “water”, “nenya” - “mother”) and remained in the names of many rivers (Dnepr, Danapris, Dniester, Danube, Dvina, Donets). Special honors were paid to this goddess during the Kupala holidays.

(From the book of V. Kalashnikov, "Slavic Mythology", 2007)

Today, the fourth of October, a thick White snow. In a festive way, he sprinkled green poplars, yellow birches, woke up with white powder on the gray expanse of the gloomy Dvina River. This is how nature lets you know that, according to the traditions of the ancient Slavs, it's time to arrange Seeing the Waterman! These are the northern traditions and rituals! They met the Waterman in the spring, rejoiced at the maidens of the water - mermaids, curled birch trees, and couples had mercy on the Green Mermaids. Full! Kolo Svarog has turned, it's time to prepare for a long winter! Let's take a closer look at the old traditions and rituals!

Respect for Vodyanoy is an old tradition of the ancient Slavs

I will tell you why the Slavs so honored the water Spirit, the main one among the mermaids. For the people that settled near the sea, rivers, lakes, it is natural to communicate with the Soul of these places. Water - an integral part of the life of a Slav.

Vodyanoy and Melnik

Grandfather - water (waterman, waterman) lives in the depths of lakes, whirlpools, whirlpools, loves to have fun under the mill, near the wheel itself. when the wheel is spinning and splashing water - this is the Waterman sitting at the very top and putting his hands up.

The old tradition of the ancient Slavs believes that the Miller must certainly be a sorcerer, must be friends with water spirits, because of this, all sorts of miracles always happen near the mill. with Vodyanoy, then, of course, the mill will stop. And even worse, Vodyanoy will get angry - he can rob his fingers from the gear wheel, or, even worse, suck a hole - then the water will leave the pond. with so much that it will completely demolish the building. Water, judging by the traditions and rituals, is just as important for the mill as Brownie for the house.

What is he, Grandfather Water?

I must say that the Watermen have fun in the mills, but they live in the depths of the waters, in large mansions. By the way, they have herds of sheep, goats, cows, their watermen graze in the meadows near the reservoirs at night. The watermen marry mermaids, from this marriage children are born. They say that once fishermen pulled a child out of the Dvina with a net. It turned out to be Vodyanoy's child. The child was released with a request to bring as many fish as possible into the nets, and since then this has been sacredly observed.

It is known from the tales that the Waterman can be quite met on land. For example, when his wife gives birth, Vodyanoy often goes after a midwife, taking the form of an ordinary person. An attentive observer can easily distinguish him - after all, water drips from the left hem of his clothes, and where he sits, it turns out to be wet. On land, the strength of the Waterman weakens, in the water Grandfather is incredibly strong.

The owner of the waters, Vodyanoy commands the fish, saves swimmers in bad weather, gives the fishermen an excellent catch, directs the boat to his native shores. But he is prone to evil pranks. Who frightens cattle at a watering hole, lures swimmers into whirlpools, erodes dams and rowing, overturns boats, breaks fishing tackle? All he!

Here, darling bad joke, which was often done on our fishermen. They lift the seine, and in it is a water grandfather. He will laugh, tear apart a strong tackle, swim back into the water, and behind him - the entire night catch.

Traditions and rituals of meeting and seeing off the Waterman

Today is Water Day. The traditions and rituals of this holiday are based on the notion that Vodyanoy is awake and jokes in summer, and sleeps under ice in winter. With the beginning of spring, Vodyanoy, feeling the awakening of nature, wakes up, angry and hungry. on a fish, driving it in different directions, it can completely torture a small one. It raises water in the river and it rushes, tearing down bridges, mill gear, gati, coastal warehouses. The Slavs, understanding, accepting this natural Spirit as it is, agreed on a peaceful coexistence, bringing sacrifice to the Water.

Afanasiev A.N. in "The Poetic Views of the Slavs on Nature" writes about the traditions and rituals of sacrifices associated with Vodyany:

Fishermen somehow managed without such cruelties.

Whether the summer will go well or not is another story, but October is coming. Wire time on winter dream. Thanksgiving time for good deeds during the summer.

Millers, so that the Waterman does not break the dams, once a year, in the fall, they bring him a goose as a gift; whoever does not do this, he tortures him during sleep, and he will probably wash away the dam.

This is what ethnographers recorded in our North already in the twentieth century.

Here they are, the traditions of the ancient Slavs!

On September 22 (October 4, according to a new style), they carried gifts to Vodyanoy: "Keep, save our family." Flour was thrown directly into the river: "Save, feed our family." And a fattened goose.

Here's what they said:

─ What about water? He's definitely green. Well, so always in the water, so how! With a beard, yes. He speaks like a man, only all green. He is also bad, but he can also be good. Here is September, so he needs to carry gifts, throw them into the river so that he does not touch anyone this year. Maybe then it won't. But there are people who are destined to go there.

These are the tales about the Spirit of Water Vodyanoy told by the Slavs. And this is part of our knowledge of nature, in the very heart of which we live, work, raise children. Thus, we will feel the beating of this huge generous heart, and open our hearts to the rhythms of Nature.