As you know, our world cannot be considered so harmless. And it’s not about maniacs, perverts, terrorists and other socially indifferent people. Our ancestors were sure that somewhere very close to them lived mysterious creatures that could harm or come to the rescue. They can appear suddenly and disappear just as suddenly. Witnesses to such meetings are always so frightened that they are afraid to even talk about it. And those who nevertheless decided to tell about the terrible “guest” are faced with the distrust of the listener. Brownie, Leshy, Mermaid, Baba Yaga - all these fairy-tale characters are familiar to us from childhood. However, few people thought about their origin. Interestingly, many cases have repeatedly proven the presence of the undead. Thus, esotericists agree that in our world the real existence of various mystical monsters cannot be denied. Undead – what is it or who is it? How did she appear? And why does he always try to harm people? Whether to believe in otherworldly forces or not is everyone’s business, but the fact remains that the undead live next to a person and at the same time try in every possible way to mischief. What do scientists understand by the word “undead”? These are creatures that live in the human world, but are not alive. Simply put: they both live and they don’t. In ancient times, when a fierce war was raging in heaven between dark and light forces, angels cast down from heaven the servants of the Devil, who took root next to people and began to be called the undead. Brownies, according to legend, falling from the sky, fell into people's homes through chimneys, so in the old days it was believed that the brownie lived not far from the stove. Among many Slavic peoples, it was considered correct to honor the brownie, since he is the keeper of the hearth. A dwelling in which a brownie did not get along was considered cursed, unsuitable for human life, because it was he who ensured peace and harmony in it. Brownies are very capricious. So, it is worth noting that if the owners of the house do not honor the brownie, then he can not only do minor mischief, but also significantly spoil life. When a brownie is out of sorts, things disappear in the home, strange things begin to happen: furniture moves; Windows and doors knock for no apparent reason; Strange sounds are heard, similar to shuffling; Light bulbs often burn out. All miracles, as it is customary to call his dirty tricks, happen at night; during the day, the brownie tries not to show himself to human eyes. But even with good secrecy, you can find notes about a meeting between a brownie and a person. Those who have encountered this undead indicate that the brownie is short, shaggy, very fast, and has a piercing, deep gaze. The brownie causes fear and panic in humans. Many brownies are afraid, especially when light bulbs start to explode, and electrical appliances in the house break down for no apparent reason. He plays pranks like this only when an uninvited guest appears in the house, or the owners are in danger. People who are not superstitious simply do not believe in such signs, and do not attach importance to the fact that someone else lives next to them. But those who believe in omens and ancient folk legends try to make friends with the brownie. How to appease a brownie? To do this, you need to know a few simple rules: The brownie cannot stand noise and screams, it is after scandals that strange events can occur in the house; You should not leave dirty dishes and half-eaten food overnight - this is a sign of disrespect for him; Do not be afraid if, when uninvited guests appear, strange things begin to happen in the house - the brownie protects the residents; He loves sugar very much, you can leave it on a saucer in the kitchen, a well-fed brownie is a good brownie. Some peoples even have prayers and appeals to the brownie; it is believed that if you ask him for protection, then no trouble will set foot on the threshold of the house. Leshy Leshy is an undead creature that fell from the sky straight into the forest. Foresters often meet with him. These meetings are not pleasant. As eyewitnesses note, the wind rises, a storm begins, the trees sway and creak, and it seems that someone huge is passing through the thicket. Such meetings can end very badly for a person, which is why foresters advise: Do not climb into the very depths of the forest; Don't wander through the forest alone; Do not engage in poaching; Do not light fires in the forest. The owner of the forest, the goblin, should be treated with respect. Some forests are considered impassable for humans. On the one hand, there is nothing unusual about them, but a person cannot stay in such forests for more than a few hours. People often die and go missing there. Such forests are called the domain of the fierce goblin. These are the undead that do not tolerate the presence of humans on their territory. Foresters point out that the goblin falls asleep in late autumn and wakes up in early spring. Before leaving for winter sleep, he crushes and breaks trees, uprooting them. This is a scary sight, but after it, traveling through the forest is safe. Mermaids and water mermaids are wonderful creatures, glorified in the ethnic group of many peoples of the world. These are maidens with fish tails who are human guides to another world. Pushkin himself sang of a maiden sitting on the branches of an oak tree. But, unfortunately, the artists depicted her with a fish tail, in the image and likeness of other mermaids. Pushkin described her as a guide’s girl, who had nothing in common with the classical idea of mermaids. The first mentions of mermaids are found in the ethnic group of Ancient Rome. Here they acted as temptresses of sailors, who lured them into the abyss of the seas and oceans and mercilessly drowned them. In Russian epics, mermaids also appeared as bloodthirsty undead who seduced men and drowned them in swamps and forest lakes. The habitats of mermaids were popularly called whirlpool. But there is a belief that whoever meets a mermaid can ask her one question and she will give a truthful answer. To do this, you need to approach her from behind and wait until she starts combing her hair. Mermaids' predictions always come true. Near the mermaids, mermaids live in the lakes - these are the guardians of forest reservoirs. By themselves, they are considered harmless, but if a person came with malicious intent, then he would be in trouble. Today, encounters with mermaids and mermen are rare. Perhaps civilization has driven out the undead, or maybe they are hiding well from human eyes. In any case, do not panic if you encounter a devil or other undead. It is enough to wish her peace and go on your way. You should not go to the call of the mermaids - this is certain death, it is better to return home. If the brownie is angry, then it is enough to establish peace and harmony at home and he will calm down. Swamp kikimora Such a mystical creature as the swamp kikimora is familiar to everyone. However, not many people know that in addition to the swamp creature, there is a domestic kikimora. The first (swamp) is Lesovik’s girlfriend. This creature lives in a swamp, dresses in clothes made of duckweed and moss. She weaves marsh grass into her long hair. What does this type of undead like to do? It was believed that she steals newborn children left unattended near the water, scares wanderers, and if someone is careless, she is even capable of dragging them into a quagmire. Sometimes it really likes to scream from the swamp, but it rarely appears and almost always remains invisible to humans. There is a belief that only girls who drown in a swamp become kikimoras. Another kikimora, a domestic one, is the same evil spirit. But unlike her sister, she lives in houses. At night, he likes to throw various kitchen utensils, run around rooms, stomp his feet, bang dishes, which can often be seen at home. Her duties include doing minor mischief to the owners, sometimes stealing children. The domestic kikimora can turn into a cat. Those who have encountered this creature say that it resembles a very small woman, more like a tree branch, with long tangled hair, bulging eyes and thin lips. However, the domestic kikimora also prefers to remain invisible. Werewolves These monsters in mythology are represented by very huge and powerful creatures similar to wolves. Werewolves can move from one place to another almost instantly. This gives the impression that these creatures can be in several places at once. The aging process does not control werewolves. However, it is possible to kill them. According to mythology, it was necessary to use silver bullets or iron, which was previously consecrated in the temple. Our ancestors believed that anyone could turn into a werewolf. There were various ways to do this: through magic, the bite of another werewolf, a curse, and birth from a werewolf. Be that as it may, the result is always a terrible, strong and very evil creature. In addition, the werewolf has human ingenuity and flies into rage for no reason, and also tends to violence. These creatures have a notorious reputation for destroying villages, killing children, and eating human flesh. After satisfying his animal needs, the werewolf fell asleep and in the morning, with sunrise, he woke up as a human. At the same time, completely forgetting what he did at night. Is it possible in reality for a person to turn into a wolf, or are these just legends invented by a person with a sick psyche? Just five years ago, a case of a werewolf was recorded in England. A girl named Jane McNeilly was walking late at night in the park with her dog when suddenly a strange creature jumped out of the bushes. It looked like a huge dog, but it had human features. The girl's dog got scared and screamed. And the creature stood for a few seconds, looked at Jane, and then calmly walked away into the darkness. When the girl went to the police, her story was treated with skepticism. Then the young lady looked through several atlases with mystical creatures in the library, and in one of them she found what she saw in the park. It really was a werewolf. Devils The belief that the number of evil mythical creatures is innumerable has long been ingrained in human consciousness. All monsters represent evil and are enemies to humans. Some live in airless space, others sneak into houses, others move into people and plot intrigues. These invisible human haters are so numerous that each of them has its own specific name. For example, in Dahl's dictionary there are forty names of evil spirits, or devils. The goal of evil spirits always comes down to one thing - to cause evil in various forms: to play pranks, to make an evil joke, to cause illness. That is, the devils plot all sorts of intrigues and various temptations for people. In addition, the devilish force has the ability to transform, taking on any appearance or form, everything that is familiar to a person. However, most often the devils take the form of a black cat or a black dog, less often the image of a person. But no matter who the devil turns into, he still has a loud, strong voice with ominous sounds. When talking with him, as eyewitnesses say, you are breathtaking with fear. It sometimes happens that a demon croaks like a raven or chirps like a magpie. The reincarnated evil spirit can be recognized by the black color of the clothes, on which black animal fur or bird feathers hang in shreds. Some witnesses say that devils hide their horns and tail very skillfully, so much so that they are practically unrecognizable in another guise. The devils' favorite victims are drunk people, at whom it is easy to make evil jokes. Sometimes the devil can appear to a drunken godfather or neighbor, and then go to accompany the poor fellow home. But in fact they take you to unknown places: to a swamp, to the edge of an abyss, or up to the roof. It happens that the devil pushes drunks into a fight or other actions. And then, after the drunk comes to his senses, he says: “The demon has confused me.” Today, it is no longer a secret for modern people that the world in which they live is much larger and more mysterious than can be seen with the naked eye. Then it is likely that there is a world next to us, which is unknown to people and in which mystical creatures live, sometimes intersecting with us. In any case, the owner on Earth is a person, and even the most fierce undead do not encroach on someone else's territory. The main thing is not to wander into her possessions and not to destroy houses, forests, or poison bodies of water, otherwise retribution will not be avoided, and it can be cruel.
The idea of certain creatures invisibly staying next to a person has long lived in the popular consciousness. They are usually divided into evil and good: you need to beware of the first, and establish good relationships with the others, enlist their support and help. One of the creatures with which man has retained the ability to communicate to this day is brownie. This word itself appeared in Rus' in the 17th century, although information about the spirit of the house and yard, similar to a brownie, is also found in records dating back to the 15th century.
They always spoke of the unusual residents of the master's farmsteads with respect, not allowing themselves not only to swear by their name, but also to say it out loud, so as not to offend an important guest. Called respectfully: neighbor, owner, breadwinner, himself, homemaker; for the love of warmth and comfort they were named fryer, and for ancient times - nothing less than grandfather. These definitions contain the long-standing meaning of the brownie’s relationship with family members, his status in the house, and the main character traits.
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, local historians, ethnographers, local writers of everyday life and eyewitnesses noted that faith in the “neighbor” was strong and widespread. The peasants believed that the brownie lived in every house as a second owner, and without him, the lives of the inhabitants could collapse - they would go bankrupt or even die. Therefore, they tried to preserve the presence of the “owner” by any means. For example, they said that in the Oryol province, after an entire village burned down, the brownies became so sad that at night their crying and sad lamentations could be heard for a long time. After such an opportunity, the peasants built temporary huts, scattered slices of salted bread near them and invited the brownies for temporary residence.
The main feature of a brownie is the ability to play the role of an intermediary between people and other spirits. For this purpose, there was a ritual of making a sacrifice through a brownie, for example for a woodsman. This was done in case of loss of livestock that got lost in the forest. The brownie could intercede with the forest owner on behalf of a person, demand the return of an unjustly taken away cow or horse.
In certain regions of old Russia, the brownie was represented differently. For example, in the Smolensk province, a brownie looked like “a gray-haired old man, with his head uncovered, dressed in a long white shirt”; in the Oryol province - this is “a man in a scroll and girded.” A peasant from the Novgorod province said that he heard a scream during a fire and saw a man of average height in a blue robe and a red sash, who was running and shouting: “Oh, I’m dead now, I can’t find a better house than this.” According to the description of an eyewitness from the Vologda province, the spirit of the house is “a small old man with long gray hair and eyebrows, an angry expression on his face, crooked legs, and his body, with the exception of his face and hands with long claws, is covered with white hair.”
Describing the appearance of the brownie, storytellers reported that most often he was seen as an adult or elderly person, completely or partially covered with fur. Sometimes he was dressed in white clothes, which old people sometimes wore. His robe turned black if the brownie's appearance portended trouble.
Here is what one of the eyewitnesses said: “As a child, at night I saw a little old man in the house. White clothes, white hair and beard, small body and a huge round head. One time he jumped on my chest and crushed me. I clearly saw his face, his eyes, the old man’s short little legs did not even reach the bed. But still, I couldn’t throw it off, I couldn’t scream and I couldn’t move. But, with a cry, in a desperate effort, I managed to free myself from him. He fell to the floor with such a crash that everything in the house shook and rang. The mother responded to the scream and roar. After my story, she read a prayer for a long time and said that it was probably the brownie who came.”
There are several versions about the origin of brownies. According to one of them, these creatures are associated with the ancestors of the clan, that is, with the “proper dead”: “a brownie is someone’s soul, a father or mother.” But at the same time, they talked about the “unclean” nature of the brownie, who, for sins, was appointed to serve the household. That is, brownies are those who were cursed by their parents during their lifetime, as well as men who died without repentance and were punished by God for a certain period of time. Another legend says that when God drove Lucifer and his associates from heaven to hell, not everyone ended up there. Those of them who were more sinful fell into the very heat of the underworld, and those who were less became closer to the earth. From these less sinful spirits came the brownies, drummers, water creatures and other entities.
In a house or apartment, the brownie himself chooses his favorite place, and once he has chosen it, he will never leave it. He can settle at the threshold, in the underground or closet, in the attic or behind the wall. But the brownie never enters the bathhouse or bathroom: other “owners” live there. Holy images and lamps in the house in no way scare away the brownies, they are simply “a burden” to them, for they invariably remind them of the punishment of the Lord God - to live with a person and help him in everything. If a brownie lived with the owner of the home for several decades and helped him in every possible way, then only then did forgiveness come and his spirit entered the Kingdom of God.
In the old days, people believed that there should be a brownie in every home, so when they finished building a new home, they opened the door and set out food. A good brownie always helps with housework, preserves and often counts property, and loves livestock, especially horses. The brownie is able to protect the house from thieves, fires, and various evil spirits. Basically, he does no harm, but sometimes he can make an evil joke, steal and hide something the owner needs. Before the imminent death of one of the family, the brownie begins to howl, sometimes it can even appear to the person, start knocking and slamming the door.
It was believed that the brownie had his own family: a wife housewife (at home) and children. The wife lives mainly underground, she spins and sometimes does housework that the woman did not finish. Sons moved to new homes for service, and daughters domovinki- they were spinning under the floor. The brownie, oddly enough, was credited with cohabitation with women, including the mistress of the house. The brownie could be either hostile or friendly towards the head of the family. The peasants believed that the health of the livestock and the fertility of the land depended on the attitude towards the owner. Therefore, people tried to appease the brownie, for which they brought food to the barn, where he could also live, while saying friendly words. A brownie hostile to the owner could torment livestock in the barn and also cause losses to the farm.
According to legend, a brownie can be seen both accidentally (most often at night near cattle and horses) and intentionally. In the latter case, you should put on a horse collar on Easter night, cover yourself with the harrow's teeth on top, and sit between the horses all night. They said that if the “owner” saw this man, he would make the horses kick with their hind hooves. And in order to see the brownie, on Maundy Thursday or on Christmas it was advised to go up to the attic with a candle, and on Easter to go straight from the church to the barn or to the attic with a candle, with which all services were celebrated, starting with Good Friday. According to popular belief, it was recommended to look at him alone, otherwise he would get angry. As a rule, these entities most often take root in families that they choose themselves - and live in them as long as the family exists.
The brownie calmly treats holy symbols, is not afraid of prayer, is not subject to the effects of banishing rites, and even the crow of a cock, which all evil spirits are afraid of, is not afraid of him. He manifests himself as a people-friendly owner of the house, protecting not only housing, but, most importantly, the aura of the surrounding space. One of his voluntary duties is to cleanse the house of negative energy that a person brings from the outside. But if the brownie is young and has not yet gained strength, and there is a lot of work, then he begins to weaken, and then the house falls into disrepair.
The location of the brownie was associated with the sacred space of the house and yard, where, according to popular beliefs, there was a connection with the other world and the souls of deceased relatives. In the house, this is, first of all, the stove and the space around it - the oven, the hearth, the pipe; then the underground, the threshold, as well as the non-residential parts of the hut, including the cage, basement, and attic. In the courtyard, the brownie could live in a stable, a manger, a hay barn and a bathhouse. In some areas, a pine or spruce branch with densely overgrown needles, called “uterus”, “matoshnik”, “maternik”, “hat”, “chicken paw”, was specially hung for the brownie. On winter nights, brownies gather in some uninhabited hut on the edge of the village and dance until the morning - at this time loud stomping, squealing, howling, barking and meowing are heard.
At the same time, people believed that the brownie had the ability to warn about the future. But it was necessary to understand the signs that he was giving. A brownie, whom people treat well and according to the rules, can warn the owners about impending troubles or important changes in life. Usually invisible, but only audible, the brownie moans and cries in the face of trouble, appears and becomes visible, attacks, forces a person to change. If a brownie was strangling a sleeping person, they were advised to say the formula: “For good or for bad?” Then one should expect his reaction: if he answers, then it is for good, and if he remains silent, it is for bad. Hearing the cry of the brownie in the hut itself, they said that there was a dead man in the house. If the damper on a chimney on the roof was knocking, a lawsuit was expected. Anyone who was wet by a brownie at night should get sick, and if he pulled his hair, he should be careful: the wife was advised not to get involved in an argument with her husband.
Foreshadowing the death of the owner, the spirit of the house took his appearance and appeared in his hat. Usually he “appeared” shaggy, but if he appeared naked, he prophesied poverty. He prevented a fire by waking up the owner in time, and saved the calf by calling the owner into the yard. If things were going well in the family, the brownie would laugh, stroke with a shaggy or warm hand, jump around, sometimes play along with the comb, warn about a wedding in the family, etc.
Stories about this are not so rare, as evidenced by the following account of one eyewitness: “One night I felt that someone was strangling me. I immediately woke up and felt something shaggy next to me, like a dog. She was terribly scared and pushed him away with her hand. In the morning, the neighbor advised: “If he comes again, ask: for worse or for good?” I did so, and he barely audibly replied: “Okay.” Soon I won a large sum of money in the lottery.”
Or another testimony: “In the middle of the night I woke up with the feeling that someone was tickling me. Then he grabbed my big toe with his sharp claws, and with his other hand, covered with fur, he began to tickle my foot. I instinctively jerked my foot, and he didn’t like it. I literally became numb with fear and began to hide my legs under my husband lying next to me. In the morning I told my mother-in-law about what had happened, and she explained: the brownie was forcing me out of the apartment. Indeed, we soon got a new apartment. The brownie’s prophecy was good, so we invited him with us.”
All these qualities made the brownie close and understandable to the common villager. Everywhere there was a belief that it must be in every home: “You can’t live or feed without a brownie”; “Without a brownie is like without an owner.” In turn, the peasants believed that the spirit became so accustomed to its hut that it was almost impossible to evict it or survive.
True, there was some problem with this. If, when moving from an old hut to a new, recently built one, the owner was unable to entice the brownie, he remained living in the old cold house. Left behind out of stubbornness or abandoned due to the forgetfulness of his owners, he suffered, languished and was bored. Therefore, there was a custom to call the brownie when moving, without fail and by any persuasion - otherwise misfortune awaited the family in the new house. He moved to a new place with part of the old household: bread, a broom, a pot of coals, a bowl of dough, a broom or a shovel on which they put the bread in the oven. In the old estate they opened the gates and with the sentence “Master of the house, come with me to the new house,” they transferred things to the new home.
In addition, the brownie was considered the guardian of livestock and poultry. He fed and watered, raked food in the manger, cleaned the cattle, combed the horse's mane, braided it, and tied red ribbons. If she wasted away, lost weight, and found herself wet in the morning, they said that she was “not suited to the yard”, “not suited”, “not suitable for the hand”. The brownie tortured the unloved cattle, drove them under the manger, took away the food, put manure in the feeder, and knocked out tangles in the horses’ manes. Such an animal was sold in the belief that the “owner” would harass her anyway. To change the color of livestock, they tried to find out the preferred color of the brownie. To do this, they tried to see him on Holy Thursday or Easter.
They said that in one province a peasant hid in a manger and noticed how a brownie jumped off the drying rack, walked up to the horse and spit in its face, and scooped out the food with its left paw. The man was frightened, and the brownie grumbled to himself, but in such a way that one could hear: “I would buy a piebald filly, with a white bottom!” His advice was carried out. After this, the peasant saw that the brownie in a shaggy hat and a yellow scroll walked around the horse, examined it and said: “This is a horse! This one is worth feeding, otherwise I bought some kind of nag!” And he began to stroke her, braided a braid from her mane and began to rake oats right under her muzzle. That is why, having brought a new horse or cow to the yard, they were given under the protection of the brownie, asking him to take care and love the cattle. They asked in the spring before the first drive of cattle to pasture, and also in the fall, when driving the cattle into the barn for the winter.
In the same way, the brownie braids and tangles people's hair. Here is one such incident, told by a teenage girl: “My mother and I were picking berries in the forest and didn’t notice how dark it had become. We decided not to look for the way back in the dark, but to spend the night in the nearest village. We were allowed to spend the night in a new house, where no one lived yet. The hostess made a bed for us on the floor, wished us good night and left. The night seemed to pass quietly. But in the morning I discovered that my braids were unbraided, tangled, whipped and as if smeared with tar. The ribbons were lying two meters from the bed. It took about three hours to comb and put my hair in order. In some places, entire strands had to be cut off. I shed a lot of tears from pain and resentment. Looking at my torment, the hostess sadly shook her head, and suddenly said: “Oh, baby, ‘grandfather-next-door’ played with your hair at night, apparently he really liked it, he’ll take it away from you.” A week later they discovered that I had been bitten by a tick. I spent a month and a half in the hospital, constantly suffering from terrible headaches, and my hair had to be cut off.”
Orthodoxy only slightly pushed aside, but did not abolish traditional ideas about house spirits. In the folk calendar, the brownie had special holidays. On February 7, the day of Ephraim the Syrian, it was the “name day of the brownie.” And on April 1, the owner tried not to tell the truth out loud, because on that day the brownie woke up after hibernation and was often out of sorts.
It was believed that the “neighbor” loved those families where they lived in complete harmony, and those owners who were careful with their property and kept the yard tidy and clean. If on such a farm they forgot, for example, to knead the cows' feed or give the horses hay, then the brownie himself would do this work. If there was a theft, he would find the thief and howl in his house, forcing him to give up the loot. When a family member or animal went missing, the brownie helped look for them.
The brownie is the protector of children: he carefully looks after them in the absence of their parents. There were numerous stories among the people about how the brownie took care of the morale of the family and prevented the secret sins of the spouses. For example, he strangled his daughter-in-law, who was leading a riotous life, and beat a man who was swearing in a barn. If the housewife left a knife on the table in violation of the ban, the brownie would get angry, make noise and interfere with sleep. In order not to anger him, they followed a number of instructions: it was forbidden to swear, stand on a garbage heap, work at night or feed a child, and go to bed without dinner.
However, it was always possible to make peace with an angry brownie: to do this, it was worth putting snuff under the manger, for which he was a big fan, or giving him some kind of gift, like multi-colored rags, an old smokehouse with an image of St. Yegori on a horse, or a crust of bread, cut off from an unopened loaf. Before fasting, they left a piece of meat or a cup of milk under the stove, and at dinner they went out into the yard and on their knees invited the brownie to a treat, leaving food for him on the table. They did the same at Easter and Christmas. To appease him, they put a piece of bread and salt in a clean white rag, and in the yard they knelt with the words: “Master-father, honest brownie, housewife of the brownie, honest mother, here I brought you bread and salt!” - and the treat was taken to the gate.
Sometimes it happened that the brownie, while favoring the owners, still caused them some trouble. In such cases, it was possible to drive him away with prayer or abuse. If he tortured the cattle for a long time, they brought a goat into the barn and hung a killed magpie or a mirror inside. If you plucked the feathers on a chicken’s head, an old bast shoe, a pot with a broken bottom, and a stone with a hole—the “chicken god”—were hung in the chicken coop.
Rumor has it that brownies still live in village houses. There are entire rituals to appease them, and knowledge about what can be useful in handling it is passed on from generation to generation. Here are some of them:
Do not leave cutting or piercing objects on the table;
If he starts to smoke, say out loud: “Big grandfather, why don’t you eat!”;
Give your favorite treat - cookies, candy or just sugar - by placing it on a saucer and leaving it in a warm place;
Just praise the brownie out loud.
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From the book The People of Muhammad. Anthology of spiritual treasures of Islamic civilization by Eric SchroederMutiny of the House of Ali. Conspiracies of the House of Abbas Hisham, the fourth son of Abd al-Malik to become caliph, was harsh, stingy and unyielding. He accumulated wealth, closely monitored the cultivation of land and the raising of thoroughbred horses. The races he organized included
From the book Not Idle Stories author Serdyuk Veronika VladimirovnaGive birth at home or? Even though two home midwives have already appeared in Minsk, and the believing mothers I know have successfully given birth to more than one heir at home, I did not dare to refuse maternity hospital services. Still, it's scary at home. I have never given birth without intervention
From the book The Power of Orthodox Prayer. Why, how and to whom should you pray? author Izmailov Vladimir AlexandrovichHow to pray at home? It is advisable to be alone during prayer. But if possible, it is good to read the prayer rule with the whole family. This is especially recommended on special days, before a festive meal. A believer is obliged to pray daily: morning and evening, before
From the book Brownies, mermaids and other mysterious creatures author Pernatyev Yuri SergeevichThe spirit of the home The idea of certain creatures that invisibly stay next to a person has long lived in the popular consciousness. They are usually divided into evil and good: you need to beware of the first, and establish good relationships with the others, enlist their support and help. One of the creatures
Paganism is a native Russian religion, the beliefs of the ancient Slavs. Our ancestors identified the manifestation of the forces of nature with the will of the unknown gods inhabiting the world. But besides the gods, other creatures also lived in the pagan world, also possessing mystical powers - the kikimora, the goblin, the brownie and others.
Many signs of the Slavs are associated with home improvement. So, for example, the oldest person had to enter a new house first. The mystical meaning of the belief is connected with the fact that the old person took on the role of the victim - it was believed that the first to die would be the one who first crossed the threshold of the new house.
In each hut there lives a brownie, who is also the “owner” or “grandfather”. The brownie chooses its habitat independently - under the threshold, behind the stove or in the closet. The brownie's favorite object is a broom; he does not leave it on Fedorin's day. Therefore, you cannot take revenge on this day - otherwise you will throw out the “grandfather”, he will be offended and start doing dirty tricks.
It was possible to protect the house from evil people and sorcerers with the help of a needle or pin, which should be stuck into the door frame with the point outward. The qualities of the amulet were attributed to plants that could cause a burning sensation (nettle) or have thorns (thistle), have a pungent taste (pepper), and a pungent odor (mint).
Mythical creatures - kikimora, goblin, mermaid
Our ancestors had no doubt that mermaids exist, but 
The devil can confuse an unwanted person, so much so that he cannot find his way home.
Kikimora (shishiga) is the deity of nightmares, the evil spirit of the house. According to some beliefs, a kikimora is the wife of a goblin or a brownie. Shishiga was also the name given to an anthropomorphic figure that was burned on Maslenitsa. It was believed that girls who died before baptism or in the womb became kikimoras.
Shishiga rarely shows herself to people - she prefers to express herself with her voice and all sorts of tricks. Most often, a kikimora appears where a suicide was buried or on a boundary, but stove makers or carpenters can “let it loose” if the owners offend them during settlement.
Such a collective image as a mermaid exists in pagan East Slavic mythology. According to popular beliefs, unbaptized babies and girls who died before marriage became mermaids. Especially often they included drowned women who died without funeral services and repentance.
Where can you meet a mermaid
If mermaids exist, then they must have a habitat. It was believed that a mermaid could be met on the shore of a lake, river or swamp. Once a year, these creatures have the right to come out to earth (a week before Trinity). Therefore, it was necessary to tightly lock the doors in the temple “so that the mermaids would not run in.” Mermaids do not like old men and women, as well as young girls. Children and young men are lured in and tickled until they faint. Since people had no doubt that mermaids existed, they had to protect themselves from meeting them. These creatures, like witches, are afraid of wormwood, aspen and nettle, from which various amulets were made.
Like the kikimora, the goblin is a representative of evil spirits. He is depicted as an old man in animal skin, often endowed with horns, hooves and a green beard. At his own discretion, the goblin can become either tall like centuries-old trees or small - lower than the grass.
All birds and animals are under the jurisdiction of the devil and obey him unquestioningly. And yet, the goblin differs from the kikimora in that he is afraid to enter the villages - so as not to quarrel with the banniks and brownies.
The goblin is capricious - it rushes through the forest with noise and crackling, but it can sneak through quietly and unnoticed. A girl can be kidnapped, but a traveler can... However, the goblin rarely brings a person to death. To get rid of it, you need to turn your clothes inside out and change your shoes from one foot to another.
Creatures such as the kikimora, the goblin, the merman and the brownie significantly enlivened the world of our ancestors, making it mysterious and enigmatic. Agree, it’s interesting to live in a world where mermaids exist, the owner of the house is not you, but the brownie, and on Walpurgis Night all the witches celebrate a Sabbath on a bald mountain...
The brownie is a kind spirit, the keeper of the house and everything that is in it. The brownie looks like a small old man (20-30 centimeters tall) with a large beard. It is believed that the older the brownie, the younger he looks, since they are born old men and die babies. The patron of brownies is God, from whom the spirits inherited several abilities, for example, the ability to predict the future, but the main thing, of course, is wisdom and the ability to heal people and animals.
The brownie lives in almost every home, choosing secluded places to live: behind the stove, under the threshold, in the attic, behind a chest, in a corner, or even in a chimney.
The brownie takes every possible care of his home and the family that lives in it, protecting them from evil spirits and misfortunes. If a family keeps animals, then the brownie will look after them; the good spirit especially loves horses, but if the brownie doesn’t like the animal, he can beat it to death.
The brownie loves cleanliness and order in the house, and does not like it when the inhabitants of the house are lazy. But the spirit dislikes it much more when the inhabitants of the house begin to quarrel with each other or treat it with disrespect. An angry brownie begins to let him know that the person is wrong: he knocks on doors and windows; interferes with sleep at night, making terrible sounds or screams, sometimes even wakes up a person, pinching him painfully, after which large and painful bruises remain on the body, which hurt more, the more angry the brownie is; and in extreme cases, the spirit is capable of throwing dishes, writing bad messages on the walls and starting small fires. However, the brownie will not cause serious harm to a person, and sometimes the spirit living in the house plays pranks without any particular reason.
The brownie rarely appears to a person, although children and animals can see him, often he even plays with them, but the spirit can be heard quite often, usually this is an unusual knocking or incomprehensible grumbling, sometimes the brownie howls - this portends trouble in the house. When moving, it is customary to invite the brownie with you; to do this, they put a basket in which they put bread and salt or a cup of porridge and say: “Grandfather Brownie, come out. Come live with us!”, and in the new place they again put the basket in the center of the room and say: “Grandfather Brownie, come home. Come live with us!”
Capabilities
The brownie has enormous strength, both physical and magical, so he is able to withstand almost any wickedness that tries to enter the house. However, the strength of the brownie directly depends on how the family living in the house treats him and how friendly the family members are with each other.
The brownie is also capable of predicting the future for the owners of the house: usually he approaches a sleeping person and leans on his chest so that he cannot breathe or move, and if at this moment you ask the brownie “For better or worse,” he will answer . Sometimes the spirit sends more accurate predictions as dreams, usually to the oldest member of the family, although not always.
Possesses a brownie and the ability to transform into various animals.
Enemies
The enemies of the brownie are the Navya, who, like him, prefer to settle in people's houses, however, the Navya are much weaker than the brownie and therefore cannot win, but if the brownie is weakened, then the Navya can slip into the house and hide from the brownie for quite a long time. Also, sometimes there are clashes between the brownie and raging people who are trying to get into the house.
How to fight?
It is impossible to kill a house spirit, but you can scare it away with iron. The brownie does not attack people and therefore there is no need to fight him, however, if the brownie is angry, then he must be appeased by presenting the spirit with a gift of porridge, bread and salt, chicken pie or snuff, and politely asking for forgiveness. If the brownie begins to play pranks for no reason, they resort to more severe methods of pacification: the owner of the house must pick up an iron rod or any other sufficiently long iron object and, tapping it on the walls, furniture, floor, say in a stern voice:
“Know your place, know your place.
You, the brownie, must guard the house, take care of the household,
Yes, please the mistress, and not fight,
Know your place, know your place."
Even if childhood is far behind, any person still continues to believe in fairy tales. This fabulous horoscope will take you into the world of folklore and popular fairy tales.
Who are you according to your zodiac sign - a mermaid, kikimora or Baba Yaga? Read soon!
Aries (21.03-20.04): Serpent Gorynych
In every Aries lives the real Serpent Gorynych. This is a very hot character (in every sense of the word). One wrong step in his direction, and you will not be able to escape from his fire-breathing mouth.
Although Gorynych has three heads, he rarely thinks of even one. Therefore, he often does stupid things, especially when he is angry. If it seems to him that you are mistaken in something, he will definitely loudly announce it to the whole world. This fairy-tale character always expresses his opinion sharply and straightforwardly.
However, Gorynych also has good qualities. This Snake is extremely decisive, courageous and always thinks globally. The main thing is to direct his inexhaustible energy in the right direction in time.
Advice to Aries: stop being led by your emotions. Before you respond to the offender, calm down and take a deep breath!
Taurus (04/21-05/20): Brownie
Brownie in the house - happiness in the family! Everything is sparkling clean, the flowers are watered, the household is fed. But only if you don’t contradict him on anything. After all, this is a very powerful evil spirit!
The brownie is very jealous, stubborn and loves to argue. In defending his point of view, he will not only be assertive, but also possibly rude. That's his character!
Advice to Taurus: if there is another Taurus living in your house, it is better to immediately decide who is boss.
Gemini (21.05-21.06): Leshy
Leshy are absolutely sincerely confident that no one knows life except them. And this confidence is accompanied by amazing talkativeness and energy.
He is able to spend hours proving to others that they are wrong, without ever repeating himself. Nature has not deprived Leshy of the gift of words! Among other things, he can confuse his tracks so much that he himself does not understand how he ended up in this or that situation.
Advice to Gemini: all goblins are excellent intriguers and manipulators. Therefore, you can make an excellent politician and, of course, a talented critic.
Cancer (06.22-07.22): Swamp kikimora
Kikimora is a very sensitive, sentimental, affectionate and emotional evil spirit. But with all these wonderful qualities, it is very difficult to communicate with her. After all, she usually doesn’t know what she wants. All her life she has been torn apart by irreconcilable contradictions. Either you want to be a caring domestic Kikimora, or a free swamp evil spirit. This is how he lives, running from one shore to the other!
But Kikimora is a wonderful friend. She will definitely listen, sing a lullaby and put you to rest under a marsh bush. He will also reward you with valuable advice! In general, Kikimora is a real gift of fate, especially if she works as a psychologist.
Advice to Cancers: personal relationships with all sorts of Water and Lesha are most often unsuccessful for Kikimora.
Leo (23.07-23.08): cat Bayun
This cat is capable of charming and putting anyone to sleep. Even the one who had no intention of sleeping at all! The cat Bayun is endowed with special magnetism. Although he is selfish, narcissistic and stubborn, people still idolize him, admiring his special talents and virtues. And he graciously allows them to do this!
It's all about charisma and amazing self-confidence. Cat Bayun can brazenly distort fairy tales and howl songs out of tune, but he does it with such self-esteem that no one dares to reprimand him. With his uncompromising tone, he will easily convince you that you are wrong. Especially if you were right.
Advice to Leos: use your oratorical abilities only for good purposes!
Virgo (24.08-23.09): Baba Yaga
Once upon a time, Baba Yaga was Vasilisa the Wise, but life experience made her pragmatic and cynical, and even secretive. Now Yaga sits endlessly in her hut, stirring potions and drying fly agaric mushrooms for uninvited guests. Until they pass all the tests, they will never show the way to Koshchei. And Yaga’s tasks will be very difficult!
Trying to outsmart this old lady is futile. She will fool anyone herself. In addition, Yaga has a natural instinct for lies. Baba Yaga loves cleanliness and order very much. It’s only at first glance that her hut is a complete mess. In fact, every speck lies in its place, and mosquitoes and flies fly along a strictly defined trajectory.
Advice to Virgos: Baba Yaga is demanding both of herself and of others. But sometimes you should still drop everything and just fly on a mortar!
Libra (24.09-23.10): Mara
The mysterious Mara often sits idle, but not because she is lazy. Why does she wander aimlessly around the ancient castle, suffering herself and making others suffer? The thing is that Mara is not able to quickly make a firm decision. Before starting to do something, she needs to carefully weigh the pros and cons. And this takes a lot of time!
Mara also incredibly loves to discuss issues of “life and death” with everyone around her. She can make an elephant out of absolutely any fly. If you have this evil spirit among your friends, get ready to listen to their whining for hours.
Advice to Libra: if your friends do not push you to take decisive action, then you will spend an eternity in thoughts and melancholy.
Scorpio (10.24-11.22): Mermaid
The mermaid swims in her own pool of emotions and comes out of there extremely rarely. She is an incredibly mysterious, complex and nervous person who often rushes from one extreme to another. This beauty is quite capable of falling in love with a sailor whom she has seen only once in her life. Give your voice to the sea witch for his sake, and then... beat your beloved with your tail. Simply because she was in a bad mood. Wrong phase of the moon, you understand...
In this beautiful creature there is a constant struggle between high ideals and base desires. Without a doubt, Freud would have had room to turn around here! At first glance, mermaids are very selfish, but at heart they are all sympathetic and kind.
Advice for Scorpios: try not to swim deep into the pool of emotions. And if you start to be dragged to the bottom, start putting pressure on pity.
Sagittarius (11/23-12/21): Dashing One-Eyed
Dashing One-Eyed most resembles a big child. It is incredibly cheerful, energetic and has an inexhaustible supply of optimism. Even if he gets burned for the thousandth time, Likho will not give up his faith in people. So it will go through life with a huge number of scratches and an eternal smile over its only eye.
And Dashing One-Eye is a very romantic person who believes in eternal love at first sight (perhaps this is why he is so often mistaken). Overall, this is an incredibly dreamy creature and a 100% idealist.
Advice for Sagittarius: You can spend your entire life searching for your ideal soul mate. Take a closer look at those who truly love you!
Capricorn (22.12-20.01): Koschey the Immortal
Koschey is a born leader who has unquestionable authority. Even his enemies respect him. And this is not surprising, because Koscheyushka has a strong will and a steely character. Most often, he tries to hide his toughness under the guise of tenderness and care, but under certain circumstances he can become a real tyrant!
Koschey is an integral and mature person who always knows exactly what and who she wants. It’s not for nothing that he received the nickname “Immortal.” Neither fire, nor water, nor copper pipes can take this evil spirits, so Koschey endures all the cataclysms of life with great dignity.
Advice to Capricorns: no one knows how to achieve their goals better than Koshchei. The main thing is not to make a mistake when setting it up!
Aquarius (21.01-18.02): Nightingale the Robber
This robber is the most irresponsible and charming evil spirit! The nightingale rarely thinks about such boring things as home, family, career, etc. He dreams of flying in the clouds and living in his own castle in the air. True, for now you have to sit on a tree, whistle and rob passers-by!
However, this lifestyle does not at all prevent the Nightingale the Robber from being very popular. He puts you at ease from the very first minutes of meeting you. In addition, Nightingale firmly believes in his luck, which rarely fails him. That is why he lives freely, without worrying about tomorrow!
Advice to Aquarius: creativity and resourcefulness, which you are endowed with beyond measure, will help you find a way out of any situation.
Pisces (02/19-03/20): Water
The merman lives in a small puddle, but at the same time dreams of the vast ocean, long journeys, coral reefs and reckless adventures. Don't be afraid! In the end, he will not float away anywhere, because deep down in his soul he is incredibly attached to his native puddle.
Fantasies often replace real life for Vodyanoy. Thanks to them, he escapes from the drabness of everyday life. Other fairy-tale heroes usually do not understand the sublime and vulnerable nature of the Vodyanoy. Therefore, he has to look for interlocutors among random guests of the swamp.
Advice to Pisces: it’s better for you not to prove anything to anyone, and just swim around all obstacles.
