Чтение текста о домовых и русалках

Do you believe in superstitions and ghosts?

In Russia, there are many people that believe there are friendly ghosts that live in their homes, who bring them good luck and good fortune!

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga is one of the most frequently encountered characters in fairy tales. She’s most often found as the owner of a wooden hut on chicken legs, or as the guardian of the way into a wild wood. And she doesn’t let just anyone pass. Baba Yaga tests the hero’s nerve and courage. And if he proves worthy, she helps him along his way with his task, giving him talismans that will aid his work.

Kikimora

Kikimora is an evil spirit, and she appears in two forms, depending on who she marries. There’s the Bog Hag, who is married to a hobgoblin, and the House Hag, who is the wife of  Domovoi  (a house spirit in Slavic folklore). The Bog Hag appears in fairy tales as an ugly old woman clad in seaweed. Her jobs are to frighten those who wander through the marshes, lure travelers into quicksand and steal small children.

Koschei the Immortal

Koschei the Immortal, an evil monarch, is usually depicted either as a scrawny old man or as a king on horseback. He is not completely immune to death – he can be killed, but to do so you need to break a magical needle, which is hidden in an egg, which is in a duck, which is in a hare, which is in a chest in an oak tree. There’s an alternative version of the story, in which a stallion brings death to King Koschei. His tale is a sad one; one of his stories, “Koschei the Warrior,” tells how he had once been a warrior but was betrayed by his comrades and taken prisoner by his enemies.

Vodyanoy 

(or Water Spirit) is the King of the Deep. In Slavic mythology, the Water Spirit is often an unattractive old man covered in silt and algae, and sometimes with a fishy tail. But he can change form. 

He dwells in all kinds of reservoirs and wells, but you’ll most frequently find him in the pools near a water mill. In mythology, he’s considered evil, but in fairy tales, he is often not malevolent, though he sometimes tries to prevent the young hero from marrying his beloved, especially if she turns out to be the Water Spirit’s daughter. The Water Spirit appears in a tale “Tsarevitch Ivan and Princess Marfa.”

Gorynych the Dragon

Gorynych the Dragon has many heads. He can appear out of the water, spew flames from his nostrils, occasionally fly on wings of fire and often lives in the mountains. Gorynych kidnaps women and besieges cities. But, unlike Baba Yaga, he can’t be bought off or distracted – he’s always determined to make a meal of those who disturb his rest or thwart his plans.