XII Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2020

It is very difficult to understand the reason for the appearance of faith in ghouls and bereginyas (protectors) and its preservation for many centuries. But the fact that these supernatural beings occupied a rather significant place in the worldview of people is undeniable.[6]

A ghoul is “an overturn, a werewolf, wandering at night as a witcher, a wolf sucking people and cattle; bloodsucker (vampire); evil healers, roam as ghouls upon death, and in order to calm them down, it is necessary to dig a grave and pierce the corpse with an aspen stake. | Big-headed child, with dropsy in the head. | Angry and stubborn, obstinate, obdurate man”. [1]

Some researchers brought the word “ghoul” together with the word “bat”. In Slavic mythology, a bat is a nocturnal animal, in which the soul of a bad person installed itself for 300 years, before being reborn into a new person and living a new life. European folklore also has the notion that bats are associated with evil spirits. In the modern interpretation, sometimes vampires turn into bats.[3]

There are a lot of versions about the origin of the word “bereginya” (protector). And, of course, the most common of them is the version about the origin of this word from the verb “to protect”. Bereginyas are mermaids, goddesses protecting and helping people. For the initial ideas, this explanation is suitable, but when bereginyas are shown as cunning girls, it is already difficult to call them protectors.[3]

There is also a version that "a ghoul" and "bereginya" are root words. The latter was supposedly used in the meaning of a bank, but not just the bank of the river, reliable, protected, but the bank as the border of another world, as a prohibition to cross the border, as a restraining barrier. The ghouls in this version are those who violated this ban, crossed the border of the worlds. And even the modern version of vampires shows that they violate the laws of nature.[3]

The bodies of ghouls in graves do not decompose, do not rot away: this opinion should be recognized as a common one wherever it is known about ghouls.

Some researchers of Slavic mythology believe that the Slav’s bereginya is a composite and abstract image of an ancient female power aimed at helping people living in honor and truth. The deification of such a force and its personification occurred ambiguously and not among all the Slavs. There are such nations who still honor bereginya as a patron spirit. Bereginya could be a kind of a goddess, endowing an individual personality with her qualities, at the same time she could be an elemental natural spirit. [2,4,5]

Bereginya’s Day is revered by the Slavs on July 15 (in the Christian tradition it is Peter’s Mother, or Damp God’s Mother). The birch tree was especially revered on this day. All the work was postponed, especially mowing was stopped. In the morning or in the afternoon, embroidered towels and refreshments were carried to the river, to the field, to the forest. All this is laid and offered as a gift to the goddess Bereginya of the clan, or to the spirits-bereginyas. After that young girls and women used to wash their faces and wipe thems with these towels. It was believed that this way they added themselves more strength, health and beauty. [2,4,5]

Based on fairy tales, songs, legends, traditions and holidays of the Slavs, it is possible to conclude that ghouls are not just vampires who appear from an unknown place and drink human blood, but dead people, suicides, mostly sorcerers. From ancient times people feared sorcerers, but nevertheless, sometimes they asked for their help. This aid wasn’t unselfish, wizards needed a gift. [2,4,5]

Initially, bereginyas like ghouls weren’t considered to be personified spirits. They were worshiped, sacrificed. Bereginyas were considered good patronesses of people, protecting and helping them. But somehow, judging by quite late traditions and legends, bereginyas turn from good patronesses and defenders into insidious cunning mermaids, who lure young men, girls, travelers who have lost vigilance and fishermen with their singing, beauty and promises of wealth.

Литература

Толковый словарь живого великорусского языка Владимира Даля // http://slovardalja.net/

Афанасьев А.Н. «Славянская мифология». М.: Эксмо, 2008.

Грушко Е. и Медведев Ю. Словарь славянской мифологии. СПб.: Русский купец и Братья славяне, 1995.

Забылин М. Русский народ, его обычаи, обряды, предания, суеверия и поэзия. М.: Институт русской цивилизации, 2014.

Зеленин Д.К. Очерки русской мифологии. М.: Индрик, 1995.

Рыбаков Б.А. Язычество древних славян. М.: Наука, 1994.