The world of the spirits of the Russian people

The book "The World of Spirits of the Russian People" is dedicated to the revered spirits in Russian folklore that peasants encountered in their homes, yards, forests, fields, and rivers. Many similarities can be found between the world of Russian spirits and those of related Indo-European peoples. Similar parallels can be seen between the spirit worlds of peoples living on different continents. Domovoi (house spirit), dvorovoi (yard spirit), bannik (bathhouse spirit), leshy (forest spirit), vodyanoy (water spirit), rusalka (water nymph) are just a few examples. There are also lesser-known spirits such as ovinik, shishiga, kikimora, lugovoy, polevoy, and bolotny. The book not only tells about these spirits but also shows their manifestations depending on the seasons. Twelve spirits are associated with each month. For example, in April, the vodyanoy awakens with the ice drift, in May, rusalki begin their revelries, in July, the leshy causes thunderstorms, followed by the polevoy bringing fog to the fields. In autumn, nature spirits go to sleep under the snow and ice, while house spirits start helping people. All of this and more can be found in the book offered to your attention.