Abstract
The article traces the origins of the Eastern and Western Slavic charms intended to cast worms out of the wounds. Magical folklore of the Eastern and Western Slavs, as well as of the German peoples, counts short verbal charms recited when the wound festers and has fly larvae, or even worms, inside. Often, such charms are cast over farm animals (horses, cows, sheep, and pigs), but sometimes, though less frequently, are employed to cure people. Such Eastern and Western Slavic charms have methodological interest since they show that the symbolism of charms, their motives and language develop at the intersection of ritual, folklore imagery, and dialect speech. In the typological sense, the ritual of “breaking off” the worms can be regarded as an individual case of a broader threatening strategy in relation to plants which fits into a wider context of magical rituals.
References
1 Afanas’ev A.N. Neskol’ko narodnyh zagovorov [Several folk spells]. Letopisi russkoi literatury i drevnosti [Chronicles of Russian literature and antiquity]. Moscow, N.S. Tihonravov Publ., 1862, vol. 4, part III, pp. 72–80. (In Russ.)
2 Borisovsky A.I. Primety, obychai i poslovitsy v piati volostiakh Nizhegorodskogo uezda [Signs, customs, and proverbs in five regions of the Nizhny Novgorod county]. Nizhegorodskii sbornik [Nizhny Novgorod collection]. Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhegorodskii statisticheskii komitet Publ., 1870, vol. 3, pp. 197–225. (In Russ.)
3 Bulusheva E. Zagovory v fol’klore Saratovskogo Povolzh’ia [Incantations in the folklore of Saratov Volga region]. Saratovskii vestnik. Saratov, 1994, issue 4: Zagovory [Spells], pp. 1–65. (In Russ.)
4 Vel’mezova E. Cheshskie zagovory. Issledovaniia i teksty [Czech incantations. Research and texts]. Moscow, Indrik Publ., 2004. 280 p. (In Russ.)
5 Vesnavyja pesni [Spring folk songs], comp. G.A. Bartashewich, L.M. Salavej. Minsk, Navuka i tekhnika Publ., 1979. 608 p. (In Belarusian)
6 Volodina T. Zagovory ot chervei v rane — belorusskaia traditsiia na evropeiskom fone [Charms to cast worms out of the wound — Belarusian tradition against the European Фольклористика / Т.А. Агапкина 327 background]. Zajednichko u slovenskom folklore [Common in Slovenian folklore], ed. by Lj. Radenkovich. Belgrade, Balkanoloshki Institute Publ., 2012, pp. 93–107. (In Russ.)
7 Golubykh M.D. Kazach’ia derevnia [Cossack village], ed. by M. Fenomenov. Moscow, Gos. izd-vo Publ., 1930. 324 p. (In Russ.)
8 Gusev A. Pover’ia, prazdniki, pesni i skazki v st. Ardonskoi Terskoi oblasti [Beliefs, holidays, songs, and fairy tales in Ardonskaya village in Terskaja region]. Sbornik materialov dlia opisaniia mestnostei i plemen Kavkaza [Collection of materials for describing areas and tribes in the Caucasus]. Tiflis, SMOMPK Publ., 1893, vol. 16, pp. 317–366. (In Russ.)
9 Dahl’ V.I. O narodnykh vrachebnykh sredstvakh [On medical means in traditional folklore]. Zhurnal Ministerstva vnutrennikh del, St. Petersburg, 1843, no 8, pp. 161–186. (In Russ.)
10 Dahl’ V.I. O pover’iakh, sueveriiakh i predrassudkakh russkogo naroda [On the beliefs, superstitions, and prejudices of the Russian people]. Illiustratsiia, St. Petersburg, 1845, no 16, pp. 250–251. (In Russ.)
11 Dahl’ V. Tolkovyi slovar’ zhivogo velikorusskogo iazyka [Explanatory dictionary of the living great Russian language], 2 nd ed. St. Petersburg; Moscow, M.O. Vol’f Publ., 1880. Vol. 1. 723 p. (In Russ.)
12 Dobrovol’sky V.N. Smolenskii etnograficheskii sbornik [Smolensk ethnographic collection]. St. Petersburg, Tipografija E. Evdokimova Publ., 1891. Part 1. 716 p. (In Russ.)
13 Dzhordzhevich T.R. Detsa u verovanima i obichajima nasheg naroda [Children in the beliefs and customs of our people]. Belgrade, Srpska kralevska akademija Publ., 1941. 302 p. (In Serbian)
14 Zavyalova M.V. Balto-slavjanskii zagovornyi tekst. Lingvisticheskii analiz i model’ mira [Baltic and Slavic text of incantation. Linguistic analysis and the model of the world]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 2006. 563 p. (In Russ.)
15 Zelenin D.K. Opisanie rukopisei Uchenogo arkhiva Imperatorskogo Russkogo geograficheskogo obshchestva [Description of manuscripts of the Academic Archive of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society]. Petrograd, Tipografiia A.V. Orlova Publ., 1914. Issue 1. 484 p. (In Russ.)
16 Zelenin D. Totemy-derev’ia v skazaniiakh i obriadakh evropeiskikh narodov [Totem trees in the legends and rituals of European peoples]. Trudy Instituta antropologii, arheologii, etnografii [Proceedings of the Institute of Anthropology, Archeology and Ethnography]. Vol. 15. Issue 2. Etnograficheskaia seriia [Ethnographic series] 5. Moscow; Leningrad, Akademiia nauk SSSR Publ., 1937. 77 p. (In Russ.)
17 K. (Karpov U.S.) Predrassudki i pover’ia krest’ian v Petrovskom uezde Saratovskoi gubernii [Prejudices and beliefs of the peasants of Petrovsky county, Saratov province]. Otechestvennye zapiski, 1848, vol. 56, no 2, Smes’, pp. 201–206. (In Russ.) 328
18 Kolosova V.B. Leksika i simvolika slavjanskoi narodnoi botaniki [Vocabulary and symbols of Slavic ethnobotany]. Moscow, Indrik Publ., 2009. 352 p. (In Russ.)
19 Krinichnaia N.A. Krest’ianin i prirodnaia sreda v svete mifologii. Bylichki, byval’shchiny i pover’ia Russkogo Severa [The peasant and the natural environment in the light of mythology. Mythological stories and beliefs of the Russian North]. Moscow, Russkii fond sodeistviia obrazovaniiu i nauke Publ., 2011. 622 p. (In Russ.)
20 Narodnaia demonologiia Poles’ia. Publikatsiia tekstov v zapisiakh 80–90-kh godov XX veka [Folk Demonology of Polessian region. Publication of the texts from the records made in the 1980s–1990s], comp. and comm. by L.N. Vinogradova, E.E. Levkievskaya. Moscow, JaSK Publ., 2010. Vol. 1. Liudi so sverkh”estestvennymi svoistvami [People with supernatural traits]. 647 p. (In Russ.)
21 Nizhegorodskie zagovory (V zapisiakh XIX–XX vekov) [Nizhny Novgorod incantations (In the records made in the 19 th –20 th centuries)], comp. and comm. by A.V. Koro- vashko. Nizhny Novgorod, Nichegorodskii gosudarstvennyi universitet Publ., 1997. 128 p. (In Russ.)
22 Nikiforovsky N.Ia. Prostonarodnye primety i pover’ia, suevernye obriady i obychai, legendarnye skazaniia o litsakh i mestakh [Popular signs and beliefs, superstitious rituals and customs, legendary tales about faces and places].Vitebsk, Gubernskaia tipo- litografiia Publ., 1897. 308 p. (In Russ.)
23 Pardalotsky O. Narodnye primety, sueveriia i predrassudki, zagovory i vorozhba [Folk signs, superstitions and prejudices, incantations and telling fortunes]. Novgorodskie gubernskie vedomosti. Chast’ neofitsial’naia, 1875, no 19, pp. 9–10. (In Russ.)
24 Pskovskii oblastnoi slovar’ [Pskov regional dictionary]. St. Petersburg, Sankt- Peterburgskii universitet Publ., 1995. Issue 11. 352 p. (In Russ.)
25 Pyatnitsky Ar. Sueveriia, pover’ia i primety, zagovory, lecheniia i gadaniia [Superstitions, beliefs and signs, incantations, medical means and divination]. Pribavlenie k Tul’skim eparkhial’nym vedomostiam, Tula, 1873, no 3, pp. 223–229. (In Russ.)
26 Religiia i tserkov’ v Rossii [Religion and church in Russia]. Tiumen’, Tiumenskii gosudarstvennyi universitet Publ., 1992. Issue 3. 96 p. (In Russ.)
27 Romanov E.R. Belorusskii sbornik [Belarusian collection]. Vitebsk, Tipo-litografija G.A. Malkina Publ., 1891. Issue 5. 448 p. (In Russ.)
28 Sadovnikov D.N. Etnograficheskie materialy Povolzhskogo kraia [Ethnographic materials of Volga region]. Simbirskie gubernskie vedomosti. Chast’ neofitsial’naia, Simbirsk, 1874, no 34, 40. (In Russ.)
29 Serebrennikov V.N. Narodnye zagovory, zap. v Okhanskom u. Permskoi gubernii [Folk conspiracies recorded in the Ohanski county, Perm province]. Kruzhok po izucheniiu severnogo kraia pri Permskom universitete [Perm University research group specializing on the northern region]. Perm’, 1918, pp. 1–28. (In Russ.)
30 Slovar’ russkikh narodnykh govorov [Dictionary of Russian popular dialects], ed. by F.P. Filin. Leningrad, Nauka Publ., 1965–. Vol. 1–. (In Russ.)
31 Slovnik ukraїns’koї movi [Dictionary of Ukrainian language], ed. by P.P. Dotsenko, L.A. Jurchuk. Kiїv, Naukova dumka Publ., 1971. Vol. 2. 552 p. (In Ukrainian)
32 Sloўnik belaruskikh gavorak paўnochna-zahodniaj Belarusi i jaje pagranichcha [Dictionary of Belarusian dialects of North-Western Belarus and its border zones]. Minsk, Akademija Navuk Belaruskaj SSR Publ., 1980. Vol. 2. 728 p. (In Belarusian)
33 Traditsionnye obriady i obriadovyi fol’klor russkikh Povolzh’ia [Traditional rites and ritual folklore of the Russians in Volga region], comp. G.G. Shapovalova, L.S. Lavrent’eva. Leningrad, Nauka Publ., 1985. 360 p. (In Russ.)
34 Usacheva V.V. Slovesnye formuly v narodnoi meditsine slavian [Verbal formulas in Slavic folk medecine]. Etnolingvistika teksta. Semiotika malykh form fol’klora [Ethnolinguistic text. Semiotics of small forms of folklore]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1988, vol. 1, pp. 88–92. (In Russ.)
35 Adámek K. Lid na Hlinecku. Praha, Archeologická komisse při České akademii císaře F. Josefa pro vědy, slovesnost a umění, 1900. 386 p. (In Czech)
36 Bartoš Fr. Moravský lid. Sebrané rozpravy z oboru moravské lidovědy. Telč, E. Šolce, 1892. 328 p. (In Czech)
37 Biegeleisen H. Lecznictwo ludu polskiego. Kraków, Polska Akademia umiejętności, 1929. 371 p. (In Polish)
38 Lietuvių užkalbėjimai: gydymo formulės, parengė D. Vaikevičienė, comp., ed. and introd. by D. Vaikevičienė. Vilnius, Lietuvių literatūros ir tautosakos institutas, 2008. 920 p. (In Lithuanian)
39 Mannhardt W., Heuschkel W. Wald- und Feldkulte. Mythologische Untersuchungen. Bd. 1. Der Baumkultus der Germanen und ihrer Nachbarstamme. 2 Auflage. Berlin, Borntraeger, 1904. 648 S. (In German)
40 Rokossowska Z. Zamawiania (“zmowlania”) we wsi Jurkowszczyźnie w pow. Zwiahelskim. Wisła, Warszawa, 1900, vol. 14, pp. 458–461. (In Polish)
41 Siarkowski W. Materiały do etnografii ludu polskiego z okolic Kielc. Cz. 2. Zbiór wiadomości do antropologii krajowej. Kraków, Polska akademia umiejętności, 1879, vol. 3, pp. 3–61. (In Polish)
42 Směs. Český lid. Etnologický časopis. Praha, 1912, vol. 22, pp. 204–207. (In Czech)
43 Szukiewicz W. Niektóre wierzenia, pszesądy i zabobony ludu naszego, legendy i podania. Kwartalnik litewski. Wilno, Stow. Naucz. Polskiego, 1910, vol. 4, pp. 111–124. (In Polish)
44 Talko-Hryncewicz J. Zarys lecznictwa ludowego na Rusi południowej. Kraków, Polska akademia umiejętności, 1893. 470 p. (In Polish)
45 Wereńko F. Przyczynek do lecznictwa ludowego. Materiały antropologiczno- archeologiczne i etnograficzne. Kraków, Polska akademia umiejętności, 1896, vol. 1, pp. 99–228. (In Polish)
