Fiery Serpents

The Fiery Serpent (, , ; ) is an evil spirit in Slavic folklore.

Nomenclature

In Russia, the ''ognennyi zmei'' is also known as the (, 'serpent-lyubak'), (, 'raider'), (, 'raid'), (, 'flyer'), or (, 'flying one'). Also (, 'beckoner' <" 'to beckon') or (, 'charmer').

In Ukraine, the (, 'tempter, seducer'; var. ), aka (), is a demon in the form of a fiery snake (meteor) that flies towards women. It is also called (, 'flying one'), (, 'flyer'), (, 'raid'), or (, 'raider'). The pan-Slavic "fiery serpent" has been termed ' () in Ukrainian.

The Belarus form is () for "flying serpent".

In the Serbian epic ballads, it is referred to as the ''ognyanik'', or "fiery dragon".

The Polish cognate is , ('the flying one') which is associated with the wind.

Description

Demons took on various shapes, and the Fiery Serpent of the East and West Slavs, as well as the Flying Serpent (Russian: ; ) of the Southern Slavs appeared as serpents in air, and as humans on ground.

In East Slavic tradition, the Fiery Serpent generally resembles a fiery shaft (a "fiery carrying pole", Russian: ), a flaming broom, or a glowing ball of blue fire. It releases sparks during its flight and enters (the woman's) house through the chimney.

The serpent may bring gifts, but those gifts turn to horse manure at sunrise (Russian, west-Ukrainian).

The evil spirit reputedly visits the woman at night-time (this may be a literary convention. cf. Fet's poem, ). Women who were widowed, or separated from her husband was particularly vulnerable to having affairs with this certain type of devil, because the devil will assume the shape of the dead or absentee husband. In their grief, and their desperation to be rejoined with their lost love, women do not recognize the serpent and become convinced that their lover has returned.

It is told that those who are visited by the serpent experience weight loss, exhibit signs of insanity and eventually commit suicide, or wither and die. In addition, victims of the serpent often experience hallucinations, including visions of supernatural torment, such as suckling on breasts which excrete blood rather than milk.

There are several ways to distinguish and identify the fiery serpent. Like any demon, it has no spinal cord (Russian). and a woman can test if it is the real husband by feeling for his spine. It cannot correctly pronounce sacred Christian names, and instead of "Jesus Christ" () the serpent may say "Sus Christ" (), or instead of (, Mother of God) it can only say (). Other sources say the fiery serpent lacks the ability to hear and speak properly. And though the body may be human, it is multi-headed (Voronezh, Ukraine).

Superstition prescribes certain ways to ward against the devil, for example, the magical herb (possibly valerian), or a decoction of burdock or its root stuck on the wall may serve as amulet (Russia). Reading the Psalter in a house where the serpent has already visited may help; or making the sign of the cross at entry points, such as window, door or stovepipe.

Mythology also tells that the Fiery Serpent had a son by a human woman, and she bore a werewolf (), the Fiery Serpent Wolf (; ). This son combatted and defeated his father. In Serbian epic literature, around the 15th century a mythical hero was transferred on to historical figures, namely, "Zmaj Ognjeni Vuk" ( "Vuk the Fire Serpent/Dragon"; Vuk means "wolf") became the double of Vuk Grgurević.

Thus women can have the fiery serpent's children, and illegitimate births are still often explained as such devil spawn. If a woman conceives a child with such a devil, the pregnancy will be exceedingly long, and the child will be born with black skin, with hooves instead of feet, eyes without eyelids and a cold body (Russia), or its body will be cold and jelly-like (East Ukraine). Such births are not viable, and the children die.

Egg lore

The wealth-bringing demon can be bred from an egg of a chicken (sometimes rooster, cf. below) aged 3, 5, 7, or 9, according to Slavic legend. In Russian, this demon is referred to as either ''ognennyi zmei'' ("fiery serpent") or () or perhaps just a serpent or "flying serpent". The creature that hatches is in the shape of a cat, according to Pavel Vasilievich Shejn, though it make take on the shape of either a cat, a train of fire, fire-sparks, or a young chicken according to a different source. At any rate, it transforms into a fiery streak at night to steal money, or grain for the house or landlady who hosts it, and in return it is expected to be fed Scrambled eggs or omelettes).

In Belarus, it is said that an egg laid by a (black) rooster (unusually shaped, like a snail) must be carried in one's bosom for 1 to 7 years (var. under the armpit for 3 years) for the small flying serpent to hatch. The Belarussian flying serpent is also referred to as in ''kletnik'' (. cf. ) and favours fried eggs or a scrambled eggs dish (; ) that is not overly salty.

Historic examples

An early sighting of the "fiery serpent" was recorded in a chronicle entry for the year 1092, which tells that the clouds darkened, and a great, three-headed snake with the heads aflame craned out of it, issuing fumes and noises, according to Ukraine writer . The year 1092 was one of calamaities in Kievan Russia and Polotsk in Belarus according to the Primary Chronicle.

The preceding year, 1091, was also fraught with portents, such as the solar eclipse. Vsevolod Yaroslavich during hunt near Vyshgorod in 1091, witnessed a dragon-meteorite falling from the sky, as illustrated in the ''Radziwiłł Chronicle'' copy of the ''Primary Chronicle'' (Cf. fig. at top), which has been recognized as an instance of a "fiery dragon" sighting.

The origin of the image

The association of shooting stars, bolides, and comets, with the fiery serpent is pan-Slavic (cf. , ), including Belarus, and association with bolides, meteorites and such heavenly stones among the East Slavs is not unique to that region.

According to Russian folk belief (around Tula), when the archangel Michael cast down the fallen angels, some of these devils evaded falling down to earth, and remained flying in the atmosphere in the form of fiery serpents.

Russia

One story recounts how the flying serpent had an affair with a certain woman, but would remove his wings and tuck them under the roof, before entering her house and making his dalliances. A gypsy (''cygán'') noticed and hid the wings, compelling the serpent never to see the woman again (Tula Governorate).

A legend about the ''letun'' ("flyer"), i.e. fiery dragon recorded in the old capital of Pereslavl-Zalessky, describes a woman who believed she was visited by her dead husband and wasted away. The family took measures to drive it out, hiring a woman to read the psalter, and awaiting in guard of the woman as it visited. The father-in-law's threat of strangulation kept it away.

A shooting star in the steppes is considered a "fiery serpent" according to folk belief. An incident is recollected by , mine engineer and writer that when a meteor streaked the sky in the Siberian taiga, workers started shouting "''zmei'' (serpent)!" as the meteor was called ''ognennyi zmei'' colloquially, and the older men took them to be either a good or bad omen.

Ukraine

According to Eastern Ukrainian legends, whilst traveling, the fiery serpent strews beautiful gifts along the road to lure grieving women and villagers, including beads, rings, belts/girdles and handkerchiefs/ headscarves. If the woman then picks it up, the evil spirit will fly to her.

In Ukraine, there is also the belief that the spirit of the dead husband turns into a ''perelesnyk'' and visits the bereaved wife, especially if the widow's yearning for him is strong, visiting his grave frequently, etc. But the ''perelesnyk'' is harmful, draining her by drinking blood, or suffocating her. He is difficult to eradicate, requiring the service of a (, soothsayer) with a spell or potion. (Cf. Legend of Russian ''letun'' above).

Belarus

The fiery "flying serpent"（; of Belarus exhibit two aspects, that of the wealth-bringing spirit and that of the "mythological lover" (i.e., mythological creature as lover). The fiery flying serpent of the house is also designated or (, from 'granary, pantry' where it is said to dwell). The Belarusian flying serpent likes to be fed fried eggs or scrambled eggs (; ) that must not be overly salty, lest it anger the demon which will exact some form of retribution using fire. If someone is doing unusually well financially, others will quip about him that "the serpent brings him money" ().

Baltic parallels

The Estonian ''kratt'' manifests itself as a fiery being with a sparking tail (not a flying dragon ''per se''). But the ''kratt'' is only a halfway parallel with the two-faceted Belarusian described above, since the Estonian version fails to act as an ardent lover to human woman.; cf. (since the Estonian ''kratt'' is thus mostly a home helper spirit, the parallel is discussed somewhat at length under the article on the German Schrat, to which it is etymologically related.)

Some commentators also see some parallel between the Belarus flying serpent, etc., with the Lithuanian ''aitvaras'', which also brings riches, love to be fed egg dishes, and retributes using fire. But similar lore may be widespread simply due to the pan-European mythology of basilisks disseminated during medieval times, or perhaps somewhat later in the 16th century.

Serbia

In Serbia, a fire serpent is classed as a being in the "dragon-meteorite" category, which is generally benevolent and can mate with human females, but are also blamed for droughts when they overstay their welcome.

It is also contended the Serbian epic ballads call it ''ognjanik'' or ''ognyanik'' (, which could mean 'fireworks'). This South Slavic ''ognyanik'' dwells in mountain caves, sometimes above the clouds. The dragon is covered in scales, and breathes fire, sometimes its mouth glinting like a flash of lightning. The ognyanik of legend has heroic prowess, hoards treasures, knows herbal lore including aphrodisiacs, charms women.

There is Serbian epic song entitled "''Zmaj ognjeni i troglav Arapin'' (The fiery dragon and the three-headed Arab)".

Poland

The Polish version is ''latawiec'' ('the flying one') which was originally an air spirit that could conjure up winds, and regarded as a sort of bird with plumage, though the witch's endeared one is described as a hairy little man, also appearing in the guise of a serpent. There is conflation between the demon ''latawiec'' and the house sprite ''skrzat'' (cf. Schrat. The ''latawiec-skrzat'' demands milk ''kasha'' () or porridge, but it must not be too hot or it will anger the spirit.

In literature

Myths about the fiery serpent are found in Serbian epic songs as well as Russian '' byliny'', and fairy tales (''skazka''). The term "fiery serpent" applied (sometimes) to the archetypal evil dragon dispatched by the dragon-slaying hero of ''bylina'', such as Dobrynya Nikitich.

There has been recorded the spell or ''zagovory'' () to protect a woman against the incursion of the flying serpent, and the lengthy recitation names the "fiery serpent". Another spell, for a military man going to war, also invokes the "fiery serpent". There is an incantation (Ukrainian: Замовляння, ) acting as a love charm, where the fire serpent is supposed to act as a magical creature which arouses a woman's passion.

In ''The Tale of Peter and Fevronia'' (16th century), this devil in serpent form flew to the wife of Prince Pavel, brother of Prince Peter of Murom.

The image of a fiery serpent was described by the Russian poet Afanasy Afanasievich Fet in his ballad, (, "Serpent"), written in 1847, where a young widow is visited by a serpent from the night sky.

The ''perelesnyk'' features in the play ''The Forest Song'' (1911) by Ukrainian writer Lesia Ukrainka.

Explanatory notes

See also

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References

Citations

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Slavic weather deities
Dragons
Russian mythology
Ukrainian mythology
Slavic demons
Legendary serpents
Fire in culture
Fiction about meteoroids
Incubi