Kikimora – Nightly Evil Female Spirit And Goddess Of Chickens In Slavic Beliefs
A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - Ancient beliefs say that Kikimora spirits (there are many of them) probably live in every household. However, in some versions of her story, she usually appears in homes of dysfunctional, unhappy families where abuse, quarrel, and screams occur daily.
Swamp Kikimora, after which the spider Kikimora palustris is named. Art work by symbolist
painter Vasiliy Ivanovich Denisov (1862–1922).
Kikimora originates in Slavic folklore. In the ancient beliefs of the East Slavs, there are two different kinds of Kikimoras.
One dwells in the forest and is married to the Domovik (Domovoi). The other one comes from the swamp and is married to Leshy.
Kikimora sleeps in dark places of the home, usually in the cellar or behind the furnace, and during the nights, she comes out and works with weaving, spinning, and needlework.
If the home is well kept, Kikimora is happy with the family. She helps them with housework, guards the family members, and protects the chickens. Generally, Kikimora likes skillful and hard-working women that perform their traditional work at home.
An angry and displeased Kikimora may be a troublesome spirit for the family because she interferes in people's lives, disturbs their sleep (mainly irritating children), and makes noises by scratching and whistling at night. She also moves and throws objects, makes them disappear, or changes their places.
Appearance Of Kikimora And Her Psychic Abilities
She is an evil spirit in the form of a small woman with a thimble head, long flowing hair, chicken feet, a body as thin as a straw, and a face, which is almost human-like but shapeless. Kikimora could quickly become invisible.
Illustration of a Kikimora (1934) by Ivan Bilibin (1876-1942). (Kikimora as house-spirit and guardian of chickens - hence her depiction in chicken-like form). Image credit: Ivan Bilibin - Public Domain
Despite her small size, she is a powerful spirit with psychic abilities that help to warn her family of a disaster or dangerous enemies approaching the house where she lives. In other words, she first delivers warnings of misfortune rather than good news.
However, she can be a challenging spirit to work with and keep happy. Once Kikimora is inside the house, it is difficult to get her to leave.
To encounter Kikimora spinning was believed to be a bad omen of impending death.
Kikimora – A 'Chicken Goddess'
In the beliefs of Slavic people, Kikimora is a goddess of chickens. She guards them but sometimes torments them and can even harm pets. Kikimora wants a well-arranged chicken yard where all chickens laying eggs are protected.
The character of Kikimora became a popular inspiration for authors of fairy tales and musicians like Anatoly Lyadov (1855 -1914), a composer and a teacher. He wrote that Kikimora "grows up with a magician in the mountains. From dawn to sunset, the magician's cat entertains Kikimora with beautiful tales of ancient times and distant places as she rocks in a crystal cradle.
She spends her first seven years living in a magician's mountain cave, and after seven years, she leaves the cave to go live among people.
In his poem "Kikimora," Lyadov describes this house spirit as a tiny brown witch with a thimble-sized head and a body no wider than a straw.
Written by – A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer
Updated on March 4, 2023
Copyright © AncientPages.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of AncientPages.com
Expand for referencesMacculloch, J. A.. The Mythology of All Races Vol 3
Leeming, D. The Oxford Companion to World Mythology
Ivanits Linda J. Russian Folk Belief
More From Ancient Pages
-
Fixing Archaeology’s Dating Problem – New Method Developed By Scientists
Archaeology | Sep 17, 2021
-
Two 1,800-Year-Old Sarcophagi Of Wealthy People Accidentally Found At Ramat Gan Safari Park
Archaeology | Feb 22, 2021
-
Hina Matsuri Festival – Sending Dolls In Boats Into The Ocean To Celebrate Girl’s Day In Japan – Ancient Shinto Tradition
Ancient Traditions And Customs | Apr 29, 2019
-
Entrance To An Unexplored Ice Age Cave Discovered Near Engen!
Archaeology | Aug 4, 2023
-
6,000-Year-Old Bizarre, Mouthless ‘Alien’ Mask Unearthed In “The Salt Pit” Settlement In Northeast Bulgaria
Archaeology | Nov 20, 2020
-
Ancient Pathogens Released From Melting Ice Could Wreak Havoc On The World – New Analysis Reveals
Featured Stories | Aug 2, 2023
-
Runes: Facts And History About Odin’s Secret Language
Ancient History Facts | Jan 27, 2016
-
Celtic Tree Of Life – Portal To Invisible Worlds And Source Of Sacred Knowledge
Celtic Mythology | Jul 26, 2021
-
Archaeological Enigma On The Træna Islands – What Happened To The Local Community?
Archaeology | Nov 28, 2023
-
The Sistine Chapel Cypher – Secret Messages In The Art Of Michelangelo
Featured Stories | Mar 3, 2018
-
Major Breakthtrough – Ancient Herculaneum Scroll Deciphered For The First Time
Artifacts | Oct 20, 2023
-
Fragment Of Unique Egyptian Sphinx Unearthed In North Israel
Archaeology | Jul 13, 2013
-
Pictograms: First Written Accounts Of Earthquakes In Pre-Hispanic Mexico
Archaeology | Aug 27, 2021
-
Citrus Was An Ancient Roman Symbol Of Status And Luxury
Ancient Symbols | Aug 23, 2017
-
Unknown Rock Inscriptions And Earliest Monumental Hieroglyphs In Egypt Shed New Light On Ancient Writing
Archaeology | Jun 27, 2017
-
On This Day In History: Ruler Of Palenque Yohl Ik’nal Was Crowned – On Dec 23, 583
News | Dec 23, 2016
-
Conwy Castle In Snowdonia: Outstanding Medieval Fortification In Europe
Featured Stories | Oct 16, 2018
-
Mysterious Disappareance Of Philip Christoph Königsmarck – Where Is The Swedish Count Buried?
Featured Stories | Feb 21, 2024
-
Subterranean Structure In Medieval Naryn-Kala Citadel: Was It The Christian Temple?
Archaeology | Jul 12, 2019
-
Extraordinary 5,000-Year-Old Astronomical Event Depicted On Indian Rock Carving
Archaeoastronomy | Jan 9, 2018