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
-
Anasazi: Sophisticated Civilization That Disappeared Or Evolved Into American Indians Of Southwest
Civilizations | Dec 3, 2016
-
Sobekneferu: First Female Pharaoh In Ancient Egypt
Featured Stories | Mar 9, 2019
-
On This Day In History: HMS Challenger Begins Scientific Exploration Of Oceans – On Dec 21, 1872
News | Dec 21, 2016
-
Ancient Egyptian Village That Is Far Predating Egypt’s Oldest Known Pyramid – Discovered
Archaeology | Sep 3, 2018
-
Why Is A Biscuit Named After Giuseppe Garibaldi – Italy’s Military Leader And Hero?
Ancient History Facts | Feb 19, 2017
-
On This Day In History: Battle of Englefield Was Fought – On Dec 31, 870
News | Dec 31, 2016
-
8-Year-Old Boy Finds Unusual Viking Age Artifact On Gotland Island, Sweden
Archaeology | Sep 18, 2023
-
Mysterious City Lost In The Sands And Its Hidden Treasures
Civilizations | May 21, 2018
-
LIDAR Discovers Two Remarkably Large Sites In The Amazon And Evidence Of Early Urbanism
Archaeology | May 25, 2022
-
King Henry VIII’s Walking Staff And Other Unusual Weapons
Artifacts | Nov 1, 2017
-
Vikings Cared Deeply For Their Animal Companions – Shared Human And Horse Burials Reveal
Featured Stories | Aug 3, 2023
-
Bazira – Lost City Of Alexander The Great Discovered In Pakistan
Archaeology | May 7, 2019
-
On This Day In History: Johannes Kepler ‘Father Of Modern Astronomy’ Was Born – On Dec 27, 1571
News | Dec 27, 2016
-
Unique Lost Runestone Of The Hunnestad Monument Finally Found After 300 Years In Sweden
Archaeology | Dec 16, 2020
-
Osiris Statuette Discovered During Restorations Of The King Djoser Step Pyramid In Saqqara, Egypt
Archaeology | Jul 6, 2018
-
Fossil Study: Coelacanths Thrived In Switzerland After A Mass Extinction
Fossils | Jul 28, 2023
-
Pharaoh Ramesses I Whose Mummy Was Stolen And Displayed As A Freak Of Nature For 130 Years
Featured Stories | Jul 31, 2021
-
Roman Empire’s Emerald Mines In The Egyptian Eastern Desert – New Evidence
Archaeology | Mar 2, 2022
-
Sword-Kladenets – Hidden Treasure Awaiting A Worthy Hero
Featured Stories | Feb 15, 2021
-
Gold Dated To Scythian-Saka Era Unearthed In Valley Of The Kings In East Kazakhstan
Archaeology | Sep 14, 2020