Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-04-15
THE GHOSTS OF RUSSIA.
FREAKS PRACTiSED BY THEM
IN THE MOUJIk'S LAND.
The Part the DomovoI Plays In the Peas
ants Life--They Believe That
Every House Has rs Own
Special Spirit.

In Russia ghosts are numerous.
writes the correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Times. They are everywhere.
At least 30, 600, 600, il not more OF the
cars subjects-the whole rural popu-
lation. In fact-are firmly convinced
that there is not house, inhabited or
otherwise. that has not its domovoi
(house spiriD. The peasant looks
upon the domovoi as a living reality.
as something that is as much to be
reckoned with in the hard. joyless life
as the inclemency of the long winter.
the tax collector the CONSUMPTION and
similar inevitable evils Nay. he gives
more thought TO the domovoi than
even the tax collector for the latter S
visit takes place at fixed times where
as the former Is constantly with him
In most parts OF Russia the peasant
pictures to himself the domovoi as a
little old man with long, beard and u
hirsute covering all over his body. and
as manifesting a decided preference
for the petch oven. where he lives with
his wife and family. A house spirit
who had not at least wife is almost
unknown; in the ma. ority of cases he
is represented as having also several
daughters. The latter are reputed to
be exceedingly attractive and possess
ing all the charms of youth and
beauty. But woe to the mortal whose
fancy takes a flight in that direction!
He is inevitably lost
n nj ha;
Voronesh, who had served under the
Gar Nicholas. and was discharged
after the Crimean war related the fol-
lowing of his own brother, young
fellow of 49, who had had tho mis-
fortune to get infatuated with the
daughter OF their house-spirit:
Heaven only knows, BARN On S.
ter), the old man sa d. with deep
sigh. chow he came to meet the
netshistooioo (unclean one), but there
it was He suddenly became a changed
man, lost his appetite. could not sleep
would walk about like man in a
dream. not speaking to anyone. or
even answering when spoken to.
AT first we did not know what was
the matter with him. but learned, on
consulting the znakhar (sorcerer),
that the poor lad had been ensnared
by the domovoi's daughter. He (the
sorcerer) tried all kinds of incanta-
tons and other remedies. but they
were all OF no avail. The lad became
worse and worse would disappear for
days. roaming about in the field. and
return home completely tired out.
Things thus went on for months. until
one morning one OF the neighbors
found the lad hanging from tree"
Here the old man wiped away the
tears from his eyes. muttering to him
self, biedny paren! biedny parent
| (poor lad! poor ladD
Very frequently the house-spirit
takes dislike to some particular
member of the family. or even to some
! particular animal, giving vent to his
feelings in variety of unpleasant
ways 1t is, however asserted that a
gentle remonstrance with the diedoosh-
ka Qitte grandiather)-so the house
spirit is generally alluded to-may in
some cases avert his disfavor. In GER
tain districts the Little grandfather"
seems to be less amenable to reason,
and the inhabitants have, therefore,
to resort to stronger means of pacifi-
cation.
The services of the village sorcerer
are first called into re1uisition, and
If OF no avail. offerings in the shape
Of hens geese, and. in very rare cases.
even OF cattle and horses are had re-
course to. In some of the eastern
governments "a hen or goose is killed
in honor of the domovoi at regular in
tervals. the head of the killed bird be-
! ing hung up somewhere in the court
! yard for the special benefit Of the
little grandfather" and his family.
1t is also customary to dedicate to
the house-spirit the halter by which "a
newly acquired horse or COW has been
led to its new home and as the petch
is supposed to be his favorite spct in
the house, the rope is placed there at
night
In addition to this it is also thought
necessary to recommend TO the domo-
vols favor every new animal intro
duced into the household. This is
done by addressing him in some such
manner as the following; '.Diedoo-
shka take kindly 10 this horse, feoi
and water him. do not modest him
thyself nor suffer thy wife and chill
dren to i'll treat him." At the death
of the paterfa mifias his heir or sue
cessor is. in some parts formally in
troduced to the little grandfather +"
the latter being implored to extend
his protection to the new master and
his property in the same way as he
had done to his predecessor.
Generally speaking, the domovoi is
friendly to people he knows. but the
reverse TO strangers AMI it owing to
this circumstance that he is always in
| vited TO follow the family whenever
the residence is changed. The ol6es
female OF the household goes TO the
old place and, filling new earthen-
ware vessel with burning Goals polite
J !? invites the little gran father to