Kikimora mythology. Activities and lifestyle

TO IKIMORA - spirits of anxious, restless dreams and night dreams and ghosts. They live in houses, having been sent there for a certain time from the underworld. They are ambassadors and ministers.

Who are kikimoras?

There was also a belief that kikimores- these are children who died, unbaptized or cursed by their mothers, whom witches place in someone’s house (here the influence of Christianity is already obvious), or women who were carried away in infancy by devils, raised by evil spirits and sent to live with people for a certain period of time. It was believed that carpenters could also plant kikimora in a house if they were not paid for their work.

Kikimoras know all the villages, all the towns, they know about all human sins. They sneak into the hut unnoticed and settle behind the stove inaudibly. They keep evil in mind for honest people, plotting to drive the owners out of the house. And they are more hostile towards men than towards women. They can spin with them, but, however, they will confuse more yarn.

At night, kikimoras play pranks, bother people, rustle in the dark, confuse tow and yarn, rattle windrows in the oven, steal chickens, pluck wool from sheep - they do dirty tricks little by little. They also harm livestock by counting them, but they can only count up to three. Always unhappy with what you have. And the oven is not built like that, and the table is placed in the wrong place, and the bench is made in the wrong place. They are always ready to grumble about everything and disturb people in everything. But still, kikimoras, compared to brownies, were considered less restless. During the day they are not only invisible, but also inaudible - they sit quietly behind the stove.

Kikimoras are devils. They were presented as unkempt women with disheveled, sticking hair, small, skinny, with an unpleasant face with a long nose, and a boring character. The kikimora has a head the size of a thimble, and a body comparable to a straw. From the connection of kikimora with male house spirits comes the continuation of the family of both. In other places it was believed that there were also forest kikimors - wood goblins and foxes. Most of all, kikimoras like to settle in dwellings built in swampy areas.

Kikimora is not a very dangerous spirit. She, despite all her malice, cannot cause great harm to a person. She disturbs, disturbs a person, tries to instill fear in him, but mainly evokes only hostility and ridicule.

The ritual of expelling kikimoras from houses was carried out on March 4 (old style). It was believed that on this day they become quiet, meek and tame and that only on this day can one get rid of them. During the expulsion, the kikimoras swept the stove and all the corners of the hut, fumigated it with the sentence: “You, kikimora-brownie, come out of Goryunin’s house quickly, otherwise they will beat you up with hot rods, burn you with a flaming fire, and pour black tar on you. My word is firm."

Are kikimoras evil or good spirits?

Kikimora (shishimora, mara) is one of the species. This character of East Slavic mythology is a manifestation of the evil spirit of Mara - Kiki-Mara.
Mara is the common Indo-European name for a night demon who sends obsessions and terrible dreams (hence “kosh-mar”). In European legends, Mara sits on the chest of the sleeping person, causing suffocation.
Kikimora is an evil spirit in the guise of a dwarf or a small woman, whose head is the size of a thimble and whose body is thin as a straw. Kikimora lives in the house behind the stove and is engaged in spinning and weaving, and also plays pranks at night with the spindle and spinning wheel of the owners of the house (for example, tearing yarn).
Kikimora can harm domestic animals, in particular chickens, by throwing and breaking dishes, disturbing sleep, and making noise at night.
Getting rid of kikimora is extremely difficult. The “chicken god” served as a talisman against it - a stone with a natural hole or the neck of a broken jug with a piece of calico, which was hung over the perch so that the kikimora would not torment the chickens, as well as juniper, a belt from which was tied around salt shakers.
It was believed that babies who died unbaptized became kikimoras.

The peasants also believed that the kikimora could have been “let in” during the construction of a house by carpenters or stove makers who wanted to harm the owners for some reason. To do this, craftsmen made a doll (a “kikimora” figurine) from wood chips and rags and placed it under the mat or in the front corner of the house.

It was also believed that a kikimora was a victim of a woman's abortion (an unborn child); no matter how many abortions a woman has had, she has given birth to so many kikimoras; at the moment of a woman’s death, all her kikimoras come to her to drag her soul into the hellish worlds.
The presence of a kikimora in the house could be easily determined by its wet footprints.

Swamp kikimora

There is also a swamp kikimora (forest), a wife (leshacha), who lives in a forest or swamp (swamp kikimora, forest kikimora). Described as a small, hunched, ugly old woman, dressed in rags, slovenly and eccentric. She was accused of kidnapping children and leaving an enchanted log in their place. Afanasyev in his work “Poetic Views of the Slavs on Nature” also provides information about leprechauns: “The popular imagination gives them such huge and long breasts that they are forced to throw them over their shoulders and only then can they walk and run freely.” And the little devil sitting on his back, who sucks the breast, is hidden and warmed by the long hair of the goblin. These women are overgrown, shaggy, and have matted hair.

Kikimora, or a beautiful maiden who drowned in the water - who are they, what abilities do they have and what secrets do they hide under their image?

Kikimora. Unidentified mystical creature

For centuries, people have been drawn to everything unidentified and eerie, enchanting and repulsive. The image of a kikimora is precisely the ideal of a mysterious creature. A character who chills the blood and makes unbelievers believe. A swamp, no matter where it is located, always evokes fear and a desire to bypass it or simply run away faster. Near mysterious overgrown places, a feeling of anxiety arises and the paranormal presence of unearthly creatures is felt, or a creepy character is seen before your eyes - a kikimora.

Why swamp, and not, say, forest or domestic? This is due to the fact that the image of a kikimora is tried on by innocent virgins who had to drown themselves in an unfortunate swamp, among muddy mud and sticky thickets. They say that whoever the swamp beast marries, she has to stay with him for the rest of her eternal life. The description of a kikimora has different interpretations and depends on its place of residence.

If a kikimore is lucky enough to marry a brownie, then she will remain to exist among ordinary earthly people. And if she is enchanted by the goblin, she will never see worldly happiness again, but is destined to rest forever in the swamp with her husband.

But not only drowned people can cause the appearance of kikimoras. For example, according to legend, babies who died unbaptized or were born dead, deformed, became those very terrible images. Children outside the family are also doomed to the same fate, as are those who were cursed by their parents or abducted by unclean otherworldly forces.

What does a kikimora look like? Photo

It is difficult to stop at one description of a swamp inhabitant. There are several most popular options. You can see what a kikimora looks like in books that tell ancient myths and legends. And if your nerves are strong enough, then, having gathered in the evening, you can go in search of her to the nearest swamp.

What does a real kikimora look like? Let's try to describe this creature in detail, without missing a single mystical element. Mythology presents us with a kikimora in the image of an old scary woman, she is hunched over, her hair is tousled in different directions, and she is dressed in rags. In the photo we can see what a kikimora looks like - wearing a kokoshnik on her head, very short in stature, with a thin figure. Because of her small weight, she was afraid to go outside, lest she be blown away by the wind. Another story says that kikimoras are naked girls with very long and magnificent braids. Of course, as mentioned above, there is no single idea of ​​what a kikimora looks like.

During the day they can be invisible and announce themselves through their voices. The kikimors living in the house can use their voice to kick out the residents and demand something. Most often, such requirements are not very favorable for the residents of the house.

Favorite habitats of kikimoras

In addition to a swamp or a cozy home, kikimoras can live in other places. Most often these are bathhouses, chicken coops, barns, or taverns, where a lot of negative energy is concentrated.

A kikimora can hide in a corner of a room cluttered with unnecessary things or climb onto a cabinet from which the dust has not been wiped off for a long time. She is looking for places where she will feel comfortable, and this is where there is a lot of dirt and old shabby things. A kikimora can be accidentally dragged into a house with a woman along with negative energy, and she will remain next to the owner.

Everyone who knows what a real kikimora looks like is afraid of accidentally meeting one. Some legends say that the kikimora lives in every house constantly, never leaving it.

Where does kikimora come from? Beliefs

The peasants follow one popular belief, which appeared quite a long time ago and remains in the consciousness. They say that kikimora can be launched into a house by dissatisfied workers who have been poorly paid by their owners for their work. But, most likely, this belief was invented by the workers themselves in order to teach them a good salary for their work.

How can you attract a kikimora into your home? To do this, the workers used a doll depicting a kikimora, which they hid well somewhere in the house or between the walls and recited a special spell.

What can a kikimora do?

It is believed that kikimora has a huge potential of negative energy, which it constantly directs towards the mistress of the house. For example, if she touches any work with her dirty hands, then this work will never be completed. The peculiarity of kikimoras is that when they weave, they constantly jump in one place, and in addition, they weave the threads in the opposite direction (than ordinary people do). They tangle the threads, mess around and constantly tear everything they have tied.

What other names does kikimora have?

The ominous image of the kikimora chills the spirit of all household members who sensed its presence in their cozy home, seemingly closed to the other world.

Many have met kikimora, but they themselves did not suspect it. And all because she goes by several names, and each of them has its own special, terrifying meaning.

The Belarusians called this beast, the domestic monster, the little thing. Another popular nickname for her is igong or igon. And the home spirit of a kikimora is usually called a neighbor or shishimora, shishiga. Kikimora is also a well-known name for a swamp or domestic creature, the image of a drowned beautiful maiden, who, by the will of fate, had to marry a terrible goblin and forever remain with him under the quiet water of the swamp.

The word “kikimora” itself consists of two parts, namely “kiki” and “mora”. The first means "to scream, to make terrible, unpleasant moans, to summon the devil." And “mora” is death, this is how the second part of the name is translated, which ideally fits the description of kikimora.

It is not surprising that her image evokes terrible animal fear, because in direct translation her name speaks for itself - it screams about death.

Works in which the image of a kikimora appears

Many mystical writers or even classics mentioned in their works the image of a drowned maiden - a kikimora. How is she usually described and what role does she play in various works?

In ancient monuments of Russian manuscripts, especially later ones (17-18 centuries), there are descriptions of mystical spirits and characters.

The episode with the kikimora in the Moscow legend of the 1630s. says that the little thing, as Belarusians call it, is a kind of terrible provocateur and instigator of all sorts of troubles in the life of a family or an individual. It can cause trouble of any complexity, such as a minor quarrel in the family or an incurable fatal disease. Why is she doing this? It’s easy to explain: kikimora is the unfortunate spirit of a woman who, through her own or someone else’s fault, was drowned in a lake (swamp) or died tragically in the forest. That's why she takes revenge on everyone who gets in her way. Stories with a mention of kikimora are a kind of direct evidence that it has always existed, and even before the time they learned about it.

Also, A.K. Lyadov’s work “Kikimora” melodiously creates an atmosphere of presence when listening.

What does the photo look like?

The swamp species of kikimoras are special ones that live in swamps and are born in the form of drowned girls, but much older and more terrible - changed beyond recognition.

They describe in detail what a swamp kikimora looks like - the photo below shows a lower evil spirit that settles in a swamp and loves to dress up in all sorts of furs and weave swamp and forest plants into its braids.

The thing steals small children, causes trouble and makes babies cry constantly. She drags the kids into her dark, dirty home, and they never return to their parents.

Kikimora can relatively rarely appear among people; she prefers to announce herself with a voice - terrible, creaky and low, which chills the blood and tickles the nerves. In this she is like her sister - the homemade kikimora. Although they never meet, each has its own place and its own activities.

Transformation into a kikimora

If anyone is interested in the question of how to become a kikimora, then read on. Every myth has some truth, and the swamp creature is no exception. We will not know the truth, but ancient legends and modern interpretation can be discussed in more detail.

The first path to transformation is a forgotten muddy swamp. A young girl is doomed to become a kikimora if she drowns in this muddy mass.

As for boys, the legends say that you have to be a freak or cursed. There is no doubt that in the past centuries it was the damned boy who was considered the real embodiment of the old toothless kikimora.

In fact, any living creature that was once cursed or has chosen the wrong path in life - the path of evil and sinful acts - can become a kikimora.

Favorite pastime of real kikimoras

True kikimores are never bored, although they are destined to forever wander among people and swamp inhabitants. The beasts love to weave, but they weave in a special way - on the contrary, not like ordinary women, and during this they jump in one place. It's not a pretty sight, but fortunately, it's quite rare to see it. Since kikimores prefer a solitary lifestyle and remain invisible most of the time, the chance of finding out what they look like is reduced to zero.

Another favorite pastime of the beasts is to joke with the residents of the house, and, of course, not in a kind way. Her jokes are so frightening that the family, sensing something is wrong, quickly tries to leave the ominous house with all its mystical manifestations of evil spirits. So what is the point of such jokes? A kikimora can appear to people in the form of a poor child abandoned by its parents, and good people, having picked up and warmed the baby, actually provide themselves with a painful life with the kikimora. You can protect yourself from this creature, and you need to do this through prayer, turning to the holy spirits and the Mother of God. For those who are aware of what a kikimora looks like, it is easy to avoid contact with it.

How to recognize a kikimora?

Usually kikimoras allow themselves to go out before great holidays, such as Christmas. The beast also feels the atmosphere of the family and comes precisely at the moment when something special happens - good or bad. At such moments, people are most vulnerable and succumb to the evil spell of home kikimora.

She appears in front of the house on the threshold. A shrill cry or loud, frequent knocking on the door can alert the owners. It would not be surprising if kikimora combines these two activities. You can ask her a question and hear a knock in response.

Those who are lucky enough to catch a kikimora in the act can, with the help of special rituals and spells, return it back to human form. To do this, you need to cut the hair on her crown with the image of a cross. But, despite the return, the kikimora will always have some peculiarity from the past - stuttering, a hump on the back, stupidity, and more.

And finally, a little advice. To rid your home of a possible mythological beast, you need to throw out all the trash and consecrate every corner. Now it’s no secret what a kikimora looks like. The photo will tell more about her than all the myths.

Swamp kikimora is a famous character from the folklore and mythology of the East Slavic peoples. The etymology of the name, appearance and activities, the image in cinema of this supernatural creature is discussed later in the article.

Name: origin and meaning

This mythological character has many names. Swamp kikimora is one of the most commonly used. Shishiga, mara, neighbor, thing - other variants of names.

The image of the kikimora developed in ancient times. The veneration of the goddess Mokosh (Mokosh) had a great influence on its formation. This was the only Old Slavonic female deity. The goddess was associated with activities such as weaving and spinning. Yarn was sacrificed to her by throwing the offering into a well.

According to some legends, kikimora (swamp, forest and living in houses) is the granddaughter of the Old Slavic goddess.

The word “kikimora” and its derivatives consist of two parts. “Kik” can be translated as “bird cry”, or, in another version, as “humpbackedness”, “hunchedness”. "Mora" is the name of female demons who have the ability to give people nightmares.

How do kikimores appear? The legends of different Slavic peoples have several explanations of the origin of these creatures. According to one version, this is a baby who died before baptism. According to another, a child cursed by his mother. There is a belief that children stolen by evil spirits turn into kikimoras.

What does a swamp kikimora look like: appearance and description

According to beliefs and myths, there are several types of these creatures.

A kikimora, living next to a person, chooses the most secret and secluded corners. It can live not only in the house, but also in a barn, bathhouse, or chicken coop. Most often she is invisible, but sometimes she appears as a small, ugly old woman in rags. Her favorite pastime is weaving and spinning (there is a close connection with the goddess Mokosh).

The forest kikimora plays a lot of mischief in its youth, but in old age it becomes grumpy and hides away from human eyes in the wilderness. If you ask her politely and correctly, she will willingly help a person.

The swamp kikimora is the most dangerous among its companions. She doesn’t just play pranks and jokes, but tries to lure the traveler into the very quagmire. It is very easy to recognize it, provided that it appears to a person. This is a terribly thin woman with marsh-green skin, dressed in torn clothes. Sometimes it pretends to be a dry tree. She turns into a girl with long flowing hair if she decides to destroy a traveler. It can circle it around the swamp for hours, luring it into a quagmire. The swamp kikimora does not tolerate noise and rudeness. It can send uninterrupted sleep to noisy travelers who have not asked permission from the swamper to spend the night, and take away their life force.

How to protect yourself when meeting a mythical creature

Don't be afraid of the swamp kikimora. To accurately recognize her and get rid of her presence, you need to ask what her name is. The fact is that, having learned the name of this creature, a person gains power over it, and it can no longer harm him. But the kikimora is not able to deceive - this is the testament of Mokosh herself. Therefore, you should not feel fear when meeting, but you need to beware - the changeable nature of the creature cannot be predicted.

Lifestyle

One of the zealous guardians of the forest is the swamp kikimora. A fairy tale or legend of any Slavic people will certainly tell how carefully this creature takes care of bird nests and amphibians, cares for and cherishes marsh flowers and berries.

Attitude towards a person

Kikimoras, as female creatures, have an extremely changeable character. A creature living in a house may treat the owners favorably and even help them, but this help does more harm. For example, having started spinning, the kikimora leaves the job unfinished or may tangle the yarn. But most often she mocks and jokes evilly at people, commits petty dirty tricks.

As mentioned above, forest kikimors, although they are wary of people, can help with advice if you approach them politely. The swamp kikimora, on the contrary, tries not just to harm, but to destroy a person and lures the unlucky traveler into the swamp. But she most often does this not because of her harmful character, but in the event that a passerby disturbs her peace. According to legend, the swamp kikimora can even be friends with a person, but only with one who is suitable in age, laconic and well versed in forest herbs.

Swamp kikimora in the movies

The image of this mythical creature is not as common in cinema as, for example, the brownie. A film or cartoon about the swamp kikimora is a rare occurrence. And this is strange, since it is difficult to find another such colorful folklore character. There are two animated films in Russian cinema in which you can see these creatures among the main characters.

“Glasha and Kikimora” is a wonderful children's cartoon. The swamp kikimora in it is not a passing character, but one of the main characters. The parents left the girl Glasha to look after little Dunyasha, while they themselves went to the fair. Before leaving, they strictly ordered not to open the door to anyone. But Glasha took pity on the old woman who asked to spend the night. The girl did not suspect that this was a swamp kikimora who decided to steal little Dunya.

Having discovered her sister missing in the morning, the girl gives chase, but there is no trace of the kikimora. In the forest, Glasha saves a goblin drowning in a swamp. He decides to help the girl and explains to her that the kikimora was pretending to be an old woman. Having found her lair, the girl takes her sister, and her assistants, the goblin and the cat, distract the kikimora from the chase.

In the 2013 cartoon “How to Catch the Feather of the Firebird,” the marsh kikimora is also among the main characters.

She helps Ivan Tsarevich in his search. Having met her, the heroes realize that she is not as bad as she seems at first glance. Loneliness made her grumpy and embittered. Feeling the kindness and participation of Ivan Tsarevich, Kikimora decides to help him. The creators of the cartoon very correctly noted the character of this mythical character. Fairy tales and beliefs also say that with proper polite treatment, a kikimora can take pity and help with advice.

There is no one in the pantheon of Slavic evil spirits: goblins, mermaids, brownies, banniki. But there is another equally famous creature - the kikimora. Opinions about her differ. Some people think that this is a weak creature that, at most, can scare a person or perform a minor mischief. Others say that it is a strong spirit that can cause great trouble.

Who is a kikimora?

They still agree that initially this creature is really weak, but can receive additional strength for services to higher dark entities. Whether it really exists is a matter of education for each individual person. Some grew up with fairy tales and superstitions from childhood, while others lived in an atmosphere of pure pragmatism. And yet, according to legend, it is quite real. It is believed that there are two types of kikimoras:

1. Brownie. This type, as the name suggests, lives in residential areas. Kikimora can also be sent there by ill-wishers, and it can start on its own. In the first case, you need to find in the house a sketchy kikimora doll, with the help of which it was thrown, and throw it into the fire.

If she wound up on her own, then you just have to accept it. It will not cause serious trouble, but minor annoying misunderstandings cannot be avoided. She can spill salt, cereals, and throw herself at a person’s feet, causing him to fall on a seemingly level place.

It was believed that kikimoras start in a house where there is no peace. If household members often quarrel, swear, and cannot find a common language, the kikimora will not be slow to appear. Therefore, first of all, be attentive to the atmosphere in your family!

Pets, in particular dogs and cats, are considered a good defense against these harmful creatures. But if she wins, the animal will either leave the house or begin to get sick. Pots with knocked-out bottoms were also placed on the fence stakes, which served as protection against kikimora. A horseshoe was often hung over the door for the same purpose.

2. Swamp. This type of evil spirits is in many ways similar to its “sister” - the brownie kikimora. He has the same quarrelsome character and passion for mischief. The only difference is that brownie kikimors were sometimes supposedly taken as wives by brownies, and swamp goblins were taken as wives. Their habitat was a swamp.

What does a kikimora look like?

What a kikimora looks like depends partly on its habitat. But in general, she was presented as a small, dry old woman with a hooked nose, hunchbacked and in rags. It was believed that she was invisible and was shown to people very rarely. Yes, no one was in a hurry to meet her, because they believed that this would threaten misfortune.

The kikimora has a voice, but it does not speak human speech; it communicates through knocking and various noises: the howling of the wind, the crying of a baby, etc. Sometimes, through these sounds, it is even possible to communicate with the spirit; for example, she can answer any questions about the near future.

The origin of kikimora is a mystery. For the most part, it was believed that they were babies (girls) who died unbaptized or who became victims of their mothers. Some beliefs say that you can return her human appearance by shaving a cross on the back of her head, then she will again become a simple girl. True, the legends mention that some kind of flaw in her will still remain for the rest of her life: squint, hunchback, lack of intelligence, etc.

Kikimora's birthday

Kikimora also has its own birthday! It was once celebrated on March 2, immediately after the brownie’s name day. On this day we tried to get rid of the accumulated unnecessary rubbish. The dishes were sorted and washed without fail. Then they made a path to the intersection, where they threw out the old stuff.

And yet, the kikimora was not considered an evil spirit, but rather an offended woman. And much more often they pitied her than they feared her.

Video on the topic of the article

Funny cartoon:

In Slavic myology there were many unusual beliefs and fantastic characters, legends about which are still passed on from mouth to mouth. So, until now we can easily explain who the merman, the witcher and the kikimora are. The interpretation of each character suggests a deep subtext, rooted in ancient times.

History of creation

The history of kikimoras and the biography of the family dates back to ancient times. Kikimora personifies the spirit of nightmares. The origin of the East Slavic character is explained by mythology. According to popular beliefs, this creature lives in the homes of the Slavs and brings all kinds of harm. There are two variations in the appearance of the heroine's name. According to the first, it was called “shishimora”. “Shish” corresponded to evil spirits, and “mora” to the goddess Morena. In another explanation, "kiki" stands for "hunchback."

The personification of evil spirits, kikimora had no friends and did not communicate with anyone. She did not have her own home, so the creature lived in the house where a simple peasant lives. Kikimora had no relatives and was restless. When asked where the creature lives in the house, fairy tales answer that she preferred to be behind the stove. She announced her presence by knocking, whistling, falling objects and other unpleasant antics.

There was an opinion that unloved children, as well as small unbaptized drowned women, turn into kikimoras. Kikimoras appeared as a result of the romantic union of widows and maidens with a fiery serpent in the guise of a beautiful prince.

The ancient Slavs believed that carpenters and stove makers summoned kikimora using a special doll. By hiding it between the walls of houses, the craftsmen could cast a spell, thereby calling the beast into the house. Therefore, the craftsmen were always regularly paid for their work.

Residents of the Urals believed that children who disappeared in the swamps were stolen by swamp kikimors. They allegedly wrapped ropes around the child, pulling him into the swamp. Most of the village legends and tales associated with the disappearance of children in the swamps told about kikimoras. Mystical characters deprived their victims of memory and common sense.

In Slavic mythology

Mythology offers many explanations for the appearance of the image of the swamp kikimora. The most plausible is the image of innocent maidens drowned in the dirty quagmire of a swamp. Some stories described the kikimora as a wife. By marrying this character, the strange creature gained the opportunity to live in human homes. If the goblin became her chosen one, then the swamp forever remained her home.

According to legends and traditions, the kikimora was a negative character with negative energy directed at the owner of the home. The mythical creature interfered with homework and everyday life. Kikimors weaved threads in the opposite direction and were constantly in motion, so they confused any woman’s work. In addition to the living space, the creatures chose other places to settle. They liked barns and bathhouses, chicken coops and taverns. The main reference points for kikimoras were places where negativity accumulated. Therefore, the monsters chose dirty corners where old unnecessary things lay.

The image of the kikimora was compiled thanks to popular beliefs that described the appearance of the creature. Usually she was presented as an old and scary woman, hunchbacked, with disheveled hair. The costume was assembled from old cast-offs and rags. The head was crowned with a kokoshnik. The heroine had a thin build. The wind would easily carry it from place to place.

Film adaptations

The multi-part cartoon “Glasha and Kikimora” is a famous animation project that tells about the life of fantastic fictional creatures. Work on it was carried out from 1978 to 1995.

In 2011, the feature film “The Kikimora Who Laughs,” which tells about the psychological foundations of personality structure, was released on big screens. Actress Anna Troyanskaya played the main role in the film. The performer's photo was used in the design of posters for the film's distribution.

The character also appeared in the 2013 animated project “How to Catch the Firebird’s Feather.”

Despite the small number of media resources telling about the fantastic creature, it was one of the popular mythological images glorified by the Slavs. Composer Anatoly Lyadov wrote a symphony called “Kikimora” in 1909.

• Swamp and domestic kikimors celebrate their birthday in March. The holiday dedicated to the goddess Mara (Sea) falls on March 2. It is believed that spring begins on this day. On this day, our ancestors performed rituals to appease the deity. The first ritual was general cleaning. They used an old broom to sweep rubbish out of the house and then burn it. Unnecessary clothes and dishes were thrown out of the yard or left on the road.
• It was possible to drive out the kikimora by calling the priest for help and treating the house with church incense. To preserve their home and household, peasants sprinkled animals, crops and buildings, making mystical spells.