In ancient times, various animals were considered magical household beings, especially those with some peculiarities. . Either they had unusual coloring, some abnormality, or disfigurement. If these beings appeared in their magical form, then they were beings similar to goblins, but always with some difference. The most notable feature of these beings was their eyes, which commonly had pupils resembling those of a snake or a cat.
HOUSEHOLDER and KOROGUSHA were magical beings of the home, most often appearing as small, furry goblins residing near the furnace. Their earthly manifestations could take the form of a cat, a chicken, or a bat. Sometimes, they could be salamanders, or in other cases, snakes residing under the threshold of the house, or under the hearth.
If the being was a snake, it was often known as SERPENTINER. In Slavic culture, snakes, especially gray or white ones, were common household magical beings. The snake orserpentiner was often seen as the embodiment of the family's first patron.
Our ancestors also recognized other magical beings as helpers to the hoseholder, each entrusted with specific duties. For example, STIER was responsible for the care of the sty and the animals within it. BARNER ensured that mice did not invade the granaries, that hay and straw didn’t rot in the barn, that wood didn’t decay in the woodpile, and that nothing spoiled or disappeared from the cellar.
Among the household protectors, many beings with various names and forms could be found, such as kikimora, shotek, pikulik, vincurik, and zmok. While their appearances were similar, all these beings shared the same role: to care for and protect the household and farmstead from illness and harmful magical beings. Naturally, all household magical beings were endowed with magical powers.
Sometimes it could happen that a being crept into the household or farm with the intent to cause harm. In such cases, objects would mysteriously disappear, and calamities or illnesses would occur. This could happen not only because a foreign magical being had entered the home but also because a previously helpful being had become angered.
In both situations, it was necessary to either appease the being or, in worse cases, expel them. To appease such a being, a sincere prayer, meditation, and reflection on one's mistakes might suffice. More often, though, the troublesome being required offerings in the form of a bowl of milk, porridge, or pieces of white bread or cake, placed on the household altar. Expelling a harmful being required a magical ritual.
Such rituals, which often included fumigation, sprinkling, circling the house, and anointing the door and window frames with magical substances, could be performed by the master of the house, though sometimes a koldun (sorcerer) needed to be summoned.
The most common protective measures included blessed chalk, garlic, or onions. Protective rituals aimed at preventing the arrival of harmful beings were usually performed during various holidays throughout the year.
Household magical beings primarily represented ancestors, as well as the god Veles and the goddess Mokoš, but also Rod, Lada, Svarog, and, lastly, Perun.
