Komi Myths. From Parma and the Celestial Hunt to the Forest Witch Yoma and the Underground Chud

Legends, fairy tales, rituals, superstitions, and omens of the Komi. A continuation of the popular book series "Myths from A to Z." How did the gods En and Омӧль create the world and begin the eternal struggle between good and evil? Where is it forbidden to whistle so you don’t wake up evil spirits? Where is the mythical chud hidden—the ancient people who went underground? The book explains why the dead were fed through the window, how "unsettled dead" returned for the living, and why ancestors’ spirits were invited to weddings.

Imagine a world where forests talk, rivers carry ancient curses, and not only humans live in homes, but also house-spirits. This is the world of Komi mythology.

Who is this book for: collectors of the "Myths from A to Z" series, those interested in myths and traditions of the peoples of Russia, as well as the culture and history of their own country.

From the authors: Komi mythological ideas are a richest layer of unique folk culture. The people’s beliefs reflect their historical experience, worldview, psychology, aesthetic preferences, and ethical norms. Folkloric and ethnographic materials—myths, legends, fairy tales, stories, rituals, cult objects, metaphorical language, superstitions, and omens—provide a vivid picture of characters and help understand traditional thinking based on mythological perception of the world and the conditions under which mythological images form.

Ideas about demonic characters whose relics are still relevant in the life of the modern Komi people make it possible to see common trends in the development of myths.