Vladimir Dal (1801–1872) is known primarily as the author of the fundamental “Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language,” but his research in Russian folklore is no less important for Russian culture. In Dal’s work, clashes between humans and evil spirits occupy a special place. He repeatedly returned to this theme, and did so so skillfully that even Nikolai Gogol was delighted! This book collects the most frightening stories of Russian folklore about evil spirits: household sprites and mermaids, witches and fortune-tellers, werewolves and mornas, treasures and ghosts, hysteria episodes and charms, divination and corruption—everything is reflected in Russian fairy tales, epics, and parables, which can be called with one word: “terrifying.”