Younik

Sculpture of Younik, created by Belarusian sculptor Anton Shipitsa on the basis of illustrations of one of the leading contemporary Belarusian graphic artist Valery Slauk

Younik,[1] Joŭnik or Jownik (Belarusian: Ёўнік) - is a creature from Belarusian mythology. It is also often called a "farmstead creature", because Younik lives in a drying barn (or "younia" in Belarusian language). Younia is a place in the country estate yard where the sheaves of grain were dried before threshing.

Description

In Belarusian folklore, Younik is usually described as a black creature, small in height and dirty because of smoke. Younik is often covered with soot and spider web.[2]

Mode of life

Younik is a hardworking and economic creature. Younik is in constant care: it starts up the fire, airs the sheaves, protects the harvest from malevolent people. But Younik is ashamed of being always dirty from soot and smoke, therefore it constantly hides from people.[3]

Due to the ongoing work with the oven, in Belarusian folklore Younik is described as being black because of smoke and of a strange shape covered with soot and spider web.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Magical World. From Belarusian Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales", Minsk, "Piatrus Brouka Belarusian Encyclopedia" Publishing House, 2008
  2. ↑ Цыбулькин В. В., Сивальнёв А. Н., Сердюченко М. Н. «Влесова книга»: Быль и мифы Славянской цивилизации. — К.: ЧП Зеленский В. Л., 2016.
  3. ↑ Boris Rybakov. Ancient Slavic Paganism. Moscow, 1981. Б. А. Рыбаков. Язычество древних славян. — М.: Наука, 1981. — ISBN 5-02-009585-0.
  4. ↑ "Magical World. From Belarusian Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales", Minsk, "Piatrus Brouka Belarusian Encyclopedia" Publishing House, 2008
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