Hey there! I hope everything is well.
Currently, I'm busy writing the fifth book of the Shadow Enforcer series. The events of the story start where book four left off. And as always, the story takes the brothers, Damian and Cole, on their next adventure. But this time, they'll be taken far outside their comfort zone... If such a thing as "comfort" even exists, at least for Damian. 😉
The last month I was so preoccupied with the release of The Shadow Storm, I didn't get a chance to present our next Monster of the Month. Well, it's better late than never, I guess. So, without further ado, let me present Kikimora--our November Monster of the Month.
This mythological creature is considered an evil spirit, and just like everything else in Slavic lore and mythology, things are always complicated and not what they appear to be.
Just to complicate things a bit, there are two types of Kikimora in Slavic folklore—the Swamp Kikimora and the House Kikimora. And I must say, neither is fun.
Let’s take a closer look at these two legendary monsters.
The Swamp Kikimora
The Swamp Kikimora is a lot scarier than her house counterpart. It is a bad omen, a harbinger of death.
I don’t think anyone has managed to take a photo of a Swamp Kikimora just yet, but with everyone carrying a smartphone nowadays, the hope is not lost. It may happen as soon as tomorrow. Anyway, according to Slavic lore, the Swamp Kikimora looks like an ugly, hunched old crone, covered in moss and patches of grass. Her shriveled body is clad in dirty rags, and her head could be a bit too large for the size of her body. If that is not scary enough, some legends gift her with giant bulging eyes, furry arms, and even horns and a tail. However, appearances can be deceiving. Some people say that the Swamp Kikimora can turn into a beautiful young maiden with long flowing hair, or even into a young girl or an old man.
How to protect yourself from the Swamp Kikimora.
The Swamp Kikimora loves to scare travelers. As soon as she notices someone wandering around a forest or a swamp, she starts with her shenanigans right away. She leads the hunters deeper into the trenches by imitating a duck. She creates such terrifying ruckus and commotion that people run away from the forest, scared to death.
So, what do you need to do to protect yourself from a Swamp Kikimora?
It’s not as complicated as it seems. All you need is a good oberga—in other words, an amulet. Take an Adder Stone (a stone with a natural hole in it) and wear it at all times when you go to a forest. Having juniper and fern on you also helps.
The House Kikimora
Even though the House Kikimora is considered being less dangerous than the Swamp Kikimora, she is no fun either.
The House Kikimora hates people. These words pretty much encompass the nature of this evil household spirit. She would do anything it takes to drive the people who own the house crazy. In the daytime, the Kikimora hides, but as soon as the sun is down, she comes out to play. She scares people at night, creating a lot of noise, and doesn’t let them get any sleep.
If that is not enough, she breaks things around the house and destroys clothes. Sometimes, Kikimoras were getting so creative in their evil actions that the owners of the house had no choice but to drop everything and leave their house to save their sanity and lives. Normally, people don’t see the actual spirit but just notice the results of her evil deeds. And it’s a good thing, because she’s the harbinger of death, announcing someone’s upcoming demise.
According to legends and fairy tales, there were a few ways for the Kikimora to inhabit a house:
1. A curse or a spell cast by a dark sorcerer (so-called “porcha”)
2. If someone had placed an ill-wish into your house. (I guess you don’t need to be a witch to cause someone trouble.)
3. And my personal favorite—service providers (like carpenters or handymen), who are dissatisfied with the payment or treatment, could unwittingly summon the Kikimora into your home. The moral of the story—always treat your service providers with respect and pay them well or get ready to meet the House Kikimora.
How to protect yourself from the House Kikimora.
It’s much harder to get rid of a House Kikimora once she inhabits the house. People say you need to cut your hair in the shape of a cross on the back of your head.
Gunz and his friends have the pleasure of meeting with a Swamp Kikimora in the fifth book of the Fire Salamander Chronicles. If you feel brave and adventurous enough, grab your copy of The Burns Enigma and see how they fare against this evil Slavic spirit.