Minkh registered a memorate means two teenage boys, old 20-twenty five, in regards to the involvement away from a koldun , Filat Semenov, during the a wedding in Saratov state
These people were landless, more mature and you may worst (Ramer 1991: 214), but they got obtained an enormous looks regarding phenomenal, and frequently organic studies, and you will gained a track record that’ll permit them to eke aside a life by the doing some qualities to other peasants.
Magical practitioners provided healers (men znakhar’ , lady znakharka ), fortunetellers (men kudes’nik , lady vorozheia ) and you can sorcerers (male koldun , lady koldun’ia ). Peasants used this type of words rather loosely, and regularly interchangeably. So it stems partly on the proven fact that magical therapists did an excellent sorts of overlapping attributes, and also have because of local or even private distinctions. One number one difference in healers and you may sorcerers was the fact sorcerers derived its powers off a keen “dirty push” ( nechistaia sila ), that could consider the assistance of petty demons, or the “unclean” lifeless (people who got drowned, the full time committing suicide, passed away unbaptized, otherwise got skilled sorcery if you’re lifestyle) (Ivanits1989: 97; 104). If you find yourself an effective koldun you are going to express parallels for the work through an excellent healer otherwise a beneficial koldun’ia , one character that was especially accorded so you can your try that honored guest and protector of one’s peasant wedding.
Semenov contacted new horses, and you can shouted “hi your-We myself am right here!
A study of the fresh new koldun within solitary function will help so you can illustrate the fresh hazy limits anywhere between benevolent and malicious wonders, as well as to high light a specially men sounding phenomenal practitioners who peasant denounced for particular acts regarding witchcraft. While the koldun seemingly performed as the a protector out-of wedding parties, a diagnosis out-of peasant viewpoints demonstrates new peasantry kept this brand of koldun in the an even more ambivalent respect. The marriage koldun brings a good lucid instance of how peasants you can expect to mistake phenomenal therapists for witches, even when they did benevolent and you can prophylactic functions.
Just after peasants found believe that a fellow villager is actually about its misfortunes, they both made a decision to handle her or him as a result of unlawful means, sanctioned of the society. The newest osud ) on a good deviant otherwise unlawful ability possibly in it new concur out of the brand new town council ( skhod ), and will encompass the latest contribution, really otherwise ultimately, of whole town. If you don’t a little band of peasants usually takes it through to themselves to rid a residential area off risky aspects; the brand new operate nonetheless would-be approved because of the community when their norms, well-becoming, or monetary living was basically endangered (Frank 1987: 239-265).
To know exactly how a beneficial “protector” koldun you’ll bear the fresh wrath from his fellow villagers, you should keep in mind that peasants have a tendency to feared, acknowledged, and resented these types of imposing figures. Like, in the 1887 brand new ethnographer A beneficial. Inside the relationship procession before heading to church, the brand new horses would 
not move on and you can reared up (Minkh 1994: 285). Peasants felt particularly relatively mild misfortunes once the proof “spoiling” (Kuznetsova 1992: 125). ” ( Ei vy–ia sam tut !), of which this new ponies started out within high-speed. Similar to this, Semenov eliminated a comparatively small act of detected spoilage. Semenov did not endear himself in order to his fellow villagers, and there is evidence to suggest that they considered following through up against him. At an after matrimony the guy forced brand new subscribers to help you kiss and you can hug the posts giving support to the awing outside a beneficial peasant’s hut. Minkh’s informants reported that peasants from inside the an event of town installation had talked about thrashing Semenov. If so it outrage stemmed regarding collective effectation of his dangers and you may towering prominence, otherwise that it solitary indignation isn’t obvious. The fresh new ethnographer’s declaration cannot say in the event this was carried out, however, it is nevertheless a significant piece of facts, regardless if, once the we come across your peasants did imagine getting criminal step against a koldun even though he had ended up so you can feel useful in one or more instance.