Mythological stories about house-spirit: Themes, structure, psychological particularities

Abstract

The article is devoted to "real-like" stories (bylihkas/byvalshchinas) about house-spirit dwelling in Elabuga District of Republic of Tatarstan. They are classified in accordance with their genre specific character, the subject (plot), their stylistic particularities. Special attention is paid to the analysis of human behaviour in the situation of encounter with a house-spirit. The archetypes which are the source of mythology, folklore of the inhabitants of Elabuga District are described. Belief in vague, elusive living beings is explained by enlivening of the mechanisms of psychological defense of a person. © IDOSI Publications, 2013.