I am writing a book. Part 2
So here I return, dear readersāif any exist. Once again with a description of my book, which I continue to work on actively. This time, I really want to develop the setting in which the character lives: Poltava region in the 1820s, within the world of Ukrainian (Slavic) mythology. These past days have been dedicated to studying Ukrainian mythologyāits cosmology, pantheon, and the beings that inhabit it. And now I want to present this world to you, to show what the world looks like in the mythology of my people, and to fully construct its structure for myself.
In Ukrainian mythology, as in many Indo-European mythologies, the world is divided into three realms: the heavenly, the earthly, and the underworld. They are all bound together by the World Tree, whose leaves reach into the heavens, whose trunk stands on the earth, and whose roots are hidden in the underworld.
The heavenly world, sometimes called Vyrij or Prav, is a paradise in the form of an eternal garden, located far across the sea or on the other side of the river. There dwell the gods, bright beings, and the souls of ancestors, and it is where birds fly in winter, carrying souls on their backs. They settle on the branches of the World Tree, waiting for winter to end in the earthly world.
The earthly world, also known as Yav, is our material reality where humans live. Here, the primary battles between order and chaos take place, and it is a crucial domain for the functioning of higher powers. Humans have a special role in maintaining cosmic order through taboos, rituals, and holidays to ensure that darkness does not consume this world.
The underworld, known as Nav, is a realm hidden in the roots of the World Tree. It is the world of the dead, forgotten souls, demonic beings, fears, and death. However, it is not a dark and evil place in the Christian sense. It also grants fertility and prosperity, being an eternally green realm. Here reside various souls of the dead and unborn, including unclean spirits.
The traditional worldview of Ukrainians also personifies the Sun, viewing it as a living beingāpossibly the deity Dazhbohāwho rides across the sky in a chariot and descends into the underworld each night. The Moon and stars were also personified. The Moon was seen as either a partner or rival of the Sun, and the stars as souls of the dead or unborn.
Cycles are vitally important in Ukrainian mythology: the daily cycle, the yearly cycle, and the life cycle. Deeply sacred were the transitional, liminal moments within these cycles. These are the moments celebrated in festivalsālike solstices, the transition from winter to spring, or birth, marriage, and burial.
Many elements of the world are mythologized and given roles: the winds are the children of Striboh and can be benevolent or malicious; thunder and lightning are created by Perun, whose name could not be uttered during storms, lest one be struck; water links the world of the living and the dead; and fire is both purifying and dangerousāits presence in the home hearth embodies the family line and must be treated with respect.
Certain animals also hold an important place in cosmology: birds represent souls of the dead; the stork brings children; the cuckoo knows the length of each person's life; and the owl predicts death. Snakes live in the underworld and, being cunning, are enemies of heroes and gods. Horses act as mediators between worlds and can carry a hero to another realm; bears are guardians of the forest.
The human soul is perceived as something immaterial. When a person dies, for forty days the soul remains near relatives in the form of a bird or insect, most often as a firefly. After this period, it passes into Nav, or possibly even to Vyrij. Funeral rites are designed to ease and accelerate the soul's transition into the other world.
The world is divided into the "familiar"āsuch as the home, hearth, yard, or villageāand the "foreign," such as the forest, fields, or other nature inhabited by mythical beings. Boundaries like thresholds, bridges, or crossroads are sacred, as they are where worlds intersect. Rituals are performed in these liminal spaces.
Which deities belong to Ukrainian mythology? Not all Slavic gods are also Ukrainianāfor example, Triglav or Svetovid are not. Here is a list of gods that are part of the Ukrainian pantheon:
Perun ā The supreme deity, god of thunder and lightning, as well as the patron of warriors and rulers. He embodies order and is the king of the gods. Animal sacrifices were offered to him, especially bulls. A fundamental myth involves his eternal conflict with Veles, representing the struggle between order and chaos. With Christianization, he was replaced by the prophet Elijah.
Dazhboh ā God of the sun, light, and fertility. A bright deity of joy who brings blessings to people. Eastern Slavs are considered his grandchildren. He travels across the sky in a golden chariot, moving the sun through the heavens. Possibly the son of Svaroh. With Christianization, he was replaced by Jesus Christ and Saint John the Theologian.
Svaroh ā The creator of the world and laws. A blacksmith god who forged the world from fire. Fire, the hearth, and forges are his symbols and manifestations in this world. He is less documented than other deities.
Veles (or Volos) ā God of livestock, abundance, music, magic, poetry, trade, the underworld, and the dead. Patron of shepherds, priests, and artists. A fundamental enemy of Perun, embodying chaos. With Christianization, he became Saint Blaise.
Mokosh ā A female deity, goddess of the earth, moisture, fertility, women's work, fate, and embroidery. Protector of women and children. She is the archetype of āMother Nature,ā protecting her children. Possibly Perunās wife. With Christianization, she became Saint Paraskeva-Friday.
Striboh ā The grandfather of the winds, responsible for changes in the weather.
Khors ā A mysterious deity of Iranian origin, associated with the sun or the moonās nocturnal light and its cycles.
Simargl (or Semargl) ā Also a mysterious deity, responsible for the fertility of fields. Sometimes depicted as a winged dog, a messenger between gods and humans.
Lada and Lel ā Mother and son associated with harmony. Lada is the goddess of love, spring, harmony, and marriage, connected with the seasonal transition to spring. Lel is her son, the god of youthful love, beauty, and joy.
Zhiva (or Zhivana) ā Goddess of life, nature, and spring. She is worshipped as the giver of harvest, health, and healing.
Rod and the Rozhanytsi ā Fundamental deities. Rod is the embodiment of the world itself, family, and heritage. The Rozhanytsi are his assistantsāfemale spirits who determine the fate of a newborn child.
Dolya and Nedolya ā The final deities in the Ukrainian pantheon. These are goddesses of fate: Dolya represents a good fate, while Nedolya represents a bad one.
The bestiary of Ukrainian mythology is unimaginably vast. There are many spirits of the home, forests, and other places responsible for the well-being of those areas, and they must be respected. Animals also play significant roles, each fulfilling a unique function. I donāt want to describe all these beingsāit would take too long. But in the book, you can definitely expect creatures like mavka, rusalky, lisovyk, and chort. I also want to integrate the domovyk into the story somehow.
The same applies to festivals. We simply have a vast number of holidaysāfrom famous ones like Kupala to lesser-known ones like Obzhynky. I definitely want to incorporate Malanka into the plotāa native New Year holiday that may resemble Halloween to an American reader. I also want to try adapting other holidays into the narrative.
Thatās how things stand for now. Next, I will create a detailed description of the historical context for the story: Poltava region in the 1820s. So donāt lose track of me!
