Konkka, A. SPRUCE IS THE WOOD GENIUS IN KARELIAN EPIC POETRY AND FOLKLORE AND IN THE MIND OF POPULATION OF SURROUNDING AREAS // Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2019. No 4 (181). P. 103–108. DOI: 10.15393/uchz.art.2019.337


Ethnology, anthropology and ethnography

SPRUCE IS THE WOOD GENIUS IN KARELIAN EPIC POETRY AND FOLKLORE AND IN THE MIND OF POPULATION OF SURROUNDING AREAS

Konkka
A. 		Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Keywords:
European North
Karelian
wood genius Tapio
an offering
rituals of hunters and cattlemen
healing magic
spruce as demon’s soul		 Summary: Spruce is the wood genius. In Karelia and Eastern Finland Tapio plays this role. He is the Lord of the forest beasts and hunters ask him for luck. A tree with a flat top chosen as a kind of altar is called Tapio table. At the beginning of every hunting season special charms were addressed to him to be successful in hunting. Hunters must put the flour and rye cake on Tapio table or give Tapio water from spring to bring him an offering. Also they take a branch from the tree to keep a bear sleep in the winter. Tapio tree was already used to looked after the cattle or to protect the newlyweds from the evil eye. To cure disease people can use fir needles, taken from magic tree. In European North and Karelia we heared stories about tree spirits, which helped people to get rid of evil eye. Some people hidden by demon, may be found under the spruce. So this tree is considered to be demon’s home and moss growing on it is often called demon’s beard.



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