Recently, Russian people began to often complain about ghouls. But not always those whom we call this word belong to this rare type. What kind of ghouls really are?
Who is a ghoul?
Ghouls in Slavic mythology were called the dead, who, due to certain circumstances, rose from the grave. Outwardly, ghouls differ from humans only in sharp teeth, red eyes and a bright blush on their face. It is believed that after death, sorcerers turn into ghouls, but a living person who has become a victim of a curse or bitten by a ghoul can also become a ghoul. The book "Myths of the Russian People" says that the meaning of the word ghoul is unclear. Some believe that it means "bloated" (from the blood of the victims), others believe that the ancient form of the word means "not put on fire."
How is a ghoul different from a vampire?
Having attacked a person, the ghoul first drinks all his blood, after which he eats the flesh. The vampire is limited only to blood. There is a belief that if a monster leaves its victim bloodless, but not eaten, it will also turn into a ghoul.
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Where do ghouls live?
In Slavic beliefs it is said that during the day ghouls hide in dark places inaccessible to sunlight: most often they are crypts and graves. It is believed that the ghoul lies face down or on its side in the grave and sometimes even smokes a pipe. At night, the creature crawls out of its shelter and visits its house, as well as the houses of neighbors and acquaintances. The ghoul rages, as a rule, within the limits of his native village, in extreme cases - several surrounding ones, because at dawn he must return to the grave.
"Family life" of ghouls
Often the walking dead crawl out of the grave and visit their ex-wives. The most dangerous dead are those who died young as a result of an accident or a violent death, the so-called hostage dead. In the East Slavic legends it is said that one should not cry for such a dead (especially a wife), because this worries the dead man in the “other” world and he may want to return. From visits to a dead husband, a woman withers, weakens, falls ill and dies if measures are not taken in time. The people believed that a woman could even give birth to a child from a dead husband.
What abilities does it have?
According to legend, the ghoul possesses superhuman physical strength and speed: he is able to lift a huge weight and with a blow of his hand break through log walls. It is impossible to catch up with a running ghoul even on horseback. Another distinctive ability is the amazing vitality of the ghoul, he practically does not feel pain and is not susceptible to stabbing and cutting blows. Ghouls can come out of the grave not only in human form, but also in the form of a cat, or a bat, or some other. It was believed that ghouls caused crop failures and droughts, and also caused plague, cholera, and other terrible diseases.
What are the enemies of ghouls?
The enemies of ghouls are many animals, both wild and domestic. Ghouls often clash with wolves and bears, who are infuriated by the smell of the ghoul. Pets also fall into a rage at the smell of a dead man rising from the grave.
Fighting Ghoul Husbands
A woman on her own will not be able to get rid of the visits of a dead person who has "dried" to her. She must definitely tell about this to any stranger - mother, mother-in-law, priest, neighbor. Only an outsider is able to correctly understand what is happening and give a woman advice on how to be saved. To do this, a number of techniques are used, built on one principle - to surprise a dangerous alien with something unusual, out of the ordinary, impossible in normal human life. For example, one of the beliefs says: “Dress your children in wedding clothes and put them on yourself. When a dead husband comes to you at night and asks what is happening, you must answer him: "I am going to the wedding - my brother will marry my sister." "But how can it be that a brother marries a sister?" - the deceased will ask. And you answer him: “Is it possible thatso that the dead go to the living?"
There is another way: sit on the doorstep, comb your hair and chew hemp seeds at the same time. The deceased will ask: "What are you doing?" We must answer: "I eat lice." The deceased will say to this: "How can you eat lice?" And a woman must give the already known answer: "Is it possible for a dead person to walk to a living one?" After that, the walking dead will leave his wife alone forever.
Fighting ghouls
The poem by A. Pushkin "Ghoul" says: "Woe! small I am not strong; The ghoul will eat me completely, If I myself do not eat the grave earth with prayer."
It was believed that only a piece of earth taken from the grave, eaten with prayer, can save from a ghoul.
Another method said that the corpse needed to be blindfolded, stuffed with sand, cut the veins under the knees and put bristles there - it was believed that then he would not be able to leave the grave. For the same purpose, the coffin with the body of the ghoul was carried around the village three times. Sprinkling wild poppy or millet over the grave, or sowing poppy during the funeral on the way from home to the cemetery, is also considered an effective remedy against the walking of the dead - the deceased cannot return until he has collected all the grains.
How to kill a ghoul?
According to Slavic mythology, a ghoul is very difficult to eliminate. It is almost impossible to cope with him in open confrontation. Due to its physical strength, the monster easily defeats ten people. Our distant ancestors believed that the most effective means was to drive an aspen stake into the ghoul's body or grave. Or dig up a grave, chop off the deceased's head and put it between the legs, face down. True, it is still desirable to be one hundred percent sure that you are dealing with a ghoul.