The bathhouse has played a significant role in the life of our ancestors from time immemorial. It was considered a place not only for washing, but also for love dates, and even childbirth … From those distant times, legends about the spirits living in the bathhouse - banniki and bannitsa - have come down to us.
Bath "rules"
During the construction of the bathhouse, certain rules had to be followed. It was usually built in the backyard, or even outside the yard. It was very important to choose the right place for construction, otherwise an angry bannik could send a fatal illness to the owners. For a cure to occur, the structure had to be disassembled and put back in the "right" place.
Bannik could sometimes be seen by people. He looked like a tiny, naked old man with a long, musty beard. The malevolent grandfather could scald with boiling water, bring to a swoon with heat, split boulders in the oven and throw splinters at people … And sometimes he dragged the people who were somling into the hot stove mouth and there tore off the skin of the unfortunate ones alive!
In order to appease the "bath owner", it was customary to leave steam in the bath after washing, put a fresh broom and a tub with clean water in the corner. In the process of washing it was impossible to give too much heat and rush each other. If, nevertheless, the bannik began to play tricks, it was necessary to run out into the street and seek help from other local spirits - for example, the barnman or the housekeeper. Those, as a rule, were more loyal to people and often helped.
The main condition was not to go to wash alone and, entering the bath, be sure to ask the "owner" for permission.
Promotional video:
Revenge of the Bath Spirits
Those who violated these unwritten rules could seriously not do well … One guy went to the bath alone, and even in the first heat. He began to whip with a broom, and suddenly hears - a dog is screeching somewhere. A squeal was heard now under the regiment, now in the corner. The guy decided that it was downstairs, under the bathhouse, he even began to pick the earthen floor - no one … And then the rake that stood at the ceiling began to fall on him by itself. Only then did he realize that the matter was unclean.
A certain old man was going to wash for the night, looking, which, according to ancient beliefs, is not allowed. The old woman was waiting for him, but she never did. I sent my grandson to see how my grandfather was there. The boy ran into the bathhouse and saw the old man lying with his head in the mouth of the heater. All the skin on his face was ripped off …
The two girls went to wash. One of them, Katerina, heated the bathhouse very hot - just unbearable. And then the girls from above hear someone's voice: "Heat the stove hotter, so that the hunters will rip off the skin." Katerina's friend was taken by fear, she began to ask Katerina not to drown any more, otherwise, no matter how trouble happened … But she did not obey her, continued to put logs. Then the friend refused to go to wash at all … A little time passed - and the friend heard from the bathhouse screaming, ringing, and then suddenly the ferry knocked down the doors. She saw that Katerina was carried out. The girl fought in convulsions, and her skin peeled off of her body by itself …
For a long time, Katerina lay unconscious, and when she finally came to herself, she told about her adventures. Like, as soon as she doused the shop and shelves with boiling water and splashed, as usual, with a decoction of mint, a gang of devil appeared before her. Before she had time to look around, the demons grabbed her and began to throw her against the walls and say with a laugh: "I melted the hot oven, the hunter will tear the skin!" The broom, which she had prepared ahead of time, began to whip it by itself … The girl tried to hide under the shelves - it was not possible: the unclean by the legs drag and push to the stove, and from there it glows with heat …
One imp began to twist her nipples, so much so that the skin almost burst … Then Katerina lost consciousness, woke up already outside the bathhouse - you see, the evil spirits nevertheless took pity on her, did not stick into the oven, but threw it out the door …
After that, the villagers began to bypass the "bad" bath. Nobody has dared to go there since then. They put the sign of the cross on the door and locked it. Quite a long time passed before someone decided to go there. It was quiet inside, only deep grooves were visible on the floor, like claw marks …
A fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it …
Of course, folklore is folklore. But, most likely, there is no smoke without fire. Perhaps the bath heat contributes to altered states of consciousness, and the flayed skin is just the result of the abuse of this very heat …
And perhaps the space of the bath has a special, closed atmosphere, capable of influencing the mental and physical state of people. Therefore, going to take a steam bath, just in case, remember about folk beliefs!