domovoy

domovoy, in Slavic mythology, a household spirit appearing under various names and having its origin in ancestor worship. A domovoy dwells in any number of places in each home: near the oven, under the doorstep, in the hearth. He never goes out beyond the boundaries of the household.

The domovoy is the guardian of the family and its wealth, but he is partial to conscientious and hard-working people. Any displeasure the domovoy feels with the actions of its family is displayed in troubles with the farm animals or in strange knocks and grating noises in the house. These last, however, could just be the domovoy amusing himself. He can, in any case, be easily placated.

The domovoy sees to it that the various traditional proprieties are observed. He can foresee the future, and his groans and weeping or singing and jumping are interpreted as portents of evil or good. No household would consider moving to a new location without formally inviting the domovoy to join it.