When a Domovoi elf haunted our house

[JJM 777]

I never heard of Domovoi elves, and probably you either, until I was introduced to the topic by my wife, who is of Slavic origin. One day she told me that she has often seen a Domovoi elf in our home. Then she called her mother, and received assurance that yes it must be a Domovoi elf, for sure. We received advice to contact a priest, preferably Russian Orthodox, so he can come and exorcise the elf from our home.

So a Domovoi elf. You always learn something new in life. I required further informatiod about the topic, and our favourite explain-this-thing-to-others source Wikipedia didn't fail us:

http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9

Right there, exactly that one is roaming somewhere in our house.

I am not very well versed in Russian language, so I clicked the link to Finnish version. The Finnish version is a very short article, which ends with a link to a medical article discussing the symptoms of "sleep paralysis".

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domovoi

Then I clicked to the English version, which discusses the topic more extensively, and again includes a link to a medical article discussing the symptoms of "sleep paralysis".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domovoi

Out of curiosity, we clicked to the sleep paralysis article, just to see what it is talking about, and why it is linked to this article in the English and Finnish versions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Later in the day my wife became unsure whether it was Domovoi or sleep paralysis that we are dealing with. I never heard of Domovoi after this day, and not very much of sleep paralysis either.

[Cainkane1]

I used to have sleep paralysis but it was an elf called valium addiction that caused it.

[quadraginta]

I thought the kitties had been acting a bit oddly. Now I understand. :)

I hope the apartment management is going to understand about the boots hanging in the yard, though. :confused:

[jasonpatterson]

My wife experiences sleep paralysis fairly often, and it still freaks her out each time. It wouldn't surprise me at all if folklore had grown up around it. Thanks for the introduction to this. (It looks rather like a sasquatch, doesn't it?)

I also enjoyed the painting linked from the Wiki article, Domovoi Peeping at the Sleeping Merchant Wife, very funny.

[Fiona]

I don't like these. Damn housework police!!

Brownies just get on and keep the place nice without this tendency to criticise...

[blue sock monkey]

I don't like these. Damn housework police!!

Brownies just get on and keep the place nice without this tendency to criticise...

Yeah...but brownies also expect to be fed. ;)

[Fiona]

I don't grudge milk and biscuits for guaranteed service: these ones want milk and biscuits on a maybe :P

[HeyLeroy]

When I googled "domovoi elf" the first two hits that came back were to this thread.

Spooky.

[dudalb]

I don't like these. Damn housework police!!

Brownies just get on and keep the place nice without this tendency to criticise...



Wrong. It's House-Elves who do that...as long as you don't give them clothing.

[Ysidro]

You sure it was a domovoi elf? If it looked like a 7 foot eurasian man it was probably Domovoi Butler, bodyguard of child genius Artemis Fowl.

[bookitty]

Sleep paralysis is also called 'Night Hags." While this folklore term isn't at all scientific, it does carry more of the discomfort and terror of these experiences.

My first experience with sleep paralysis came when I was about 8 years old. I awoke laying on my stomach with something kneeling over me holding me down by my shoulders. I could not move, I could barely breathe. In memory, I fainted and then woke up in the morning. This happened on and off, about once every 3-4 years.

It wasn't until I heard the same stories coming from UFO "abductees" that I looked for a scientific reason. It seems so real that it is hard to believe your own brain would do that to you. I still get them every now and again. While it is happening, I am aware that it is just a sleep disorder but the terror doesn't fade until I am fully awake.

[SphereGuy]

You sure it was a domovoi elf? If it looked like a 7 foot eurasian man it was probably Domovoi Butler, bodyguard of child genius Artemis Fowl.

I may welcome a 7 foot tall eurasian man into my house...

[JJM 777]

It wouldn't surprise me at all if folklore had grown up around it.
Wikipedia gives quite a massive list of folklore supposedly born from this phenomenon:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis#Folklore

And this list doesn't even include the Slavic Domovoi tradition, so the list is far from complete.

[Apology]

You should take it to a groomer. I bet it would look real cute with a couple of those little bows behind its ears.

[dropzone]

Does it have a tail? If so, you HAVE to put sunglasses on its butt and put the video on You Tube. I think it's an internet requirement that you do.

[quixotecoyote]

I always heard that Domovoi elves were protector spirits. Are you sure you aren't buying into anti-pagan propaganda? :)