Miracle-working plants: Slavic parallels

Abstract

This article presents an ethnolinguistic study. The magic properties of certain herbs – as seen in the cultural traditions of South, East, and West Slavs – are described in a comparative aspect. The author also examines different herbs that exhibit similar features. It is concluded that the magic properties of herbs are determined by their connection to the chthonic kingdom and the other world in folk consciousness.

Keywords

• ethnolinguistics
• south slavs
• east slavs
• west slavs
• traditional beliefs
• supernatural fairy tales (bylichkas)
• magic herbs
• chthonic kingdom