Beware the Karakonjul During the Dirty Days
You’re probably familiar with a centaur, a half-man, half-horse creature from Greek mythology. But have you heard of the karakonjul? He appears in Slavic and Turkish folklore.
His lower body is that of a horse with a dog, sheep, or livestock tail, while his upper body is a grotesque, hairy human-like being. One or two horns may sprout from his overly large head. He often has a single eye, and he may even have wings. The creature is a shape-shifter who may take on human form, or an animal such as a dog, cat, sheep, or calf.
In some instances, he’s a creature who asks favors of lost travelers, or he may pepper them with riddles. To be safe, you must include in each response the Turkish word kara (for “black”). If you’re polite and kind to him, the creature may provide you assistance. Those cases are rare, however.
More often than not, he’ll harm those he encounters. He’s particularly fond of jumping on the backs of anyone who gets too near and riding them like horses until they die. Other malicious activities include climbing a high wall or cliff and throwing his victim into a deep well or other body of water, or hanging his prey on a tree as a decoration.
Fortunately, your chances of encountering him occur only during the Dirty Days, the twelve days from Christmas Eve until St. Jordan’s Day, the Epiphany (January 6). This is the time of year when the boundary between the spirit and human worlds is thin and those on the other side can easily pass over to our world. During this time, the cosmos is said to return to a state of chaos. And so, it’s no wonder that the karakonjul wreaks havoc in the world during the time he’s allowed to cross over.
He appears after midnight. You’re likely to find him at crossroads, bridges, abandoned mills, and other deserted places. He may also wander around caves, rivers, and any location where ivy grows. As with other demonic creatures, he disappears at a rooster’s first crow.
If you must venture outside during the time the karakonjul is active, make sure to carry with you white garlic that was part of the Christmas Eve meal, or ashes from a log burned that night. These, as well as iron, fire, incense, and wormwood, are things the beast fears and will offer you a modicum of protection. After St. Jordan’s Day, ashes burned during the Dirty Days are called “filthy ashes.” When discarded, these ashes attract the karakonjul and he feeds upon them.
When he’s not in our world, he and his kind are far below the surface of the World Tree, trying to saw it down to bring about not only the tree’s demise but also the destruction of the world. The creatures almost succeed in their task, but Christmas arrives as they’re about to make the last cut. The creatures abandon their activity so they can cause trouble in the world above. By the time they return to the underworld, the tree has healed itself, and the creatures have to start all over again.
In our Dragon Village series, we call the karakonjul Bor Stobor (whose name translates to a person who is strong as a big pine wood). He has aligned himself with our hero’s enemies, who have promised him that he and his kind can roam free in the upper world every day of the year and not just during the 12 Dirty Days.
Kickstarter Campaign
We’ll be launching the complete Dragon Village series in the September/October timeframe. Here’s a preview of our campaign story.
Dangers lurk in Dragon Village, but also secrets. Can Theo solve the mysteries before an evil creature conquers the magical and human worlds?
Do you have an adventurous soul, ready to encounter strange magical creatures?
Have you ever wished you could travel through a portal to another world?
Do you love the reluctant hero, strong female friends, and quirky sidekicks?
If this sounds like you, then step through the gate into the magical world of Dragon Village.
Campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ronesa-aveela/dragon-village
If you enjoy discovering fascinating details about Slavic creatures, you can also find out more about many in our Spirits & Creatures series:
A Study of Household Spirits of Eastern Europe
A Study of Rusalki – Slavic Mermaids of Eastern Europe