#plivník

[dvoeverie-stitches]

A list of posts I’ve done on Czech folk beings:

Bludička

Čert (Czech folk devil)

Hejkal (Forest demon)

Klekánice (Kneeling lady, Lady Evening)

Lucys

Mezulína (a personification of bitter winter and destructive winter wind)

Nekřtěňátek (unbaptized children)

Plivník (untrustworthy house spirit)

Skřítek (Czech version of the Domovoy)

Víly (Rusalka)

Vodník/hastrman(water demon)

[dvoeverie-stitches]

The Plívnik by Mercin Nowak-Njechornski

A plivník is a creature from Slavic folklore serving the householder, typically in the form of a chicken and hatched from a specially cared-for egg. These and other features are sometimes shared by skřítek and other home protectors, but the spitz differs from them in being more often attributed a devilish (Čert) character, including tales of the loss of the householder's soul and the conclusion of a contract signed in blood.

The Czech plivník or prašivec was said to appear in the form of a wet chicken or a fiery dragon and reside behind the chimney, in the oven or by the stove. The farmer was supposed to feed it with what he himself ate, and in return, the farmer was supposed to bring him grain and money and ensure his well-being. In case of a shortage of food, the plivník made a lot of noise at night and suffocated the farmer.

There is also a belief that the plivník appears in the field in the form of a black, wet chicken huddled in the cold. A person who takes it home and warms it by the stove will find in the morning three piles of grain in the living room that the creature has stolen from another farmer. If he wants to get rid of the plivník, he must take it and the stolen grain to the place where he found it. Another method of obtaining it was said to be wearing the egg of a black hen for nine days, during which you are not allowed to pray or wash.

This being was also associated with the devil (Čert) which is reflected in names such as lucek (Lucifer), spiritus, špírek (from Latin spiritus), diblík (devil), pikulík (hell), rarášek , jarášek . The word lucek is already attested by Jan Hus and Jan Rokycana .

As the spirit or špírek it is said to have the form of a small, handsome boy who turns into a bird, a cat, and other animals. A person can raise him from the egg of a black hen and then get whatever he wishes from him, but in doing so he sells his soul.

Also known was zmok , zmek or zmak the creature of the same name has the form of a wet chicken that brings money, grain and butter to the farmer, among other things. At the same time, however, zmok is very voracious and it is difficult to get rid of it.

Source

Description: it usually appears in the form of a small, wet, black chicken, which crouches in a chill and chirps sadly in a thin voice. But it can also change its forms.

Occurrence: a relatively common being, which does not tolerate too much publicity. It can most often be encountered behind the chimney or by the stove in the apartments of misers, where it reproduces earthly goods secretly from the eyes of uninvited people.

Working hours: most sources state that the plivník is more of a night being, but this is not entirely true. It can be encountered practically continuously, because it does not have a fixed work schedule, although it seems to develop the greatest initiative from sunset to dawn.

Characteristics: a very treacherous ghost! At first glance, it is helpless, it arouses sympathy and pity, but deliberately try not to give it what it demands for food! Then you have done it!

An angry plivník makes noise around the house, drops and breaks dishes, suffocates the owner like an and can do even worse things. You may think he must be good if he ensures wealth for his master, but be careful! If his owner fails to expel the plivník from the home during his lifetime, his soul will fall into hell after death...

Museum Strašidel