Karakoncolos
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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Kallikantzaros. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2012. |
The Karankoncolos is a malevolent creature in Greek, Northeast Anatolian Turkish, Bulgarian, and Serbian folklore. It is a variety of bogeyman, usually merely troublesome and rather harmless, but sometimes truly evil. It has thick hairy fur like the Sasquatch. The name probably comes from the Greek Kalikantzaros.
According to late Ottoman Turkish myth, they appear on the first ten days of Zemheri, 'the dreadful cold', when they stand on murky corners, and ask seemingly ordinary questions to the passers-by. In order to escape harm, one should answer each question, using the word "kara" (the Turkish word for 'black'), or risk being struck dead by the creature.
It was also said in Turkish folklore that the Karakoncolos could call people out during the cold Zemheri nights, by imitating voices of loved ones. The Karakoncolos' victim risked freezing to death if he or she could not awake from the charm.
The Bulgarian name of the creature is Karakondjul (or Karakondjol, Bulgarian: Караконджол). The Karakondjul walks at night. Koukeri (or kukeri) is the name of a Bulgarian custom, the purpose of which is to scare away the evil creature and avoid contact with it.
[edit] In Serbian folklore
During the Twelve Days of Christmas, in Serbian Christmas traditions, which period used to be called the "unbaptized days", during which the demonic forces of all kinds were considered to be more than usually active and dangerous. People were cautious not to attract their attention, and did not go out late at night. The latter precaution was especially because of the demons called karakondžula (Serbian Cyrillic: Караконџула, also Karakondža, Karakandža, Karapandža), imagined as heavy, squat, and ugly creatures. When a karakondžula found someone outdoors during the night of an unbaptized day, it would jump on his back, and make him carry it wherever it wanted. This torture would end only when roosters announced the dawn; at that moment the creature would release its victim and run away.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Vuković (2004), p. 94
- Özhan Öztürk. (Black Sea: Encyclopedic Dictionary) Karadeniz Ansiklopedik Sözlük. 2 Vol. Heyamola Publishing. Istanbul. 2005 ISBN 975-6121-00-9
- Karakoncolos, Karakura, Kukeri (Turkish)
- Vuković, Milan T. (2004). "Божићни празници" (in Serbian). Народни обичаји, веровања и пословице код Срба [Serbian folk customs, beliefs, and sayings] (12 ed.). Belgrade: Sazvežđa. ISBN 86-83699-08-0.
