Original scientific paper
Irudica in Croatian Folklore
Marko Dragić
orcid.org/0000-0001-5362-6814
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu, Odsjek za hrvatski jezik i književnost
Abstract
At the celebration of Herod Antipas’ birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced enchantingly and Herod promised to fill every wish of hers, even up to half of his kingdom. After the dance the daughter of Herodias asked her mother what she would ask for from Herod and her mother told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. She did ask this from Herod who filled her wish. So Herodias and her daughter are to blame for the death of John the Baptist. That is why they are demonic beings in the folkloristics of the Croats. In the Croatian tradition Herodias is called Poganica, and her daughter Irudica. According to the popular belief Irudica brings heavy thunderstorm, while her mother, Poganica, hidden in a cloud, protects her from being struck by lightning. The Croats used to practice sorcery against Irudica. Former incantations have been Christianized so that even in our time they are chanted when it is thundering or lightening in order to protect people and their property from Irudica. The paper brings and multidisciplinary interprets a score of examples resulting from a years-long research by the author and his students. Most examples were gathered originally in the field in the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1997 and 2016.
Keywords
Herodias; St. John the Baptist; stormy weather; incantations
Hrčak ID:
198787
URI
Publication date:
22.2.2018.
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