Tradition: Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Zharenitsa
Category: House dweller
The Myth
Zharenik is a spirit associated with pea fields and vegetable gardens in the Vologda region of Russia. Its female counterpart, Zharenitsa, is believed to inhabit the same places. Both spirits personify the intense midday heat during the summer, particularly when peas and other crops are ripening. Their appearance is not described in the available folklore accounts.
Zharenik and Zharenitsa belong to the category of midday spirits believed to inhabit fields during the hottest part of the day. Their presence was associated with the summer heat, when the ripening crops required protection and fieldwork could be uncomfortable. Although little is known about their nature, they formed part of the supernatural beliefs surrounding rural life and agriculture.
According to a local tradition, these spirits were used to frighten children away from pea fields. A flying pan and a frying pan were employed to scare children so that they would not pick peas from the crops. Another belief tells of a girl weeding a vegetable garden who sees a fried egg between the garden beds. Such stories reflect the association of these spirits with gardens, fieldwork, and the dangers or peculiarities of the summer midday heat.
Sources
“Zharenik.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/zharenik/ru