LITHUANIAN MYTHOLOGICAL TALES
 
 

GLOSSARY

aitvaras: a mythological being similar to a brownie that often carried around wealth

damavikas: a word of Slavic origin meaning "house spirit" more or less equivalent in nature to the Lithuanian aitvaras

Dundu1is: see Perkunas

Giltine: a mythological being that brings death either in the form of a skeleton carrying a scythe (a female Grim Reaper) or a woman dressed in black or yellow who stings her victims

gorcius: a unit of capacity for measuring liquids or grain used in former times equel to about three liters

kaukas: a mythological being similar to a goblin that often carried around wealth

klystzvake: a deceptive light or flame that would lead people a stray or have powers of transformation

laime: a goddess of fate or luck

laume: a female mythological being; laumes are often depicted rocking children, doing laundry, and weaving; laumes are similar to pixies and witches

laumiukas: a young male mythological being kin to a laume

pavietas: a district of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Perkunas: the god of thunder and lightning

Puscias: a mythological being that "puffs" and winnows grain

Samogitia: ("Zemaitija". In Lith.) the northwestern region of Lithuania

siena: a measure of homespun cloth

slogute. a female personified nightmare

slogutis: a male personified nightmare

spyga: a swear made by placing the thumb between the forefinger and middle finger of a fist

velnias: the or a devil

verba: a branch of grasses or flowers used instead of palms on Palm Sunday in Lithuania

Ziburinis: see klystzvake
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
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