Superstition

Many of the stories in this collection include some kind of superstition or magic that is not common in modern lives. The stories mostly take place in Little Russia in a time before modern times. This lends some authenticity to the claims of devils and magic in the stories.

In The Viy, the main character killed a witch by using exorcism and prayers on her. This witch is very powerful, however, and she is able to come back from the dead and call forth the Viy, the king of the trolls, in order to kill this man. In The Fair of Sorotchinetz the father so believes stories of a devil who is searching for his red svitka that he allows himself to be manipulated. In Mid-Summer Evening, a witch uses her powers to force a young man to kill his young brother-in-law for some money.

Superstition is a...