SPELL

SPELL, spellcasting is a genre of ritual folklore, verbal formula, which aim to influence an object. Its origin is connected with pagan ethnic beliefs. It has poetic and prose form. Poetic S. are uttered in a recitative manner. The actions mentioned in S. should produce the desired effect in reality. S. often appeal to deities, spirits of ancestors and saints, elements, nature ob­ jects, totemic animals, etc. to ask for help or or­ der something. According to the content there are healing S. (used in ethnic medicine), economic (summoning the rain, sun, etc. as well as the S. aimed to attract success in agriculture, hunting, fishing, etc.), S. regulating the relationships between people (love bindings and lapels, S. to make a person be respected and admired). S. were uttered by bakses, arbauses, healers, tuno, shamans, etc. Many folklore genres (benevolences, prayers, cursing, kharnau, etc.) have the elements of S. Bashkirs used to cast spells on snakes; Udmurts were prohibited to cast spells on a sacred day – Friday; different Ukrainian S. were registered during the expeditions to Alsheyevskiy, Sterlitamakskiy, Miya­ kinskiy districts of RB; R. about cattle are com­ mon for Chuvashes of Sterlitamakskiy, Ilishevs­ kiy, Aurgazinskiy districts of RB, etc. It exists in folklore of many peoples.

V. Ya. Babenko, T.G. Minniyakhmetova,M.A. Pilipak, R.A. Sultangareyeva