"ognevitsa" from "Nezhivoi zver'" by Teffi

[William Ryan]

PS I should have been a bit more specific - Katya IS looking at the 
stove but is associating it with a fiery demoness.

Will

On 14/10/2012 23:26, William Ryan wrote:
> Robert,
>
> I would suggest that "ognevitsa" is not a stove, but is indeed an Old 
> Russian word for fever or rash, and that "ognevitsa-pechkina dochka" 
> is a compound folklore demonic name. This fits the context of the 
> frightened child's imaginings. Ognevitsa (more commonly Ogneia, 
> Ognennaia in recorded charms) is the personification of a variety of 
> illnesses associated with fire or heat, some times in the plural 
> "sestry ognevitsy". It may be one of the many names of the 12 demonic 
> fevers in Russian folklore and magic charms; these are collectively 
> called  triasavitsy, and also the Daughters of Herod. For the doublet 
> name compare "baba yaga - kostianaia noga". The triasavitsy occur 
> mostly in the complex of magic prayer-spells and uncanonical icons 
> associated with St Sisinnii. I know of no other occurrences of this 
> particular word association (ognevitsa-stove-daughter), but it appears 
> that sets of 12 rag dolls representing the 12 triasavitsy could be 
> found hanging on the stove of Russian houses, presumably with an 
> apotropaic function. There is a set of these dolls in the Ethnographic 
> Museum in St Petersburg but I have not found any other museum example, 
> or any description in the literature. I published a photograph of the 
> dolls in my Bathhouse at Midnight, p. 442.
>
> Will Ryan
>
> On 14/10/2012 06:55, Robert Chandler wrote:
>> Dear all,
>>
>> This is from a rather frightening story about a marriage break-up, 
>> told from the perspective of a small girl.  Clearly, 'ognevitsa' here 
>> means a small stove.  But I would like to know more about the word.  
>> The only dictionary meaning I can find is "likhoradka".  Is little 
>> Katya simply using the wrong word?  Or is this a colloquial or 
>> dialect usage that isn't widely known?
>>
>> В детской перед обедом углы делались темнее, точно шевелились. А в 
>> углу трещала огневица — печкина дочка, щелкала заслонкой, скалила 
>> красные зубы и жрала дрова. Подходить к ней нельзя было: она злющая, 
>> укусила раз Катю за палец. Больше не подманит.
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>> Robert
>>
>> Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD
>>
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