"ognevitsa" from "Nezhivoi zver'" by Teffi

[William Ryan]

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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