Tickling spirits

[Sentinel76 Astrakhan]

В заколдованных болотах
Там кикиморы живут:
Защекочут до икоты
И на дно уволокут
(В. Высоцкий)

Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 17:00:30 -0400
From: frosset at WHEATONMA.EDU
Subject: [SEELANGS] Tickling spirits
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU



Добрый день, SEELANGers.



During a discussion of a chapter from Ivanits's _Russian Folk Belief_, 

a student asked me about the spirits who could tickle one to death.

He wondered where that came from, or what the significance is.

I was stumped. Never thought about it, I guess I just accepted that they

*could* do it.



As it happens, the student next to him is very ticklish.

She let us know that for her, being tickled is well beyond unpleasant, and

that she reacts by getting semi-hysterical, having trouble breathing, and

feeling like she's about to drown. That does put a different complexion on

tickling, but it didn't answer the question.



Thoughts? ideas? Answers?



Thank you all,

-FR

-- 
Françoise Rosset
Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
Wheaton College, Norton MA 02766
office:     508-286-3696
FAX #:     508-286-3640
frosset at wheatonma.edu



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