Kikimora: Difference between revisions

[[Image:Kikimora.jpg|thumb|Illustration of a Kikimora (1934) by [[Ivan Bilibin]] (1876–1942). (Kikimora as house-spirit and guardian of chickens - hence her depiction in chicken-like form).]]'''Kikimora''' ({{lang-rus|кикимора|p=kʲɪˈkʲimərə}}) is a [[legendary creature]], a female [[house spirit]] in [[Slavic mythology]]. Her role in the house is usually juxtaposed with that of the [[domovoy]]. The kikimora can either be a "bad" or a "good" spirit, which will depend on the behavior of the homeowner.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Kikimora |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Kikimora/ |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=World History Encyclopedia |language=en}}</ref> When the kikimora inhabits a house, she lives behind the stove or in the cellar, and usually produces noises similar to those made by mice in order to obtain food. Kikimory (in plural) were the first traditional explanation for [[sleep paralysis]] in [[Russian folklore]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}