VEROVANJE O VODI KOT O MEJI MED
SVETOVOMA .IVIH IN MRTVIH*


Mirjam Mencej 

Kljuene besede: smrt, de.ela mrtvih, voda, loenica med svetovoma .ivih in mrtvih, verovanja 

V tem elanku bom pisala o verovanju, ki je raz.irjeno v mnogih de.elah sveta, 
najdemo pa ga tudi pri Slovanih, namree o verovanju, po katerem gre du.a na svoji poti 
na drugi svet prek neke vode, kar pomeni, da je voda pravzaprav loenica med svetom 
.ivih in svetom mrtvih. 

To verovanje se ka.e iz mnogih ljudskih pesmi, zagovorov, molitev, rekonstruiramo ga lahko tudi iz .eg ob smrti, na tem mestu pa se bom omejila prvenstveno na zapise verovanj oziroma na tisto slovstveno folkloro in .ege, ki so s tem verovanjem neposredno povezani. 

Eksplicitno lahko najdemo tako predstavo zapisano recimo v Bolgariji, kjer menijo, da du.a »potem, ko pride do polja, pride do neke .iroke in globoke reke, ki je .e 
meja med tem in onim svetom« (Marinov, 1994: 331). Prav tako poznajo Srbi predstavo 

o Jovanovi strugi kot vhodu na drugi svet (Eajkanovia, 1994: 42). V vologodski pokrajini pa so verjeli, da du.a na .tirideseti dan po smrti preeka t. i. »Pozabiti reko« in tedaj 
pozabi vse, kar se je dogajalo na tem svetu (Uspenski, 1982: 56). Veeinoma pa lahko 
najdemo to verovanje povezano z doloeenimi .egami in raznimi sorodnimi verovanji. 
Pogosto jo najdemo povezano s .egami prilaganja denarja umrlemu. Tako so v Odrancih 
v Prekmurju v Sloveniji umrlemu otroku dali drobi. v pest, ker ga bo »potreboval za 
brod, ee se bo na onem svetu peljal eez vodo« (Re.ek, 1979: 56). Tudi v Bosni, Srbiji in 
Erni gori so prilagali kovanec umrlemu kot »plaeilo za prevoz na otok bla.enih« 
(Drobnjakovia, 1960: 161). Na Poljskem vsi zbrani na pogrebu prestopijo potok in 
vr.ejo v vodo kak kovanec za prevoz, da bi imel umrli s eim plaeati prevoz na drugi svet 
za morje. Prav tako v Ukrajini, ponekod tudi v Rusiji, denar darujejo za prevoz prek 
reke (Fischer, 1921: 176). 
* Elanek je skraj.ano poglavje iz knjige z naslovom Voda v predstavah starih Slovanov o posmrtnem .ivljenju 
in .egah ob smrti, ki je iz.la v Ljubljani leta 1997. 

Mirjam Mencej 

Drugo podroeje, kjer lahko najdemo to predstavo, predstavljajo verovanja o mostu, brvi oziroma dlaki, prek katerih gre du.a na drugi svet. To je sicer zelo raz.irjen 
motiv, ki ga najdemo tudi v kr.eanskih in islamskih apokalipsah in v tradiciji srednjeve
.kega Zahoda, najdemo pa ga tudi v Srbiji (na primer v banatski Klisuri, banatski Erni 
gori, v ju.nem Banatu, pri Srbih v okolici .iklo.a in v Romuniji ter ju.ni Mad.arski, v 
Leskovaeki Moravi in okolici Svrljiga, v U.icah, okolici Kosjeriaa in vaseh okoli Po.ege) 
in ponekod v Bolgariji (podonavske vasi), kjer verjamejo, da pride du.a v raj prek mosta/brvi/dlake (Zeeevia, 1975: 151; 1982: 28, 29). 

V teh verovanjih sicer ni eksplicitno povedano, da most/brv/dlaka vodijo prek 
vode, lahko pa potrditev za to morda najdemo tudi v .egah zlasti v vzhodni Srbiji, ee

196 
prav je po drugi strani res, da je prebivalstvo vzhodne Srbije narodnostno zelo me.ano 
in da iz poroeila ni jasno, kdo so akterji te .ege: tam namree na .tirideseti dan po smrti 
(to je dan, ko du.a po verovanju odide iz obmoeja .ivih) oziroma kadar spu.eajo vodo za 
umrlega, polagajo brv prek vode, in sicer zato, da bi du.i olaj.ali pot in bi la.je pri.la na 
drugo stran (Zeeevia, 1975: 151; 1982: 29). 

Deloma se verovanje o prehodu du.e prek mostu/brvi/dlake na drugi svet navezuje tudi na drugi sklop verovanj, v katerem je po mojem mnenju prav tako skrito 
verovanje o vodi, ki loeuje oba svetova med seboj - to so deloma .e kr.eansko obarvana 
verovanja o peklu in nebesih, ki sta locirana drug ob drugem, du.a pa prek pekla (veasih spet po brvi/ dlaki/mostu) pride (ali ne pride . odvisno pae od te.e grehov) v nebesa. Taka verovanja najdemo na primer v Erni gori in Srbiji (Vukanovia, 1935: 127-128; 
Nodilo, 1981: 39; Zeeevia, 1982: 28-29), razvidna pa so tudi iz nekaterih, tudi hrva.kih, 
ljudskih pesmi, kot na primer Ognjena Marija v peklu (Karad.ia, 1969/2, str. 13-15; .t. 
4; Erna gora), Mati svetega Petra (Karad.ia, 1969/1: 100-101; .t. 208), Maauha u peklu 
(Hrvatske narodne pjesme kajkavske 1950: 279; .t. 334; pri Ozlju) idr. 

Toda, ee v vseh teh pesmih in verovanjih o prehodu na drugi svet (raj) prek pekla, 
ki je pred nebesi, voda ni omenjena, pa jo najdemo v predstavi o poti du.e v onstranstvo 
na praktieno istem obmoeju: 

.U istoenoj Srbiji, gde je kult mrtvih do na.ih dana dobro oeuvan u svojim starijim 
varijantama, narod je verovao da se posle prolaska kroz opisani me.uprostor (v katerem 
elovek vidi slike iz svojega .ivljenja - op. M. M.) sti.e do ulaza na drugi svet. Tu se prelazi 
preko uskoga brvna koje premo.euje duboku provaliju. Kod mosta eekaju sudije koje re
.avaju o daljnjoj sudbini prispelog pokojnika. Zatim du.a stupa na brvno koje je ovde 
nazivano i .rajski most.. Ako je du.a pravedna, lako prolazi u veeito boravi.te, a ako je 
gre.na, gubi oslonac i pada u ambis. Na dnu provalije je .jad. - zaga.ena voda puna 
svakojake gamadi. U njoj se du.a muei i eisti pa posle oei.eenja i ona prolazi u veeno boravi.te (...) Opisano verovanje bilo je op.te poznato kod svih etnienih grupa istoene Srbije, a bilo je ra.ireno i me.u srpskim .ivljem u Ma.arskoj i Rumuniji, gde se pod pritiskom Turaka naselio..1 

V teh prieevanjih se na tistem mestu, kjer se je v prej.njih poroeilih nahajal pekel 
(prek katerega mora du.a v nebesa), nahaja .jad. - voda, eeprav zastrupljena in polna 

1 S. Zeeevia, 1982, str. 27-28. 


Verovanje o vodi kot o meji med svetovoma .ivih in mrtvih 

golazni. Beseda jad, ad je izpeljanka iz starogr.kega Had(es) - podzemni svet. Pri nekaterih pravoslavnih Slovanih (npr. Bolgarih, Rusih) je beseda postala sinonim za pekel 
(Skok, 1971: 8). Enak pomen lahko zasledimo tudi v tem srbskem verovanju. Beseda 
jad in hkrati z njo morda tudi voda (v gr.kem mitu mora tisti, ki bi rad dospel v Had, 
prepluti reko v Haronovem brodu) v tej predstavi sta torej posledici gr.kega vpliva, vendar pa je za nas zanimivo to, da je beseda jad (ki je tu predstavljena kot voda) postala 
sinonim prav za besedo pekel. Zdi se, da je .pekel. prekril stare slovanske predstave o 
vodi oz. onstranstvu. Jezikoslovno tega sicer ni mogoee potrditi. Beseda pekel, ki je vseslovanska in praslovanska, pomeni pa .smolo, katran., izhaja po Skokovem mnenju iz 
indoevropskega korena *poi- , ki pomeni .Feuchtigkeit, Saft, Fett, Harzstrotzen itd.. 
(Skok: 1972: 58, 8), po mnenju F. Bezlaja pa iz ide. osnove *p-k- in ne ka.e na etimolo-197
.ko zvezo z besedo voda (Bezlaj, 1995: 22). Po mnenju Pokornýja izhaja morda iz iste 

.. 

ide. osnove *pi-k- kot pekel tudi beseda vi g, vihe v srednje ni.ji nem.eini s pomenom 
.Sumpf, Bruch. (moevirje). To je edina jezikovna paralela med peklom in vodo (Pokorný, 1959: 793-794; za podatek se najlep.e zahvaljujem gospe Metki Furlan). 

Domnevo, da sta se predstavi o peklu in vodi zdru.ili, pa morda potrjujejo primeri iz slovstvene folklore, npr. pesmi o Mikuli - Nikoli, ki je v ljudskem verovanju ponekod oeitno predstavljal vodnika na drugi svet. V ukrajinski folklori, na primer, lahko 
nastopa v vlogi vodnika du. (nekdaj Velesa) sv. Nikola ali hudie (Uspenski, 1982: 57): 

V srbski razlieici Ilija pozove Nikolo: 

.Ta ustani, Nikola,
da idemo u goru,
da pravimo korabe,
da vozimo du.ice
s ovog sveta na onaj!.
”


(Najveai grijesi, Karad.ia, 1969/1: 101-102, .t. 209) 

Medtem ko je v srbski razlieici omenjena voda, prek katere vozi Mikula du.e na 
drugi svet, pa se v hrva.kih razlieicah smisel Mikulinega potovanja sicer izgubi, v vodi 
pa se pojavi predstavnik pekla - hudie, ki prebiva .doli. - v vodi, o katerem ni v srbski 
pesmi ne duha ne sluha: 

.Sveti Mikula slatko spi Poene kamen tonuti 

na srdajcu knjigu .ti. i rumelje plivati. 

Njemu Diva dohodi Skoei Mikula na jarbor, 

Pa Mikuli besidi: na jarboru huda stvar: 

.Ustaj, ustaj, Mikula, .Hodi doli me.u nas!. 

uzmi teslu i bradvu, ..Oeena.a ne umim, 

pa ga hodi u goru, .Zdrave Marije. ne umim, 

pa posici zelen bor, i hudog sam me.tra bija, 

pa ga nosi u Isusov dvor, i hudo me naueija.. 

pa udilaj barkicu, 

napuni ji kamena 

i bo.jega rumena.. (Delorko, 1982: 330; .t. 52; otok Zlarin) 


Mirjam Mencej 

.Svet. Mikula sanak sni,
na srdajcu knjigu .ti,
k njemu Gospe dolazi
i Mikuli govori:
.Stan., Mikula, sinko moj,
uzmi teslu i sikiru,
pa ti pojdi u goru
i prisiei zelen bor,
svetog Petra vienji dvor,
pa uzimi korablju


198 
i . njon plovi po moru!. 
Kada Miko uz jarbol, 
na jarbolu huda stvar: 
.Sa.i doli, huda stvar, 
sa.i doli me.u nas 

i govori Oee na.!. 
.Oeena.a ja ne znan, 
Zdravu Mariju ne umin, 
hudobna san me.tra stala, 
nisan mu se deletala!. 
Pa je aapa za kose, 
pa je baca na brode 
pa je siee na peee 
pa je sunu u more; 
kuj su peee padale, 
pijavice igrale, 
kuj Mikula ida.e, 
tu bonaca bija.e!. 

(Sveti Nikola i sotona, 
Delorko, 1969: 85-86; Dalmacija) 

Deloma je morda ohranjena pot v raj prek vode, v kateri se pojavi .hudo stvor. 
(prim. .e slovenske razlieice pesmi Sv. Miklav. in hudoba; Slovenske ljudske pesmi, 
1981/II., 420-425; .t. 125), .e v razlieici z otoka Visa: 

.Sveti Mike dite bise,
Sridu i petak zezinase.
Zato niko ne znadijase
Nego mojka ko ga rodi
I babica ka ga doji.
Kad je Mike ponarasta,


Pa poj vodit rumuniju
Sveton Petru rojskin puten.
Vazme Mike sikiricu
I ubere jedan bur
Za napravit dvo vesliaa!
Barkica se ucinila,
Barkica se porinila.
Isol Mike s njon plovit,
Al barkica pocne tonit!
Obazre se Mike na jorbul,
Na jorbulu hudo stvor.
I govori Mike non:
Hodi doli, hudo stvor,
I molimo Ocenos
I Zdravo Mariju


Tad mu mojka progovara:
Idi, Mike, u goricu
Pa posici jedon bur
za izgradit moli brud,
I posici dvo boria
a
Za udilat dvo vesliaa,


Za Divicu Mariju!
Al govori hudo stvor:
Ne znan molit Ocenos,
A Mariju ne poznajen!
Jo son s huden mestrun stola
I hudu son skulu naucila.
Kad to cuje Mikula,
Un je isol na jorbul;
Uze hudu stvor za vlose
I baci je u more.
Kako hudo stvor tonuse,
Tako barkica cvotuse!
Onda pojde vodit rumuniju
Sveton Petru rojskin puten..
2


2 M. Oreb, 1979, str. 189-190 (otok Vis). 


Verovanje o vodi kot o meji med svetovoma .ivih in mrtvih 

Ee bi hoteli dejansko potrditi domnevo o tem, da je pekel seasoma izrinil oziroma 
nadomestil vodo kot vhod oz. prehod na drugi svet, bi morali seveda narediti o tem 
.ir.e raziskave. Vendar pa je zanimiv .e povr.en pregled krajevnih imen Pekel v Sloveniji . kraji, ki nosijo to ime, so namree zelo pogosto povezani z vodo. 

LITERATURA 

BEZLAJ France, 1995: Etimolo.ki slovar slovenskega jezika, Tretja knjiga, P-S, Ljubljana. 

EAJKANOVIA, 1994: O vrhovnom bogu u staroj srpskoj religiji, Beograd. 

DELORKO Olinko, 1982: Narodne pjesme otoka Zlarina, Povijest i tradicije otoka Zlarina, Zagreb. 

DROBNJAKOVIA Borivoje, 1960: Etnologija naroda Jugoslavije I., Beograd. 

FISCHER Adam, 1921: Zwyczaje pogrzebowe ludu polskiego, Lwow. 

HRVATSKE narodne pjesme kajkavske, 1950: Zagreb. 

KARAD.IA Vuk Stefanovia, 1969: Srpske narodne pjesme, knjiga 1-4, Beograd 1969. 

MARINOV Dimiter, 1994: Narodna vjara i religiozni narodni obieai, Sofija. 

NODILO Natko, Stara vjera Srba i Hrvata, Split 1981. 

POKORNÝ Julius, 1959: Indogermanisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, Bern. 

RE.EK Du.an, 1979: Verovanja ob Muri in Rabi, Murska Sobota. 

SKOK Petar, 1971: Etimologijski rjeenik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika, I. knjiga, Zagreb. 

SKOK Petar, 1972: Etimologijski rjeenik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika, II. knjiga, Zagreb. 

SLOVENSKE ljudske pesmi, 1981: Pripovedne pesmi, II. Knjiga (uredniki Zmaga Kumer, Milko Matieetov, Valens 
Vodu.ek), Ljubljana. 

USPENSKI B. A., 1982: Filologieeskie raziskanija v oblasti slavjanskih drevnostej, Moskva. 

VUKANOVIA Tatomir, 1935: Verovanje u drugi svet kod Crnogoraca u Kosanici, Glasnik etnografskog muzeja, knjiga 
10, Beograd, str. 127-128. 

ZEEEVIA Slobodan, 1975: Kult mrtvih i samrtni obieaji u okolini Bora, Glasnik etnografskog muzeja 38, Beograd, str. 
147-168. 

ZEEEVIA Slobodan, 1982: Kult mrtvih kod Srba, Beograd. 


BELIEFS ABOUT WATER AS A BOUNDARY
BETWEEN THE WORLD OF THE LIVING AND
THE WORLD OF THE DEAD*


Mirjam Mencej 

Key words: death, the country of the dead, water, the border between the worlds of the living and the 
dead, the beliefs 

In this article, I.m going to write about a belief that is widespread in many countries throughout the world and can also be found among Slavic peoples. According to 
this belief, the soul, on its way to the other world, passes across some water, which 
means that water is in fact a separating line between the world of the living and the 
world of the dead. 

This belief is evident in numerous folk songs, chants, and prayers and can also be 
reconstructed from funerary rites and customs. In this article, I will confine myself primarily to written accounts of beliefs or to that folk literature and folk customs that are 
directly connected with this belief. 

Such a notion can be found written down explicitly in Bulgaria, for example, 
where people reckon that the soul, .after reaching a field, arrives to some kind of wide 
and deep river, which is the boundary between this and the other world. (Marinov, 
1994; p. 331). Similarly, Serbs are familiar with the notion of Jovan.s river (Jovanova 
struga) as being the entrance to the other world (Eajkanovia, 1973, p. 328). In the Vologodskaja region in Russia, it was believed that on the 40th day after death the soul of 
the dead crossed the so-called .Forget River,. thereby forgetting everything that had 
happened in this world (Uspensky, 1982, p. 56). Most often, however, this belief can be 
found in connection with particular customs and related beliefs. Frequently, this idea 
is linked with the custom of giving money to the dead. In Odranci, in Slovenia.s region 
of Prekmurje, coins were placed in a deceased child.s feast because the child would 
need them .for the boat, if in the other world he or she crossed the water. (Re.ek, 
1979, p. 56). In Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro a coin was also given to the dead as 
.payment for transportation to the island of the blessed. (Drobnjakovia, 1960, p. 161). 

* This paper is an abridged version of a chapter from the book entitled Water in the Concepts about Life after 
Death and Funerary Rites of Ancient Slaves, published in Ljubljana in 1997. 

Beliefs about Water as a Boundary between the World of the Living and the World of the Dead 

In Poland, all the people gathered at a funeral cross a creak and throw a coin in the 
water so that the deceased would have something to pay for being ferried across the sea 
to the other world. In Ukraine and some parts of Russia, too, money is given to the 
dead person for transportation across the river (Fischer, 1921, p. 176). 

Another area where this notion can also be found is represented by the beliefs about 
a bridge, a footbridge or a hair over which the soul of the dead passes to the other world. 
This motif, which is very widespread in Christian and Islamic apocalypse narratives and 
in Western medieval traditions, is also found in Serbia (for instance in Klisura and Crna 
gora in the Banat region, in southern Banat and among the Serbs living in the vicinity of 
.iklo., in Romania and southern Hungary, in Leskovaeka Morava, around Svrljig, in 
U.ice, in the vicinity of Kosjeria, in the villages around Po.ega) and in some places in 201 
Bulgaria (villages along the Danube) where people believe that the soul comes to paradise 
over a bridge/footbridge/hair (Zeeevia, 1975, p. 151; 1982, pp. 28, 29). 

These beliefs do not state explicitly that the bridge/footbridge/hair leads over 
water, but an affirmation of this may perhaps be found in the customs practiced chiefly 
in eastern Serbia (although it is true that the population of eastern Serbia is highly 
mixed ethnically and that the report in question does not make it clear who are the 
practitioners of this custom). There is a custom in these parts to lay a footbridge across 
water, on the 40th day after one.s death or when water is »let« for the deceased, so as to 
make it easier for the soul to reach the other side (Zeeevia, 1975, p. 151; 1982, p. 29). 

The belief that the soul passes to the other world over a bridge/footbridge/hair is 
partly linked with another body of beliefs that, in my view, also cloak the belief about 
water separating the two worlds. These are beliefs, already partially tinted by Christianity, 
about hell and heaven, located side by side, and through hell (sometimes over a footbridge/hair/bridge) the soul goes to heaven (or not, depending on the gravity of its sins). 
Such beliefs are found, for instance, in Montenegro and Serbia (Vukanovia, 1935, pp. 
127-128; Nodilo, 1981, p. 39; Zeeevia, 1982, pp. 28-29). They are also evident from some 
Croatian and other folk songs, such as Fiery Marry in Hell (Karad.ia, 1969/2, pp. 13-15; 
no. 4; Montenegro), St. Peter.s Mother (Karad.ia, 1969/1, pp. 100-101; no. 208), Stepmother in Hell (Hravtske narodne pjesme kajkavske, 1959, p. 279; no. 334; near Ozelj), etc. 

While in all these songs and beliefs about the passage to the other world (paradise) through hell, which is before heaven, water is not mentioned, the latter, however, 
can be found in the notion about the soul.s journey to the other world that was held by 
people living in practically the same territory: 

»In eastern Serbia, where the cult of the dead has been well preserved in its older 
variations till the present day, people believed that after passing through the described 
»interspace« (in which man sees the images of his life . note by M. M.) a deceased person 
arrives at the gate to the other world. Here, the soul of the dead passes over a narrow 
bridge across a deep chasm. At the bridge, judges are waiting who decide the future fate 
of the deceased. Then the soul steps onto the bridge, which is also called »the bridge of 
paradise« here. If the soul is righteous, it can proceed to the eternal dwelling, but if it is 
sinful, it loses support and falls into the abyss. At the bottom of the chasm, there is »jad« . 
dirty water full of vermin of all kinds. In it, such a soul is tortured and purged, and when 


Mirjam Mencej 

it is purified it too can pass into the eternal dwelling. The described belief was generally 
known to all ethnic groups in eastern Serbia, but it was also spread among the Serbian 
population in Hungary and Romania, where it settled under the pressure of the Turks.«1 

In these accounts, »jad« . water, although poisoned and full of vermin . is found 
in places where previous reports mentioned hell (through which the soul must go in 
order to reach heaven). The word jad or ad is a derivative from the old Greek word 
Hades . the underworld. Among some orthodox Slaves (e.g. Bulgarians, Russians) the 
word has become a synonym for hell (Skok, 1971, p. 8). The same meaning is also 
found in this Serbian belief. The word jad and perhaps also water (in Greek mythology 
the one who would like to come to Hades has to cross the River Styx in Charon.s boat) 

202 
in this notion, are therefore a consequence of Greek influence. For us, it is interesting 
that the word jad (which is represented here as water) has become a synonym for hell. It 
seems that »hell« has superseded the ancient Slavic ideas about water and the other 
world. This, however, cannot be confirmed linguistically. The word »pekel« (which is 
Slovenian for hell) is a pan-Slavic and ancient-Slavic word meaning »resin, tar« and derives, according to Skok, from the Indo-European root *poi-, which means »Feuchtigkeit, Saft, Fett, Harzstrotzen etc.« (Skok, 1972, pp. 58, 8). According to F. Bezlaj, however, it derives from the Indo-European basis *pi-k- and does not point to any etymological link with the word water (Bezlaj, 1995, p. 22). In Pokorný.s view, the word vi(g), 
vihe, meaning »Sumpf, Bruch (swamp) in middle Low German, may derive from the 
same Indo-European basis *pi-k- as the Slovenian word »pekel.« This is the only linguistic parallel between hell and water (Pokorný, 1959; pp. 793-794; for this data we thank 
Ms. Metka Furlan). 

The assumption that the notions of hell and water might have merged is perhaps 
confirmed by examples from Slovenian folklore, e.g. from the song about Mikula . 
Nikola, who in popular beliefs in some areas apparently represented the guide to the 
other world. In Ukrainian folklore, for instance, either St. Nicholas or the devil can 
have the role of the guide of souls, which was previously played by Veles, the ancient 
Slavic god of death (Uspensky, 1982, p. 57): 

In the Serbian version, Ilija summons Nikola: 

»Ta ustani, Nikola,
da idemo u goru,
da pravimo korabe,
da vozimo du.ice
s ovog sveta na onaj!.
«


(Najveei grijesi, Karad.ia, 1969/1, pp. 101-102, no. 209) 

While the Serbian version mentions water, across which Mikula drives souls to 
the other world, in the Croatian versions of the same song the sense of Mikula.s travel is 
lost but in water the representative of hell . the devil, who resides »down there,« in 
water . appears, of whom there is no mention in the Serbian version: 

1 S. Zeeevia, 1982, pp. 27-28. 


Beliefs about Water as a Boundary between the World of the Living and the World of the Dead 

»Sveti Mikula slatko spi 
na srdajcu knjigu .ti. 
Njemu Diva dohodi 
pa Mikuli besidi: 
»Ustaj, ustaj, Mikula, 
uzmi teslu i bradvu, 
pa ga hodi u goru, 
pa posici zelen bor, 
pa ga nosi u Isusov dvor, 
pa udilaj barkicu, 
napuni ji kamena 
i bo.jega rumena.« 

»Svet. Mikula sanak sni,
na srdajcu knjigu .ti,
k njemu Gospe dolazi
i Mikuli govori:
»Stan., Mikula, sinko moj,
uzmi teslu i sikiru,
pa ti pojdi u goru
i prisiei zelen bor,
svetog Petra vienji dvor,
pa uzmi korablju
i . njon plovi po moru!
«
Kada Miko uz jarbol,
na jarbolu huda stvar:
»Sa.i doli, huda stvar,
sa.i doli me.u nas
i govori Oee na.!
«


Poene kamen tonuti
I rumelje plivati.
Skoei Mikula na jarbor,
na jarboru huda stvar:
»Hodi doli me.u nas!
«
» .Oeena.a. ne umim,
.Zdrave marije. ne umim,
i hudog sam me.tra bija,
i hudo me naueija.
«


(Delorko, 1982, p. 330; no. 52; 203 
the island of Zlarin). 

»Oeena.a ja ne znan,
Zdravu Mariju ne umin,
hudobna san me.tra stala,
nisan mu se delatala!
«
Pa je aapa za kose,
pa je baca na brode
pa je siee na pee
e
pa je sunu u more:
kuj su peee padale,
pijavice igrale,
kuj Mikula ida.e,
tu bonaca bija.e!
«


(Saint Nicholas and Satan, 
Delorko, 1969, pp. 85-86; Dalmatia) 

The path to paradise across water in which »hudo stvor,« a wicked creature, appears (see also the Slovenian version of the song called St. Nicholas and Fiend, in Kumer et al., 1981/II, pp. 420-425; no. 125) is perhaps also partly preserved in the version 

from the island of Vis: 

»Sveti Mike dite bise, 
Sridu i petak zezinase. 
Zato niko ne znadijase 
Nego mojka ko ga rodi 
I babica ka ga doji. 
Kad je Mike ponarasta, 

Tad mu mojka progovara:
Idi, Mike, u goricu
Pa posici jedon bur
Za izgradit moli brud,
I posici dvo boria
a
Za udilat dvo vesliaa,



Mirjam Mencej 

Pa poj vodit rumuniju I govori Mike non: 
Sveton Petru rojskin puten. Hodi doli, hudo stvor, 
Vazme Mike sikiricu I molimo Ocenos 
I ubere jedan bur I Zdravo Mariju 
Za napravit dvo vesliaa! Za Divicu mariju! 
Barkica se ucinila, Al govori hudo stvor: 
Barkica se porinila. Ne znan molit Ocenos, 
Isol Mike s njon plovit, A Mariju ne poznajen! 
Al barkica pocne tonit! Jo son s huden mestrun stola 
Obazre se Mike na jorbul, I huda son skulu naucila. 
204 Na jorbulu hodo stvor. Kad to cuje Mikula, 
Un je isol na jorbul; 

Uze huda stvor za vlose
I baci je u more.
Kako hudo stvor tonuse,
Tako barkica cvotuse!
Onda pojde vodit rumuniju
Sveton Petru rojskin puten.«
2


If we really wanted to confirm the assumption that hell gradually ousted or replaced water as the entrance or passage to the other world, we would have to make 
more extensive research into this topic. But even a superficial survey of the places in 
Slovenia bearing the name Pekel (hell) is very interesting: it reveals that these places 
are very often linked with water. 

REFERENCES see page 199 

BESEDA O AVTORICI 

Mirjam Mencej, mag., je magistrirala s podroeja primerjalne slovanske mitologije. Kot mlada raziskovalka je zaposlena na Oddelku za etnologijo in kulturno antropologijo Filozofske fakultete 
v Ljubljani, kjer pripravlja doktorsko nalogo. Izdala je knjigo Voda v predstavah starih Slovanov o 
posmrtnem .ivljenju in .egah ob smrti (1997) in 
objavila vee elankov o slovanski mitologiji. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Mirjam Mencej got her M.A. in the field of 
the Comparative Slavic Mythology. She is employed as a junior research fellow at the Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Arts, Ljubljana. She is preparing her 
Ph.D. at the same department. She has published 
a book Water in the Old Slavic Notions of Life after Death and in their Customs at Death (1997). 
She has also published several articles about Slavic mythology. 

2 M. Oreb, 1979, pp. 189-190 (otok Vis).