The god of Thunder of east Slavics was Perun , like Balt Perkunas though he and was not esteemed by such significant deity. Traces of his existence were kept and between southern Slavs in toponymics. Perun's attributes were a horse, a chariot, an axe or hammer, stone arrows. According to Belorussian tradition, the God of Thunder supported by spirits with shape of predatory birds or warrior babies. Predatory animals also entered into an environment of the god. As wife Perun, probably, was considered Dodola. Her name was kept in southern Slav a ceremony: the girl dressed in green branches and named Dodola, pour water to cause a rain.

In Slavic culture the cult of the God of the Thunder long time did not play the leading part. According to E.V. Anichkova's opinion, promotion of Perun - the princely god was connected to formation of the Kiev state. Wishing to strengthen the government based on force of a military team, prince Vladimir reformed a pagan pantheon, having removed Perun on the first place (it would be interesting to find out, why prince has chosen the God of Thunder, is similar the Balts (Perkunas), the Indians of heroic epoch ( Indra ) and the Greeks and the Romans ( Zeus, Jove) instead of the Hero, as it have made by rulers of Vendel Scandinavia ( Odin ) and as we shall see, the western Slavics. Perhaps, here has had an effect of the Baltic influence, or influence of the Scandinavians of Viking epoch?). In 980 in Kiev the wooden idol of the God of Thunder with silver head and gold moustaches was put and in his honour even have founded human victims. But in eight years Vladimir, having accepted Christianity, ordered to banish Perun from the Kiev mountain and to alloy over Dnepr up to the thresholds.

"In Christian time Perun was replaced by prophet Ilya (Elias), going on the sky in a fiery chariot. By that Ilya day (July, 20) it was very solemnly celebrated on all Russia, and was celebrated with all attributes ancient pagan cult, probably, what exactly this storm day and was in the primordial day of Perun" (Rybakov, 1994, 418). On national representations, during a thunder-storm the Ilya - prophet has driven about on the sky and beat lightnings snakes (or devils), which drop on the ground, being turned off in ball. We shall recollect, that the Ossets named the deity of a thunder Wacilla - Saint Ilya. Identification Thunder god with the antiquated prophet was obviously connected to a detail of a bible plot according to which, Ilya has risen on the sky on a fiery chariot. It serves as powerful argument for the benefit of our treatment of the God of the Thunder extremely as god on a chariot (Thor and Jormungand , Indra and Vritra , Tarhunt and Illuyanka etc.) And, hence, treatments available in the literature of some gods-horsemen as thunder god are wrongful. Last remark especially concerns data for the western Slavs.

With identification of the Slavic God of Earth Powers there is no problem for east Slav Veles (Volos) likes Balt Vels. He was popular and considered as the god of "all Russia" in counterbalance Perun - to the patron of a princely warriors. In Kiev Perun's idol stood on mountain and Veles's idol down, in the bottom part of city. In ancient Russian sources Veles is the god of cattle and riches. "The Word about Igor's regiment" names legendary poet Boyan (probably, living at court yard Yaroslav Wise) 'Veles's grandson', that reflects connection of the God of Earth Powers with ceremonial and, in genesis - priestly functions.

Veles has left a rich trace in national culture of the Slavs. In winter holidays, taking place from January 7 till January 19, and also on a pancake week April 6 people dressed oneself animal (bull and bear) masks and coats fur outside sheepskin, with cattle bell at a belt. The Bulgarians were kept this custom till second half of 20 century (Rybakov, 1994, 428 - 430). The custom to left last ears in a field, "for Veles's beard" is connected to Veles's cult also.

After christening image of Veles was divided. On the one hand, he was identified with Saint Vlasiy, especially popular in Russian north. Per day of Saint Vlasiy there was a custom of burning of 'the cow death' that reminds burning bones of animals in Balt holiday of vele. In pagan function Veles 'God Volosatik' was perceived as some spirit.

In folklore Perkunas behaves the same as also other representatives of the given type. He pursues his opponent (what is Veln), by means of lightnings. "Sometimes in folklore the reason of the God of Thunder's anger - an unfaithfulness of his wife with Veln or kidnapping of her, kidnapping of people, or cattle is underlined. The pursued opponent is hidden for different subjects (the tree, a stone), addresses in the cow, in the person <...> According to the folklore texts the variant of a myth, where a morning dawn Ausrine, with his opponent is reconstructed also. Perkunas overthrows her from the sky on the ground, and that turns in chthonic goddess (compare. Mara, Zemina, Lauma)" (Myths of nations of the world, 1998, v.1, 154 - 155). It is very important plot, it explains, why the Great Goddess has got complicated sky-earth nature. The Ob-Ugrians which though are not the Indo-Europeans, but had with them close contacts, there is a similar myth. Supreme god Num-Torum, which, being the god of the sky, combined also thunderous function ('Torun' is not casually conformably Scandinavian Odin ) has overthrown from heavens the to spouse Kaltus-Ekva that that has asked to kill all animals and birds and to make of their bones the new house (Hant and Mansi myths, legends, fairy tales, 1990).

"The heavenly wedding." (A. Fantalov 1996)

.This plot is common for Balt mythology and Slav mythology. In one of variants Moon stole Dawn (a wife of Sun), but Perun broke him in two. Perun is the God of Thunder (like Perkunas of Balt mythology, Parjanya of Indian mythology, Thor of Scandinavian mythology, Donar of Germanic mythology, Taranis of Celt mythology - see Summary table of Indo-European gods). A sacral day of the God of Thunder is Thursday.

The Slav god of earth natural powers was Veles. He possessed the next functions: the Lord of Otherworld, the Lord of animals, the keeper of wisdom. His interesting character has got analogies in the many Indo-European traditions (Dionysus - Greek mythology; Rudra - Indian mythology; Cernunnos - Celt mythology; and especially Vels - Balt mythology).

The famous myth is about Veles stole heavenly cows. Then he concealed them in a cave. Perun (in form of Eagle) set free the cows and defeated Veles. (We known analogous plots in Balt mythology (Vels and Perkunas), Indian mythology (Vala and Indra) and even Greek mythology (Hermes and Apollo).

Slav mythology3

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