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The Rituals of Fortune Telling by Auditory Images in the Stories of the Residents of Pskov-Pechora Obozerye and Velikorechye Regions

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.37816/2073‑9567‑2026‑80‑56‑70
  • УДК / UDC: 398.3+801.81+291.32
  • Publication Type: Research Article
  • For Citation:

    Yurchuk, L.A. “The Rituals of Fortune Telling by Auditory Images in the Stories of the Residents of Pskov‑Pechora Obozerye and Velikorechye Regions.” Vestnik slavianskikh kul’tur, vol. 80, 2026, pp. 56–70. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.37816/2073‑9567‑2026‑80‑56‑70 
  • Author 1: Lubov A. Yurchuk
  • Information about the Author 1:

    Lubov A. Yurchuk, DSc in Philology, Associate Profes‑ sor, Professor, Pskov State University, Lenin Sq., 2, Pskov, Russia.

    ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000‑0002‑3749‑1478

    E‑mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
  • Abstract: Based on the analysis of materials from the folklore and ethnographic archive of Pskov State University, collected in the territory of the Pskov‑Pechora Obozerye and Velikorechye Regions during expeditions in 1978–2018, the paper presents the results of the study of structure and components of the actional side of fortune telling by listen‑ ing to fate. The ritual is shown to be revealing traces of mythical thinking characteristic of Pskov peasants. The functional differences between the various types of fortune telling that make up this group were identified, including: fortune telling at a crossroads / on the road (“snow weeding”, fortune telling by random sounds, fortune telling with garbage), fortune telling under someone else's window, near uninhabited buildings, near an ice hole / well, near a stovepipe, “grind” a needle. The study defined prescriptions and prohibitions that ensured the establishment of communication between fortune tellers and the “other world” and their protection from its negative influence. The paper also established the range of attributes used in the process of fortune telling of this type (belt, wedding ring, coal, etc.). The author has identified the sequence of “prophetic sounds” that were interpreted during fortune telling by listening to fate (dog barking, rooster crowing, knocking, ringing of a bell, train whistle, singing, randomly heard words, the creaking of a needle, etc.) and the variants of their interpretation by fortune tellers as well as the cases of usage of spelling formulas.
  • Keywords: ritual, fortune telling, mythical thinking, locus, verbal formula
  • Страницы / Pages: 56–70
  • Received: August 31, 2025
  • Approved after Reviewing: April 27, 2026
  • Publication Date: June 25, 2026

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