Tipical picture of slavic mithology that can be extracted from folk
legends, poems and local toponimy is:
Supreme sky and thunder god was Perun. His usual sign is eagle. His
earth counterpart is Volos, god of underworld, all riches and
cattle. Volos sign is snake or dragon. Perun is on the top of oak
tree (The Tree of Life), and Volos lives under the oak tree.
This is old stone age mith. Younger mith is about young god Yarilo,
son of Perun. He is born at winter solstice, but Volos kidnaped
Yarilo and child grows in the underworld. In the early spring,
Yarilo win over Volos, because he has a sword, sign of metal age
(Saint George and the Dragon slaying legends) and while going from
undervorld makes nature green ('Zeleni Juro' 'green George',
actually he is half a man and half a horse).
At summer solstice he is married with godes Mara. But marriage was
not allowed, because they where actually brother and sister
(incest). Perun with his lightning killed Yarilo, because of that.
Mara as a widow became Morana (Baba Yaga, Baba Roga), godes of
death, winter, and love unhappiness.
So it is not surprise that Volos was confused with devil when
christianization take place, but also he was replaced with St.
Blasius! Perun was replaced with St. Iliah, and Yarilo with St.
George (Juraj).
My question now is can we somehow connect slavic root *bol'go- with
god Volos name.
--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "mrcaws" <MrCaws@...> wrote:
> Got this from a university class website:
>
> http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/vajda/russ110/handout_p1_paganism.htm
>
> "...Finally, there was Volos, or Veles, the livestock god, patron
of
> shepherds (originally the patron of hunters). Later he came to be
> considered a patron of the mounted horsemen of the warrior class
as
> well. His holiday was Dec. 25-Jan 6 and also March 20-25. Jan 6
was
> Veles' Day. Also considered the God of riches, hence such words as
> vladet' to possess, vlast' power. In Christian times Volos was
> confused with the Devil."
>
> Could the etymology be connected to riches/wealth/power, similar
to
> Pluto?
>
> Cort Williams
>