Raskovnik
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Raskovnik (Расковник) is a fictional plant in Serbian mythology. According to Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic's Dictionary:
- It is some (may be imaginary) grass for which it is thought that of it (when brushed by it) every lock and every other closure can open by itself.[1]
While people know that raskovnik exists, no one can show how it looks[2]. Thus, there are various methods for finding it: Vuk recorded that in Zemun a trader, wishing to find it, locked an old woman into leg irons, and let her wander a field in the night; if the irons would unlock by themselves, that would be a place where raskovnik grows[2]. Another method requires the use of a hedgehog (sometimes a turtle): young hedgehogs should be found and locked in a box; their mother will find raskovnik and unlock the box with it; but one should be quick, as the hedgehog will swallow the plant after using it[2].
It was believed that treasures (notably the treasure of tsar Radovan) would be locked in such a way that use of raskovnik may be necessary to unlock it, and so the plant was searched for by treasure hunters[2].
| Major Gods Dazbog • Jarilo • Morana • Perun • Siwa • Svantevit • Svarog/Svarogich • Triglav • Veles • Zorya Other Gods Belobog • Berstuk • Chernobog • Dziewona • Hors • Flins • Karewit • Lado • Mat Zemlya • Mokosh • Oźwiena • Perperuna • Porenut • Porewit • Porvata • Radigost • Rod • Rugiewit • Stribog • Zirnitra • Zlota Baba Legendary heroes Alyosha Popovich • Bash Chelik • Burislav • Dobrynya Nikitich • Ilya Muromets • Ivan Tsarevich • Lech, Czech, and Rus • Libuše • Marko Kraljevic • Sadko • Solovey-Razboynik Magical creatures and plants Alkonost • Cikavac • Firebird • Gamayun • Raskovnik • Simargl • Sirin • Zmey Spirits and demons Baba Yaga • Bagiennik • Bannik • Bies • Boginki • Bukavac • Domovoi • Drekavac • Karzelek • Kikimora • Koschei • Lady midday • Leshiy • Likho • Polevik • Rusalka • Skrzak • Stuhać • Sudice • Vila • Topielec • Vampir • Vodyanoy |
[edit] Literature
- Ljubinko Radenkovic. "Расковник у кругу сличних биљака" (HTML). Retrieved on 2006-09-06.
