Also called Karzełki, Skarbnik (the related Silesian mine spirit), Gnomy.
Their story
Polish miners of the salt and silver mines told of karzełki, small bearded men who guarded the ore and could lead lost miners back to the light or knock warnings on the walls before a collapse. In the Silesian coal mines the Skarbnik, the treasure keeper, played a similar part, rewarding hard workers and punishing those who whistled, swore or cheated. These tales grew up in the mining era but carry older beliefs about spirits of the earth.
Best times to give to them
- St Barbara's Day (4 December, the miners' feast)
- before going underground
What they like being given
- a crust of bread left in the mine
- respectful silence, no whistling underground
- honest work
How to honour them
- Respect caves and underground places; never go in unprepared.
- Remember miners and their families on St Barbara's Day.
How they can help you
- safety in dangerous work
- honesty
- respect for the earth
Symbols
- a miner's lamp
- a small man with a beard
- a pickaxe
- salt or silver ore
Mining-era folklore rather than ancient belief, and partly shaped by German mine-spirit lore.
Sources
- Oskar Kolberg, Lud
- Aleksander Gieysztor, Mitologia Słowian
More Slavic beings
- Div The crying omen in the tree-top
- Vodyanoy The old man of the millpond
- Polevik The spirit of the fields
- Poludnitsa Lady Midday of the harvest fields
- Mavka Hollow-backed maiden of the Ukrainian woods
- Mora The night-mare who sits on the chest
- Zmey Gorynych Many-headed dragon of the byliny
- Firebird The glowing bird of the golden apples