Page 277 - NOVOPAZARSKI ZBORNIK 44-2021

Новопазарски зборник, 44/2021, стр. 269-277 277

Ivan B. Sarcevic
The School for Primary Education of Adults “Obrenovac”, Obrenovac

SUPERNATURAL BEINGS IN THE SERBIAN TRADITION:
FAIRYTALE, VAMPIRE, FATE, HOWLER

Abstract: The primary aim of the paper is to present folk beliefs on
supernatural beings where the oral or written stories exist on from the previous
centuries, as “proofs” they existed in these areas, and perhaps, they might live
through these beliefs in these areas, still today. The total of four supernatural
beings has been chosen: a fairytale, vampire, fate and howler. Fairytales and
vampires have been described to a high degree in expert ethnological literature,
and nothing less they decorate the lyrics of famous folk epic and lyric poems,
i.e. the lines in folk stories and short stories. Fates and howlers are present a
little less, but they are very important beings from folk stories. Through our folk
creations, it is known, preserved and kept our cultural heritage on supernatural,
as its consistent part. Besides numerous folk testimonies on the meetings with
supernatural beings, very detailed, précised, they offer numerous interesting
morals, and at the same time, they are reliable historic indicators for certain
social happenings in the past of our people. At the same time, these beings are
present in the cultures of numerous world nations, thus, the significance of their
studying is present, still today.

Key words: supernatural beings, fairytale, vampire, fates, howler.