[258] Wednesday in this, and Friday in the preceding story, are the exact counterparts of Lithuanian Laumes. According to Schleicher ("Lituanica," p. 109), Thursday evening is called in Lithuania _Laumiú vákars_, the Laume's Eve. No work ought to be done on a Thursday evening, and it is especially imprudent to spin then. For at night, when the Laumes come, as they are accustomed to do between Thursday evening and Friday morning, they seize any spinning which has been begun, work away at it till cock-crow, and then carry it off. In modern Greece the women attribute all nightly meddling with their spinning to the _Neraïdes_ (the representatives of the Hellenic Nereids. See Bernhard Schmidt's "Volksleben der Neugriechen," p. 111). In some respects the _Neraïda_ closely resemble the _Lamia_, and both of them have many features in common with the _Laume_. The latter name (which in Lettish is written Lauma) has never been satisfactorily explained. Can it be connected with the Greek _Lamia_ which is now written also as Λάμνια, Λάμνα and Λάμνισσα? [259] The word _Nedyelya_ now means "a week." But it originally meant Sunday, the non-working day (_ne_ = not, _dyelat'_ = to do or work.) After a time, the name for the first day of the week became transferred to the week itself. [260] That of "Wilisch Witiâsu," Schott, No. 11. [261] That of "Trandafíru," Schott, No. 23. [262] J. Wenzig's "Westslawischer Märchenschatz," pp. 144-155. According to Wenzig Nedĕlka is "the personified first Sunday after the new moon." The part here attributed to St. Nedĕlka is played by a Vila in one of the Songs of Montenegro. According to an ancient Indian tradition, the Aswattha-tree "is to be touched only on a Sunday, for on every other day Poverty or Misfortune abides in it: on Sunday it is the residence of Lakshmí" (Good Fortune). H. H. Wilson "Works," iii. 70. [263] "Songs of the Russian People," pp. 120-153. [264] Afanasief, vii. No. 33. The name Léshy or Lyeshy is derived from _lyes_, a forest. [265] Literally "as a _lun_," a kind of hawk (_falco rusticolus_). _Lun_ also means a greyish light. [266] _Ottogo ya i cyed chto chortof dyed._ [267] Afanasief, _P.V.S._, ii. 226. [268] Afanasief, iv. No. 40. From the Tver Government. [269] Translated literally from Afanasief, _P.V.S._ ii. 227. [270] Yastreb = vulture or goshawk [271] Quoted from Borichefsky (pp. 183-5) by Afanasief. [272] Tereshchenko, v. 43, 44. [273] Literally "Life disgusted them worse than a bitter radish." [274] Translated literally from Afanasief, _P.V.S._ ii. 230. [275] "Deutsche Mythologie," 462. [276] Afanasief, _loc. cit._ p. 231. [277] Afanasief, iv. No. 42. From the Vologda Government. [278] _Chelpan_, a sort of dough cake, or pie without stuffing. [279] _Bogatir_ is the regular term for a Russian "hero of romance." Its origin is disputed, but it appears to be of Tartar extraction. [280] _Nast_, snow that has thawed and frozen again. [281] _Suzhenoi-ryazhenoi._