Articles by the outstanding Russian lexicographer Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl (1801-1872) on people’s beliefs were published in the magazine ‘Illiustratsiya’ in 1845-1846 and were republished after his death. The book ‘On Beliefs, Superstitions…’ is not only a description of religious beliefs of the people, but an attempt to interpret them. The material was collected by the author himself, only additions he took from the book ‘Russian Superstitions’ by M. D. Chulkov (either ‘The Lexicon of Russian Superstitions’ (1782), or ‘Abevega of Russian Superstitions’ (1786)).
The book consists of an introduction and 15 small chapters. In the introduction D. notes that people mocking people’s superstitions often believe in them in private; for instance – they are not alien for people who escape to welcome each other over a doorstep. Besides, superstitions are a part of people’s life, and it is impossible to leave them back without analyzing them. The author divides beliefs and superstitions: the last ones are a part of the former ones. The author saw three possible variants of the sources of people’s beliefs: they can be formed by the people itself, can be taken by others, or can come from the deep antiquity before separation of related peoples before their separation – or they can be formed independently. The author gives the following classification of beliefs: (1) local beliefs, (2) beliefs as remains of Paganism, (3) based on the practice, (4) based on natural phenomena, (5) presenting the spirit of time, (6) senseless beliefs. The last type of beliefs appeared in the will to justify, to affirm themselves or to find consolations, if there were no other means. D. says that not all the beliefs could be classified easily, because some of them could be set to various categories. He saw remains of Paganism in mentioning some ‘fable persons’; they also might be an attempt to explain natural phenomena. In the main chapters, there are descriptions and explanations of some beliefs: I. Home spirit (Domovoy), II Healeres – male and female, III. Divination and hikers, IV. Spells, V. Water spirit (Vodyanoy), VI. Moryany, VII. Turnskin, VIII. Mermaid, IX. Witch, X. Evil influence and spells, XI. Sympathetic magic, XII. Signs, XIII. Fables, parables and tales, XIV. Ghosts, XV. Buried treasures.