ПРЕДСТАВАТА МЪЛНИЯ-ЗМИЯ ВЪВ ВЯРВАНИЯТА НА БЪЛГАРИ И РУМЪНЦИ
THE NOTIONS ABOUT THUNDERBOLT-SNAKE IN FOLKBELIEFS OF BULGARIANS AND RUMANIANS

Summary/Abstract: It is well known that between the peoples, whose languages comprise the Balkan language union, there exists an "ethnocultural community" as well. In this article is inspected one fragment from the spiritual culture of Bulgarians and Romanians — the notions about thunderbolt-snake, and here are applied some ethnolinguistic methods — the method of areal studies, the comparative method and the juxtaposition of linguistic and ethnographical data. The notions about thunderbolt-snake are revealed both directly and indirectly — as an explanation to some beliefs: the belief in destructive effect of Ilinden thunder on hazelnuts and walnuts, and beliefs, associating thunderbolt and milk. Here is made a comparison between the notions about thunderbolt-snake and dragon(zmej)-thunderbolt and the final conclusion is that the idea of thunderbolt-snake is of a more ancient origin than the idea of zmej - The Thunderer. The use of methods of areal studies, as well as the comparisons with similar beliefs of Slavic, Romanic and other indo-european peoples, proves that the notion of thunderbolt-snake is inherent to indo-europeans. It is quite possible as well that notions about the destructive effect of Ilinden thunder and about zmei - The Thunderer among the Romanians are of Bulgarian origin.

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