from Votják Népköltészeti Hagyományok (1887)
The Udmurt — called Votiak in older literature — are a Finno-Ugric people of the Volga-Ural region whose pre-Christian religion centred on Inmar, the sky god, and a network of nature spirits, grove deities, and household guardians. Among the most sacred and secret forms of Udmurt ritual speech were the incantation-spells (pell'askon-kil, literally "blowing-upon words") recited by the tuno-pell'as — the sorcerer-blower, the ritual healer — over the sick or the cursed. These are counter-spells: they address the hostile spirit directly and challenge it with a cascade of impossible conditions. Only if the spirit can accomplish the impossible — lick dust from the prophet Elijah's speeding chariot, eat the berries atop twelve cathedrals, dance the length of the Milky Way, bore through a glowing stone with its tongue — only then may it harm the person under the healer's protection. The form is a defiance: the world is mobilised against the spirit, and the spirit is found wanting.
The impossible-conditions structure is one of the great forms of Uralic sacred poetry, shared across the Finnish, Estonian, and Permian traditions. But the Udmurt versions preserved here are distinctive in their syncretic richness. The prophet Itta (Elijah) rides alongside Inmar. Twelve cathedrals stand beside the black bear's claw. The Volga and the Milky Way belong to the same cosmos. The Udmurt healer's world is not a sealed pagan system but a living landscape in which every power — Finno-Ugric, Christian, Turkic — is available to be invoked against the enemy.
These texts were recorded by the Hungarian linguist Bernát Munkácsi during his 1885 fieldwork among the Udmurt in the Sarapul and Malmyzh districts of Vyatka Governorate. The incantations were dictated by Kresztyina Afanaszjevna of Vuz-jumja village and by the blind sorcerer Lelesej Pok of Nakta-pi village. Munkácsi published them with the Udmurt original in his phonetic transcription alongside Hungarian translations in his Votják Népköltészeti Hagyományok (Udmurt Folk Poetry Traditions, Budapest: Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1887). No English translation of any text in this collection has previously been published.
I. Against Sorcery
Vednamáz pellan kil — The Incantation Against Enchantment. Recited by the tuno-pell'as (sorcerer-blower) while holding a glass of spirits or a handful of butter. At the point marked in the text, the healer speaks the name of the person being protected.
In the sky the prophet Itta has a speeding chariot. When from this chariot of the prophet Itta you can lick up the scattered dust with your tongue and catch it: then enchant this person! Pass through the iron ring on his wheel-axle when the prophet Itta speeds — otherwise you cannot enchant!
From the bottom of the Volga, from the bottom of the sea, bring up the sand by licking it with your tongue — otherwise you cannot enchant!
When you can pass through the heart of the snake: then enchant this person — otherwise you cannot enchant!
When you find the great fish, and crawling beneath its fin you can walk about: then enchant this person — otherwise you cannot enchant!
Between heaven and cloud a golden-winged hawk lives. When you can enchant this golden-winged hawk: then enchant this person!
If you can burrow through the spinning millstone: then enchant this person — otherwise you cannot enchant!
When by enchanting you can destroy twelve cathedrals: then enchant this person too!
Twelve cathedrals have twelve berries on their tops. When you eat those berries and fill your belly: then enchant this person, eating and drinking!
In the world there is a marsh a thousand versts wide. Make a rope from its sand, and with that rope encircle the whole thousand-verst marsh, dry it out, destroy it — otherwise you cannot enchant this person!
On the delta of the Volga, of the sea, there is a green spruce. At the base of that spruce there is a white spring. When you have destroyed that white spring: then enchant this person!
On a heavenly cloud there is a pair of yellow stallions. When you can enchant that stallion: then enchant this person!
If you can turn the charred stump thrown before your bathhouse into a person: then enchant this person!
If you can turn the glowing stone into a person, if you eat the glowing stone yourself: then enchant this person too, eating and drinking!
There are seventy-seven tongues. When you destroy those seventy-seven tongues: then enchant!
There are seventy-seven kinds of people. When by enchanting you destroy those seventy-seven kinds of people: then enchant this person!
When the Milky Way — dancing, clapping upon it — you have eaten and drunk in full: then eat and drink this person!
If through the glowing stone, through the glowing iron you can pass — hostile, death-bringing spirit: then eat and drink this person!
When water that flows downward you can turn to flow upward: then enchant this person!
When sitting on the horns of the water-bull you can ride about: then eat and drink this person!
When on the tip of the black bear's claw you can raise up sickness: then enchant this person!
When on the tip of the black goat's horn you can raise up sickness: then enchant this person, eating and drinking!
If eating dry reeds you fill your belly; if eating dry thistles you fill your belly; if eating dry nettles you fill your belly — hostile, death-bringing spirit — then enchant this person, eating and drinking! Otherwise you cannot enchant!
II. Against Eye Disease
Sin-vison pellan kil — The Incantation Against Eye Sickness.
Foul boil, inner boil — when in the snake's eyes you can break forth: then break forth in this person's eyes!
When on the tips of seventy-seven spindles you can break forth: then break forth in this person's eyes — otherwise you cannot break forth in this person's eyes!
When on the black hedgehog's bristle-tips you grow — foul boil, inner boil — then break forth in this person's eyes!
When in the black mink's eyes, the black otter's eyes you can grow: then grow in this person's eyes!
When in the black trout's eyes you can grow: then grow in this person's eyes — otherwise there is no place here for you!
If under the black raven's wing, under the robin's wing you grow — foul boil, inner boil, ugly boil — then grow in this person's eyes!
When in seventy-seven fishes' eyes you grow — foul boil, inner boil — then grow in this person's eyes!
When in the black jumping frog's eyes you grow: then grow in this person's eyes!
There is a black snake, and when in that snake's eyes you grow; there is a flying snake, and when in the flying snake's eyes you grow — foul boil, inner boil, ugly boil — then grow in this person's eyes! Otherwise there is no place here for you!
III. Against the Evil Eye
Sin-usamaz pellan kil — The Incantation Against the Striking of the Eye.
A man looked with an evil eye. A woman looked with an evil eye. A Russian looked with an evil eye. A Russian woman looked with an evil eye. A Mari looked with an evil eye. An enemy looked with an evil eye.
If every winged creature in the whole world you destroy by looking with an evil eye: then destroy this person too by looking with an evil eye!
Every flower in the whole world — destroy it by looking with an evil eye. Otherwise do not seize the person — you cannot destroy them!
IV. The Divination Formula
Tunán-kil — The Sorcerer's Word. A diagnostic incantation used to determine the cause of illness.
Has an unfulfilled vow seized you? Has the sickness-spirit touched you? Has someone enchanted you? Has a vow unfulfilled to Inmar seized you? The Vorsud-spirit? The holy river spirit? The Lud-grove spirit? Has a vow unfulfilled to Vozo seized you? Has an unfulfilled offering to the stream-spirits seized you?
Should one invoke the Lud-demon? Should one invoke the Bulik-demon? Should one invoke the wind-demon? Should one invoke the road-demon? Should one give a duck to the spirit of the holy prayer-house?
V. Against Human Harm
Murt lestámaz pellani-kil — The Incantation Against What a Person Has Done. Dictated by the blind sorcerer Lelesej Pok of Nakta-pi village, 22 July 1885.
If you can tie the tip-shoots of seventy and seventy-seven different dry trees into a knot; if beneath their roots you can penetrate: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If you can climb the Aziz-mountain with a ladder; if through the sea-cliff you can pass: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If, counting the falling stars and the heavenly stars, you can reach their end; if with the golden rainbow of the sky as your harness you can ride: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If you can swallow the Kilcin-tuk; when from the sea, grasping, you can take out its fruit: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If with the golden bowl and spoon of the Aziz-khan you can eat and drink; when grasping the frog's hair you can seize it: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If blowing through the chimney your breath enters the room; when you can thread the eyeless needle: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
When with your tongue you can bore through the glowing stone; if you can gnaw and swallow the frozen iron: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If seventy and seventy-seven different springs you can gather into one; if you can make the downward-flowing water flow upward: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If from the sole of your foot the mud can be scraped off with a single pinch; if ever you could eat dry charcoal and dry twigs: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If, counting the needles of forty fir-trees, you can reach their end; if, cutting the fence-binding of forty poles, you can take it apart: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
When, passing through twelve locks, you can open them all; if, blowing through twelve keys, your breath comes back to meet you: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If through seventy and seventy-seven inner-locks you can burrow and pass; if through a silver ring you can burrow and pass: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If you can push the hops beneath the water; when you can make the stone float in the air: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
When you can cut the armpit-patch from a shirt without your hand touching it; when you can eat the sun-bleached bone: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
If you can set mountain beside mountain; if, counting the grains of sand of the mountain, you can reach their end: then, hostile spirit, eat and drink this person!
Ritual Curses of the Udmurt
Átokszók — Curse-words. Recorded by Munkácsi from Nikolaj Ivanov in Kazan, May 1885. The eleventh curse was spoken to Munkácsi by the young daughter of the pagan Apsivir in the village of Mozga.
May the earth swallow you!
Oh, you who deserve to be swallowed by the earth!
Sink through the earth!
You who should sink through the earth!
Plague! — May Kitdaj destroy you!
May Inmar strike you with his lightning!
May the forest spirit carry you off!
May Albasti strangle you!
May the bear crush you!
May the dog gnaw you!
Faithless Russian!
The Oath Formula
Esküforma — the sworn oath. Spoken by Ofima of Vuz-jumja village.
By Inmar, by the sun, by the moon, by my bread, by my fire, by the earth I walk upon, by my remaining life — I did not do this thing!
Colophon
Translated from the Udmurt source text in Munkácsi's phonetic transcription, with his Hungarian translation as the interpretive bridge, from Votják Népköltészeti Hagyományok (Udmurt Folk Poetry Traditions), by Bernát Munkácsi, published by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1887. Sections XI (Ráolvasó igék — Incantation-Spells, nos. 1–5), XIII (Átokszók — Curse-Words, nos. 1–11), and XV (Esküforma — Oath Formula). The Udmurt texts were dictated to Munkácsi by Kresztyina Afanaszjevna of Vuz-jumja (Novyj Sentar) village in the Sarapul district on 19 June 1885 (Spells I–III), and by the blind sorcerer Lelesej Pok (Prokofij Eliseev) of Nakta-pi (Bolshaya Uchpuri) village in the Malmyzh district on 22 July 1885 (Spell V). The Divination Formula (IV) was recorded from the same sources. The oath formula was spoken by Ofima of Vuz-jumja village.
These are the earliest known transcriptions of Udmurt healing incantations from trained linguistic fieldwork. The impossible-conditions structure — challenging the hostile spirit to accomplish cosmic impossibilities before it may harm the protected person — is one of the great forms of Uralic sacred poetry, attested across Finnish, Estonian, Mari, and Permian traditions. The Udmurt versions are notable for their syncretic integration of the prophet Elijah (Itta), Orthodox cathedrals, and Turkic loan-concepts alongside native Udmurt cosmology (Inmar, Vozo, Vorsud, the Lud-grove). The ritual curses preserve the only recorded Udmurt imprecation invoking Albasti (a Turkic-origin female demon) alongside Inmar and the forest spirit (lesah).
No prior English translation of any text in this collection is known. The English is independently derived from reading the Udmurt phonetic transcription with Munkácsi's Hungarian as the necessary semantic bridge. Blood Rule: CLEAN.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: Ráolvasó Igék / Átokszók / Esküforma
Udmurt source text from Bernát Munkácsi, Votják Népköltészeti Hagyományok, Budapest: Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, 1887, pp. 177–191. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above. Text in Munkácsi's phonetic transcription of Udmurt (Votiak), as preserved in the archive.org OCR text (identifier: votjknpklt00munk). Diacritical marks may be partially degraded by the OCR process; the PDF scan should be consulted for precision.
I. Vednamáz pellan kil
Inmin Itta piroloklán vorttilon uroboez van. ku-ka Itta pirolokles ta uroboistiz pazgdm luoza kilinid nulistisa ba stint sedtod: soki ta ad'amijaz vedna! Itta pirolok vorttiki tulka-pirtiz pot; sotak vednamed uz lu!
Volgaián, morálon pídsistíz kilinid luoza nulistisa potti: oji kart dk vednamed uz lu!
Kijáln sulmitiz ku-ka potámed luoz: soki ta ad'amijaz vedna; ojiták vednamed uz lu!
Kid-corigaz ku-ka sedtámed luoz, solán burd-ulaz pirsa vetlid-ká: soki ta ad'amijaz vedna; sotak vednamed uz lu!
Inmarán-no pil'emán viskin zarni-burdo dusás ulá; ku-ka ta zarni-burdo dusásáz vednad-ka: soki ta adamijáz vedna!
Bergan-ko-pirti izikiz pirani, potani-ká settid: soki ta ad'amijaz vedna; soták vednamed uz lu!
Das-kik sobor-cerkiiz ku-ka otkaztid-ká vednasa: soki ta ad'amijáz-no vedna!
Das-kik sobor-cerklan jilaz das-kik muliez van. ku-ká so mul'ijáz sisa kotta tirid-ká: soki ta ad'amijaz sisa, jusa vedna!
Dunáé-vilin surs likam nur van. pesokáz gozi punsa, so gozijanid ta surs lékám nuráz kotirti, kivasti, bitti; sotak ta ad'amijáz vednamed uz lu!
Volgaián, morálon voéaz voé kiz vari. so kizlán vijijaz ted'i oémas van; ku-ká so tod'i oémásáz bittid: soki ta adamijáz vedna!
In-pilem-vilín par euéuz van. so uzáz ku-ka vednani sedtid: soki ta adamijáz vedna!
Munéo-agá kustám serüg-pumdü ad'ami karid-ká: soki ta adamijáz vedna!
Girdani izaz adami karid-ká, girdani izaz acid siid-ka: soki ta ad'amijáz-no sisa, jusa vedna!
Sizimdon-no sizim kil van. ku-ka so kiláz otkaztid-ká: soki vednaéki!
Sizimdon-no sizim portám ad'ami van. kuka so adamijáz vednasa bittid-ká: soki ta ad'amijáz vedna!
In-kigitiles surossá áktisa, capkisa sini-juni-kü bittid: soki si, ju ta ad'amijáz!
Girdani iz, girdani kort-pirti potsa bigatid-kü: tusmon-aman, soki sini-juni bigati ta ad'amijáz!
Ullan koskis oro vuáz ku-ká vallan beriktini bigatid-ka: soki vedna ta ad'amijáz!
Vu-oslán sur-kuspaz ku-ká puksisa vetlini sedtámed luoz: soki si, ju ta ad'amijáz!
Sod gondirlán gizi-jilaz ku-ká vison gugatümed-kü luiz: soki ta ad'amijáz vedna!
Sod keclán sur-jílaz ku-ká vison gugatámed-ká luiz: soki ta ad'amijáz sisa, jusa vedna!
Kos kamigaz sisa, kot tir-karámed-ká luiz; kos kij-bodijaz sisa, kot tir-karámed-ká luiz; kos pusneráz sisa kot tir-karámed-ká luiz: tusmon-aman, soki ta ad'amijáz sisa, jusa vedna; soták vednamed uz lu!
II. Sin-vison pellan kil
Zob potos, pué potos, kijlán sinmaz ku-ká potámed luiz-kü: soki ta adamilán sinmaz pot!
Sizimdon-no sizim cers-jilaz ku-ká potámed luiz: soki ta adamilán sinmaz pot; sokiták ta adamilán sinmaz pot ni ud bigati!
Sod éusjallán gon-jilaz ku-ká gugad: sod potos, pué potos, soki ta adamilán sinmaz pot!
Sod cajilán, sod vudorlán sinmaz ku-ká gugamed luiz: soki ta adamilán sinmaz guga!
Sod kinilán ku-ká sinmaz gugamed luiz-ká: soki ta adamilán sinmaz med gugalod; sokiták inti ovol tátin tonid!
Sod kérniglan burd-jilaz, cecáglán burd-jilaz gugamed-ká luoz tonid éob potos, pué potos, sod-potos: soki ta adamilán sinmaz gugamed luoz!
Sizimdon-no sizim coriglán sinmaz ku-ká gugad: éob potos, pué potos soki inga ta adamilán sinmaz!
Sod tetcas bakalán sinmaz ku-ká gugad: soki ta adamilán sinmaz guga!
Sod kij van, so kijlán ku-ká sinmaz gugad; lobas kij van, lobas kijlán sinmaz ku-ká gugad: éob potos, pué potos, sod potos, soki ta adamilán sinmaz guga! sokiták inti ovol tátin tonid!
III. Sin-usamaz pellan kil
Pijos-murt urod sinmin uckam, kisno-murt urod sinmin uckam; guc urod sinmin uckam, guc kisno urod sinmin uckam; por urod sinmin uckam; tusmon urod sinmin uckam.
Dunne-vilin ves tilo-burdoaz urod sinmin uckisa bittid-ká: soki ékti ta adamijáz-no urod sinmin uckisa!
Dunne-vilín éisto mar-ka sáska van, sója urod sinmin uckisa bitti; sokiták adami-bordi an kutki, bittámed uz lu!
IV. Tunán-kil
Miz-a kutiz? Kil-a jotiz? vednaz-a kin-ka? Inmar-miz-a kutiz? Voi-sud-in-vu-a? budjimkica-in-vu-a? Lud-in-vu-a? Vozo-miz kutiz-a? sur-vozjoslán juriksi kutiz-a?
Lud-perijan-a pell'ano? Bulik-perijan-a pellano? tel'jil-perijan-a pellano? suras-perijan sat pell'ano? budéin kua-perili eéé sotono-a?
V. Murt lestámaz pellani-kil
S'izimdon-no sizim-das sizim portám kos pisles-pules jil-tulimzá gerdgani bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta adamiaz!
Aziz-gurejáz padgaan tubani bigatid-ká; zarez-gureg-pirtiz potani bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta adamiaz!
In-voéoáz, in-kiziliáz lidjisa bittid-ká; in-zarni-bukáán kitkisa vetlámed luiz-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta adamiaz!
Kilcin-tukáz nilamed luiz-ká; moraié ku-ká sukizá kirmisa bastámed luiz-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta adamiaz!
Aziz-kunlán zarni-tusti-puniániz siámed, juámed luiz-ká; abakles gonzá ku-ká kirmisa bastámed luiz-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta adamiaz!
Mugo-pirti pettisa lulid korka vuiz-ka; pisitám véná ku-ká pujani bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Girdani izáz ku-ká kilmid pas karni bigatid-ká; kin kortáz sisnini, nilni bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta adamiaz!
S'izimdon-no sizim-das sizim portám osmásáz og-ajá karni bigatid-ká, vallan koskis karni bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Pid-pidsistid dárizá éepittini bigatid-ká; kos ágiráz, kos uláz-vájáz ku-ká siámed, juámed luiz-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
N'itdon puzímles ku-ká ussá lidjisa bittid-ká; nitdon majigles ku-ká keéer-kus-ulzá vandisa bastini bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Das-kik zamokdáz ku-ká pirrtiz potasa ustini bigatid-ká; das-kik uston-pirti pel'tisa lulid sorad vuiz-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Sizimdon-no sizim-das sizim l'akma-pirti pirani, potani bigatid-ká; azveéíkutco-pirti pirani, potani bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Tugáz ullan vijtini bigatid-ká; izáz ku-ká loptitni bigatid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Kiniíul-gibimá ku-ká vandisa bastini bigatid-ká; guzam iáz ku-ká siámed, juámed luiz-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Gurejáz gureé-urtsi karni bigatid-ká; gurejles gibizá lidjisa bittid-ká: so-berá tusmon si, ju ta ad'amidz!
Átokszók
- Mu med niloz val!
- È, mu ni lon!
- Mu-pir med vijalod!
- Mu-pir vijun!
- Kitdaj! — Kitdaj med bittoz!
- Inmar med casjoz!
- Lesah med bastoz!
- Albasti med zibiloz val!
- Gondir med zunloz val!
- Puni ni'd jirjoz!
- Tafir zuc!
Esküforma
Inmar-ponna, sundi-ponna, tolez-ponna, naná-penna, tila-ponna, l'ogono muzema-ponna, az uloná-ponna ta ugáz oj kar!
Source Colophon
Udmurt source text from Bernát Munkácsi, Votják Népköltészeti Hagyományok (Budapest: Magyar Tudományos Akadémia, 1887), Sections XI, XIII, XV. Archive.org identifier: votjknpklt00munk. Public domain: author died 1937, publication 1887. OCR text retrieved from archive.org djvu text layer; some diacritical marks may be degraded. For precision, consult the digitised PDF scan at archive.org.
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