Throughout history, people have always sought happiness, appreciation and fortune. But where is it easiest to turn to when we don’t have these things, yet wish for them? Well, supernatural powers are one right answer. So, let’s take this opportunity to talk about the Baltic deities related to fortune and money.
Aitvaras
It is one of the most well-known mythical creatures that is still remembered to this day. It is sometimes said: “Did an Aitvaras bring you money?”, “Maybe Aitvaras brought it to you?” and so on. Aitvaras is a Baltic deity, an aerial (flying) creature that looks after clouds, has a connection to the earth and its treasures and brings material goods.
Aitvaras is mentioned in many written sources and it can take many forms: a snake (fiery, flying), a black rooster, a black crow, a dragon, a whirlwind and so on. An interesting fact is that it was first mentioned in the first printed Lithuanian book, Katekizmas of Martynas Mažvydas.
The origin of its name is still unclear. Some believe that Aitvaras is derived from the words “aiti” (vagabond, fidget, madcap) and “vara”’ (dynamic force – exceptionally fast movement), others say it’s from “aitauti” (to soothe, to calm), or “tvora” (fence), “tverti” (to fence), the Iranian “pativāra” or Polish “poczwara” (evil spirit, nightmare).
Aitvaras is both good and evil. It can punish people (e.g., cause fires or destroy crops by turning into a whirlwind) or bring them fortune. Often people don’t even know that they have an Aitvaras, even though their homes are constantly filled with good things. Aitvaras looks after good people that are not greedy or those that are abused by others; it brings them all kinds of fortune: cereal, flax and money that they usually take away from those who are wealthy and greedy. It can bring money, gold, silver and other goods. You can also try to take away the Aitvaras’ riches when you see it passing by. To do so, you immediately have to use a new or rusty knife to backhandedly pin your jacket’s flap to the ground without looking back, or stab yourself with a knife, or tear off a button off your jacket by removing it in a hurry and so on.
Aitvaras can be domesticated by feeding it scrambled eggs, milk, honey or other tasty things. In folktales, some other ways of how to domesticate Aitvaras are mentioned. For example, you would have to hatch an egg laid by a black rooster or you would have to give your soul to the devil and get an Aitvaras in return.
After Christianity was introduced, Aitvaras became more of a negative creature that steals and does wrong, yet people still remember it as a helper who brings fortune.
Kaukas
This creature is sometimes connected to or considered the same as Aitvaras. It also brings fortune but has some fundamental differences. Firstly, it is not aerial but a chthonic (underworld) deity; secondly, it is anthropomorphic (human-like) rather than zoomorphic (animal-like); thirdly, Kaukas can only be good, it never brings money, but rewards people with other riches. They are little men of the underworld, often wearing green, blue or red clothes or rags. They could only be seen in the moonlight or on a foggy day.
The word “kaukas”’ is derived from the ancient Baltic “kaukolas, kaukolis” meaning a clump of earth. This word describes both the size of Kaukas and that it originated from the earth.
Kaukas is a vegetarian creature, so people can offer it bread, milk or beer and, in return, Kaukas brings them agricultural products (cereal, hay), or, sometimes, clothes and things that don’t belong to anyone and aren’t needed.
It can be domesticated or, to be more accurate, you can make a sort of agreement with it. When Kaukas comes for the first time, it leaves some insignificant thing at your house, for example, a lath. If you accept it, then Kaukas may come dressed in rags or completely naked, then you can sew him linen clothes which would be considered a sort of pay for the Kaukas. They could also bring goods as a thanks for offered food.
Barstukai
These little ancient Baltic creatures are both quite similar and different to Kaukas. They are also little men, gnomes (sometimes also called Barzdukai or Bezdukai), but they dwell in nature, in the fields, woods or under trees instead of houses. Their size is an uolektis, the Lithuanian ell (around 60 cm), or, according to some sources, even smaller, barely the size of a finger. Their men had knee-length beards and wore red hats, whereas women – white veils. They could be seen in the moonlight.
Sudovians believed them to be the helpers of Puškinaitis, the god of farming. Their main role was to multiply (bring to barns) and protect cereal and do other things that would make people happy. Their name is most likely derived from the words "barstyti", “berti” (to sprinkle, scatter, as in – to spread wealth). Barstukai can help you get rich, but they can also take it from you for bad behaviour.
The Sudovian Book of the 16th century describes night-time feasts that Barstukai would have in barns (they would eat bread, cheese and butter and drink beer that the owner had left especially for them) and the owner would come in the morning to check: if he finds only food scraps, it means that the gods are on his side and his cereal yield is going to be plentiful, but if he finds the food untouched – it is time to brace himself for misfortune.
Pilnytis
The western Baltic (Prussian) god of fortune and abundance. Pilnytis is most commonly mentioned together with Puškaitis, Patrimpas and Aušautas, other gods of productivity, health and fertility. This god enriches and supplements granaries, therefore sacrifices are made to him in the spring, before ploughing the land, and in autumn, after the harvest. In later sources, it was called Pilvytis and compared to Ceres (Roman goddess of agriculture) or Pluto (personification of fortune in Roman mythology). The etymology of its name is unclear: either from the word "pilnas" (full) or the Prussian "pilv(a)s” (fortune).
Researchers claim that Pilnytis was the god responsible for economics in Prussia but it was mostly connected to cereal and yields and not money.
Skalsa
This deity is mentioned in the written sources of the 17th century and is linked to abundance, bliss, plenitude and the cornucopia (horn of plenty). According to sources, the Nadruvians worshipped this deity and celebrated a holiday dedicated to it, during which everyone got a loaf of bread, baked with the first threshed grain. These loafs would then be placed in granaries, so that they would be full of grain.
The word "skalsa" is linked to Lithuanian words "skalauti” or "skaldyti" (wash, split) (in order to increase fortune).
There are various rituals to make bread and life plentiful: people used to feed bread to dogs, weddings were only celebrated on a full moon (so that life would be full too), houses were walked or ploughed around, Christmas Eve dishes were also carried around the house and so on. All the traditions are connected to abundance.
In Lithuanian culture, "skalsa" was later for a long time used to greet people while they were eating. Skalsa is both a characteristic of something (i.e. thriftiness, ability to accommodate a lot of power in small quantity), e.g. skalsa of bread, flour, wood, yield, and an abstraction or concept of general happiness, wellness and abundance (skalsa of home).
Velnias
Nowadays in Christianity, Velnias (literally – the Devil) is linked to evil, malice and darkness, so it is quite strange to see it on this list. However, in ancient times, Velnias wasn’t only an evil spirit, it was also linked to fortune.
It is a chthonic figure from the mythology of the ancient Lithuanians and a spirit of the underworld that protects cursed and hidden treasures underground. It is closely connected to the world of the dead, with the main responsibility of protecting the treasures underground, watching over the poor and unfortunate but punishing those who are unfair, abusive, greedy, evil doers and drunks.
It is often linked to the ancient Slavic god Veles, who was also a patron of livestock and yield amongst other functions mentioned above. Its name can be linked to the Slavic word "volos" (hair, a hairy creature). It is also connected to death ("vėlė" – spirit), and the words “seer”, “prophet”, or wet places (puddles, bogs, lakes).
Velnias was depicted in an ornithomorphic or zoomorphic form: a bird (crow, black crow, duck), an animal (cat, fox, hedgehog, bull, horse), or a reptile (snake, grass-snake). However, sometimes it would appear as an anthropomorphic creature. Velnias lived in forests, swamps, caves, piles of branches, under rocks or swards, in dungeons. It is also linked to the above-mentioned Kaukas.
Formerly called Velas, it was even considered one of the three main Baltic gods, together with Dievas and Perkūnas. It was later undeified.
Amongst other characteristics, it was also linked to fertility, livestock and fortune. Velnias looked after the poor and even supported them with money. This is why in ancient times it was not only the source of evil, darkness or death, but also of fortune and money.
