ИЗВЕСТИЯ СОИГСИ

Keywords: brownie, Ossets, religious and mythological believes, lower mythology, demonology, demons, brownie, home spirits, Goddess of fertility, Goddess of hearth and home

The brownie image is widely spread in the religious and mythological believes of the many peoples. Although brownie is termed differently by the different peoples, he is the same spirit — invisible home spirit inhabiting at home together with householders. The Christianity and Islam had a great affect on the brownie image, but nevertheless they could not essentially exerting on attitude of the people towards this character, in spite of interpretation of brownie by both religions as a demonic power. In Ossetian folklore the brownie image stands apart from its North Caucasian fellows, despite of similar subjects, motives, and elements.