The Kallikantzaro
What are they?
The Balkans often have similar lore. Although the tales vary (sometimes quite dramatically), the core of their stories share common traits. Each of these are relating to malevalent creatures that live underground, only to come to the surface during the twelve days of Christmas. These creatures are referred to as the kallikantzaros (Greek: καλικάντζαρος; Bulgarian: караконджул; Serbian: караконџула / karakondžula; Turkish: karakoncolos; or kallikantzaroi in plural); North Macedonia: Karakondžula; and Albania: Karkanxholl).
Kallikantzaros - Greece
The Greek story tells of goblins that dwell underground until the twelve days of Christmas. The twelve days of Christmas begin on December 25th and last until January 6th. During this period, the goblins come out to cause trouble. What do they do the rest of the year? Well, they are underground sawing the roots of the “World Tree.” When the twelve days of Christmas come, they leave their work of sawing down the tree and come to the surface at night in order to torture the mortals. However, when they return underground, they soon discover that the tree has healed itself and they must begin their work again.
People would protect themselves during the twelve days of Christmas by placing a colandar on their doorstep. If a kallikantzaros approached, he would choose to sit and count all of the holes until sunrise. When the sun came, he would be forced to hide again. The belief is that they cannot count higher than 2 because 3 is a holy number. So, if they were to pronounce the number three, they would end up destroying themselves. Another method of protection involved burning a fire in the fireplace all night long so that they could not enter.
They also believe that if a child is born during this time period, they were at risk of turning into a Kallikantzaros during the Christmas season once they became adults. So, in order to prevent this, they would do one of two things: bind the baby in garlic or straw or singeing the child’s toenails.
Karakondjul - Bulgaria
In Bulgarian folklore, these demons appear as human-like creatures with hairy bodies, a tail and they have a giant horned head. Some tales tell of having a single eye or leg or they have a horseshaped head. These shapeshifters will live in abandoned areas, such as caves, watermills, or rivers. As with their Greek counterparts, they can only roam the earth at night. However, their targets were those who dared to travel. They would throw their victims from tall trees and rocks into deep waters. When they felt really feisty, they may just tear them apart between the wheels of the local mill. In Northern Bulgaria, St. Todor is believed to be a karakondjul who arrives on Todor’s Sunday riding a white horse only to pull pranks on sleeping travelers. When the first rooster crows, they have to return to their dark hiding places. Bulgarians devised a kukeri festival in order to drive away the karakondjul.
Karakondžula - Serbia
In Serbian folklore, these twelve days of Christmas were called “unbaptized days.” These days were considered a prime time for demonic presence to be active and dangerous. As such, people were cautious and did not go outside at night. The belief was that a karakondžula would pounce on anyone who dared to walk outside at night and ride that person like a horse, demanding to be taken anywhere it wanted to go. The unlucky human would be tortured until dawn. Once relieved by the rooster’s crow, the karakondžula would jump off of the person’s back and run into the shadows to hide.
Interestingly, the karakondžula also loved to punish those who committed adultery. It may have been mere coincidence, since those who chose to commit such an act, tended to be walking around outdoors when they snuck out of their homes at night. The karakondžula was said to have waited on the top of the front door’s frame in order to pounce on the back of the adulterer. Then they would whip the person with a stick or scratch their gnarly claws into the person’s neck and back in order to make them run through the forest all night long. Relief from the torture was again only experienced at dawn. This certainly puts a new spin on a cheater’s marks on their neck or back, doesn’t it? More importantly, in this version, the karakondžula returns to the doorframe of the adulterer every single night until they admit their misdeeds to their spouse.
Karkanxholji - Albania
Albanian folklore is always just a bit different from their neighbors even if they have a somewhat similar tale. In Albania, the karkanxholji or karkançual is an undead corpse. Tied to the Kukudh (undead creature) mythology, the karkanxholji is in process of heading toward Kukudhi stage (the final stage of transformation into becoming a vampire. It seems to be similar to a zombie (of sorts). The karkanxholji are found roaming the land clad in iron clothing (chainmail armor in Albania is known as këmish karkançoli) or chains during January. Their deadly breath is effused across anyone who should come across their path.
One cannot speak of the karkanxholji without describing the full story. The full transformation into a kukudhi and ultimately a vampire is around 30 years. Their physiology continues to change and their powers grow throughout this time. Once the transformation is complete, they are no longer vulnerable to sunlight and no longer required to return into the dark. This means that they can reside anywhere, which often meant they returned to their former human home.
Often, the tales tell of a Kukudh as a miser’s poor soul that haunts his own house after death. This is why people would avoid the miser’s home and they would never stay overnight in fear that death would befall them. One brave boy can defeat the creature and bring peace to its soul. The vampire can be destroyed by decapitation, staking through the heart, and cremation. It can also be contained through hamstringing. Once the boy has conquered the vampire, he is then appointed heir as reward.
Although some areas of Albania have the order of events in reverse, stating that if the lugat (vampire-like creature) is not burned quickly, it will become a kudkh.
Other areas describe the kudkh as a short-legged man that brandishes a goat’s tail. He is indestructible and can only be strangled with a noose created by vines.
The most intriguing variation comes from Southern Albania. In this region, the kudkh is a female blind demon who carries a plague wherever she roams. The lore tells of how Alexander the Great is said to have created this demon when he raped the corpse of an Epirote princess who would not return his love when she was alive.