Russian Folktales · Chapter
The Devil in the Dough-Pan explained
A woman forgets to bless her dough, allowing the demon Potánka to inhabit it.
What happens
A woman forgets to bless her dough, allowing the demon Potánka to inhabit it. When she remembers and crosses herself, Potánka becomes trapped inside the dough. After three days of being tossed by pigs, he finally escapes and vows never to enter a woman's dough again.
Themes in this chapter
Good vs. Evil
The woman's blessing and cross drive out the demon, illustrating the triumph of good over evil.
Trickery and Cunning
The demon's attempt to hide in the dough is foiled by the woman's simple act of blessing.
Characters to notice
- The Devil
Appears as the demon Potánka who gets trapped in the dough.
- The Old Woman
The woman who kneads the dough and inadvertently traps the demon.
- The Pig
Pigs that poke at the dough containing Potánka.
Key passages
“Once a woman was kneading bread, but had forgotten to say the blessing. So the demon, Potánka, ran up and sat down in it.”
A woman was making bread without blessing it first, allowing a demon named Potánka to jump into the dough.
Sets up the conflict of the story.
“Then she recollected she had kneaded the dough without saying the blessing, went up to it and crossed herself; and Potánka wanted to escape, but could not anyhow, because of the blessing.”
When she remembered her mistake, she made the sign of the cross, trapping Potánka inside the dough.
The blessing acts as a barrier preventing the demon's escape.
“Never again will I get into a woman’s dough.”
Potánka swears he will never hide in a woman's dough again.
The demon's lesson learned from the ordeal.