# The Devil in the Dough-Pan explained — Russian Folktales

> Chapter companion for Russian Folktales by A. N. Afanasyev.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters/the-devil-in-the-dough-pan
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/russian_folktales_se/chapters