Acta Ethnographica Hungarica, 50 (1-3), pp. 99-105 (2005) THE IMAGE OF HUNGARIANS IN LITHUANIAN FOLK CULTURE Laima ANGLICKIENĖ Centre for Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Vytautas Magnus University Donelaičio 52-203,44244 Kaunas, Lithuania E-mail: [email protected] Abstract: This article analyses the image of Hungarians in Lithuanian customs of masking and oral folklore. The views of Lithuanians about this nation will be examined as they are reflected in the 19th and the first half of the 20th century in Lithuanian folklore. Keywords: Hungarians, Lithuanian, folklore, mask, magician Various reasons influenced the coming of strangers to Lithuania and their men­ tion in folklore. Of course neighbouring nations or ethnic groups who have always lived in the country, as well as enemies are more often encountered in folklore (ANGLICKIENĖ 2002: 89-92). As Hungarians do not belong to any of these groups they seem to be a quite exotic nation to the Lithuanians. However, historical events influenced links between Lithuanians and Hungarians. At the end of the 18th cen­ tury the Lithuanian-Polish Republic was divided and its territory annexed to other countries. The Habsburg Empire was given a part of Poland and thus came closer to Lithuania. In the 19th century the name of Hungarians was widely applied to the tradesmen - pedlars, travelling craftsmen - and to the students who studied medi­ cine at the universities of Austria-Hungary and had to do the practical work of their training, that is to treat people and domestic animals, in other countries. Those tradesmen and craftsmen wandered from Poland to Lithuania. Craftsmen were good grinders, knife-grinders, menders of pots, dyers and castrators (LE 33: 367). Castra- tors sometimes were simply called Hungarians in Lithuanian spoken language (LKŹ: 709).' Hungarians were distinguished for their brightly-coloured clothes and a stick with a small axe-head. By nationality these people were not always Hungarians, but also Slovaks, Poles or people who spoke in other Slavonic languages.2 Russian gen­ darmes sometimes arrested them and suspected that they were spies of Austria- Hungary or Germany. And it was often the truth: it was a common tradition of those 1 Besides, the synonym of the word castrate is Hungarianate (Lith vengr-inti) which is made from the word Hungarian (Lith vengr-as) (LKŽ: 709). 2 Locals did not understand and differentiate these languages. In one story it is said that the Hungarian language is similar to the Jewish language (LTR 3905[964]). Besides, sometimes Hungarians were confused with Jews because they were both swarthier than Lithuanians and were tradesmen. 1216-9803/$ 20.00 © 2005 Akademiai Kiadó, Budapest 100 Laima ANGLICKIENĖ times that young soldiers walked as itinerant craftsmen, gathering information and revising the maps of Russia (LE 33:367). Hungarians used to appear as magicians or doctors, more seldom as trades­ men and their name survived in Lithuanian oral folklore and the customs of masking. MASKS REPRESENTING HUNGARIANS In Europe all nations have liked to disguise as strangers during various feasts. It has been common to use masks of Jews, Gypsies and inhabitants of neighbouring countries, especially if the religions of these countries are different. Therefore, masks of Jews, Gypsies and Hungarians were popular in Lithuania.3 The mask of Hungarian was rarer in comparison with the masks of other strang­ ers. It was used in Samogitia (in Western Lithuania) during Shrove Tuesday, while in Northern Lithuania the personage performing the same actions was called a doctor (VAICEKAUSKAS 1997: 76). In Eastern Lithuania the mask of Hungarian was used during a wedding (ČEPIENĖ 1977: 73). There were two or three Hungarians in the large group of maskers. For exam­ ple, in Upventis (district of Kelme) they even formed a peculiar "team". Professor Hungarian, his assistant paramedic and apothecary made up such a team (DOVYDAITIS 1970: 243). The clothing of Hungarians was of two kinds. Sometimes it was similar to the clothing of other masks, for example, Jews: maskers wore the lambskin inside out or in tatters, made humps from straw or stomachs from pillows and tramped humpbacked and bandy (BURAČAS 1993: 179). Elsewhere the costumes of maskers were similar to the clothing of real Hungarians whom people met in vil­ lages. Their foreign origin was stressed. These maskers wore black coats, blue or black trousers, shoes, high hats, and their faces were smudged in black. They had a stick, the wooden axe of a highlander of the Carpathians, in one hand. Bottles with many-coloured liquids were put in the box, which they hung on their shoulder (TRINKA 1935: 212). They had a bar of soap which was a nostrum - a universal cure for all diseases or "love" potions for girls which helped to attract a pleasing lad (ČERBULĖNAS 1942: 5). These maskers copied the behaviour of real doctors: they tried to examine women, diagnosed diseases and later gave medicine. Hungarians usually spoke in a mixture of the Polish and German languages (BUDRYS-BUDRECKAS 1937: 162). Their stories had to uplift people. Entering houses they introduced themselves with orations: "We are Hungarians from Austria, from the land of Hungary and have medicine from Rome for everyone. Anyone who will not buy this medicine will crow in the voice of cock and anyone who is too mean 3 For example, the same tradition was in Mazovia (region of Eastern Poland). The masks of strang­ ers: Jews, Gypsies, Hungarians and Slovaks doctors were used during Shrove Tuesday (GANSKAJA 1977: 202). Hie Image of Hungarians in Lithuanian Folk Culture 101 to spend five Litas4 will never see the sun for a month. We have medicine for many diseases" (DOVYDAITIS 1970:243). Sometimes a masker expressed his attitude towards real Hungarian doctors, but that was not the aim of his speeches. The main thing was to entertain people: "I am a Hungarian doctor from Rome and my medicine is from the middle of behind" (LTR 1575[73]). Motifs which are contradictory to real situations dominate in their expressions. Words are newly formed or altered, it is the play on words, and they mean nothing but, for example, sound like the names of diseases: "Mister's disease is sumasica, i.e. palendrica underneath the stomach... You have the second disease - oldadra which is the mother of all diseases" (LTR 1575Į73]). Hungarians looked for "patients" in every home, gave advice and told about their great experience: "Marijona had a very large sore. Then I crushed glass and sprinkled it into the sore. One year did not pass and the sore healed up. Judith was gored and Agota was hacked. I treated them in such a way: I needed the brain of the stone and fat of the wind and they recovered. [...] Will you take medicine from me? My medicine is such: you need foam from the sea, manure from under the boar and old vines. If you take this medicine you will love me and will never have good health" (LTt 705). Later in the 2nd quarter of the 20th century "Hungarians" were gradually for­ gotten and replaced by "local doctors" (KUDIRKA 1992: 37). THE HUNGARIAN IN ORAL FOLKLORE In Lithuanian folklore Hungarians are mentioned in mythological legends, an­ ecdotes, fairy tales, songs of matchmaking, songs of war history and proverbs. Hungarians are the only strangers who are mostly depicted as representatives of one trade - they are magicians, whereas the stories about other nations are varied. Other strangers also have magical powers, but this activity is not mentioned as the main one. On the other hand other strangers are called magicians while Hungarians are more often called doctors as well. Some people believed in the treatment given by Hungarians but others called them charlatans and cheaters. In the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century priests exhorted peasants not to believe in charlatans, including Hungarians, and to beware of them. The negative attitude of priests towards Hungarian doctors has been recorded in their writings. One of them, Kajetonas Aleknavičius even ver­ sified such revealing occurrences. In one of his verses it was recounted that when such a Hungarian doctor cured the patient he was left without his health (ALEKNAVIČIUS 1907: 77). Another poem was about means which were used to treat cows. A Hungarian gave a black substance with some poison. In the morning the 4 Litas is the Lithuanian national currency. 102 Laima ANGLICKIENĖ owner found his cow dead (ALEKNAVIČIUS 1907: 82). These poems are similar to the versified folk creations - parables. It has been mentioned in mythological stories that Hungarians are forced to cheat by their authorities because they are obliged to give the cash to them (BsLPY 133). Belief in such doctors depends on the individual. Those who believed that Hungarians were good doctors said that they cured some diseases well (LTR 2057[138]) because they used various medicinal plants (LTR 3783[687]) or brought medicine from Hungary (LTR 3987[29]). Hungarians also knew a lot of magic which could save animals from evil. For example, they fumigated cows and nobody could take away milk from them (LTR 2561 [103]). Or means which were used by Hungari­ ans, could help to protect people and their property from spells: Hungarians drilled a hole in the threshold and poured devil's shit (Lith devyndrekis)s or "the treble 6 nine" (Lith trejos devynerios) into it (BUGAILIŠKIS 1939: 635). Sometimes Hungarians practised other magic: they could help to banish rats and mice from the home (LTR 3155[84]) or called devils with the help of a magic book (LTR 1250[22]). A Hungarian cheater takes payment and tells how to exterminate fleas: "You have to open the mouth of the flea and pour in the medicine" (LLA 423).