Who is the garaboncias?

The garaboncias or garaboncias student is a figure of Hungarian folklore.

The name "garaboncias" means conjurer and is derived from the italian/latin word "nekromantia"

His features come from two sources consisting of the figures of Odin-Wotan and "Fahrender Sholast".

#Odin

Theoretically in the 10th century Hungary was converted to the Christian religion but in the everyday life of people many pagan traditions remained and was taken from the neighboring nations' folklores. One of such mytological person is Odin or Wotan (known by this name in Germany and at Anglo-Saxons). In Scandinavian mythology Odin is the god of wisdom and war. Particular elements of the garaboncias -like being the master of winds, gathering wisdom and being tricky- are his main pagan rhumbs. According to the saying, he is "limb of the devil"

#Fahrender Scholast

This German expression means travelling scholar or student. This motif gives the Christian features of garaboncias. +At the Hungarian countryside about 800-1000 years ago it was mystical enough if someone was educated...

#The appearance

Since their birth scholars are special. They are born with teeth or with six fingers on each hands. (Just like shamans) In their childhood they are trained and taught until they go on a journey around the country. They wear shabby, brown cloak and are accompanied by a dragon sometimes. Their magical book contains all the spells and incantations they use but if a stranger tries to read from it they fly into the air and are not able to come down until the garaboncias let them.

The most common story about them that when they travel and stop in a village they ask for food from villagers. If they don't get it, the house will be cursed; cows don't give milk, hens don't give eggs, the water well stops working and so on.

In general, the garaboncias is capricious. He is able to do good and bad. He flies around on his dragon's back if he feels like, or wakes storms above the village that didn't feed him. But he gathers knowledge and being grateful if he gets what he wants.
For me, he is special because he is like the essence of European folklores including Hungarian and Scandinavian. Not to mention that he is a really cool guy, a bit like Sapkowski's witcher.

Guess you will meet him on my blog later too ;) See you soon!

Pictures from Pinterest and from my sketches