Observations placeholder
Keightley, Thomas - The myth of Iskrzycki
Identifier
011259
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Standing on his right implies not using magic, left handers being right brained and thus more naturally inclined to spirituality.
The rest of the meaning I can only guess at, assuming it is symbolic. It has the touch of Faust about it.
The clues that this is an allegory is the name of the spirit – spark, firestone, fire - the stove may mean the heater, a name used throughout the world and especially in Chinese medicine [triple heater]; and the horse's hoofs, which imply a spiritual being - the devil in Christian iconography is often shown with a horse's hooves, but only because a horse is a shamanic means of transport.
A description of the experience
Thomas Keightley – World Guide
This legend or myth appears again and again in different forms throughout Europe and Scandinavia. It is known in Germany, for example, England and Ireland. This particular version comes from Poland and is Slavonic.
There came to a nobleman an unknown man who called himself Iskrzycki [spark or firestone] and offered to engage in his service. The contract was drawn up and signed, when the master perceived that Iskrzycki had horse's hoofs and he accordingly wanted to break off the agreement; but the servant stood on his right and declared that he would enter on his duties, even against his master's will. From this time forwards he took up his abode invisibly in the stove and performed all the tasks set him... People gradually grew accustomed to him, but at last the lady prevailed on her lord to remove, and he hired another estate. His people left the castle and they had already gone the greater part of the way, when on a bad part of the road, the carriage was near turning over, and the lady gave a loud cry of terror. Immediately a voice answered from behind the carriage – 'Never fear! Iskrzycki is with you!'
The lord and his lady now saw that there was no way of getting rid of him, so they went back to the old house, and lived there on good terms with their servant till the term of their engagement had arrived.