Haltia
Description: House goddess. She was said to live in each room’s roof beams,
bringing good luck and health to the residents if they greeted her upon entering.
haltia (familiar spirit) In Finno-Ugric mythology, tutelary genius of a person. Each person has his own haltia, which goes before him. If the haltia is a very potent one, it arrives home before the person does, announcing its presence by a crash. The haltia is believed to become a reality three days after birth, and it is considered dangerous for a baby to be alone before that time. The haltia is sometimes blamed for a man’s poor actions, with people saying, “It was not he, but his haltia.” Sometimes the terms saattaja (guide) and onni (fortune) are used in reference to haltia.
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow-Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante
