00:10The Al is a demon or evil spirit spoken of in the mythology and folklore of the Caucasus, Iran, Central
00:18Asia, and Armenia.
00:20This demon is known by various other names, such as Alk in Armenian and Kurdish dialects, Ol, Hal, and Kshel
00:30in Tajikistan and Afghanistan, Almasti or Albasti in Central Asian Turkic-speaking countries, then, Halmasti among the Dauds.
00:40The Al are demons of childbirth, majorly interfering with human reproduction.
00:45There are stories of how the Al demon came to be.
00:49Near Eastern traditions narrated that God created an Al as Adam's first consort, but the Earth-born Adam couldn't adapt
00:58to the Al's fiery nature, so, the Al was cast away and Eve was given to Adam.
01:04They say this is the origin of the enmity between the Al and Eve and her daughters.
01:10In Armenian descriptions, the Al demons are ugly entities that have plain noses and fiery eyes, and appear with sharp
01:18fangs, disheveled hair, copper claws, iron teeth, the tusks of a wild boar and sagging breasts, resembling a crone.
01:28They can be male and female. In Iran, the Al is described as a bony, thin old woman, with a
01:36clay nose, red face, and a straw or eady basket hanging from its shoulder, in which the liver or lung
01:43of the young mother is placed.
01:45While in Central Asia, the Al is usually described as an obese, ugly and hairy crone or witch with sagging
01:53breasts, and always carrying a bag where she puts her trophies which are usually the organs of pregnant women.
02:01The Al demons are said to steal the lung, liver and heart of women in childbirth, pregnant women, and women
02:09who have just given birth. They also destroy embryos in the womb, causing miscarriage, and can steal babies 40 days
02:17after childbirth, replacing them with imps.
02:21In ancient Armenian tales, they wait near the home of a pregnant woman and will attempt to steal the child
02:28for up to seven months after childbirth. If this can't be accomplished they will steal an organ from the mother.
02:36Usually it's the heart, lung, or liver which are amongst their favorites.
02:41Expecting mothers were often surrounded by armed guards. And almost all the time, they would cut the air and beat
02:49nearby streams and brooks to protect the mother and child. But the peculiar moment in this time is if the
02:57mother faints.
02:58When this happens, it is assumed that an owl is nearby or in the birthing room and the child is
03:05taken to a flat roof and offered to the evil spirits to make peace. After the owl steals the organs
03:12of a woman, it attempts to escape and cross the first source of water. Once the demon crosses the first
03:19source of water it finds, neither the woman nor the child can be saved.
03:24The owl demons have a master who lives in the abyss. He is chained and molten lead is sprinkled on
03:32him up to his neck. The owl sometimes will take the organs or child to his master as offerings. They
03:39often inhabit the waters, but can also dwell in swamps and any other damp places.
03:45To keep the owl away, and prevent it from reaching water, epitropaic wards used against other demons, such as charms,
03:55prayers, iron objects, onions, and garlic, are used.
04:02To keep the owl, and prevent it from reaching water, epitropaic wards.
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