Page:The Mythology of All Races Vol 3 (Celtic and Slavic).djvu/365

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WORSHIP OF THE DEAD
239

That the worship of ancestors was widely spread among the Slavs may be considered an established fact: the Slavs looked upon their forefathers as guardian penates who were deeply concerned about the happiness both of the family and of their dwelling; and the origin of many mythological beings, especially the penates, may be traced back to this kind of ancestor-cult.