Abstract
<jats:p>The article concerns an initiation novel The Wanderings and Adventures of Nikodim the Elder written by the prosaist and Symbolist poet, Aleksey Skaldin. The author explores the ambivalent image of the witch N.N. It appears that she receives her magical abilities from the representative of the dark and devil force, Feoktist Lobachev – the owner of the mysterious factory and enigmatic gray hat. It soon becomes clear that N.N. is trapped in the material world. The article leads to the conclusion that the main character of the novel, Nikodim, and N.N. are essential to one another. He saves her from the destructive influence of Lobachev, while N.N. plays the role of a symbolic companion to the protagonist on his path to initiation.</jats:p>