Viy is a tale of horror set in Ukraine. Khoma Brut, a young seminary student, is sent to a remote estate to read prayers over a dead girl for three nights in a church. The girl is rumoured to have been no ordinary person, and the task proves to be far more frightening than he expected. Drawing on folk legend, the story mixes dark comedy, village life and real terror, and it has inspired many later horror films and stories.