They were the souls of women who died tragically but unlike a Lady Midday died before their wedding. In others, its presented as a good spirit that befriends heroes or travelers, often giving them magical items to help them in their travels or adventures. I wish you well. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); You can learn more about the purpose of cookies and how to change your browser settings. 
He also liked transforming e.g. ), attack the healthy. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'stat_source_id', 44); You can learn more about the purpose of cookies and how to change your browser settings. if(ffid == 2){ A demonic creature that is created from dead, unbaptized babies. They appeared as beautiful, naked or half-naked women, clad in airy shirts or silver robes, with fair skin and long green hair; their heads were adorned with wreaths of riverside flowers and herbs. Slavic Mythology: Myths, Creatures and Stories, Croatian Mythology: Popular Myths and Beliefs, Marzanna or Morana: Slavic Goddess of Death. It was also best not to approach their habitats, i.e., all the wetlands, bogs and cavities hollowed out on the riverside slopes. Sometimes these Polish monsters, like the Sphinx, would ask their victims riddles on which their fate depended. They were depicted as deformed people with scales and with fingers covered with membranes. They did however like to suck blood and were extremely violent towards people. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. The good thing is, it can be scared away by light and loud noises, so have a fleshlight at hand when you decide to go exploring in haunted and abandoned houses. They are pretty girls with loose hair. He is covered in muck from the river and wears a hat made of reeds, although he is known to be able to change his form. Hag-like, of course: short, a hideous old woman with sagging breasts and poor eyesight. These mythical creatures spent their days in lairs they had created, coming out at night to drag people into the lake or river and drown them. Drowned women, strangled women, suicides and un-christened children are turned intomermaids. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); I'm glad you liked the article and think it is worth looking at. Making the sign of the cross before swimming was believed to be protection for the vodyanoy, as he liked to drown people after noon or if anyone went swimming after the sun went down and then keep them as his slaves. What did the people say among themselves? However, they would always put the man to the test and tempt him with their beautiful young bodies. ins.className = 'adsbygoogle ezasloaded'; js.src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js'; ins.className = 'adsbygoogle ezasloaded'; However, no one suspected them of having come from hell! ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; He is pictured as an old man with a beard or a dirty man black from soot and ash with bright eyes. They wielded a sickle everyone who fell to the ground from exhaustion, sunstroke (or drunkenness!) var slotId = 'div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-banner-1-0'; lo.observe(document.getElementById(slotId + '-asloaded'), { attributes: true }); These mythical creatures from Slavic mythology would also use their claws to attack people (if angered). A stake through the heart, and cutting their head off [1]. var lo = new MutationObserver(window.ezaslEvent); var pid = 'ca-pub-6145023705656770'; Apparently, in them enchanted power of these Polish demons was found. He is imagined with red-hair and is bearded, crooked, and one-armed with black or red eyes. Supposedly he walked the fields, sometimes at noon, sometimes at sunset, and played at the expense of those he encountered, leading them off into the field (in other words: the wrong way). It is believed that people born with two hearts had two souls, and sometimes even two sets of teeth, and that these were destined to become strigas. Because there were often drownings and unfortunate accidents. var ffid = 1; The world knows of the witchers killers of these miserable demons. On the eve of big holidays, such as Midsummer Night, Easter, Whitsunday and Christmas,witchesgather on a Sabbath. She would feed on small children who got lost in the forest. The cunning Pole forced the devil to sign a chirograph: he would only take his soul to hell if he went to Rome, and Twardowski never intended to go there. var alS = 1003 % 1000; These were the souls of those who were harmed in some way. It can appear as either a woman in black or, more commonly, an evil male goblin-like creature with only one eye. They would switch children with so-called changelings, meaning their offspring. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'adsensetype', 1); Rusalka lured young, unsuspecting men closer to them with their beauty and voice, and then drowned them. Among more rural areas, the drekavac is used like the bogeyman to scare children into obedience, also similar to a banshee. When women drowned, whether by accident or purposefully (suicide or murder), they would become rusalka after they died and haunt the water where they had met their end. More often he is more wicked than kind. container.style.width = '100%'; Awitchis a woman who has knowledge. Family well-being and the health of humanity and cattle depend on this creature. Adomovoykeeps fire, brings water, introduces order and looks for cattle. Balkans were inhabited by Celtic people. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Who was he?
A vodyanoy looked like an old man, but with long claws, body covered in moss, algae, and seaweeds, sometimes covered in mud or boasting a green beard. However, these were rarely guessed. However, they stumble across something valuable, usually gold or money, and grab it out of their own greed. Wilhelm Kotarbinski, Public Domain, via Wikiart. Drekavac and Banshee relation may be no coincidence. Vodyanoy can sometimes be rude and dangerous, so try to stay away from riverbanks and shores at night. She would prowl fields in summer during the harvest time. There are "learned" and "born"witches, who inherit their knowledge. An evil, troublesome demon, of course. !function(d,s,id) They loved going down to earth and seducing people (hence todays Polish dictionary of phraseologies includes the Polish Latawiec/Latawica as a synonym of sexually promiscuous people). It was their revenge for their own death in childbirth or during pregnancy. This was easier said than done, however the insatiable and powerful Strig showed animal-like aggression. lo.observe(document.getElementById(slotId + '-asloaded'), { attributes: true }); The Azdaja might look like your everyday dragon or wyvern, but the history behind it is different. I am sure many would enjoy this article and its curious collection of legends which most of us have never heard of, so I will share the hub with my followers. This was why their hair was so long, and if you met a mavka, then they would ask you for a hairbrush or comb so they could brush their hair. They provide the most danger for newly-married couples and infants. At the end, we will explain what training you have to undergo in order to learn how to fight the products of our scary folklore How can we classify our Polish demons? Ivan Bilibin, Public Domain, via Wikipedia. It usually preferred solitude and resided in the mountains. If you happen to be the one that hurts its habitat, we have only one piece of advice for you: Run as fast as you can, because Leshy will eat you if it gets its hands on you! A Strzyga, also known as Striga, was a female demonic creature that was somewhat similar to the vampire. How to prevent a person destined to become a striga from haunting you or your beloved ones? It spends most of its time lurking in dark places in abandoned houses or barns, where it would wait for wanderers to walk in. It was in these places that Polish mythical creatures had their cursed inhabitants. The Slavic bathhouse, known as a banya, was more closely related to a sauna and was a very important place in ancient beliefs, as it was where women would give birth and where a bride would be purified before her wedding. ins.style.width = '100%'; By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies in accordance with your browser settings. ins.style.display = 'block'; A red ribbon on the childs hand and a red hat would do the trick. As the name suggests, she always appeared at noon, when the sun shone the most. However, instead of a childs head, these night birds had the face of a beautiful woman. It can take time, but after briefly glancing at your subject matter and style, I think you should be able to develop a following, and attract many more positive comments as time goes on. Such individuals were banished, and they quickly died, unable to cope with the new conditions. Znakharsuse the magic powers of exorcisms and the healing powers of water and plants. var ins = document.createElement('ins'); Did it work? Some say it resembles a bird, while other tales say it looks like a dog (a fox screaming at night could be the basis for the legend), or a very thin child with a disproportionately large head. I didn't know about any of these creatures but each is absolutely fascinating. We might not have a lot of written material to look at and read if we want to learn more about Slavic history and culture, but fortunately, Slavs all around the world love to tell stories and pass down the history of their people, so we still have a lot to go on.
Simply by keeping out of the fields in the midday heat. Water creatures from Polish swamps and lakes. So if you ever feel like following a firefly, be careful! He was born in Ukraine, and has moved to the United States in 1995. Mythical or not, these creatures were scary, and considering that all these stories and legends about monsters have managed to stay relevant after all this time, one might think is it really that crazy? The singing of Alkanosts would lure men, driving them mad. Supposedly, for entertainment, they would sometimes place trinkets on the water to lure daredevils to the middle of the waters and never let go of them. He was depicted as an old man with a long grey beard, in a linen cloth robe, holding a pickaxe and a miners lamp. One other common tale with the likho involves a person cheating the creature and then running away to escape its vengeance. The Poudnica came as a tall, pale, thin woman with loose hair and a flowing white robe. Their favourite pastime is harassing honest and God-fearing women at night in order to persuade them to commit the sin of impurity, of course. Similar to the Azdhaja, but it had more bird-like features. He liked to strangle or trample those who fell asleep. Ancient Slavs, ancestors of the modern Russian people, believedthat many supernatural beings existed around them - in nature and in their homes. var pid = 'ca-pub-6145023705656770'; What did she look like? {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; ins.style.minWidth = container.attributes.ezaw.value + 'px'; The only way to kill a strzyga was to cut off its head and bury it away from the body so that it wouldnt reanimate, although burying the body facedown with a sickle around its neck so it would cut off if the corpse came back to life would work as well. It looks very similar to depictions of the Devil in early Christianity a human-like monster with goat hooves, horns, and a tail.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'meettheslavs_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',116,'0','0'])); However, the characteristics and doings of a Chort make it both good and bad. Let us know whats wrong with this preview of, Published By continuing to use our Website, you accept our use of cookies, the terms of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The object ends up sticking to their hand, unable to come off, and the likho cuts off their hand as punishment. Others still described them as beautiful women no wonder, they were supposed to be able to cast a spell on a man, under which he lost control of himself. Therefore, offerings were given to them from time to time, in the form of house pets, to ensure their favour. His power is in his teeth and nails. var cid = '6354310426'; One could see him in the dark due to his eyes glowing red or green. They usually personified negative phenomena that happened to people, from the lighter ones such as lack of sleep, through all diseases, to night-time suffocation and drownings. And so he supposedly once offered the Polish nobleman Twardowski a small deal the man would sell his soul to him and, in return, would receive great knowledge of magic. The Western stories of vampires stem from Slavic folklore but the modern idea of the vampire is vastly different from the idea the Slavic people had in the past. Since the Russians aren't Slavic, and did not even call themselves "Rus'yans" until the 18th century, there is no sense in mentioning them in Slavic mythology. container.style.width = '100%'; ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; The strzyga is a demon related to a vampire in Slavic mythology, although it has a particular association with Polish folklore. the Wawel Dragon. It is said that one can protect themselves from the drekavac by getting a dog, as the creature is terrified of them. TheVodyanoy(Water-Spirit) lives in swamps, lakes and rivers. A large, humanoid monster that serves as a protector of forests and all the plants and creatures that live in them. When a person is identified as a striga, they are chased away from the village. All you need to do is learn how to suppress all emotions, move faster and quieter than all existing creatures, memorize the whole bestiary, start making potions that will increase your agility in combat, and finally do a little magic. Sometimes they were even buried alive, but if they werent buried properly, they came back and haunted the people nearby. ins.id = slotId + '-asloaded'; var asau = '7414240333'; They tempted men and caused their death by drowning them in a nearby lake. 2022 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The wealthier the house the thickerdomovoy'shair is. However, this is again only one of the versions. } It can take the shape of any person or animal, and is very hard to notice. Why should you not believe him? Stuart Richards, CC-BY-ND-2.0, via flickr. Peasants often left offerings in the trees because of this and swimming was strictly forbidden during this time. Meet the 20 most terrifying Polish monsters. He can turn into a cat, a rooster, a snake, a hare, a wolf or a dog. Theleshiypunishes the ones who break the rules: people who enter the woods without a prayer or whistle too loudly. Be sure to buy a ticket and meet the Polish dragon, thanks to Discover Cracow and the tour to the most famous kings castle in Poland! However, these Polish demons were also those who were not buried, or who were missing or banished from their village. She was accompanied by a black cat, although some legends mention a crow, a snake or an owl. } She torments cattle and can hound a man to death. Teodora Savic is an experienced food and travel writer with degrees in psychology and social sciences. It just sort of came out that way) or a black bird. This, however, was taken over by Veles/Leshy, and our field dwarf was quickly degraded to the rank of an infernal creature. Then she would kill careless village people who remain in the fields despite scorching heat. Below, you can read a list of the top monsters in Slavic Mythology which are known to have caused headaches to Slavs throughout the continent, and even strike fear in some, but there are also some which although looked grotesque, did god and tried to help humans! It rarely came down from mountains, but when it did, it was rarely for food it came and spat fire and destroyed anything in its path, usually burning and ravaging whole villages. Innocent boys, good girls you should always be on your guard! Linnea has a fascination with intriguing and unusual things and is especially interested in their historical and cultural backgrounds. The Poudnica, Lady Midday, Lady Rye she had many names, although the first term was certainly the most popular. With his arrival strong winds begin to blow and one can hear the noise of the trees swaying. ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; However, the Bukavac looks nothing like the Drekavac or the Vodyanoy. var lo = new MutationObserver(window.ezaslEvent); So inconspicuous and yet so dangerous! It is a ghost filled with blood, with a soft, shaky and unstable body (without any meat or bones). Additionally, it is said that Poanica tends to haunt and then kill children who get lost in the fields as well. But all accounts say that no matter what form it takes it still has a loud, horrible scream that is said to be a cry for baptism. To become a fan, click here. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. How to recognize that they have just visited you? var alS = 1021 % 1000; It was afraid of light and dogs, which caused it to flee right away while screaming very loudly. So why are they at the top of the list of the most terrifying Polish folklore creatures? ins.style.height = container.attributes.ezah.value + 'px'; Whatever the truth, we should be thankful for our rich history and culture which gives us a glimpse into the mind of your average Slav living a millennium ago. Balachko is a three-headed giant that spat fire from one head, and freezing cold winds from the other. They would watch a young mother for a long time to react in just the right moment. It was based on novels by Andrzej Sapkowski about a man hunting down and killing monsters. }}(document,'script','twitter-wjs'); Their souls went to eternal damnation, transforming into bird-infants, flying at night and attacking pregnant women and young children to suck out their blood. Yes and no. The Strigs drank blood and ate peoples insides. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'stat_source_id', 44); var cid = '6354310426'; var slotId = 'div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-medrectangle-4-0'; But certainly, the Witcher has made Strigs the most popular among the untameable Polish demons. They came out when they were hungry, flying down to nearby villages to snatch cattle and cause harm to villagers. However, as you may know, these fire-breathing monsters, gifted with high intelligence, magic, knowledge of human speech, are not a Polish creation. This spirit leads such travelers astray, hides their hats and baskets, laughs and claps his hands. Currently he lives in Sarasota, FL. ins.dataset.fullWidthResponsive = 'true'; Ancient Slavs, like many other nations, distinguished death into two categories. It was then, apparently, that our chort received a massive kick that caused his disability. The Leshiy(Wood-Goblin) is the master of the wood, which he is one of the primary nature spirits. Greensleeves Hubs from Essex, UK on November 14, 2015: This is a really interesting article Linnea, and very well laid out, with each of the 'creatures' clearly described. A strzygo is the later male equivalent when it was noticed that there were too many demonic women in this repertoire. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); So if you want to see where our devil caught up with the uppity noble, you now know where to go! He guards underground treasures. There isnt any consistent description of what the drekavac is supposed to look like, though. Could there be something to these stories? Many factors of Russian life nowadays evolved from these earlier beliefs of witches, wizards and spirits. TheDomovoy(House Elf) is the master and patron of the house.