Known by various names such as Leshy, Lasowik, Borowy, Forest Elders, or Forest Aunties, these mythical beings are the stewards of nature, charged with protecting the ancient groves and the creatures that dwell within. Their role in folklore is complex, balancing the fine line between fearsome protectors and benevolent guides.

Physical Attributes of the Leshy

The Leshy are renowned shapeshifters, often manifesting as trees or walking forests with limbs that mimic branches and hair of leaves. Their ability to alter their size from towering giants to minute figures or to transform into forest animals, such as bears, makes them formidable figures. They are also masters of camouflage, capable of changing their skin color and texture to merge seamlessly with the forest surroundings.

Skilled in the languages of both animals and humans, the Leshy use their voices to protect their domain. They might mimic the crashing of branches, the rumble of thunder, or the howls of wolves to startle or ward off unwelcome visitors from their sacred lands.

Defenders Against Exploitation

The Leshy are particularly vigilant against hunters and loggers, resorting to ingenious non-violent tactics to safeguard their territories. They might hurl logs or take on the form of a bear to chase away intruders.

 More subtly, they could cause brambles to overgrow paths, leading their foes in endless circles, away from essential resources like water, thus defending the forest from harm.

Woodcutters might find their tools mysteriously misplaced or broken, courtesy of a Leshy’s intervention.

Even more direct are their methods of sending swarms of bees or mosquitoes to harass those who pose a threat to the tranquility of their wooded realms.

For those who caused the most damage, a Leshy might even seek revenge on their human neighbors by poisoning rivers, stealing animals, or smashing fences or houses.

The Benevolence of the Leshy

Despite their fierce protection of the forests, Leshy are also depicted as gentle protectors of the innocent. Lost children, in particular, find solace under their watchful eyes. The Leshy guide them to safe food and water, shield them from harm, and ensure they are found by search parties.

The Forest Aunties, as they are affectionately known, are celebrated for their maternal care. They wore drowns of leaves and dresses made of red bark. They would provide children with jars of honey and baskets of berries, mushrooms, and nuts. In the winter time, they would bring lost children into their warm huts, giving them a safe place to recover from their trials, before leading the children back to the safety of their villages. 

The Leshy of the woods are also caretakers of lost or wandering domestic animals. A Leshy might nurse a lost lamb or calf back to health and ensure its safe return to the farm it strayed from, underscoring their role as nurturers as well as protectors.

Living with the Leshy

For those who enter the forest with no ill intentions, the Leshy can be gracious hosts. They clear paths, guide travelers, and help lead them to glens with safe mushrooms to eat. Their existence speaks to a deeper philosophy within Slavic folklore: a respect for nature and an acknowledgment of the deep, interconnected relationship between humans and the natural world.

The Leshy, with their dual nature of fierceness and kindness, embody the spirit of the Slavic forests. They serve as a reminder of the natural world’s power and mystery and the importance of approaching it with respect and a pure heart. In the tales of the Leshy, we find ancient wisdom about coexistence, stewardship, and the profound bond between humanity and the earth.

If you would like to learn more about Slavic folklore, consider signing up for my Reader’s Club. Club members will receive an email every month or so with book reviews, links to new entries in my “Slavic Spirits” blog series, and updates on my works in progress.

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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.

In pre-Christian times, one of the supreme Slavic gods was Rod. Known as the god of family, ancestors, and fate, Rod’s influence permeates the very fabric of societal and familial bonds, weaving together the past, present, and future of human lineage.

Rod is often described as the progenitor of the gods and humans alike, making him a pivotal figure in Slavic mythology. Rod’s presence is felt in the familial ties that bind generations, in the unseen threads that guide fate, and in the natural cycles that govern existence.

Rod: A Gentle Gardener in the Nursery of New Souls

Rod was envisioned as a gardener of new souls in Prawia (the land of gods and unborn souls), tending to nascent spirits that grew like fruits on the branches of the World Tree. This aspect of his diety underscores his role in nurturing new life and preparing newborn spirits for their journey to the new world.

When a soul was ready to be born on Earth, Rod would summon a bird — often a stork — to carry this new soul to its new family, planting it like a seed in the quickening womb of its mother.

A child’s first haircut — which sometimes happened as late as twelve years old, and was seen as an important rite of passage — was often dedicated to Rod, in thankfulness for his role in nurturing their spirit. This ceremony symbolizes the passing of a child from the innocence of infancy into the community of their ancestors, under Rod’s benevolent watch. The act of offering hair, a part of oneself that continues to grow and regenerate, is symbolic of the life cycle’s continuity and the renewal of familial and societal bonds.

Rod’s worship was distinct in its emphasis on non-blood sacrifices, reflecting his non-violent nature and his role as a nurturer rather than a warrior. 

The Rodzanice: Slavic Guardians of Destiny

Rod’s three daughters were the Rodzanice. Known as the Slavic version of the Three Fates, these divine sisters shaped the lives of newborns, weaving the threads of destiny with unmatched precision and care. Each sister played a distinct role in determining the course of a child’s life, ensuring that the intricate balance between body, fate, and personality is meticulously crafted.

Rozhanitzy: The Giver of Life

The first of the trio, Rozhanitzy, is charged with kindling the spark of life within the newborn. Her blessings focus on the child’s physical attributes, fortifying their health and vitality. It is under her watchful eye that a child gains the strength needed to endure life’s challenges, ensuring that they start with a robust foundation of wellness. Her influence is seen as crucial for the survival and physical development of the child, setting the stage for a life filled with potential.

Narucznica: The Weaver of Fate

Narucznica, the second sister, holds the delicate task of naming the child and crafting their dola, or guardian spirit. This spirit embodies the child’s destiny, closely linked to their family’s heritage and profession. 

Dola, derived from the Slavic root word for ‘fate’ or ‘portion’, represents the positive aspect of a person’s destiny. It is believed to be a protective spirit that follows an individual from birth, shaping opportunities for prosperity, happiness, and success. Each person’s Dola is unique, tailored to their life’s potential and familial lineage, often reflecting the virtues and vocation inherited from ancestors.

For example, a child born into a family of skilled craftsmen might find that their Dola facilitates a natural aptitude for similar skills. This spirit ensures that the individual not only inherits these abilities but also the necessary circumstances to develop and excel in them, thus perpetuating the family’s legacy.

But a Dola might have a darker side, sometimes called a Niedola. This aspect of fate could be associated with misfortune, loss, and the challenges that one might encounter throughout life. Niedola is not necessarily evil; rather, it serves as a counterbalance to Dola, reminding individuals that life’s journey is a blend of good and bad experiences. It challenges people to grow, adapt, and overcome, adding depth to the human experience.

A poignant example of Niedola’s influence can be seen in the life of a merchant whose travels are fraught with perils. While his Dola might bring him to prosperous lands rich with trade opportunities, his Niedola might simultaneously expose him to risks of piracy or trade disputes, testing his resilience and wisdom.

Udelnica: The Arbiter of Fortune

The final sister, Udelnica, molds the child’s personality and determines the nature of their fortune—whether they will tread a path marked by grace or face hurdles that test their spirit. Her judgments influence how the child interacts with the world and their dola or niedola, shaping their character and the moral and ethical dilemmas they will navigate throughout life. Udelnica’s influence is perhaps the most profound, as a person’s attitude colors the everyday experiences and choices that define a person’s essence.

The duality of Dola and Niedola reflects a deeply philosophical aspect of Slavic culture: the belief in a predestined path that is continually shaped by personal choices and external challenges. This concept underscores the Slavic worldview that life is a dynamic interplay of fate and free will, where destiny is both a given and a construct.

The Midnight Ceremony

The arrival of the Rodzanice is a momentous occasion, shrouded in ritual and reverence. They visit on the third midnight following a child’s birth, a time when the veil between the mundane and the magical is thin. To honor these powerful deities and secure their favor, families dress their newborns in white—a symbol of purity and openness—and prepare a lavish feast to welcome the celestial guests. The family then retreats, leaving the space for the Rodzanice to perform their sacred duties undisturbed.

Rod’s Birds Guide Souls to the Afterlife

One of Rod’s caretaking duties involved guiding deceased souls to their rightful place in the spiritual realm, ensuring that the cycle of life and death proceeded in harmony. This role highlights his compassionate and protective nature, qualities that endear him to those who look beyond the veil of life.

Once again, birds are are an important feature in Slavic folklore. It was believed that when a person died, their soul soul transformed into that of a bird, and wandered the earth for up to forty days before they found their way to the trunk of the World Tree. The passage to the afterlife involved crossing a boundary, and overcoming a series of challenges.

This journey was sometimes seen as crossing a river, traversing a dense forest, or moving through a misty veil separating the worlds.

The Slavs believed that the afterlife was a paradise called Nawia (or Nav), which resided beneath the roots of the world tree. To some, Nawia was believed to be in a land far beyond the sea, at the end of the Milky Way. The gate to Nawia was believed to through the water of distant oceans, down into a whirlpool, and on one of the branches of the cosmic World Tree. In some tales, the gate to Nawia was guarded by Veles or his dragon Zmej to keep demons out of Nawia, thus ensuring that the afterlife would be a place of peace and happiness. In other tales, the gate was guarded by Raróg, a Svarog’s falcon made of fire.

Nawia was also seen as part of a cyclical journey, much like the changing of the seasons or the migration of birds, which were seen as messengers or guides between world. In many ways, Nawia was seen as a place where souls could go to rest, away from the trials of the mortal realm. For some souls, Nawia was a permanent residence—their final resting pace after a good life lived on Earth.

For others, Nawia was a rest stop as they awaited rebirth. Their souls would travel through the World Tree and back up to the fruiting branch in the garden of new spirits in Prawia that Rod tended. There, the souls would be await to be reborn into their new life.

Rod, the Rodznicy, and Dola

In today’s understanding of Slavic mythology, Rod remains a symbol of unity and continuity. His legacy is not just in the myths and rituals but in the underlying values they represent—family, continuity, and the cyclical nature of life and fate. As modern societies grapple with rapid changes and the erosion of traditional values, Rod’s teachings offer a reminder of the importance of maintaining loving connections with our past and future generations. We can forgive and learn from past generations as we seek to nurture and provide the best possible future for generations yet to come.

The legacy of the Three Rodzincy, and the concepts of the Dola and Niedola also continues to resonate, providing a framework for understanding the complexities of human fate and the perennial dance between fortune and adversity. These spirits remind us that while we may seek to steer our lives towards success and happiness, we must also be prepared to face and learn from the obstacles that shape our character and destiny. In embracing the lessons of Dola and Niedola, we acknowledge the full spectrum of experiences that define our existence, fostering a deeper appreciation for the journey and its myriad teachings. It is often our attitudes that determine whether we see life’s inevitable challenges as opportunities for growth.

If you liked this blog post, consider signing up for my Reader’s Club to learn more about Slavic folklore, to get book recommendations, and hear updates on my works in progress.

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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.

She Who Runs With Wolves

Known as the goddess of the hunt, forests, and wild animals, Devana is often depicted as the Slavic counterpart to the Roman Diana or the Greek Artemis. Her domain is the untamed wilderness, where she reigns with agility and grace, her presence echoing through the rustling leaves and the quiet steps of forest creatures.

The Essence of Devana

Devana is portrayed as a fierce warrior and protector, her figure often accompanied by the symbols of her reign—the bow and arrow and wolves—emblematic of her role as a huntress. Her connection to the forest is not just one of dominion but also of guardianship. She is the spirit of the wild, nurturing the flora and fauna that thrive under her watchful eyes. Her followers, ancient Slavs who depended on the woods for survival, revered her, seeking her blessings for successful hunts and protection from the perils of the wilderness.

The Dziewonie: Devana’s Handmaidens

Accompanying Devana are the Dziewonie, forest nymphs who serve as her handmaidens. These ethereal beings share Devana’s deep connection with the natural world. The Dziewonie often resided deep in forest glens, looking after bison, aurochs, and deer. 

The Dziewonie also play a critical role in maintaining the balance between human agricultural pursuits and the wilds of the forest. They were keenly aware of the diseases that can afflict livestock, often acting as intermediaries to prevent such ailments from spreading to the forest animals. This protective role makes them vital in Slavic myths, embodying the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.

Devana: Our Lady of Thunder Candle

Devana’s tales often depict her roaming the dense forests on moonlit nights, her path illuminated by the glow of her torch, symbolizing enlightenment and the eternal hunt. She embodies the primal and untamed aspects of nature, reminding us of the wild’s raw beauty and its unforgiving, cyclic nature.

In some interpretations, the Slavic Goddess Devana became known as Our Lady of Thunder Candle. Her glowing torch became a powerful candle whose light could protect people from wolves, from lightning strikes, and could ward off storms. The melted wax from these candles was said to tell the future. 

On February 2nd, people would attend church and take these blessed candles home with them. These blessed candles were also brought out and lit when a person was sick or on their deathbed, so that it’s light could help guide a person through their current darkness into the light.

Devana and Marzanna

Devana and Marzanna were two independent goddesses in Slavic mythology, who were sometimes mistaken for each other because they both are often depicted with the moon.

Devana was seen as the untamable wild woman, concerned with nature, with healthy forests, and with the hunt. Marzanna was a goddess of winter, magic, and witchcraft. Both were powerful figures that inspired fear and awe.

How The Independent Devana Came to Marry Veles

One of the stories of Devana was that she was so powerful and fiercely independent that she attempted become the supreme goddess of the World Tree and all existence. Devana and Perun, god of the overworld, had an epic battle, and Perun chased her all throughout the heavens and the earth. Devana was a shape-changer. In their battle, she transformed into a lioness, a wolf, a hawk, a fish. At last, Perun’s eagle caught Devana.

In hopes of punishing both Devana and Veles (Perun’s other nemesis), Perun forced them to marry each other, thinking the two of them would make each other miserable for all eternity.

The last laugh was on Perun, however. Veles wooed Devana by transforming into a basil flower, and with the fact that he did not seek to squash her independence. The two of them also held a mutual interest in the health of forests, livestock, and wild animals. Veles made Devana his queen of the land of Nawia, and the two of them had an amiable partnership.l.

Cultural Significance

Today, Devana’s legacy lives on as a symbol of environmental conservation and natural balance. She inspires a reverence for the natural world, urging modern societies to remember the ancient wisdom that speaks of harmony with nature. 

In an age where the wilderness continually recedes before the march of civilization, remembering and revering these deities can remind us of the crucial balance between human needs and the health of our planet.

Devana, with her indomitable spirit and her commitment to the wild, invites us to explore, respect, and protect the natural world, ensuring that the forests she loves so dearly continue to thrive and enchant for generations to come.

If you would like to learn more about Slavic mythology, consider signing up for my Reader’s Club. Reader’s Club members will be notified whenever there is a new entry in my Slavic Spirits series, and will also receive monthly-ish emails with book reviews, updates on my works in progress, and other fun stuff.

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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.

Veles: The Enigmatic Shapeshifter of Slavic Mythology

In the shadowy depths of Slavic lore, Veles emerges as a figure shrouded in mystery and magic. If Perun was the god of the sky, then Veles was the god of everything underneath it.

Veles was the protector of creatures of the earth, of water, of the forests, of livestock, and of wealth. 

Where Perun’s favorite tree was the hard and steadfast oak, Veles’s favorite tree was the bendable willow. 

Veles’s favorite animals were the wolf, the bear, the snake, the owl, and the dragon.

Every year, Slavic people celebrate Veles during midwinter, between February 11th and February 24th. The Festival of Veles corresponds to the “Day of Saint Blaise,” who was the protector of cattle. After Christianization, worship of Veles transformed into worship for Saint Blaise.” In honor of Veles, people might pray for good health, and bless candles apples in hopes that they would protect them from diseases. Some of these blessed apples would also be fed to cattle, in order to protect the animals throughout the remainder of winter.

Trickster and Shapeshifter

Veles’s most striking ability was his shapeshifting prowess. Legends tell of his transformation into a myriad of forms — from the magestic dragon, coiled in a nest of wool at the roots of the World Tree, into a bear, or a snake, or even a person. The capacity to change form speaks to Veles’s mastery over the natural world and of magic.

Much like Hermes and Loki (of the Greek and Norse mythologies), Veles is a trickster. His tales often involve cunning schemes and clever escapes (particularly after having pulled some prank on Perun). Many of Veles’s transformations seem to show that he has a sense of humor (for example, changing into a pair of underwear hanging on a clothesline in order to hide from Perun after having stolen Perun’s thunderbolt).

This aspect of his character highlights the complexity of Veles’s nature, combining cunning with deceit, creation with destruction.

The Woolen Dragon

The imagery of Veles as a dragon lying in a nest of wool is rich with symbolism. Wool, a crucial resource, represented wealth, warmth, and protection—particularly in an ancient Slavic society that had to withstand dark, cold winters. Veles’s association with it underlines his role as a guardian of prosperity and comfort, even in the darkest recesses of the underworld.

Alternatively, Veles is sometimes portrayed as having a pet dragon. This dragon, Zmej, was sometimes tasked with sitting on one of the roots of the World Tree and guarding the entrance to Nawia, the Slavic afterlife.

Veles’s connection to the dragon might also be related to his affinity to transform into a snake. Snakes are creatures of transformations in general. They shed their skins, they on the ground but can climb trees, and when the land is warm the reemerge from their winter hibernation.

God of Music and Magic 

As the god of magicians and magic, Veles holds sway over the mystical forces that permeate the Slavic world. His connection to the arcane arts places him as a patron deity for those who seek to move emotions, bring wonder, or see beyond the veil.

God of the Underworld

Veles’s narratives encapsulate the essence of nature’s dualities — life and death, growth and decay, order and chaos.

While one aspect of him presides over the waters, the forests, and the fertile earth, he is also seen as having another solemn role: as the guardian of the underworld.

It is said that Veles is the supreme god over the land of Nav, which was a kind of upside down world that lay beneath the roots of the World Tree.

Some Slavs believed that you could enter Nawia through portals deep beneath the water, which was why people would sometimes pray to Veles to protect the souls of those who had died by drowning.

Nawia was portrayed as a vast green pasture, surrounded by water. This was a paradise where souls would go to rest and recuperate before choosing to be reborn to Earth, or to ascend to Prawia, the land of gods and unborn souls, before being reborn into Yawia, the land of the living.

Veles and Devana, goddess of the wilds

In many stories, Veles and Perun are portrayed as rivals in their mutual courtship of Mokosh, the goddess of the earth and the harvest. Veles and Perun also had a joint-custody arrangement in parenting Mokosh’s twin children, Jarilo and Marzanna.

But in some stories, Veles is the husband of Devana, the goddess of the hunt, the forest, and the wilds. Devana was a fiercely independent goddess, but Veles successfully wooed her by turning into a basil flower. The couple bonded over their mutual love of the forest and the wild.

Discovering the Many Faces of Veles

Veles is a complicated god who invites us to see beyond strict binaries of good and evil. He is a protector and a trickster who seems to delight in crossing boundaries.

If you would like more information on Slavic lore, please consider signing up for my Reader’s Club to get book reviews, updates on my works-in-progress, and monthly-ish notifications whenever I have a new entry in my Slavic Spirits series.

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UPDATE — This blog post includes text and images generated with the assistance of OpenAI’s models. I provided detailed prompts, curated the outputs, and made edits, but the majority of the content was created with AI assistance. This disclosure aligns with my commitment to transparency under the EU AI Act. Disclosure added on November 18, 2024 to align with transparency requirements under the EU AI Act.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Portions of this content were generated using OpenAI’s models, with significant curation, editing, and creative input by E. S. O. Martin. AI-generated portions may not be subject to copyright under current laws.