Leshy

Not to be confused with Leshi.
Leshy
An illustration, 1906
GroupingTutelary deity
Spirit
First attestedIn folklore
CountrySlavic Europe
DetailsFound in forests

Leshy or Leshi[a] is a tutelary deity of the forest in pagan Slavic mythology. As Leshy rules over the forest and hunting, he may be related to the Slavic god Porewit.[1]

A similar deity called Svyatibor (Svyatobor, Svyatibog) is thought to have been revered by both the Eastern and Western Slavs as the divine arbiter of woodland realms, and/or the sovereign ruler over other diminutive forest spirits. Svytibor's functions were much like those of the god Veles.[2]

Leshy often appears as a masculine humanoid, and possesses an ability to disguise himself as any person,[3] including changing in size and stature.[4][5] In some accounts, Leshy is described as having a wife (Leshachikha, Leszachka, Lesovikha, and sometimes the Kikimora of the swamp) and children (leshonki, leszonky).

Leshy is known to misguide wanderers and abduct young ones, traits he shares with the notorious Chort, the "Black One" or "Devil," thus leading some to perceive him as a malevolent entity. Leshy's attitude towards humans can vary, depending on how they interact with the forest and their overall behavior.[6] Leshy is said to possess the power to whisk away children who were mistreated by their kin, especially their parents, to the ethereal realm of forest-dwelling folk.[7] In this way, Leshy is also often considered to be temperamental, with a similar disposition to that of a fairy.[8]


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ Alexander Porteous (1 January 2005). The Lore of the Forest. Cosimo, Inc. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-59605-105-8.
  2. ^ Kaysarov Andei Sergeevich (1810). Slavic and Russian mythology. DirectMEDIA. p. 245. ISBN 5998918851.
  3. ^ Ushakov, Dmitry. (1896) Материалы по народным верованиям великоруссов, Этнографическое обозрение [Materials on the folk beliefs of the Great Russian, Ethnographic Review]. (Vol. 8), no. 2-3, pg. 158.
  4. ^ Maksimov, S. V. (1912) Нечистая сила. Неведомая сила // Собрание сочинений [The Unclean Force, The Unknown Force, Collected Works]. pp. 79-80.
  5. ^ Tokarev, Sergei Aleksandrovich. (1957) Религиозные верования восточнославянских народов XIX — начала XX века [The religious beliefs of the peoples of East 19th – early 20th centuries]. AN SSSR Moscow and Leningrad. p. 80.
  6. ^ Barbara., Podgórska (2005). Wielka księga demonów polskich : leksykon i antologia demonologii ludowej. Podgórski, Adam. Katowice: Wydawn. KOS. ISBN 8389375400. OCLC 62151653.
  7. ^ "Mythological Creatures | Leshy". History & Culture Academy of Latgale.
  8. ^ Ivanits, Linda J. (1989) Russian Folk Belief. Routledge. p. 68 ISBN 0-873-32889-2