Meet the Creatures Of Ukrainian Mythology. Discover its legends and myths to understand part of the culture of this country.
Ukrainian Mythology
Since ancient times, there have existed in Ukraine different creatures and mythical beings that are part of the Ukrainian mythology. When man began to populate Ukraine, and explore its great forests; he found mainly goblins and fairies that inhabited the place.
With the goblins, fairies and other creatures, men lived together for a short period of time and with them he learned his first cultivation techniques. For this reason it was not until the last century, that the beliefs were alive in all Ukraine regarding the cultivation of crops and these beings.
They believed that crops could be either male or female depending on the fruit, and furthermore that each sex could sow them, i.e. men the male crops and women the female crops. If this rule is not followed, the spirits and creatures of Ukrainian mythology do not favor the harvest.
Creatures and other beings of Ukrainian mythology
1.- Skarbnyk
Also called “Karzelek”, this is an impure spirit that existed in the beginning of Ukrainian history; it was conjured to guard the treasures. The person who conjures him becomes his master, so Skarbnyk protects his treasures from thieves and anyone who puts them at risk.
This spirit protects his master, and helps him throughout his life; but when the master dies Skarbnyk turns into a raven and takes his soul for the sins committed in life. His master’s treasure remained hidden and only a direct descendant could take it. If anyone else dared to touch it Skarbnyk turns it into ashes.
In other legends they are also known as “Kladenets”, another of their missions was to protect the lost miners; as long as depending on the miner’s heart the Skarbnyk helped him or made him get lost in the labyrinth of the mines until they died.
2.- Perelesnyk
It is an evil spirit that preys on widowed women. He descends from the sky like a shooting star and appears to widowed women in the form of the lost loved one pretending to have returned to them.
In this way the Perelesnyk manages to live with the women in a marriage relationship, his main objective is to procreate with the women, these children are called “odminky”; the only way to recognize a child that comes from a Perelesnyk is when time passes.
This is because odminky do not grow up and never lose their appetite. Once discovered it is almost impossible to remove the Perelesnyk from the house where they are living; great caution must be exercised when attempting to do so because if they become angry they will burn the house to the ground and disappear completely.
3.- Odminky
Its name means “changed”; however, in Ukrainian mythology it is given the meaning of “fairy child changed into a human one”. The ones in charge of performing this type of changes are the Mamuna; and they change all human children before their baptism, generally exchanging them for a demon.
4.- Somin Lake Monster
Lake Somin is near the village of Lukiv, located in western Ukraine. In that lake appears a monster that for more than a century has terrorized and murdered thousands of villagers.
In some accounts, it isdescribed as having the appearance of a giant crocodile but with the head of a snake; this ferocious creature makes thunderous noises at night. It lives in the great chain of caves beneath Lake Somin, and comes to the surface only at night, devouring any animal or person that roams its domain.
5.- The Chemer Monster
Chemer is a village in Ukraine, where they have tales and legends about a creature that has terrorized them for years. It is described as a cross between a dog, a kangaroo and a fox; it has no hair and is orange in color.
Its main food prey are rabbits, cats and dogs; in some legends it is described as looking similar to a reptile. However, in 2007 one of these creatures was trapped; it could be analyzed and studied by many veterinary experts. But it was not possible to know exactly what breed this animal was.
6.- Domovik
It was also known under the name of “Domovói”; it is a minor deity that lives in every Ukrainian home and its main function is to protect the home as well as each member that lives in it.
7.- Lisovik
It is a monster, who lives hidden in the forests of Ukraine and likes to whistle; every October 17 he has to take shelter under the ground for the winter. Before wintering it causes a big storm, causing animals to leave their burrows and trees to fall.
8.- Vid’ma
Sheis an evil woman who uses her powers against people, her powers are supernatural strength and also predictions. She is responsible for spreading diseases in villages, leaving them without harvest, stealing things, among others. Ukrainians believe that when Vid’ma appears to them in a dream something very bad will happen in their family.
9.- Polowiki
They appear in most of the stories of Ukrainian mythology, they are described as spirits in the form of dwarfs; they have eyes of various colors and are totally deformed. Instead of hair, they have grass on their heads.
They always dress in black, although on some occasions they have been seen in white and appear at midday. They are very mischievous and love to make people get lost in the woods, and frighten animals; lazy people and people who destroy crops are the ones who suffer most from the Polowiki‘s pranks.
10.- Poludnisa
She is a fairy, who is described as a very beautiful woman who is always dressed in white. She is also called “whirlwind”, this is because she sometimes takes the form of a whirlwind of dust, she has magical powers and is used to pull the hair of peasants who fall asleep at work in the middle of the day.
11.- Leshy
It is a magical creature of Ukrainian mythology, protector of animals and forests. He has the ability to change into any shape and size he wants, although he usually appears in the appearance of a tall old man with a beard and grass hair; and animal parts for his body.
Conclusion
The creatures of Ukrainian mythology, which are in most of the stories and legends of the area, are evil spirits, mischievous goblins, fairies and other magical protective beings.
For Ukrainians, many of these creatures are products of stories created to try to capture what they cannot explain; as in the case of the Chemer monster. What is a fact is that after the arrival of Christianity, these beliefs were eradicated.
These Ukrainian mythological creatures mark the history and culture of the Ukraine; and not all these beings were evil, but Christianity made them look as terribly dangerous beings to eliminate these beliefs.
