Folklore & Mythology

Graphics by Maciej Sieńczyk for Oskar Kolberg's text on the physical confrontation of Polish peasants with ghosts (Lubelskie, Part 2). Source: Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Do Vampires Eat Dung?
Think you know vampires? Think again. In Slavic folklore, the undead weren’t elegant aristocrats—they were boneless, blood-filled shapeshifters who slipped through cracks, caused chaos in the night, and sometimes survived... Read more...
Н. Н. Брут, Magazine «Leshy»
Laughter in the Forest – A Walk with Leshy
What if the forest was watching you back? Meet the Leshy, the mischievous Slavic spirit who guards the woods, plays tricks on travelers, and might just be closer than you... Read more...
Leprechaun with his pot of gold. Illustration from Celtic Fairy Tales.
Luck, Hidden Treasure, and the Magic of Discovery
This Saint Patrick's Day, we’re exploring two legends of luck: Ireland’s treasure-hoarding Leprechaun and the Slavic Raskovnik, a magical herb said to unlock any secret. Read more...
Zmey's Bride painting by Nelinda. Zmey'e bride waits in the dragon's lair for the dragon to return.
Dragons, Wine, and Love
Handsome, powerful, and dangerously obsessive, the zmey is both passionate suitor and jealous captor. From wine rituals and summer solstice abductions to weddings of thunder and fire, discover the layered... Read more...
Bilibin illustration of Baba Yaga and Ivashka from "The tale of the three royal divas and of Ivashka, the priest's son," used to accompany a blog post about her role as a goddess of death and regeneration in Slavic folklore.
Baba Yaga: Deity of Death or Regenerator of Life?
In Bulgaria, March is a time for supernatural creatures to return to the human world from their winter residence in Dragon Village (Zmeykovo). Baba Yaga is one of the most... Read more...
Painting by John William Waterhouse of a mermaid sitting on a rocky shore while she combs her long hair.
Mermaids, Silver Butterflies, and Miracles
Mankind’s fascination with the sea has sparked imagination since the first person beheld its mighty waters. Read more...
Cropped illustration focusing on the eyes of a samodiva from a larger painting, used to illustrate a blog post about Slavic nature spirits
Samodivi — Witches of Darkness or Thracian Goddesses?
Are Samodivi, Bulgarian fae of the forests, real or merely myths that have survived throughout the centuries? Read more...