Here are the creepiest creatures from Eastern European folklore.
Here are the creepiest creatures from Eastern European folklore.
Often depicted as an old man with long, sharp claws, Bannik supposedly hangs out in the banya steam baths that are common throughout Eastern Europe. In fact, visitors at the baths often leave behind offerings of soap for Bannik. He possesses the power to predict the future. Bannik would deliver a soft touch to a person’s back if their future looked good. Those with troublesome futures would receive the sharp sting of Bannik’s claw instead.
One thing that is especially interesting about Baba Yaga is that this creature has no counterparts in the mythologies of other cultures. She is totally unique to Eastern Europe.
Baba Yaga appears as a witch-like woman with long, spindly legs and a large nose. She bestows blessings and curses on travelers based on how she is feeling. She’s often depicted flying around in a wooden bucket looking for children to snatch. She abducts kids and cooks them in a big pot in her house.
A strigoi is a ghoulish creature that looks and acts very much like a vampire. This creature supposedly roams the Romanian countryside spreading death and destruction. Some versions of the strigoi are actually corpses that have escaped the grave.
Many people claim to this day that they have encountered the mysterious strigoi while venturing outside after dark in towns and forests throughout this portion of Europe.
Perun is one of the oldest and most mysterious entities from Eastern European folklore. His identity is quite similar to the gods that are found in cultures throughout Greece, Rome and the rest of the ancient world.
He rode along on a chariot and used a catalog of powerful mythical weapons during his time as the main ruler of the supernatural realm in Eastern Europe. He is commonly depicted as a strong bearded man wielding a weapon in books and art.
She is an evil household spirit who takes up residence behind a stove or in a cellar. Her objective seems to be stealing food. Most accounts paint her as a witch or the spirit of a deceased person who once lived in a house. Others say that she enters a home through a keyhole and attempts to strangle people as they sleep in their beds.
Vodianoi is a male water spirit who lives in deep pools of water. This sinister creature takes delight in drowning swimmers. Some who have seen him claim that he appears as a naked old man who is hairy, bloated and covered in slime. Others claim he has scales. Some even claim that he is an old peasant man in a red shirt who is capable of transforming into a fish.
It commonly swims in waters near mills and it gathers fish into nets for some favored fisherman.
Baubas is a Lithuanian creature with dark red eyes, long arms and bony fingers who kidnaps misbehaving children. This red-eyed demon is especially sinister because of the fact that he enjoys hiding inside homes. You can think of him as the monster under your bed. In fact, he enjoys hiding under beds, carpets and more.
Külmking is a creature from Estonian mythology who lives in the forest and eats children. He also likes to taunt and terrorize grownups who happen to cross paths with him while walking in the dark forests of Europe. While he appears as a large beast, he is actually the restless spirit of the unholy dead. Anyone who enters the woods in Eastern Europe wonders if Külmking could be lurking nearby.
These household spirits often played pranks on families and assisted with household chores. They could also tell the fortunes of the families they lived with using comb bristles, candles and other household objects. Domovoi are typically described as being small and bearded. They closely resemble the hobgoblins that are popular in Western European folklore.
These mysterious creatures are believed to have power over the wind. In fact, they are credited with causing wind storms. Those who claim to have seen the Vila say that they appear as ghosts wrapped in long, whimsical cloaks or rich blue robes. They sometimes appear as beautiful women who sparkle in dresses made of leaves and flowers.
Unlike other creatures of Eatern Europe, Vila is feminine and beautiful. They also tend to be helpful instead of destructive. Many claim that they are able to heal humans of ailments. They have been known to tempt men to dance with them.
People in Eastern Europe tend to leave offerings for Vila including ribbons, fruits, cakes, flowers, vegetables etc. Vila is known to end the lives of men who defy them or break promises.
Have you heard of any of these strange beasts? Let us know in the comments section!