The mythology of the Slavs is colorful and diverse. Ancient Russia included many tribes, and each of them had "their" mythical creatures, unknown to neighboring nations: all kinds of banners, ovinniks, anchovies and others. Rus gave supernatural powers to celestial bodies and natural phenomena, mountains, trees and bodies of water. Ancient mythical creatures accompanied our ancestors everywhere: at home, in the field, at the stable, on the road, on the hunt ...
Goblin
Goblin seemed a tall shaggy old man. The Slavs believed that he keeps the forest and all its inhabitants, protects trees and animals from uninvited guests. Goblin loves to play pranks - to confuse the traveler, showing him the treasured mushroom berries. But if you seriously anger him - get angry, lure him to the wilderness!
Some researchers believe that the image of Leshiy was reborn from the image of the ancient god Veles - the patron of pastures and cattle, steppe and forest animals, the bearer of hunting luck.
Brownie
In each hut, Domovoi certainly lived - the keeper of the outbreak, caring for the well-being and prosperity of the whole family, guarding livestock and crops, helping to find the lost. Perhaps Brownies are the most numerous mythical creatures. Pictures with their images, various sayings and proverbs, tales and songs speak of a nation-wide love for small owners.
It was customary to feed the good-natured Brownie, leaving all sorts of goodies in the kitchen for the night. Especially likes Brownie porridge, seasoned with butter. Everyone tried to live in harmony with home keepers, not to anger them. And pissing off, by the way, is easy: just start a house, not take care of the order, offend households and animals. Then blame yourself! Oh, and the good grandfather-Brownie will take revenge for such a disgrace!
Kikimora
According to the ancient Slavs, Kikimora are evil mythical creatures living in every house. But, unlike the Brownies, they do not help the hosts, but on the contrary: confuse yarn, spoil the tow, disturb sleeping children, torture cattle, beat dishes ... Kikimora seemed to be a gray-haired hunched old woman, with a long nose and a nasty squeaky voice.
Water
The lord of the river and lake depths - Vodyanoy - may be merciful to a person, for example, help in fishing. But if he gets angry, he will take away the fish, he will hide the fords, he will dry the streams. Or maybe drag it to the bottom. How to make a Waterman angry? And it’s very simple: litter on the banks, throw unnecessary trash into the water, thoughtlessly empty the riches of water bodies.
Mermaids
Assistant Waterman. The ancients believed that these mythical creatures were the souls of children who died unbaptized. According to another version, Mermaids become drowned. In Russia, mermaids were represented by young girls with long magnificent hair and pale skin. It was believed that at night they go dancing on the beach. By the way, they had no tails. The week before the holiday of God Kupala was called Rusalya - at this time, the girls left gifts for the mermaids on the shore: multi-colored ribbons, beads, rags.
Dragon
One of the oldest creatures. His former name is Triglav. The task of the Snake was reduced mainly to the abduction of young maidens. Many historians believe that the image of the Serpent arose due to the raids of the steppes, who led the girls captive.
Baba Yaga
Yaga is not just an old sorceress living in a forest in a hut on chicken legs. She was considered a conductor from the world of the living (Reveal) to the world of the dead (Nav). By the way, the hut Yaga acquired chicken paws only thanks to Soviet cinema. Initially, the word "kurya" meant a completely different thing. Prior to the adoption of
Christianity in Russia, the dead were burned by placing a domino (coffin) on a fire. So that the deck with the body of the deceased did not warp, it was propped up with special legs - chicken. This word is the same root with "fumigation" - slow burning. So the hut of the mystical Yaga got such a funeral attribute - chicken legs.
In ancient tales, Yaga almost always plays the same role: tormenting with riddles and hovering in the main character’s bathhouse, supplying him with all kinds of magical gizmos (sword-treasure chest, invisible hat, boots-walkers) or guiding attributes (tangle, for example), and after - lets go. Beyond the threshold of her hut begins a mystical path full of trials. All these manipulations are also associated with the ideas of the ancient Slavs about death and the afterlife.