In South Slavic mythology, there exists a creature known as the “Drekavac,” which can be loosely translated as “the screamer” or “the screecher.” The monster has been portrayed in various ways; in some folktales, it is a zombie man who walks the earth at night. In other accounts, however, the kid is an unbaptized ghost who returns to their parent’s home at night. It has been portrayed in Eastern Serbia as a bipedal canine humanoid. At first, it was believed that the monster arose from the hearts of wicked men or the bodies of unbaptized children. There was a common belief that it was only seen at night, particularly during the 12 days of Christmas and early spring, if other demons and legendary creatures were thought to be more active.
The Drekavac has been described in various guises; it’s plausible to transform between them. Baby descriptions include a bird, a dog, a fox, and a skinny newborn with a huge head. One possible explanation is that the Drekavac is associated with bad omens when seen on a human newborn but with bad news about cattle health when seen on a cow or other animal. Various variants kinds suggest that this could explain the discrepancy between regions. It’s above 1-meter height, and terrifying wails are continuous characteristics.
Its wailing is considered a call to baptism and is often heard in cemeteries. While in some regions, if it screams outside a house throughout the night, it will kill one of its lodgers, this is not always the case. According to popular belief, the Drekavac screams in pain whenever it steps on its long fur. Along with its horrible cry, the creature’s other foul deeds include falling on the person and letting its shadow cross that person’s. The victim will become unwell and eventually die in either scenario.
Locals in Serbia and Bosnia believe that Drekavac sightings are strictly coincidental. If this is true, the Drekavac can kill its victim by strangling them while they sleep, albeit it will only go after people who have wronged it in the past. This contradicts the common assumption that a baby Drekavac won’t annoy its human caregivers. It is recommended that a dog be acquired to protect against the Drekavac, as it is well-known that the Drekavac is scared of dogs. A Drekavac’s cry is usually only audible at night or in the fog because the creature hates the sun.
Although the Drekavac is typically considered a solitary species, there have been accounts of packs appearing in the wild. As a result, the wolf pack will make its home in a tunnel or cave. The Drekavac is a figure meant to frighten children into submission in rural Slavic societies. While most people know this technique, some grownups still genuinely believe it and even claim to have the creature’s corpse in their possession.
In its human form, it foretells the death of a loved one, while its animal form denotes disease among cattle. They say the Drekavac is afraid of dogs and bright lights, and if its shadow falls on a human, that person will become sick and die. A group of passionate fishermen cease fishing after hearing what they think to be the Drekavac’s cries from the pond, wherein they usually fish, and this belief leads to a food shortage in the hamlet. The story’s hero, a brave young man from a hamlet named Mita, sets out to solve the mystery and captures the “Drekavac,” which is revealed to be a big bittern, a very uncommon bird in the region. In “Eagles Fly Early,” another opi mentions the same monster. This urban legend was probably made up to keep kids from venturing too far from home.