In Slavic folklore, Leshy is a devil, a tree ghost who guards and defends the creatures of the woods and marshes. While generally friendly or apathetic toward humans, the Leshy can sometimes play tricks on naïve visitors. Russian farmers often send their kids to Leshy, the “Old Man of a Forest”, to learn life lessons. He may or may not have a family, but if he does, it consists of his wife Leschachikha, a human lady formerly a part of his community but was expelled and now lives with him because she is cursed. They have children, some biological ones, and others mysteriously vanished in the woods.
The character of Leshy is quite nuanced, and it may be one of the widely characterized mythological beasts. The term “leshy” was first used in print in the 17th century, and thus, there must be infinite ways it has been portrayed in that time. Many human interactions with leshy descriptions and diverse places where the Slavic myth was evident can explain such variance. Legends of Leshy’s origins as a cursed human creation are where the monster’s name first emerged. There are also Christian-inspired interpretations in which these beings are conceived of and born of pure evil, either as fallen angels or as products of the Devil.
Visual aspects of Leshy vary. Many myths and legends attribute his divine powers as the forest’s monarch or guardian. Therefore, Leshy can blend in with the forest’s natural environment or remain hidden entirely. He can transform himself into a creature, a tree or even a mushroom, and a blend of a human with an animal or plant. He can be as short and frail as an older man or as towering and powerful as a giant. Some myths explain his ability to adjust the elevation and create a false appearance. Leshy’s size changes depending on his surroundings; he can appear enormous while travelling through the jungle, but in an unpopulated area, he can blend in with the grass and remain unseen. It is also conceivable that nobody sees him because Leshy wanders around the woods like a breeze, generating varied noises and baffling the woodland guests.
He has a reputation for being divisive due to his controversial personality. Leshy is responsible to the forest’s residents in his role as guardian. He watches after animals and guards them against the hunters and the woods — from the fire. He is typically portrayed as an elderly bearded guy who, in fascinating twists of folklore, is willing to part with his animals if he loses them in a card game to a leshy. That is why a cheerful and fun-loving spirit is another of his traits. Leshy could have a family of his own or be a hermit who occupies a cave or a tiny cottage in the woods.
This behemoth has the stars for eyeballs, making the air whip as he walks. His lifeblood is blue. Therefore, his skin also takes on that colour, making him look like a tree with bark for skin. His whistling, laughter, and singing can often be heard from the trees and marshes, despite his seldom appearance. According to some accounts, he has horns and cloven hooves, steps in his shadow, and wears his shoes backwards. When inside the forest, he towers above everything, but when he leaves, he is reduced to the size of a blade of grass. In some, he towers over the landscape from afar, only to shrink to mushroom proportions when approached.
Leshy is also a shape-shifter who can assume the form of any animal, even the wolves and bears, which rely on him for safety. Leshy is known for generously rewarding the people he meets who show kindness to him. In traditional stories, Leshy tends the cattle of impoverished peasants and helps princes meet their true princesses on their travels. Leshy also kidnaps unbaptized infants or kids who wander the woods searching for berries or fish. A forest shaman is known to bring his group of wolves into the woods after stopping at a roadside bar for a drink. It is recommended that anyone who has angered a leshy or becomes lost inside the woods trying to make a leshy laugh. Taking off whatever you’re wearing, re-putting it backwards, and swapping your shoes to the wrong foot usually accomplish the work. Alternatively, you can sprinkle salt on fire or pray and curse at them to scare them away.
Leshy appears in several folk tales because the peasant’s existence was inextricably linked to the woods. The forest provided for the peasant & his family, but he could never claim ownership. That’s why there’s always been a mystery in the woods. Humans were then cautioned to treat Leshy with the utmost deference to avoid potential conflicts. For instance, you need Leshy’s permission to visit the forest, and you can’t cut down trees or go hunting without it. It was also unwise to make a lot of noise or whistle while in the woods. If Leshy feels disrespected, they may send bad luck, harm, or even kill the unfortunate human. If a forest’s relative had previously cursed anybody who entered it, venturing inside was likewise risky. Leshy thought the cursed person belonged to him.
Shepherds might negotiate with Leshy to ensure the safety of their flocks. Leshy tended to his herd & grazed them after the shepherd consented to some unspoken terms. Several restrictions, however, had to be met. These included not entering the forest, not destroying or harming any plants or animals, and not witnessing any births or deaths. Leshy can remove the herd from the shepherd’s care and conceal them deep within the woods, where they will never be found. A careless demeanour guaranteed trouble and corrections. In these tales, Leshy shares his vast palace with his companion Aleshire, a variety of reptiles, and wild animals.
In the winter, the leshiye hibernate, but come spring, entire tribes erupt from their dens, shrieking and screaming as they rape any woman they encounter. They mislead humans but seldom harm them during the summer, becoming more combative and scary during the fall. The leshiye go back into hibernation at the end of each year as the leaves fall from the trees.
Some folk legends link Leshy with the Slavic destructive deity blud, who tried to harm humanity by leading them astray and wandering around familiar locations without knowing how to get back home. Leshy is said to be able to alter standard road indicators or disguise himself as a human to lead a traveller astray before disappearing, leaving them lost and bewildered.
Leshy has been known to lure and abduct the wandering. The reasons may vary. The curses placed on them by their parents and other family members were something he could remove from the lives of the forest people. The abduction of a girl was sometimes planned so that the kidnapper might marry her. Afterwards, he will treat her well and care for her like his wife. Contrarily, Leshy sometimes has the power to make a person into his slave. Christian and pagan practices provided an escape route for the kidnapped.
It was widely believed that a human who had been to Leshy would return to a different person with difficulty reintegrating into society. Alteration in mental conditions brought about strange behaviour and the need to relearn basic communication skills. He was a reclusive creature that occasionally considered going back to the woods. Leshy’s encounters also resulted in the development of mystical skills, including clairvoyance and the ability to converse with the dead.