According to some accounts, Stribog is Slavic mythology’s deity and spirit of the winds, sky, and air. He is also considered the ancestor of the winds that blow in each of the eight cardinal directions. There is some debate on the origin of the name; for more information, click here. The word “Stribog” or “Strzybóg” is the source of the terms for several lakes, rivers, and villages located on Russian and Polish territory. Compare the town of Strzyboga, located close to Skierniewice in Poland. Some people believe that there is evidence that people in those locations worship Stribog.
The winds that brought storms were significant to farming cultures, and the early Slavs weren’t different. Perun, the goddess of thunder, justice, & war, was both feared and worshipped because he could give people strength and destroy crops. But it was Strzybóg’s gales that made the thunder. Because of this, Strzybóg is kind of like Perun’s right-hand man. His winds could bring good or bad storms; therefore, even when thunder doesn’t come, Strzybóg’s influence is felt more often.
Even though he has a big following in Slavic countries, Strzybóg’s grandchildren are in charge of those winds. Slavic mythology does not mention his children or grandchildren by name. But each grandchild is the God of any of the eight winds that blow in different directions. I won’t talk about them excessively because we don’t know much (or anything) about how they worshipped, but the west wind was usually seen as gentle and life-giving, while the northern wind was seen as aggressive and hard to predict.
The relationship between Strzybóg and the gods of the seasons is interesting. Some stories say that he carried Vesna, you, or Dziewant toDevana along with Jaryo to kill the goddess of winter, Marzanna. This happens on the spring equinox. If this were Strzybóg’s main job, he would seem to be a good person. It’s not, though. In the fall, when Marzanna comes back to get back at her ex-lover Jaryo, the situation is turned around. At this time of year, Strzybóg must carry the winter goddess, completing the circle of the seasons. Again, this shows how important he is as the God of the winds. It also shows his complexity since he can bring good and bad news.
Strzybóg looks like an older man, just like many other Slavic gods. He wears long, white robes and calls his grandchildren with a prominent horn. He is also shown in the clouds, where he sometimes blows winds out of his mouth. As the title of my first book, “A Dagger in the Winds,” suggests, the winds are a big part of my stories. Strzybóg isn’t as present as his grandkids, but he is a significant figure in the background. They must step in, especially if Wacaw and others start messing with the winds their grandchildren control. Even Strzybóg won’t be able to overlook what’s happening in the story forever.