LESHY (Polish Leszy)
in East Slavic mythology evil ➚ demon, personification of the forest, its lord and master of animals. It was enough to only mention him to bring bad luck (compare with Russian leshakat’siya, leshihat’siya). Leshy was roughly a human in shape (sometimes with horns and hooves), wearing animal furs. A piece of debarked linden wood protected against him.
Other name forms: lesovik, lesavik, leshak, borovik. In West Slavic (Polish) tradition leshy was known as laskowiec (forest spirit).
Related articles:
