Leshy

"The Leshy" by Ivan Bilibin, 1906.

The Leshy is a male woodland spirit in Slavic mythology who protects wild animals and forests, a "Wild man". He is humanoid in shape, has a manly appearance and, on some accounts, is described as having a wife (leshachikha/leszachka) and children (leshonki/leszonky). He is roughly analogous to the Woodwose of Western Europe and the Basajaun of the Basque Country.

Name forms and etymology

The Leshy is known by a variety of names and spellings including Lesiy, Leshii, Leszi, Lesovik, etc.

Main name forms:

Cultural depictions

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Leshiy.

References