Su iyesi

In Turkic mythology, Su Iyesi (Tatar: Су Иясе or Su İyäse; Chuvash: Шыв Ийĕ; Sakha: Уу Иччи; literally "water master") is a water spirit. It corresponds to the nymph in Turkic cultures. It is a disembodied, incorporeal, intangible entity, but she can turn into a female creature and daughter of Yer Tanrı.

Features

When angered, she breaks dams, washes away water mills,[1] and drowns people and animals. She drags people down to her underwater dwelling to serve her as slaves. She is in Tatar[2] fairy tales the same creature as the Su Anası ("water mother"). In Turkic tales, she lives in ponds or rivers. There is no mention of a particular dwelling, and the 'half-sunken log' is unapparent.

Su Iyesi is sometimes associated with perilous events such as floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings. In other Turkic folk traditions, she can be benevolent or beneficent.

Su Ana

Su Ana ("water mother") is often mentioned as the female form of Su Iyesi. She is said to appear as a naked young woman with a fairy-like face and yellow and long hair, usually covered in black fish scales. She has a fish's tail and eyes that burn like fire. She usually rides along her river on a half-sunken log, making loud splashes. Local drownings are said to be the work of the Su Anası. She is the wife of Su Ata. She likes shores and likes to get out of the water.

In Turkic languages

Its name in Hungarian culture is Víz Anya and in Mongolian belief is Ус Ээж (Buryat: Уһан Эхэ; Oirat: Усн Эк). These entities have many similarities, and each name has the same meaning, "aqua mother".

Su Ata

Su Ata ("water father") is the male form of Su Iyesi. He appears as an old man with a frog-like face, greenish beard, with his body covered in algae and muck. He has webbed paws instead of hands. He usually rides along his river. Consequently, he is often dubbed Vudaş (Chuvash: Вутăш, Vutăş) by the Chuvash people. He is a river and lake god. When someone has drowned, people often say "Su Ata took him." He also reportedly hates people who pollute the waters. The advice on how to please him goes that one should throw a whole bread into the water to make him happy. Also, when a bride must go far away, she has to be introduced to Su Ata.

In Turkic languages

Its name in Hungarian culture is Víz Atya or Víz Apa and in Mongolian belief is Ус Эцэг (Buryat: Уһан Эсэгэ; Oirat: Усн эцк). These entities have many similarities, and each has the same meaning, "water father".

Similar creatures

References

  1. ↑ Creatures of Turkic Tatars (Tatar Türklerinde Varlıklar), Çulpan Zaripova(in Turkish)
  2. ↑ ИБНЕ ФАЗЛАН ЯЗМАЛАРЫ(in Tatar)

Bibliography

See also

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