In Slavic mythology, there are a huge number of different characters. Some of them are positive, using their incredible abilities for the benefit of humanity. However, there are evil spirits, meetings with which they tried to avoid. It is to the dark forces that the so-called Mavkas belong. They will be discussed in the article.
Mavki
Mavka is an entity that is very similar in behavior to a mermaid. But they do not live in water, and also do not have a tail. Mavka is practically no different from an ordinary girl, except for one specific feature, but more on that later. Human feelings are not alien to them. A lot of interesting things about the life of these forest maidens can be learned from the work that tells about the love of an ordinary guy and a mavka "Forest Song", written by Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrainka. According to legends and traditions, they live in fields and forests, as well as in the mountains. Despite the external attractiveness and playful disposition that can create a harmless image, these creatures are very dangerous. Having met them, you must be extremely careful, as the Mavkas can intoxicatehead, lead away into the forest.
Where did they come from?
If legends are to be believed, Mavki are ruined children's souls. Babies who died unbaptized turn into such evil spirits. They also say that children who were cursed by their parents, as well as stillborn babies, become mawks. But the most unenviable fate awaits those children who were kidnapped by the Mavkas during the Mermaid Week, which begins before the Trinity.
What do they look like?
In Ukrainian mythology, mavkas are evil souls that live in forests and mountains. Their distinctive feature is the complete absence of skin on the back. In order not to frighten a potential victim, the Mavka wears a white shirt covering her back, through which all the internal organs are visible. Some sources describing the Mawok say that they have disproportionately small legs. Having stumbled upon the footprint of a forest nymph, you might think that a child has recently passed here, since the imprint will be no larger than a palm.
As a rule, it is extremely difficult to distinguish a mavka met in the forest from an ordinary girl. She has an attractive round face, luxurious long hair and very beautiful eyes. Beauty is the main weapon of these creatures, who usually prey on men, seducing them and leading them deep into the forest.
Where do they live?
These evil spirits live in dense forests or in mountain caves. There are retellings that describe the mountain habitation of the Mawok. In the caves where these creatures live, all the walls are hung with carpets,which are woven from stolen linen. Often, the Mavkas gather on mountain pastures, where they arrange dances and lead round dances. While they dance, the devil himself plays the flute.
There are rumors that some daredevils who were looking for a place from where the sounds of a pipe and cheerful exclamations of girls could be heard disappeared without a trace. According to beliefs, in order to find a place where restless souls have arranged their coven, it is necessary to make hoops from branches that are put on a person until they completely cover his body. Only in such a disguise can one get close to the insidious forest beauties.
Activity period
Mavki are creatures that are extremely negative towards people. They set up their dangerous nets all year round, in which they try to lure a person. However, the peak of activity occurs in spring and summer, when forests and glades are covered with vegetation as much as possible. In some Transcarpathian villages, special festivities were even organized to appease the souls that could harm living people. The period before the Trinity, as well as the holiday of Ivan Kupala, is considered dangerous. Some sources claim that it is on these days that the mavkas rage and make strange sounds similar to the meowing of cats. In this way, they lure people, usually men, into dense forest jungles or deep bodies of water in order to kill them.
Interaction with the human world
There are a lot of legends and all sorts of stories, one way or another connected with the Mavki. Even from fiction, we can learn a lot about Mavkas. "Forest Song" - a wonderful drama extravaganzaUkrainian writer - tells us about a folklore image that is quite harmless, even shy.
However, most of the legends that have survived to this day say otherwise. Mavka is the first to make contact with a person, lure him into her possessions, and then deal with her victim. Most often they are accused of leading travelers astray, leading them deeper into the forest, where people die of thirst. And also in the fact that they drown their victims in ponds and swamps. On the territory of Poland, there are also legends about the tricks of the Mavka. According to the Poles, this creature is able to turn into a huge bird that pecks a person, and then tears his flesh with sharp claws.
It is also known that a believer is less likely to encounter mavks. However, if the meeting did occur, the Mavka becomes more aggressive. She is annoyed by the presence of Christian symbolism and becomes unable to control her inner demons.
How to protect yourself?
As we already know, the Mavka is an extremely aggressive creature towards ordinary people. Meeting her is a harbinger of great troubles. In order to escape from an evil entity, you must have an ordinary hair comb with you. According to many legends, a mavka who appears to a person always asks for a comb in order to put her hair in order. It is worth satisfying her request and borrowing a comb. Once she fixes her hair and returns the comb, throw it away. After mavka, you can not comb, as the hair will immediately begin to fall out.
Also, in some villages of the Hutsulshchyna, they believe that Mavki cannot stand the smell of garlic, wormwood and horseradish. However, many folklore researchers question this information, they cite multiple legends as arguments, which say that mavkas and mermaids, unlike other evil spirits, are practically not afraid of anything.
Can souls be put to rest?
Slavic legends say that the lost souls who found themselves in the form of Mavok can be put to rest. For this, it is necessary to perform the sacrament of baptism, which the parents did not do during the life of their child. If you have holy water with you, then you need to sprinkle the mavka with it, lamenting: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” After such a ceremony, the evil soul turns into an angel and goes to heaven. The most important thing is not to be afraid of mawok. Do not try to run away from them, as there is a high probability that you will get lost in the forest in a panic.
